Yesterday, I showed the video, Defying Genocide, here at Truman State University. It was a powerful showing, and the discussion that followed was passionate and intelligent. The video focused on the genocide in Rwanda and what one man did to save others. Watching this and discussing the power of the human spirit reminded me of Paul Rusesabagina. I encourage and challenge you to read this article about one of my personal heroes. He so wisely states, "''The most important thing in life is discussion. When someone opens their mouth, that means there is a solution.''
The article discussing his struggles after his heroic work in Rwanda:
http://www.topix.net/content/trb/3080709233363712096810911116960132695256
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
My editorial
Today is the deadline for the museum's editorial contest.
I intended to enter it. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get my editorial published in my student newspaper. And my local papers have not yet printed it as a letter to the editor. This invalidates my editorial as a contest entry, although I will still pursue its publication.
But before that day comes, I would like to express what my editorial has to say. So in honor of the contest deadline, I'm posting it here. Enjoy!
This month, my university will be one of many across the country to host rallies to end the genocide currently occurring in Darfur, Sudan—a government-sponsored ethnic cleansing campaign in which over 400,000 people have died and over two million have been displaced.
As a student activist, I helped to organize these events. Yet it has been a struggle, over the past few years, to continue to organize: to pull all-nighters photocopying flyers instead of studying, to talk to people about genocide even when I’m not sure they care, to write petitions when I’d rather be writing on someone’s Facebook wall.
The hard reality of genocide raging on in Darfur makes me feel as though we, as activists, have accomplished nothing tangible, despite the fact that Darfur has gained attention from the media, the public and even the President. Does it matter if my actions help put words in legislators’ speeches, but not food in empty bellies? What good is it to change rhetoric if I cannot change reality?
As those questions remain unanswered, I’ve begun to question more. I’ve begun to examine my own reluctance to take action. I realized that my apathy isn’t just because I’ve lost some hope in activism; it’s also because of something more American, more insidious, something that I have come to think is what’s keeping peace from progressing not just in Darfur, but around the globe: my own emotional isolation.
I think I was raised on escapism. Like many of us, I saw violent movies from a young age, and learned their violence was only “for pretend”. When I was a little older, I saw violence on the news; but perhaps because of my early association between television violence and fiction, the kind of large scale bloodshed occurring in Darfur still does not seem completely real to me. It is difficult to imagine such devastation actually takes place when everything similar I’d seen is fake, and when my own life is so far removed from such an all-consuming scale of chaos and tragedy.
Yet violence does not only take place in great campaigns, like the Darfur Genocide; and I’ve begun to think I am not only desensitized to such large-scale brutalities. I am numb not only because of the movies I’ve seen, but because my suburban, American way of life encourages emotional isolation. For the most part, I don’t know my neighbors; I don’t see humanity behind the tinted windows of the cars I encounter everyday; I often buy products without considering their human or environmental cost; and my steady intake of media only serves to numb me further.
Because our lifestyle does not encourage emotional connection, and real brutality seems fake, it is all too easy for all of us to commit small acts of hate and violence: to drive recklessly behind our tinted windows, to remain apathetic about the workers who produce the products we buy, to silently stereotype based on race and gender, to offend and to ignore. When we are culturally trained to ignore the emotional pain of our coworkers and neighbors, it is natural to forgot people across the globe are suffering; it is understandable to forget that they even exist.
I commit violence everyday without even noticing; I think we all do. Yet we all have the ability to end injustices as well as commit them. But we first must acknowledge we are numb. The way to end the Darfur Genocide is to examine our own daily acts of inhumanity, to confront the immediate and non-fiction nature of violence. Only once we have empathy for our neighbors, will we have empathy for people in Darfur. And only where there is emotion can there be action.
I intended to enter it. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get my editorial published in my student newspaper. And my local papers have not yet printed it as a letter to the editor. This invalidates my editorial as a contest entry, although I will still pursue its publication.
But before that day comes, I would like to express what my editorial has to say. So in honor of the contest deadline, I'm posting it here. Enjoy!
This month, my university will be one of many across the country to host rallies to end the genocide currently occurring in Darfur, Sudan—a government-sponsored ethnic cleansing campaign in which over 400,000 people have died and over two million have been displaced.
As a student activist, I helped to organize these events. Yet it has been a struggle, over the past few years, to continue to organize: to pull all-nighters photocopying flyers instead of studying, to talk to people about genocide even when I’m not sure they care, to write petitions when I’d rather be writing on someone’s Facebook wall.
The hard reality of genocide raging on in Darfur makes me feel as though we, as activists, have accomplished nothing tangible, despite the fact that Darfur has gained attention from the media, the public and even the President. Does it matter if my actions help put words in legislators’ speeches, but not food in empty bellies? What good is it to change rhetoric if I cannot change reality?
As those questions remain unanswered, I’ve begun to question more. I’ve begun to examine my own reluctance to take action. I realized that my apathy isn’t just because I’ve lost some hope in activism; it’s also because of something more American, more insidious, something that I have come to think is what’s keeping peace from progressing not just in Darfur, but around the globe: my own emotional isolation.
I think I was raised on escapism. Like many of us, I saw violent movies from a young age, and learned their violence was only “for pretend”. When I was a little older, I saw violence on the news; but perhaps because of my early association between television violence and fiction, the kind of large scale bloodshed occurring in Darfur still does not seem completely real to me. It is difficult to imagine such devastation actually takes place when everything similar I’d seen is fake, and when my own life is so far removed from such an all-consuming scale of chaos and tragedy.
Yet violence does not only take place in great campaigns, like the Darfur Genocide; and I’ve begun to think I am not only desensitized to such large-scale brutalities. I am numb not only because of the movies I’ve seen, but because my suburban, American way of life encourages emotional isolation. For the most part, I don’t know my neighbors; I don’t see humanity behind the tinted windows of the cars I encounter everyday; I often buy products without considering their human or environmental cost; and my steady intake of media only serves to numb me further.
Because our lifestyle does not encourage emotional connection, and real brutality seems fake, it is all too easy for all of us to commit small acts of hate and violence: to drive recklessly behind our tinted windows, to remain apathetic about the workers who produce the products we buy, to silently stereotype based on race and gender, to offend and to ignore. When we are culturally trained to ignore the emotional pain of our coworkers and neighbors, it is natural to forgot people across the globe are suffering; it is understandable to forget that they even exist.
I commit violence everyday without even noticing; I think we all do. Yet we all have the ability to end injustices as well as commit them. But we first must acknowledge we are numb. The way to end the Darfur Genocide is to examine our own daily acts of inhumanity, to confront the immediate and non-fiction nature of violence. Only once we have empathy for our neighbors, will we have empathy for people in Darfur. And only where there is emotion can there be action.
Monday, February 26, 2007
The UN Fails Again: Serbia Innocent of Genocide in Bosnia
A United Nations high court has decided that Serbia as a state bears no responsibility for the genocide which took place during the Bosnian War of 1992-1995. This ruling is wrong. It also has implications for the guilt of Slobodan Milosevic, who was president of Serbia during the war. He died last year while on trial in The Hague for genocide. If the state which he controlled has been found innocent of responsibility for the genocide in Bosnia then that implies that Milosevic, who controlled that state, is also innocent. Slobodan Milosevic has effectively received a posthumous exoneration from the UN.
This whole trial is interesting though, in that it is the first time that a state, and not an individual, has been put on trial for genocide. How this was done is not clear, as the UN Genocide Convention clearly states that only individuals, and not states, can be charged with genocide.
In any event, the UN seems to have failed yet again to show lay blame where it belongs and bring justice to the world and its victimized peoples.
This whole trial is interesting though, in that it is the first time that a state, and not an individual, has been put on trial for genocide. How this was done is not clear, as the UN Genocide Convention clearly states that only individuals, and not states, can be charged with genocide.
In any event, the UN seems to have failed yet again to show lay blame where it belongs and bring justice to the world and its victimized peoples.
ICJ decision on genocide in Bosnia
Today the International Court of Justice issued its ruling in the case Bosnia brought against Serbia for committing genocide in the early 1990s.
I have most of a Washington Post article and my thoughts over at www.livesinthebalance.com, but I wanted to hear what others think of this decision, so please post your thoughts in the comments section here!
The decision was as follows: The Court...
-Finds that Serbia has not committed genocide
-Finds that Serbia has not conspired to commit genocide, nor incited the commission of genocide
-Finds that Serbia has not been complicit in genocide
-Finds that Serbia has violated its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by having failed to transfer Ratko Mladić, indicted for genocide and complicity in genocide, for trial by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and thus having failed fully to co-operate with that Tribunal
-Finds that Serbia has violated its obligation to comply with the provisional measures ordered by the Court on 8 April and 13 September 1993 in this case, inasmuch as it failed to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995
-Decides that Serbia shall immediately take effective steps to ensure full compliance with its obligation under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to punish acts of genocide as defined by Article II of the Convention, or any of the other acts proscribed by Article III of the Convention, and to transfer individuals accused of genocide or any of those other acts for trial by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and to co-operate fully with that Tribunal
-Finds that, as regards the breaches by Serbia of the obligations referred to...above, the case is not one in which an order for payment of compensation, or, in respect of the violation referred to in subparagraph (5), a direction to provide assurances and guarantees of non-repetition, would be appropriate
What do you think?
I have most of a Washington Post article and my thoughts over at www.livesinthebalance.com, but I wanted to hear what others think of this decision, so please post your thoughts in the comments section here!
The decision was as follows: The Court...
-Finds that Serbia has not committed genocide
-Finds that Serbia has not conspired to commit genocide, nor incited the commission of genocide
-Finds that Serbia has not been complicit in genocide
-Finds that Serbia has violated its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide by having failed to transfer Ratko Mladić, indicted for genocide and complicity in genocide, for trial by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and thus having failed fully to co-operate with that Tribunal
-Finds that Serbia has violated its obligation to comply with the provisional measures ordered by the Court on 8 April and 13 September 1993 in this case, inasmuch as it failed to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995
-Decides that Serbia shall immediately take effective steps to ensure full compliance with its obligation under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to punish acts of genocide as defined by Article II of the Convention, or any of the other acts proscribed by Article III of the Convention, and to transfer individuals accused of genocide or any of those other acts for trial by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and to co-operate fully with that Tribunal
-Finds that, as regards the breaches by Serbia of the obligations referred to...above, the case is not one in which an order for payment of compensation, or, in respect of the violation referred to in subparagraph (5), a direction to provide assurances and guarantees of non-repetition, would be appropriate
What do you think?
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Ambivalence Kills: the UN’s Failure in Bosnia and Everywhere Else
One of the main principles of the United Nations is that the organization must remain utterly neutral at all costs in order to mediate between the belligerent parties in a conflict. That makes sense in principle, but the absolute refusal to take sides has led the UN down a dangerous path: that of moral equivalency. By this way of thinking, nobody is right, and nobody is wrong. To the UN, no party in a conflict is at fault; they all just need to stop fighting.
The UN is even hesitant to lay blame in cases of genocide.
There isn’t enough space here to explain why the UN doesn’t work, so I’ll just say that it doesn’t. The folly of moral equivalency and the often deliberate deception and even lying that the UN does in its effort to avoid laying blame is best illustrated by an example.
During the Bosnian War in the early 1990s, the Bosnian capital Sarajevo was subjected to a vicious siege in which civilians were specifically targeted by the Serb forces in the surrounding hills. A Washington Post article of the time gives a taste of the carnage. It also tells of the infamous Bread Line Massacre in which eighteen people were killed by a Serb shell while waiting in line for food. When UN investigators looked at the site, the UN took their report and refused to lay blame where it belonged in this and other incidents for fear of alarming Bosnian Serbs.
In many others such bombings, the UN actually began to consistently blame the Bosnian government for attacking its own people and framing the Serb aggressors in order to gain international sympathy.
When the UN lets its neutrality drag it down into inaction or even push it so far as to lay blame on victims for their own suffering, it becomes an accomplice - either active or passive - in murder, sometimes even genocide. If the UN would let go of its obsession with leveling the playing field between aggressor and victim and take a side once in a while, maybe it would finally have some success in saving lives somewhere in the world. Unless the UN soon starts to stand up and defend the weak, it will be too busy trying to wash the blood off its hands to avoid sinking into irrelevance.
Darfur could be to turning point for the UN, but its opportunity to do some good is fading quickly.
The UN is even hesitant to lay blame in cases of genocide.
There isn’t enough space here to explain why the UN doesn’t work, so I’ll just say that it doesn’t. The folly of moral equivalency and the often deliberate deception and even lying that the UN does in its effort to avoid laying blame is best illustrated by an example.
During the Bosnian War in the early 1990s, the Bosnian capital Sarajevo was subjected to a vicious siege in which civilians were specifically targeted by the Serb forces in the surrounding hills. A Washington Post article of the time gives a taste of the carnage. It also tells of the infamous Bread Line Massacre in which eighteen people were killed by a Serb shell while waiting in line for food. When UN investigators looked at the site, the UN took their report and refused to lay blame where it belonged in this and other incidents for fear of alarming Bosnian Serbs.
In many others such bombings, the UN actually began to consistently blame the Bosnian government for attacking its own people and framing the Serb aggressors in order to gain international sympathy.
When the UN lets its neutrality drag it down into inaction or even push it so far as to lay blame on victims for their own suffering, it becomes an accomplice - either active or passive - in murder, sometimes even genocide. If the UN would let go of its obsession with leveling the playing field between aggressor and victim and take a side once in a while, maybe it would finally have some success in saving lives somewhere in the world. Unless the UN soon starts to stand up and defend the weak, it will be too busy trying to wash the blood off its hands to avoid sinking into irrelevance.
Darfur could be to turning point for the UN, but its opportunity to do some good is fading quickly.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
1,100 AU Troops En Route to Burundi from South Africa
Per an appeal by the African Union the South African cabinet has consented to the deployment of 1,100 of its own troops to contribute to the continued efforts of the AU to secure peace in the troubled nation of Burundi. Further, an article from http://www.news24.com/ states that the move is "part of South Africa's commitment to contribute to socio-economic and political stability on the continent" according to Themba Maseko (pictured right, sorry for the poor quality), Chief Executive Officer of the Government Communication and Information System.
Essentially, the South African government maintains that their actions in sending troops to Burundi is to guarantee that advances made in that country in terms of "peace and stability" are safeguarded. However, this decision has not come without criticism, specifically from those who have charged that South Africa is being unfair in sending troops to Burundi but not to Somalia. To these charges Maseko answered that the cabinet's decision is consistent with South Africa's presence in Burundi for "quite some time."
Rwandan genocide prisoners walk free
Some are alarmed in Rwanda as 8,000 genocide prisoners walk free. Officials state that those released all played relatively minor parts in the genocide. Since the genocide-hungry Hutus were suppressed, the prisons in Rwanda have been overflowing with genocide criminals. Releasing these 8,000 is an strategic act--one that will alleviate prisons across the region and diminish tension.
It is a very interesting article. I found it crazy to think that while our prisons in America hold murderers and rapists, the criminals in Rwandan prisons worked together, as a united front of killing and raping a certain group of people. Challenge for the week: ask the older members of your family what they remember about Rwanda, and compare to the situation in Darfur. Note when you see similarities.
article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-rwanda20feb20,1,1350058.story?coll=la-headlines-world
It is a very interesting article. I found it crazy to think that while our prisons in America hold murderers and rapists, the criminals in Rwandan prisons worked together, as a united front of killing and raping a certain group of people. Challenge for the week: ask the older members of your family what they remember about Rwanda, and compare to the situation in Darfur. Note when you see similarities.
article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-rwanda20feb20,1,1350058.story?coll=la-headlines-world
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Imagine truth and reconciliation
Imagine you were raped during your country's 14 year civil war. Imagine you are a victim of the sexual violence that was used as a tool of terror during that civil war. Imagine your rapist, unpunished, passes you on the street every day.
Three years ago, Liberia's civil war ended. It began in 1989 and continued until 2003. Liberia was once a prosperous country in West Africa, but its infrastructure was destroyed during the war. The capital, Monrovia, has not had electricity since 1990 and the sewage and drinking water systems were also destroyed, creating enormous health risks. More than 200,000 people were killed. According to Amnesty International, at least 60% of the population was tortured with sexual violence during the war. Many of the women who were victims of such violence must live near their abusers. Sexual violence is not always rape; it includes being forced to perform or to forced to watch sexual acts done to another. Sex, especially rape, is used in war throughout the world to humiliate, degrade, and terrorize women and girls. About 30% of the child soldiers in the Liberian civil war were girls, most of whom were used as sex slaves. Many of them became pregnant or contracted HIV/AIDS. Because they were used for sex, their families cannot ask for a dowry for them when they marry.
In June 2006, the Liberian government swore in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Its purpose is to investigate human rights abuses. Although it has subpoena powers and can recommend prosecutions, its mandate does not extend to the actual conviction of individuals. Amnesty International's Africa Programme Director Kolawole Olaniyan said, "Failing to punish suspected perpetrators allows them to believe that they will not have to face the consequences of their horrific acts, ignores the distress of the victims, and creates a risk of further violations." I believe that the TRC will go a long way toward healing Liberia's war wounds, but it must address the crimes of sexual violence in order to be truly effective. Addressing these crimes would be a statement of support toward the victims of sexual violence, and would send a message to the world that perpetrators of sexual violence as a tool of war will be brought to justice. Imagine the power of that message.
Three years ago, Liberia's civil war ended. It began in 1989 and continued until 2003. Liberia was once a prosperous country in West Africa, but its infrastructure was destroyed during the war. The capital, Monrovia, has not had electricity since 1990 and the sewage and drinking water systems were also destroyed, creating enormous health risks. More than 200,000 people were killed. According to Amnesty International, at least 60% of the population was tortured with sexual violence during the war. Many of the women who were victims of such violence must live near their abusers. Sexual violence is not always rape; it includes being forced to perform or to forced to watch sexual acts done to another. Sex, especially rape, is used in war throughout the world to humiliate, degrade, and terrorize women and girls. About 30% of the child soldiers in the Liberian civil war were girls, most of whom were used as sex slaves. Many of them became pregnant or contracted HIV/AIDS. Because they were used for sex, their families cannot ask for a dowry for them when they marry.
In June 2006, the Liberian government swore in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Its purpose is to investigate human rights abuses. Although it has subpoena powers and can recommend prosecutions, its mandate does not extend to the actual conviction of individuals. Amnesty International's Africa Programme Director Kolawole Olaniyan said, "Failing to punish suspected perpetrators allows them to believe that they will not have to face the consequences of their horrific acts, ignores the distress of the victims, and creates a risk of further violations." I believe that the TRC will go a long way toward healing Liberia's war wounds, but it must address the crimes of sexual violence in order to be truly effective. Addressing these crimes would be a statement of support toward the victims of sexual violence, and would send a message to the world that perpetrators of sexual violence as a tool of war will be brought to justice. Imagine the power of that message.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Real Peace? Unlikely.
Well, it seems the leader of Sudan Omar al-Bashir has finally agreed to engage in peace talks with the rebels. The Sudanese President will be meeting with the rebels and the Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in Libya. Although, are they really peace talks? I highly doubt it. Omar al-Bashir's government has been aiding the rebels with weapons. Why would he now try and have peace? In my opinion, the Sudanese President has only agreed to these peace talks to appease the nations putting pressure on his government. It's an act; a show. I truly would like to believe that there could be peace in Darfur, but I don't think this is the way it will happen. Omar al-Bashir denies aiding the rebels, but he does not deny that he believes the people of Darfur do not have to right to live in Sudan, or live at all. Considering that the rebels have not done as Omar al-Bashir has requested, it doesn't make sense for him to want a reconciliation. My question to you is: What do you think will come out of these talks? Think about it.
The world's worst dictators & me
Hi everyone, I am Martha Heinemann Bixby and I'm here to introduce myself with my first post. My focus for this blog will be the North Caucuses, but I'll probably pop in with my opinions on all kinds of things, from Darfur to dictators, Bosnia to the movies Blood Diamond or Babel.
Of course, despite the title to this post I am not one of the world's worst dictators - although I would enjoy a larger-than-life rotating gold statue of myself in my hometown. What I want to talk about here, in my first post, is Parade Magazine's annual list of the world's 20 worst dictators, released last weekend. This list has a number of implications in the world of genocide studies, especially in activism and genocide prevention.
Topping the list for the 3rd year in a row is Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan. According to Parade, "Omar al-Bashir retains his position as the worst dictator because of his ongoing deadly human-rights abuses in the Darfur region of Sudan. Over the last four years, at least 200,000 people there have been killed by pro-Bashir forces. Nationwide, 5.3 million have been driven from their homes, and more than 700,000 have fled the country. But at the UN last September, Bashir blamed international aid groups for exaggerating the problems as a ploy to raise money for their organizations. And in November, he argued that war-related deaths in Darfur were less than 9,000. Despite agreeing to a 60-day ceasefire last month, he has been accused by his people of ordering troops to continue their attacks." In 2005 when Parade first named Al-Bashir the #1 worst dictator I remember feeling so pleased that they actually recognized how awful he was, and the impunity with which he was killing his own people. However, I'm sure it was quite nearly a tie between him and Kim Jong Ill, #2 that year, it's just that al-Bashir tried a little harder to be an incredibly brutal ideologue.
Even beyond al-Bashir this year’s list of the world’s worst dictators is of interest to the genocide-prevention community. Number 3, Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei, is the man behind “all decisions regarding Iran’s relations, its nuclear program and domestic freedoms” according to Parade. That presumably includes President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s threats of genocide against Jews, Iran’s fueling of the ethnic civil war in Iraq and the Holocaust cartoon conference last year.
Parade’s commentary on dictator #4, China’s Hu Jintao, focuses on the human rights situation within China. Equally important, however, is China’s repeated involvement in ethnic conflicts around the globe – especially Darfur – to undermine human rights and reinforce the power of brutal regimes. This policy is in effect, many believe, so that China can have exclusive economic relations with these countries because the United States and other “Western” powers won’t deal with them. And yet, we’ll all watch the ’08 Olympics there… reminders of the ’36 Olympics, anyone? At least we have Olympian Joey Cheek on our side – too bad he’s a skater and so couldn’t boycott Beijing.
The final dictator I’ll discuss today squeezed in at #20, Vladimir Putin, his first year on the list (I guess with Saparmurad Niyazov gone and Fidel Castro rendered virtually powerless, there’s more room this year). Parade does not mention the situation in Chechnya in it’s profile of Putin, probably because there’ve been plenty of news-making human rights abuses in Russia beyond Chechnya in the past 12 months. Chechnya, one of the many regions that make-up the North Caucuses, remains an area of “Genocide Alert” for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience due to the “Past persecution of Chechens as a people, The demonization of Chechens as a group within Russian society and The level of violence directed against Chechen civilians by Russian forces”. It is up to the world community to continue to monitor the situation in Chechnya so that Putin does not rise to replace al-Bashir as a genocidal world’s worst dictator.
(* the cartoon is from here)
Saturday, February 17, 2007
The spread of genocide in Africa
Buried underneath the now-familiar headlines of brewing crises in the Middle East is one that deserves front-page attention: the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that spillover from the violence in Darfur threatens to recreate the 1994 Rwandan genocide in eastern Chad. More than 200,000 Darfuris have fled conflict by crossing the border into neighboring Chad, and the Sudanese government-backed Janjaweed militia has followed them, killing hundreds and leaving up to 110,000 homeless, according to the BBC. The familiar pattern of violence in Darfur, in which government-backed militias attack villages, often inspiring copycat killings, seems to becoming replicated in Chad. A UNHCR representative chillingly reported that "We are seeing elements that closely resemble what we saw in Rwanda in the genocide in 1994." Similar conflict threatens to spread into the Central African Republic (see map), threatening to raise the specter of a genocidal, regional conflagration. This prospect makes it all the more imperative that the Sudanese government be forced to accept a UN peacekeeping force to suplement the weak AU force currently in operation in Sudan. Click here to sign a petition urging President Bush to take firm action to compel Sudan to accept a UN force.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Disease a Risk Post-Flood UN Reports
After many months of drought conditions rains finally returned to Burundi this past September, only they returned with a vengeance, uprooting crops in the loose, dry soil and placing all else under water. Besides the closing of schools and the loss of homes due to the flooding there are far more pressing issues to deal with such as death from diarrhea and cholera (mostly a water-borne illness from improperly treated sources). Picutred left is a young boy in Gatumba, a city close to the capital of Bujumbura.The floods have put an added strain on an already tense situation in the small country in central Africa. As a result of large crop loss international aid organizations such as the UN World Food Programme have encouraged others to committ "to [providing] food aid for 2 million Burundians, almost one third of the population, between now and the next harvest later this year."
I'm reminded of the massive flooding of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in that, while the situations are unique to their own circumstances, natural disasters often exacerbate problems already inherent within a society. Here, we were reminded that while de jure segregation may be something of the past de facto (perhaps the more sinister of the two because it persists despite the law) segregation still lingers as there is no denying that those affected most severely by the flooding were disproportionately African-Americans in poorer sections of the city. In Burundi, there is no telling quite yet just what the outcome will be but unless others makes a long-term committment to aid the troubled population things could spin violently out of hand as people compete for scarce resources.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Getting information out there...
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Protect the People: Genocide or No Genocide
More than one month past its due date, "Plan B" for US policy toward Sudan has yet to be revealed. The "three tiered plan" for coercive measures looms mysteriously as activists and humanitarian aid groups demand action. The Washington Post acknowledges that the US has taken "quiet" actions with aspects of Plan B, such as deploying US Army Colonels to the border between Chad and Sudan. Yet as J. Stephen Morris, the Africa Program Director at Center for Strategic Studies, suggests, the US has avoided explicitly revealing the plan. Last week, the US endorsed the Treasury Department's plan to block commercial bank transactions that connect to Sudan. Still, the US government withholds details of Plan B, thus denying Darfur substantial, sustainable action. Why are we waiting?
Andrew Natsios, the Presidential Envoy to Sudan, is waiting for the Sudanese government to cooperate with Kofi Annan's December 2006 Addis-Ababa Plan, which proposed the deployment of a UN-AU hybrid force to Darfur. I wonder: what motivation, at this point, does the Sudanese government have to stop? Without Plan B pushing Sudan toward action, why would the government suddenly decide to listen to the West?
Conveniently, as the United States government is under increasing pressure to dish out the brilliant Plan B that's been buzzing vaguely for a few months now, Andrew Natsios has allegedly declared that the "situation" in Darfur is no longer a genocide. Yet he does acknowledge the 2006 surge in violence, targeting of humanitarian aid workers, and deteriorating political situation threatening the peace and stability of North and South Sudan and, thus, the region. The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating, according to Natsios himself.
It is our responsibility to hold our government accountable for acting to prevent systematic civilian murder. Removing an unpleasant term does not solve the problem, nor does it alleviate the urgent need for a Plan B.
Click here to sign a petition asking the Bush Administration to take action.
Andrew Natsios, the Presidential Envoy to Sudan, is waiting for the Sudanese government to cooperate with Kofi Annan's December 2006 Addis-Ababa Plan, which proposed the deployment of a UN-AU hybrid force to Darfur. I wonder: what motivation, at this point, does the Sudanese government have to stop? Without Plan B pushing Sudan toward action, why would the government suddenly decide to listen to the West?
Conveniently, as the United States government is under increasing pressure to dish out the brilliant Plan B that's been buzzing vaguely for a few months now, Andrew Natsios has allegedly declared that the "situation" in Darfur is no longer a genocide. Yet he does acknowledge the 2006 surge in violence, targeting of humanitarian aid workers, and deteriorating political situation threatening the peace and stability of North and South Sudan and, thus, the region. The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating, according to Natsios himself.
It is our responsibility to hold our government accountable for acting to prevent systematic civilian murder. Removing an unpleasant term does not solve the problem, nor does it alleviate the urgent need for a Plan B.
Click here to sign a petition asking the Bush Administration to take action.
Be mine, bloody valentine
Happy Valentine's Day. You've probably already bought chocolates for your loved ones, and eaten some yourself. And you probably didn't give a thought to how it was connected to human rights, peace, and political stability in Africa. Maybe its time we start asking some questions about the chocolate industry.
Where does the chocolate come from? Who harvests it? Approximately 70% of cocoa is grown in West Africa; Ivory Coast is responsible for about 40% of that. In fact, the chocolate industry is central to the West African economy. There's a catch, though. The chocolate industry is, according to an article in today's LA Times, "a magnet for child slavery." Poor families sometimes sell their children as indentured servants to cocoa farmers. The children work in poor, often abusive, conditions. In 2002, the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture reported that some 284,000 children worked in West Africa's chocolate industry. Of those children, 200,000 work in the Ivory Coast. Not all are slaves, some are paid and some work on family farms. The article also mentions that chocolate is similar to the diamond industry in that it helps fund political instability in some West African countries, particularly Ivory Coast.
The chocolate industry has made some efforts to certify cocoa producers who don't use child labor but such efforts have not been very successful. So what can we do this Valentine's Day to share our love with these children? As the article points out, boycotting chocolate would be useless since so much of the West African economy depends on it. We can, however, buy Fair Trade chocolate. Fair Trade certified confectioners pay their workers a fair wage and provide them with safer working conditions. Plan ahead for next Valentine's Day and make the day extra-special for your loved one by buying Fair Trade chocolate and improving the life of a child.
The Ten Commandments in Northern Uganda?
Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, has declared that he wants to rule Uganda according to The Ten Commandments. However, while the commandments dictate "you shall not murder," Kony and his followers murder countless innocent civilians and abduct thousands of children. Girls become sex slaves while boys become killing machines. Kony also claims to be fighting for the Acholi people, although they are the ones suffering the most as a cause of the rebel movement. Kony has never clearly articulated what he is fighting for, only that he believes firmly in the Ten Commandments. Meanwhile, he uproots families, destroys the idea of childhood, and kills without mercy. His cousin, Alice Lakwena, was the original catalyst for the LRA, as she led the Holy Spirit Movement. Lakwena passed away in Kenya a month ago, however Kony continues the violence she began in the 80's. The disconnect between Kony's belief in the Ten Commandments and his actions could not be greater, yet the violence continues today. He has agreed to come to the table to discuss peace, and we can only hope that these talks will result in an effective ceasefire and bring peace to a region that has known violence and despair for far too long.
Where is the Love?
Happy Valentine's Day!
So on this day of love an romance what are you doing? Something special with someone special, perhaps? Well, what if that someone special was dead? What if you were afraid to go out for fear of being murdered? Not such a happy day then.
This would be the life in Darfur for millions of people.
As you spend time with your special someone this Valentine's Day, take action to help those who don't have the ability to do so. The Genocide Intervention Network has started a new hotline: 1-800-GENOCIDE. Call for free and you can be connected with any of your elected officials. The hotline will give you some speakign points about Darfur, but you have the ability to talk to your politician to institute change. Try it out.
For more information visit www.1800GENOCIDE.com.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Somalia and the Fear of Thoughts
The United Nations Commission for Human Rights released a statement today condemning the actions of the government of
A free press is imperative for the dissemination of ideas and information, and when that freedom is infringed upon; it opens the doors for great atrocities to be committed. Alnajjar notes that “Threats to journalists and media outlets constitute serious violations of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A free an independent press which does not fear any party is crucial to restoring peace and security in
Saturday, February 10, 2007
ENOUGH
The Center for American Progress and International Crisis Group are collaborating in a new initiative,ENOUGH: the Project to End Genocide and Mass Atrocities. The first in the series, titled "The Answer To Darfur" and featuring Gayle Smith (Center for American Progress), John Prendergast (ICG), and Colin Thomas-Jensen (ICG), calls for a "coherent and synchronized strategy." How can nations overcome global complacency to reach such a strategy? The featured speakers propose a "3P" Strategy: Protect the Vulnerable, Punish the Perpetrators, and Promote Peace.
"Protect the Vulnerable" is a common goal of Darfur activists. Punishing the perpetrators, one might argue, is important only after the people have been protected. Promoting Peace. What exactly does this mean? Weren't we promoting peace while thrusting the Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006 at noncomplying rebels? Is this the same kind of peace promoted in 2005 when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed between the North and South? While both sides did sign, whether progress is being made is questionable, and in 2009, the South will have the opportunity to vote for secession.
Prendergast and Jensen recognize that long-term peace requires a sustainable, inclusive political process. To act consistently with our favorite phrase "Never Again," we must consider human rights first, of course. This must be followed up, however, with sound, long-term action to establish stability. Herein lies the real challenge.
"Protect the Vulnerable" is a common goal of Darfur activists. Punishing the perpetrators, one might argue, is important only after the people have been protected. Promoting Peace. What exactly does this mean? Weren't we promoting peace while thrusting the Darfur Peace Agreement in May 2006 at noncomplying rebels? Is this the same kind of peace promoted in 2005 when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed between the North and South? While both sides did sign, whether progress is being made is questionable, and in 2009, the South will have the opportunity to vote for secession.
Prendergast and Jensen recognize that long-term peace requires a sustainable, inclusive political process. To act consistently with our favorite phrase "Never Again," we must consider human rights first, of course. This must be followed up, however, with sound, long-term action to establish stability. Herein lies the real challenge.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Political dissension in Burundi? You bet...
Today, Voice of America News reports that the CNDD-FDD Party, which is predominately Hutu and rules the politics of the nation of Burundi, has disposed of its leader Hussein Radjabu (pictured right). The CNDD-FDD combines the political interests and military interests of a major rebel group during the civil war in Burundi.
Party leaders met yesterday as a response to mounting pressure considering the government's handling of the attempted coup and the accused torture of those arrested as part of the investigation which I mentioned in my last post. Radjabu has characterized this meeting as illegal since he did not give his prior consent to the proceedings. Further, his complaint hinges on the fact that he had agreed to address growing dissension within the party later in February. Jeremy Ngendakumana has been named Radjabu's successor.
Not knowing all of the circumstances surrounding his ouster I do not feel informed enough to offer an opinion on whether or not his removal was warranted or even legally legitimate per Burundian law. However, as the article mentions many attribute the lack of respect for human rights in Burundi to actions undertaken during his term and charges have been made of corruption in his seeking to oppose directly politicians who are not in line with his view.
What Ever Happened to "We Remember. Never Again."?
Holocaust denial has begun to become the mainstream. It's sad, but it's true. Men and women all over the world are questioning the validity of the Holocaust. Even government officials raise their eyebrows at the subject of the Holocaust. What has caused this resurgence? Well, I honestly couldn't tell you. I have my theories as I'm sure you do as well. What I can tell you is that Holocaust denial is dangerous. It is a poison that threatens to spread its way around the world. If we do not remember or believe that the Holocaust ever happened, how do we expect to raise our voices against the atrocities happening in Sudan? We can't, because we wouldn't believe that it was happening. Remembrance and saving those in Sudan are intricately connected. If we don't remember, we are less inclined to speak up for the Darfurians and send them aid. Remembrance of the Holocaust is becoming less important as we focus on Sudan. That's alright. We need to focus on Sudan but we can not forget that as a people we made a promise to remember the atrocities of the Holocaust and that we would fight against future atrocities. All I ask is that you not forget. If someone questions the validity of the Holocaust, then they might as well be questioning the validity of the situation in Darfur. Look at the photo of the child. Can you deny that?
The Wicked Problem of Genocide
Two days ago, I attended a showing of the musical, Wicked, in Chicago. It was electrifying, but the best part of the show was its message. Elphaba, the main character, discovers the evils of the world she lives in and speaks out, refusing to stand by as injustice perpetuates. Because of the government's control on the truth that the people perceive, Elphaba is labeled as wicked. When Colin Powell spoke out about genocide in Africa, he was not given the best treatment. In fact, he resigned in the next election. Coincidence? A new book has been released, discussing the media's impact on Rwanda. The question is, if we didn't learn from the Holocaust, and we didn't learn from Bosnia or Rwanda, will we learn from Darfur?
Here are some Wicked lyrics that will inspire the challenge for the week:
Something has changed within me, Something is not the same, I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game, Too late for second-guessing, Too late to go back to sleep, It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap.
Challenge: don't go back to sleep, don't let the politically charged media hold you back from getting the information you want to know about a world that allows genocide. Write an op-ed, demand more from your newspapers and other news sources. Without education and awareness, we will never put an end to this. I'm through with playing by the rules of the someone else's game. Are you?
Book Release article:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2007/05/c4750.html
Here are some Wicked lyrics that will inspire the challenge for the week:
Something has changed within me, Something is not the same, I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game, Too late for second-guessing, Too late to go back to sleep, It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap.
Challenge: don't go back to sleep, don't let the politically charged media hold you back from getting the information you want to know about a world that allows genocide. Write an op-ed, demand more from your newspapers and other news sources. Without education and awareness, we will never put an end to this. I'm through with playing by the rules of the someone else's game. Are you?
Book Release article:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2007/05/c4750.html
Yeah, but do they mean it? It sure looks like they do…
If you read the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which is the only international legal definition of the crime, you’ll quickly realize that the whole thing hinges on intent. Genocide is only genocide when the perpetrators intend to commit it.
There seem to be some people out there right now who think that genocide is not happening in Darfur. One of their main points is that there is no clear evidence that the Government of Sudan or the Janjaweed have the intent to exterminate the people of Darfur.
This is always one of the most difficult parts of dealing with genocide. Not every case can be as cut-and-dry as the Holocaust, when the Nazis essentially stated “we want to kill all the Jews.” Aside from some statements made by individual Janjaweed soldiers, there is no such clear evidence coming out of Darfur today.
Maybe someday we’ll have better historical evidence of what President Bashir and his henchmen want to accomplish in Darfur, but for the time being, I’d like to introduce the concept of implied intent. The people - at all levels - committing the atrocities in Darfur would have to be brainless to realize that if they don’t stop doing what they’re doing in Darfur, the people there will eventually cease to exist. The fact that they have done nothing to stop this process makes it pretty clear to me what their intentions really are.
There seem to be some people out there right now who think that genocide is not happening in Darfur. One of their main points is that there is no clear evidence that the Government of Sudan or the Janjaweed have the intent to exterminate the people of Darfur.
This is always one of the most difficult parts of dealing with genocide. Not every case can be as cut-and-dry as the Holocaust, when the Nazis essentially stated “we want to kill all the Jews.” Aside from some statements made by individual Janjaweed soldiers, there is no such clear evidence coming out of Darfur today.
Maybe someday we’ll have better historical evidence of what President Bashir and his henchmen want to accomplish in Darfur, but for the time being, I’d like to introduce the concept of implied intent. The people - at all levels - committing the atrocities in Darfur would have to be brainless to realize that if they don’t stop doing what they’re doing in Darfur, the people there will eventually cease to exist. The fact that they have done nothing to stop this process makes it pretty clear to me what their intentions really are.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Mr. Hu Goes to Africa
After the recent African tour of China's president, Hu Jintao, it must be difficult for Omar al-Bashir, his Sudanese counterpart, to contain his glee. Mr. Hu came to Khartoum bearing many gifts, including a free loan to build Mr. Bashir a new palace, and a promise to build two schools. Most delightfully for Sudan's autocratic ruler, however, these gifts come without the good-governance and respect-for-human-rights clauses often insisted upon by Western nations. Indeed, in his only reference to the genocide in Darfur, Mr. Hu declared emphatically that "Any solution needs to respect the sovereignty of Sudan."
China's willingness to support genocidal but resource-rich regimes is extremely worrying. In his whirl-wind eight-nation tour, Mr. Hu dished out gifts and loans, all the while touting their unconditional nature. While this approach avoids the neo-colonial overtones of conditional Western aid, it also bolsters brutal governments and threatens the prospects for good governance in Africa, without which the threat of genocide will remain.
In her post of 5 February, fellow Memory to Action contributor Alexa Woodward makes the case for divestment in order to pressure China to reduce its support for the Sudanese government. Divestment by American universities and companies is undoubtedly an important step towards this goal. Ultimately, however, governments must signal to China that the pitfalls, and consequences, of supporting brutal regimes are greater than the potential rewards. You can help by writing your senator and congressman- click here to find out how.
Power's Response
Last Thursday, Samantha Power visited Pomona College's campus to speak to the students and faculty. I had a chance to ask her the question I was grappling with in my last post about the difficulty between peace and accountability within Uganda. She spoke about the power of the International Criminal Court to serve as a deterrent. Yet for Ugandan civilians, the investigation by the ICC could mean sacrificing a potential peace. I asked her about this troubling decision and if the ICC withdrawing its investigation would undermine the legitimacy of the court. She responded by explaining that the power of the ICC is evident because Joseph Kony would not consider coming to the table to discuss peace if the ICC did not exist. The presence of the ICC and its potential indictment of Kony has catalyzed Kony's decision to talk peace. Thus, the ICC has demonstrated its significance and the power it can wield. Power also believes that Luis Moreno Ocampo prioritizes the victims and will be likely to abandon its investigation of Uganda in order to bring peace to the region. Power introduced this new perspective which takes a more positive outlook on this difficult choice between peace and accountability, yet abandoning the investigation would still set a scary precedent that war criminals can assume control and obtain immunity.
China and Darfur: Divest!
China has the power to influence the Khartoum government to allow a UN peacekeeping force or an expanded African Union force to protect millions of people in Dafur.
Why China?
China has expansive investments in Sudanese oil, and 80% of Sudan's national profit depends two Chinese companies, Sino Petrol and CNPC. With pressure from the Chinese government, Khartoum may succumb to international pressure to allow peacekeeping forces to operate on behalf of the more than 3 million displaced persons who had fled violence.
So far, China has been the greatest block on the UN security council for the deployment of peacekeepers. We can pressure China by asking our universities to divest from these oil companies (often times stagnant funds are arbitrarily invested through brokers, so many universities do not even know who they are supporting!)
for more info on divestment and to see other cities and states who have divested, visit: www.sudandivestment.org
Friday, February 2, 2007
Rising Action
The Genocide Intervention Network has released a poll indicating that the genocide in Darfur has climbed to the top of Americans' priority lists. More than half of the people surveyed indicated that, even in light of U.S. relations abroad (Iraq, North Korea, Iran...), America should make humanitarian crises a top priority. Almost 60% said they had heard a fair amount about the genocide in Darfur, and about half of those surveyed support sanctions and moderate military strategies to be implemented against the Sudanese government.
These statistics, which can be found here, indicate that Darfur activists have finally been successful at putting Darfur on the map of the average American. Yet, it took us four years and 400,000 lives to make this progress. Now it is our duty to use these newly discovered, "widespread" opinions and translate them into effective legislative action. For additional blogging on the new poll, see the GI-Net's MySpace blog.
Still, it is important to consider the larger picture. GI-Net's poll also found that approximately 80% of Americans believe that genocide education should be mandatory in public schools. Meanwhile, student activists are mobilizing to strengthen their position.
What does it all mean? Our generation is learning. We are witnessing the slow response of a complacent international community to a genocide. We are learning not just to take action, but we are beginning to discover the kind of action we need to take. GI-Net, for example, was created by two college graduates of Swarthmore College in 2005. Our generation is learning to stay actively engaged with global events, and we are learning to take action. Let the lesson of Darfur guide us in the future as we actively pursue "never again."
These statistics, which can be found here, indicate that Darfur activists have finally been successful at putting Darfur on the map of the average American. Yet, it took us four years and 400,000 lives to make this progress. Now it is our duty to use these newly discovered, "widespread" opinions and translate them into effective legislative action. For additional blogging on the new poll, see the GI-Net's MySpace blog.
Still, it is important to consider the larger picture. GI-Net's poll also found that approximately 80% of Americans believe that genocide education should be mandatory in public schools. Meanwhile, student activists are mobilizing to strengthen their position.
What does it all mean? Our generation is learning. We are witnessing the slow response of a complacent international community to a genocide. We are learning not just to take action, but we are beginning to discover the kind of action we need to take. GI-Net, for example, was created by two college graduates of Swarthmore College in 2005. Our generation is learning to stay actively engaged with global events, and we are learning to take action. Let the lesson of Darfur guide us in the future as we actively pursue "never again."
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Place for torture in Burundi?
Hello again. This week I turn to an issue that has been recently examined in the United States: the place of torture in modern states, an issue that Ana will be contributing to as it pertains to the debate domestically. Here's the rundown: on July 31, 2006 Alain Mugabarabona was arrested, among others, for having confessed to being the leader behind an attempted coup d’état; the next day, the former Vice-President of Burundi Alphonse-Marie Kadege (pictured left) was also arrested. I mention these two among the others who were arrested for specific reasons: first, Mugabarabona because of his associations with the FNL-Incanzo Party, a former Hutu rebel group; second, Kadege as a Tutsi member of UPRONA (Union pour le Progrès national, or Union for National Progress). While detained it is believed that they were tortured, Kadege being bound at the hands and feet and whipped with a leather belt. What I find interesting about this is that in this instance, members of both sides of the "racial divide" in Burundi were arrested and subject to torture at the hands of their own government. What motivations did the government have? Mugabarabona had already confessed his involvement in the attempt and was himself a Hutu (the same ethnic background of the slim majority of members of the government of Burundi, including its president). Kadege, a Tutsi, had been high up in the government and of the same background of those in the relatively well represented minority of the heads of government in Burundi.
Here is an example of how the line between whom is targeting whom and which ethnic group is being victimized becomes ever blurrier. A further question: what drove members of both ethnic classifications to band together in an attempt to overthrow their government? Surely, something must have driven them to see beyond race, an issue which some would assume would divide them.
In the end it seems to me that in this particular case the issue is less about race and more about the government's wish to maintain its control by those means it chooses. Granted, modern states reserve the right to maintain their sovereignty but they do not reserve the right to target their own citizens for acts which would demoralize or bring them bodily harm or distress. The state is legitimate only so long as it is accorded the blessing of those it governs. By resorting to torture, assuming the allegations brought against it are true, the government of Burundi has added further tension to an already fragile situation within its borders. No matter how injurious the deeds committed against it are deemed no government has the right to torture its own citizens or any other, for that matter: there is no place for torture, neither in Burundi nor elsewhere.
I invite you to read the following for more information:
And this blog by Richard Wilson who has written about Burundi at commentisfree.
After the Killing is Done: Justice?
Genocide, by its very nature, is never a spontaneous occurrence and people need leaders to make them kill and turn them into perpetrators. Today, Darfur’s agony is thanks largely to the work of two men: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and the leader of the Janjaweed, Musa Hilal. More than anyone else, these men can be held accountable for the extermination of the people of Darfur.
They remind me of Radovan Karadzic, president of the Republika Srpska, and his general Ratko Mladic and the death and destruction they brought to Bosnia in the early 90s. Karadzic and Mladic have been indicted for genocide and other crimes against humanity, but today remain at large. Why? Because to the Serbs of the Former Yugoslavia they are folk heroes. To live safely as fugitives amongst their own people is no challenge, especially when the rest of the world isn’t trying to catch them.
The killing in Darfur will end either in the destruction of its people or with some far-off peace. When it does, people will have to be held accountable for genocide. Will Bashir and Hilal ever see trial or a prison cell or the hangman’s noose? I doubt it. History doesn’t show a good record for bringing genocidaires to justice and these two and all of their servants will probably remain in power or live safely and comfortably among their fellow “Arab” Sudanese until the ends of their lives unless the world starts to talk about justice and mean it.
They remind me of Radovan Karadzic, president of the Republika Srpska, and his general Ratko Mladic and the death and destruction they brought to Bosnia in the early 90s. Karadzic and Mladic have been indicted for genocide and other crimes against humanity, but today remain at large. Why? Because to the Serbs of the Former Yugoslavia they are folk heroes. To live safely as fugitives amongst their own people is no challenge, especially when the rest of the world isn’t trying to catch them.
The killing in Darfur will end either in the destruction of its people or with some far-off peace. When it does, people will have to be held accountable for genocide. Will Bashir and Hilal ever see trial or a prison cell or the hangman’s noose? I doubt it. History doesn’t show a good record for bringing genocidaires to justice and these two and all of their servants will probably remain in power or live safely and comfortably among their fellow “Arab” Sudanese until the ends of their lives unless the world starts to talk about justice and mean it.
Turn Memory and Words into ACTION.
Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, spoke to fellow presidents of African nations, urging them to put intentions into action. The action he refers to specifically deals with science and technology. But more intrinsically, Kagame is urging the movement of Africa forward in today's global society, leaving behind warfare and destruction.
This article gives me hope, and I hope it does the same for you.
This week I challenge you to take your words, your thoughts, or even perhaps your own memories into action. It can be a small action or even drawing up a plan and timelines for yourself, but do something--it is necessary for the wellfare of Darfur citizens.
Here is the article:
http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=3380&language=1
This article gives me hope, and I hope it does the same for you.This week I challenge you to take your words, your thoughts, or even perhaps your own memories into action. It can be a small action or even drawing up a plan and timelines for yourself, but do something--it is necessary for the wellfare of Darfur citizens.
Here is the article:
http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=3380&language=1
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