On this date in 2004, the United States accused Arab militias of genocide against the Black African population in Sudan. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the abuses by government-supported Arab militias were happening in Sudan's Darfur region.
Powell told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the conclusion was based on interviews conducted with refugees from the Darfur violence and other evidence. The Secretary said, “We concluded that genocide has been committed in Darfur and that the government of Sudan and the Janjaweed (Arab militias) bear responsibility, and genocide may still be occurring.”
He added that as a contracting party to an international genocide convention, Sudan is obliged to prevent and punish acts of genocide.
