DARFUR: The Silent Genocide

What have we done?  Nothing. DARFUR = Murder. Over 2.7 million people displaced Torture. GENOCIDE. Janjuweed Over 400,000 killed. 6th Year “The Modern Holocaust” Rape. Over 300,000 people close to death = starvation, and disease. What have we done?  Nothing.

What and where is Darfur? Located in the Northwestern part of Sudan Darfur = Means the land of Fur Area: 2.5 million sq. km. (967,500 sq. mi.); the largest country in Africa and almost the size of continental U.S. east of the Mississippi River.

Population (2008 est.): 40,218,456; 30%-33% urban. Ethnic groups: Arab/Muslim north and black African/Christian and animist south. Religions: Islam (official), indigenous beliefs (southern Sudan), Christianity. Languages: Arabic (official), English, tribal languages

What is going on in Darfur, Sudan? Genocide starting in July 2003. In 2003, while the historic north-south conflict was on its way to resolution, increasing reports began to surface of attacks on civilians, especially aimed at non-Arab tribes in the extremely marginalized Darfur region of Sudan It broke out in the arid and impoverished Darfur region early in 2003 after the SLA and JEM began attacking government targets, accusing Khartoum of oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.

Who is doing this? A rebellion broke out in Darfur, led by two rebel groups- -the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) In seeking to defeat the rebel movements, the Government of Sudan increased arms and support to local, rival tribes and militias, which have come to be known as the "Janjaweed.” Attacks on the civilian population by the Janjaweed, often with the direct support of Government of Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), have led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur  over 400,000 dead.  over 2.5 million displaced  230,000 displaced since January 2008 alone  250,000 people stationed in refugee camps in neighboring Chad

What is the Sudanese Government doing to stop the genocide? Nothing. The Sudanese government is denying that it is even happening. Sudan’s government leader, Omar al-Bashir, is to blame. He is supporting the Janjuweed, denying that there is any trace of genocide occuring, and doing absolutely nothing to stop it.

What are WE doing to stop it? We are encouraging the UN to continue the peace treaty. We are supporting Darfur on a Diplomatic stand point We are giving humanitarian aid, donating 5 billion dollars towards the cause.. HOWEVER, this is doing nothing to stop the fighting. We are doing a lot of investigation but not a lot of action. So, to conclude, the US and US led UN Security Council on this issue have really talked the talk on this— they've authorized a number of actions in a series of resolutions, but then they haven't imposed or implemented any of them. So, we have talked the talk, but we haven't walked the walk. We've barked but we haven't bitten. The government of Sudan has taken our measures, and basically realizes that we are really not going to do anything - until we do something.

What are possible actions we could take? According to ………There are economic, political, and military options First, on the economic side there are individual sanctions to be pursued.  freeze their assets. Second, we could enforce the arms embargo by going after the suppliers. Third, go after the regime, the people in control. If two or three or four of them were targeted and all their assets exposed and frozen, again multilaterally, through the United Nations Security Council, we would have a very rapid effect on their calculations.

Why this project? Why Darfur? Learned about Rwanda sophomore year, and then Darfur. Wanted to learn more about the cause because it really intrigued me. After I learned what it was about, I was inspired to help… because not many people are doing anything. I felt that every day I sat back and learned about Darfur, and the genocide occuring there, more innocent people were dying. The only way I could really think of helping was organizing a fundraiser. I wanted to help out even if it were in a small way, like selling t-shirts to help raise money Another reason I wanted to do shirts was, because even if I am not fundraising much money, and it may not have a big impact at least I am helping spread the word. Not many people know what Darfur is.. And what is happening there.

The Process… I sold shirts: Here at school, during both lunches Downtown At all three Middle Schools: Marshall, Jefferson, and Griffin At the school that my mom works At my dad’s clinic To my Club Volleyball Team Over Myspace To my friends at other schools To their friends To people who saw my flyers around town

The results… and the product. Donated $1,873.70 to the American Red Cross This year, so far, I have raised $442.80 I chose the American Red Cross because they are a NON-PROFIT organization

How this will benefit me in the future… I have learned to never take things for granted because I now know that there are many people that are less well off than me. It has made me cherish my life a lot more than I used to. It created motivation to get involved and help people in need. It has created me to have more compassion for others.

Where is the love? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXdWDM4fmRY

Do we have a responsibility as human beings to stop the violence?

OR will we continue to acknowledge the violence but take no significant action?

What is YOUR responsibility?

Bibliography Arrest warrant will disrupt peace efforts, Sudan’s president says. 5 March 2009. 3 March 2009. http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/03/05/bashir-reax.html?ref=rss Background Note- Sudan. January 2009. 15 March 2009. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5424.htm Q&A: Darfur Conflict. 5 March 2009. 1 March 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3496731.stm The Darfur Genocide: A Present Reality. 19 January 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXdWDM4fmRY The Options for U.S. Policy on Darfur. John Prendergast. 10 September 2006. 15 March 2009. www.law.northwestern.edu/journals/jihr/v5/n3/7/