Sudan's deadly struggle: a bitter civil war in Africa's largest nation has cost tens of thousands of lives since February 2003.

At dawn in Hessa Hissa camp, Hanna, 13, gets ready to collect firewood, her morning chore since she was 10. But much has changed for Hanna and her family in the past year.

"I used to like to collect wood with my friends when we lived in our village," Hanna says. "We would all go out and sing songs and talk as we did our work. But now, I am filled with fear every morning. As soon as I step outside this camp, I know I may be killed."

A year ago, Hanna and her family fled their small village in West Darfur, Sudan (see map below). The village was attacked by hundreds of armed men who came on horses and camels, or on foot. The invading mob killed eight villagers and beat hundreds of Hanna's neighbors as well as her relatives. Before the attackers left, they set fire to crops, livestock, houses, the school, and even the mosque.

Hanna and her family sought refuge (shelter) in a nearby village. Later, they started a three-day walk to the remote area of Zalingei. "Nothing is left in my village," says Hanna. "My father went back a few weeks after the attack to try to gather our belongings, but everything was stolen or burned to the ground. We only took the clothes we had on and a few items we could carry."

Ethnic Groups Collide

Hanna's story is a familiar one in the western region of Darfur. In recent months, more than 500 villages there have been torn apart or completely destroyed by gangs of armed men. The gangs are Arab militias called Janjaweed--"devils on horseback," as the name translates from Arabic. They attack without fear of being stopped, many say, because they are supported by the Sudanese government.

For decades, dashes over land and water resources have plagued Sudan. In Darfur, black African villagers have long fought with the nomadic (roaming) Arabs who make up the Janjaweed. The Africans say they have been repressed by the authoritarian Arab government in Khartoum, Sudan's capital.

When two African rebel groups attacked Sudanese military targets in February 2003, the conflict turned into war. According to the people of Darfur, the Sudanese government unleashed the Janjaweed to wipe out tribal Africans, whom they consider inferior. To date, more than 50,000 civilians have been killed in attacks or have died from a lack of medical care, food, and shelter.

The U.S. Congress and the European Parliament have called this violent campaign genocide. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir denies the charge. At the United Nations (UN), disagreement among member nations has kept the organization from taking any action. Although the African Union has sent troops into Sudan, so far they have not been charged with protecting refugees.

Meanwhile, as the international community looks for a solution, the Janjaweed continue to burn villages, steal livestock, and commit murder. These brutal attacks have forced an estimated 1.5 million Sudanese citizens, mostly African villagers, into refugee camps. More than 200,000 others have fled to the neighboring country of Chad. Since many men have been killed, ninety percent of the refugees are women and children.

About 30,000 people, including Hanna and her family, have set up temporary quarters in the Hessa Hissa camp. Hanna and her parents and four siblings live in a small hut, which consists of tree branches covered with a white plastic sheet. Hanna sleeps on the dirt floor every night.

"We stay here for safety," she says. "But we must go outside the camp to collect wood for cooking and grass for our donkey. The Janjaweed wait for us to leave and then attack us when we are outside the camp. I don't want to go, but what choice do I have? We must eat, or we will die."

Inside the camp, life is safer, but still difficult. Aid workers say three to four people die there every week. There is no running water or electricity. Most families do not have a toilet. For kids, there is very little to do besides chores: collecting wood, fetching water, helping to prepare meals, and taking care of younger siblings.

No Food and No Work

Eleven-year-old Mohammad has lived at Hessa Hissa for the past eight months. He misses his village and his home. "I used to help my father with the farming before our village was attacked," he says. "We grew vegetables, like potatoes, onions, okra, and tomatoes. Now, we can't farm and don't have any money."

Most families, like Mohammad's, survive on wheat and other grains distributed by the UN's World Food Program. "I haven't eaten meat in over a month," says Mohammad. "We have to buy meat and sugar, but my father cannot find any work to earn money, so we go without."

For fun, Mohammad and his friends have made their own toys from sticks and rubbish. "Pet" bugs are also popular. Sudan has very big beetles, and many kids catch them and tie string leashes around their necks. They like to take the beetles for walks around the camp.

A few months ago, a school opened at Hessa Hissa. Right now, there is only enough space for students in grades four through eight. A small registration fee has kept many children, whose families are destitute (poor), from attending.

School is held in several large tents in the center of the camp. Since there are no desks or chairs, the students must sit on the ground. They study math, Arabic, Islam, English, science, geography, and history. Those who are able to buy their own notebooks and pencils can take art class. So far, only five students have been able to afford the supplies.

When Abdul, 12, didn't have money for the school's registration fee, he started a small business selling rocks. "People here need rocks to build toilets and things, so I collect them and sell them," he says. He makes less than a nickel a day, but has managed to earn enough money to attend school.

"Some day, when the fighting stops, I want to go home to my village," Abdul says. "[Until then] I don't want to fall behind in school. I want to be a teacher when I grow up."

Hanna dreams of returning to her village, too. "I want to be able to go out with my friends to collect wood and sing songs again," she says, lifting the ax she uses to chop wood. "Now, we can't sing because it will attract the Janjaweed, and we are too afraid."

COUNTRY  AREA (SQ MI)  FORM OF GOVERNMENT  DATE OF  LITERACY    PER
         POPULATION        & HEAD          ORIGIN   RATE (%)   CAPITA
                                                                GDP
                                           % OF      LIFE       HDI
                                           POP,     EXPECTANCY
                                           UNDER
                                            15

Sudan       967,494   Presidential-        1956      71/51      $1,900
         39,100,000   legislative           45       56/58       0.505
                      (military-
                      dominated);
                      President Omar
                      Hassan Ahmad
                      al-Bashir

Words to Know

* genocide: the systematic killing of a racial or cultural group.

* nomadic: roaming.

* refuge: shelter.

Your Turn

THINK ABOUT IT

Discuss ways that you and your classmates can help the children of Darfur. See your Teacher's Edition for information about international aid organizations.

AFRICA

Sudan

President Omar al-Bashir, 60, leads a country torn by civil war. Northern Arabs have fought non-Arabs from the south and west for all but 11 years since Sudan's independence from Great Britain in 1956. (For the complete profile, see p. 9.)

How to Use This Issue

A Closer Look

Use the maps, facts, and leader profiles in this issue to better understand the news. Look at the map of Sudan at right. Notice its physical features. What river does Sudan share with Egypt and Uganda? Next, read the profile of Sudan's President, Omar al-Bashir, which starts on this page. What responsibility do you think he bears for the crisis in his country?