2 new books on Darfur

For academic reasons and personal interest I have recently finished reading two new books on Darfur. One focuses on what happened on the ground, the other on US citizen responses. They are both incredibly important additions to our understanding of the Darfur crisis.

The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur by Brian Steidle and Gretchen Steidle Wallace is the story of Captain Steidle's year as an observer with the African Union Mission in Darfur. The book is an earnest account of attacks Steidle witnessed and investigated, and the photographs section is particularly powerful. It's a must-read to understand what life on the ground for Darfuri civilians was like during some of the worst of the genocide in 2004.

Sample quote:
"It is one thing to attack people in their village; it is another thing entirely to attack an IDP camp. THese people had already been driven out of their homes violently and had established a camp of last resort - and act of desperation as they sought to meet their basic needs and find safety. But even that was to be denied them by the GOS and the Janjaweed militias. I was convinced: This was systematic ethnic cleansing. This was genocide." (p. 79)

Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast is a book that does two things - it chronicles the work of activists and advocates to start what is now a true citizens movement for Darfur, and it lays out ways that individuals can help end genocide. The book is also peppered with the thoughts and commentary of the authors, which provides an often amusing insight into what makes two of Darfur's greatest champions tick. (For more of my thoughts on the book see here). Also, portions of the proceeds go to the new camapaign ENOUGH).

Sample quote:
"We can use the Six Strategies for Effective Change: Raise Awareness, Raise Funds, Write a Letter, Call for Divestment Join an Organization, and Lobby the Government. With these tools, we can build the network, increase pressure on the United States and other governments to act quickly and appropriately, and ensure that the political costs for inaction will always be too great." (p. 223)

Photo: student board members Sara Weisman and Martha Heinemann Bixby with Not on Our Watch co-author Don Cheadle