Zaghawa
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Zaghawa is an African ethnic group or tribe, mainly living in eastern Chad and western Sudan, including the Darfur province of Sudan.
They refer to themselves as the Beri, while the name Zaghawa was given to them by the nearby Arab peoples, and became more well-known. They have their own language, which is also called Zaghawa, and the breed of sheep that they herd is called Zaghawa. They are semi-nomadic and obtain much of their livelihood through herding cattle, camels and sheep, and harvesting wild grains.
While they are not very powerful in Sudan, they politically dominate Chad. The current president, Idriss Déby and several former prime ministers of Chad are Zaghawa, as well as many other members of the government.
The Zaghawa have been among the tribes in Darfur who have been referred to as "African" even as other tribes that have fought with them have been called "Arab".[1]
In the time of the Kanem-Bornu Empire of the 13th Century, they converted to Islam. In Darfur, the Zaghawa are well-known[1] for their piety. Due to the fighting in Darfur, where they are targeted by local Arab militia due to their ethnic heritage, 100,000 have become refugees across the border in Chad. [2]
As of 2008, current President of Chad, Idriss Déby Itno belongs to this group.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b [1]de Waal, Alex, "Darfur's deep grievances defy all hopes for an easy solution", opinion article, The Observer of London, July 25, 2004, accessed September 4, 2007
- ^ See www.nytimes.com/2006/02/28/international/africa/28border.html
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