History-CS

During the 1800's, one of the growing businesses in the region was the slave trade. When the slave trade reached the 1900's the Egyptians took advantage of Sudanese slaves and worked them as soldiers. They also tore apart tribal and family structures. A fact about child soldiers is that children are more likely to become child soldiers if they are separated from their families, displaced from their homes, living in a combat zone or have limited access to education. So the Egyptians were leading Sudan to have child soldiers. In 1820 Egypt invaded Sudan and took control for 60 years. In 1881, Sudanese leader Muhammad Ahmed took over. In 1899 Sudan comes under British and Egyptian rule. In 1916 sultanate, a Muslim sovereign of Darfur, incorporated into Sudan. The first civil war began against the north and south in 1955. Sudan was also controlled by the United Kingdom, until gaining independence from Egypt and the U.K. in 1956.
 * __History of Sudan-__**

__ Individuals involved in the social issue: __ Sudan boys as young as five joined the army because they had nowhere else to go since their parents were killed in war. Sally Sara did a report on Sudan and met a boy named Peter who was 16 years old. He told his life story and said when he was seven he saw his father shot and killed by the government troops. Since he had nowhere to go he joined the rebels at age ten. After being trained, he went into the war at age thirteen. Peter says after watching his father being killed, he’s not afraid to kill the enemy. He said that there is no other way since he has been shown that killing someone isn’t a crime or a bad thing. Bill Frist is a US Senator who went to southern Sudan without permission. He is part of religious and political groups from the US which are supporting the predominantly Christian south. Frist has overseen a bill that would punish companies that profit from the war in Sudan. He said, " I can go back to the floor of the US Senate the day after tomorrow and later this week talk to the President of the US and tell him first hand, without any filters whatsoever, the realities of what's going on in southern Sudan."



**__History of DRC-__** Many European countries colonized African territories. Congo was a region colonized by the Belgians, who renamed the country Belgian Congo. During the time of the Belgian Congo, Belgium was under rule by the Germans. Although the German army ruled Belgium, the Belgium Congo still was loyal to the Belgian government. Throughout the years, DRC has gone through many rules. These governments change decade to decade. New leaders come into power like it's nothing. After the Rwandan civil war in 1994, the Rwandan Tutsi fled into the Congo to escape the Hutsi. The Sudanese government ran out of options and was forced to just let the refugees into the country.



Violence intensified in the DRC after the Rwandan Civil War in 1994. Of all the child soldiers in the world, one out of every ten is found in the DRC, an estimated 30,000 children. Also about 15% of new recruits for the DRC Army are under 18 years of age. Many families will not accept child soldiers when they return due to their involvement in the violence. Many child soldiers are forced into an Army. Because of the many different armies that now reside in the DRC, many children are being abducted.

Joseph Kony is the Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army. He is said to be located in the Southern Sudan region, although he started in the DRC. He and his armed thugs raid villages, kidnapping both male and female children to use. The male children are forced into the ranks of the LRA and the female children are raped or mutilated, or both at the same time.

Bosco Ntaganda, another rebel group leader is still at large and roaming Africa. His whereabouts are unknown, but he and his men continue their abductions and crimes against the good people in and around the DRC. He has been said to hit the Masisi area quite often and his acts are continuing the violence that is trying to be stopped. The Front for the Liberation and Emancipation of the Congo, or FLEC, is Ntanganda's new rebel group consisting of former generals and other thugs.