Human Security in the Context of Sudan's State Crisis: The Case of Darfur

The struggle for independence in many African countries was aimed at regaining the dignity and respect of Africans. After post-independence most regimes became more concerned with their states' political insecurities than their citizens' human security. Since its independence, different regimes in the Sudan have been mobilizing the national resources and investing them in war machines and military industry as opposed to human security. Consequently, Sudan has lost more than 5 million citizens in civil wars. A violent confl ict erupted in 2003, with more than 250 000 civilians killed and more than 2 million people displaced. This article traces and examines the genesis and magnitude of human security challenges in the Darfur region of the Sudan. Africa Insight Vol. 37 (4) 2008 pp. 192-20