DARFUR DIARIES: MESSAGE FROM HOME

DARFUR DIARIES: A MESSAGE FROM HOME (, 2004, p. 2) When the Antonovs dropped bombs on us, we ran to hide under the trees. The one who were not killed ran away. Antonovs killed my father. I saw many people killed. I saw it with my eyes. Many people were killed with him. This is an excerpt from the documentary Darfur Diaries, and it is from a young man named Mubarak. Mubarak’s story is one of the many unimaginable accounts of the genocide currently happening in Darfur. Darfur Diaries is probably one of the most difficult film I have watched. I found the film very brutally honest and raw. It elicited three emotions from me. First was shock and disbelief. I cannot fathom the fact that a modern day genocide is happening at this very moment. Given our history with violence and war, it is only logical to expect that we, as human beings, have learned our lessons. And yet, it seems like history is repeating itself. What’s even devastating about it, is the fact that people like myself know so little about it. Second, was profound sadness. It was so heartbreaking to watch and hear the Darfurian people’s daily account of horror. The film provides such a vicarious sensation of their everyday nightmare. Not only are they deprived of the basic needs such as food and shelter but are also stripped off dignity in the most inhumane way. And lastly, the film instilled in me a great admiration for the people of Darfur. I commend their courage and great strength. I’m in awe of their great resilience to withstand grave abuse, and ability to maintain hope for freedom. My first knowledge of Darfur is from a tabloid magazine reporting celebrities like Angelina Jolie and George Clooney giving refugee aid in the country. Embarrassing to say, I was more fascinated with the celebrities rather than the real story about Darfur. My second encounter was on television, I saw a special report about the crisis in Darfur. Only watching half of the show, I came to draw a premature assumption that this is more of a civil war among African tribes. Seeing the Darfur Diaries is a real eye opener. I came to know that this is a present day genocide, an ethnical cleansing. I have learned that the Sudanese government is annihilating the Black African on the basis of their tribe and skin color. And this is done in the most inhumane way by means of slaughtering them with machine guns and bombs, and by the use rape as a weapon. Although this is happening far from home, I am compelled as a human being to learn more about this crisis. Everybody has a history. As a nurse, I have to always take this into consideration in giving holistic care among my patients. The film provides a tangible depiction of how the war is impacting the lives of the Darfurian people. Not only do they suffer from the obvious physical problems such as malnutrition and diseases but also psychologically. If in the future, I encounter a victim of this war, I have to greatly consider their psychological well-being. These people are brutalized on a daily basis and are enormously traumatized. For instance, if I am taking care of a Darfurian woman who most likely be a rape victim, I have to take into consideration how a simple element like touch can greatly affect her. I would know that excessive or unnecessary touching can further traumatize her. This same fact applies to all patients even under different circumstances. A person’s experience whether be good or bad greatly affects how he/she handle the present and the future. Furthermore, a culturally sensitive nurse does not only limit self to the physical problem at hand but look at the patient as a whole, with both cultural and spiritual aspect. Hence by doing so, I can be more attune to their needs and provide the most efficient care.
References
(Producer) & Bain, A., Marlowe, J., & Shapiro, A. (Director). (2004). Darfur Diaries: Message From Home [Motion picture]. : .