Political Impotency: the Genocide in Darfur

By Aaron Kennedy

The Rwandan and Yugoslavian genocides both occurred during my lifetime, but I was too young to take notice to such things. Especially where Rwanda was concerned, because the entirety of the genocide ended in one hundred days. The genocide that has stricken the Darfur region of Sudan has lasted since mid 2003 however, and is becoming one of the longest lasting genocides in history, second only to the Armenian genocide in the early 1900’s.

The genocide in Darfur revolves around oil, and China’s new needs to obtain it. In 2001, Sudan struck oil, and with large investments ended a democide with its southern provinces that had lasted for twenty years. With Sudan suddenly enriched in steadily flowing oil, making it one of Africa’s richest nations, the people of Darfur who are mostly Muslim African farmers, asked for money for infrastructure and improvements to life style.

The response was immediate and deadly. The government, playing on the hate of the people of Darfur, hired the Arab cattle herders of the north to wipe out the people of Darfur. The roaming cattlemen became known as the Janjuweed or the Devils on Horseback and with the aid of newly acquired attack helicopters from the government set about the destruction and displacement of 6 million people.

Almost six years later, more than four hundred thousand dead, two and a half million displaced, and rape and murder occur large scale everyday. Who is at fault? Well the immediate person responsible for this is Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. His rule has lead to the first genocide of the 21st century. However, there is a group of people that is more responsible for this catastrophe.

That is the UN and the international community. There policies mirror the lame duck congress in-between interim American presidents. The fact that China is a Security Council member, and the foment to the genocide in Darfur makes it almost completely impossible to obtain some sort of deal on sending troops of any sort into Darfur. The fact that only the United States of America has recognized the conflict as genocide is unbelievable, and only once a country has declared genocide does it have a responsibility and the benefit of doing something on a larger scale.

I have set up a group on Facebook called Make Canada recognize Darfur as a genocide. As of November 2008 it had but 1,200 members but is growing at a steady rate. The goal of the group is to raise awareness about the situation in Darfur, and eventually to make the Government of Canada realize the Canadian people know what is going on, and that we want change.

What people don’t realize is that because Sudan is such an oil rich nation, if the genocide were to stop, and the government of Sudan meet the needs of its citizens, the countless millions that have already been poured into Darfur will no longer be needed. Global development is not necessarily needed in African nations. Most African nations are rich in minerals, and petroleum, both capable of sustaining a healthy economy. The only reason that Africa is in such a sore mess is the political instability, corruption, and the constant state of chaos and destruction. If proper political action was taken by Canada and the members of the first world, we would see the end of hunger, poverty, and genocide, all at a reasonable cost.

If you are interested in helping out with Darfur, please join the Facebook group mentioned above, or get involved with groups such as SaveDarfur at www.savedarfur.org, or 24 hours for Darfur at www.24hoursfordarfur.org.