environmental degradation as a cause of conflict in - Steiner Graphics

1. The extent of the drought forced may Darfurian tribes to change their Nomadiclifestyle and seek settlement in lands considered by other tribes as their Daror homeland. The decades of drought led to migration of more nomads intoDarfur in search of water and grass.2. Introduction of new traditions and new ways of fighting conflict, including thespread of modern firearms.3. In the eighties the traditional rule, which provided the main conflict resolutionmechanisms, suffered from occasional political and administrative upheavals.The population of Darfur is generally divided into Arabs and non-Arabs. Theseparation along such lines is probably more based on cultural heritage thanon true ethnic separation. Although what is called Arabic tribes may havesome Arabic roots, generations of immigration and intermarriage have renderedsuch separation almost meaningless.The Fur is the largest ethnic group in Darfur. They are farmers who use traditionalmethods of agriculture. The second largest tribe in this group, the Zaghawa, aremostly nomadic with some sects of the tribe practicing farming. The Zaghawa alsoexist in Chad, Libya and the Central African Republic. The Arabic tribes in Darfurare mostly Nomadic. Not all Arabic tribes were involved in the conflict, notably thelargest Arabic tribe, the Rezegat. Likewise, not all African tribes were involved; infact some African groups, like the Gimir, were victims of the conflict.By organising this conference, UPEACE aimed to provide a platform for debatingthe major issues related to environmental degradation and land use in Darfur,by scholars and experts in the field, and to alert the authorities and population ofDarfur to the destructive impact of environmental degradation. It was hoped thatthe proceedings of the meeting would expose the major development needs in theregion. Concerted efforts to address such needs are likely to reduce tension in theDarfur area.Dr. Bakri Osman SaeedConsultant-in-chargeUniversity for Peace