Darfur_Story

Imagine, it’s a Sunday evening, you and your family are sitting around your kitchen table, enjoying dinner and each other’s company. All of a sudden, armed men grab your husband and son, shoot them dead, and steal you and your daughter. Doesn’t this seem like something out of a horror movie' To us, it does. But this is the sad reality in Darfur, which is located in the western part of Sudan in Africa. It is not a civil war, it is not a small conflict, it is genocide. And it’s been happening for the past five years right under our noses. A government backed Arab militia known as the Janjaweed has been launching campaigns to eliminate or displace communities of African tribal farmers. Villages have been completely demolished, women and girls have been raped, men and boys have been murdered, and the community food and water supplies have also been targeted. The worst part of all of this, is that the government (although it hasn’t been publicly admitted) has been behind the Janjaweed one hundred percent throughout this whole conflict. The Sudanese government has been supplying the Janjaweed with airplanes and artillery since this started happening five years ago. Since 2003, at least four hundred thousand people have been murdered. Another two million were forced to flee their homes and are now living in refugee camps in Chad. The Sudanese government, however, insist that only nine thousand people died, when it is quite evident this is not the case. The people of Darfur are somewhat fighting a war on two fronts. On one side, the armed conflict is made up mainly of the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed (who are opposed to any religion which isn’t Islam). On the other side, a number of rebel groups, especially the Sudan Liberation Movement, who claim they do not support the Janjaweed, but have provided funds and assistance in attacking the innocent in Darfur. Usually violence of this caliber has some sort of reasoning, or cause. It is very hard however, to pin the current genocide in Darfur on any one topic. Many different factors, such as the over population, growing upset about the lack of water, and of course, money and oil, have all led to the conflict occurring in Darfur right this very second. Right now, more then 3.5 million people are entirely reliant on international aid for their survival. The United Nations High Commissioner Antonio Guterres has called the Darfur crisis “the largest and most complex humanitarian problem on the globe”. The bottom line is, the people of Darfur have nowhere to go, and no one on their side. So knowing all this, one must wonder why nobody has done anything. I am positive that everybody in this room has heard something to the tune of “Never again will another Holocaust happen! I can’t believe the world just sat back and watched it happen!” Well it’s happening right now. This very second, a civilian is being mercilessly beaten for reasons he does not comprehend. As you sit before me, a woman is being raped because her only other choice is death. And right now, as I speak, children are being ripped from their families to fight a war that they really have nothing to do with. What is happening is not humane or ethical. As humans in our current society, we would much rater turn our backs on a people then actually take the steps to resolving a problem. Another current and common solution to problems is invasion and violence. This is NOT what Darfur needs. Darfur doesn’t need a huge army fighting off the government. Darfur needs a strong, dedicated team of peace promoters. Contrary to popular belief, fighting fire with fire is not the best of ideas. As a global community, we went back on our word. We vowed after what happened to the Jewish people of Europe in he 1930’s that nothing like this would ever happen. But it is happening. Many are mislead to believe that what is going on in Darfur is just a civil war, or something that will be resolved soon. The point I’m really trying to get across here is that this is GENOCIDE. And we are letting it happen. We are sending a message to the world that it is okay to do this, it is okay for this to happen. As long as it’s us, right' But we are one global family, and I am sure that you would not want anything like this to happen to any member of your family. I didn’t write about Darfur to preach to you all and urge you to rush out and donate your life savings to a Sudan charity (though it would be nice). I wrote about Darfur because I want to create awareness, and I hope that you will help me raise this awareness. Finally, I would like to leave you with three final words. Darfur. Action. Now.