Beja Congress

The Beja Congress (English for " Congress of Beja ") is an active both politically and sometimes militarily organization of the people of Beja in eastern Sudan.

Matter of concern

The inhabited primarily by Beja and Rashaida the Eastern Sudan is a poor, underdeveloped and over again plagued by drought and famine region. Despite the rich deposits of gold and iron ore, among others in the Jibal al -Bahr al - ahmar that are also mined, has not changed much in this situation. Also from the profits from oil production hardly benefited the population. Therefore, many Beja and Rashaida feel marginalized and oppressed by the central government in Khartoum.

History

1957 founded Beja intellectuals under the leadership of Dr. Taha Osman Bileya the Beja Congress, which advocates for more regional autonomy for the Beja. In the democratic elections of 1965, the organization won some seats in Parliament for the legislative period 1965-1969. During the reign of Muhammad Jafar at - Numairis 1969-1984 the Beja Congress remained inactive superficial, but passed it on to recruit members and to mobilize the population in eastern Sudan. The Beja Congress since 1995 has been part of the opposition coalition National Democratic Alliance (NDA ).

In the 1990s, the Beja Congress began as a response to increased repression by the government in an armed struggle. Time and again, government institutions such as the strategically important oil pipeline from Khartoum to Port Sudan, which runs through Beja area to the Red Sea, attacked.

When in 2005 a peace agreement between the government and the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army ( SPLA) ended the Civil War in Southern Sudan and Southern Sudan autonomy or possibly put the independence views, this fueled in other parts of the country, hopes for more regional autonomy. In western Sudan 's Darfur conflict broke out openly. The Beja Congress allied with the rebel SLA in Darfur. The Beja Congress, the Rashaida Free Lions organization and the JEM in Darfur merged to form the "Eastern Front" together. Coinciding with the outbreak of the conflict in Darfur intensified also in eastern Sudan, the attacks on government facilities. An open escalation of the simmering conflict in eastern Sudan was feared, however, failed to materialize first.

From the beginning of 2006 ran in Eritrea peace negotiations between the government and the rebels of eastern Sudan. It was signed on 14 October 2006, a peace treaty.