Assault on Educated Class an Effort to Erase History, Observers Say
Violence began in Darfur about 18 months ago, when
African groups rebelled against the government by attacking a military
installation. The government responded by bombing areas of Darfur and
by arming a marauding Arab militia called the Janjaweed, human rights
and aid groups say. Since then, the African residents of Darfur have
been uprooted, beaten, raped and left hungry. But the educated among
them -- teachers, students and community leaders -- say they are
being particularly targeted. They have been singled out by the
government, they say, accused of treason and support for the rebellion,
and prevented from speaking out about the crisis. Human rights
investigators have called the assault on the educated an attempt to
silence the residents of Darfur and a way to erase the community's
collective memory and destroy its political strength. [more ]
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