...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...
Words: 687 - Pages: 3
...Darfur, Sudan Since early 2003, Darfur, an arid desert region the size of France, has been gripped by a civil war since 2003 that has killed 300,000 people and displaced another 2.7 million, according to UN figures. Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, says 10,000 people have died. (AFP) The conflict in Darfur began in the spring of 2003 when two Darfuri rebel movements, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), launched attacks against Khartoum government military installations in response to government neglect and marginalization of the people of Darfur. Sudanese officials answered back by unleashing atrocious acts of violence on any Darfur villages who they determined had ostensibly harbored members of the SLM and JEM. Bombing villages from the air and with the hired help of a government armed nomadic Arab militia called the Janjaweed, over four hundred villages were burnt down, sending the few survivors to seek out refugee camps spread throughout the region and into neighboring Chad. All of this occurred within the span of 29 months. In 2004 George W. Bush declared the crisis in Darfur a “genocide”. Genocide, as defined by Merriam Webster, is “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or cultural group”. It is within the power of the United States government to end the brutalities in Darfur. A more assertive action needs to be taken in order free the Darfur people from the atrocities they suffer on a day...
Words: 933 - Pages: 4
...Geography 120/Section 1 10 December 2007 Crisis in Darfur The crisis in Darfur is a very serious and ugly situation happening in the very heart of Africa in the country of Sudan. This is a conflict of much bloodshed and death that has been going on for many years and there seems to be no end in sight. It is a complicated conflict involving many people including rebel groups and corrupt governments. I will discuss the history of this conflict and how it is affecting the people and the country. I will also talk about different solutions to possibly end this horrible conflict. The Darfur conflict has often been portrayed as a struggle between Arabs and Africans sparked by ethnic and tribal tension over competition of resources. However as with many conflicts in Sudan and Africa as a whole there is no single root cause. It is a set of intertwined factors that are driving this war. Things such as historical grievances, perception of race, demand for power, the distribution of economic resources, and access to resources are just several of the numerous factors that are driving this war. This quote by a struggling woman typifies what is going on in Darfur, “I have been waiting here two days for my turn, and if the water finishes I will have to ask for water from other people," says Khadija Musa, the elderly woman. "Sometimes I have to borrow water to cook. Our clothes are filthy, we cannot wash without water." She rubs her shoulder and sighs. "The only thing left is to...
Words: 1248 - Pages: 5
...can easily result in the onset of genocide. Greed is also a consistent feature of many genocide-stricken states. The more worrying issue, apart from the killing of millions of innocent civilians, is the prejudice with which many of the leaders of these factions plan and coordinate these atrocities. The notion that leaders are well above the law is characteristic of states that have felt the iron grip of genocide. The case of Darfur is one of the most disheartening. Darfur has been embroiled in the throes of genocide for the better part of the 21st Century. Having been the first genocide of the 21st Century, the mention of Darfur does not resonate well on the global landscape. Upon the realization of freedom from the British, Sudan had little time to pause and draw a clear and concise roadmap that would spearhead development. For the large remainder of the 20th Century, Sudan suffered civil wars as the Northern Muslims fought with the Southern non-Muslims. The fact that Northern Sudan was more commercially viable than the South sparked off the civil wars, with both sides...
Words: 2199 - Pages: 9
...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...
Words: 687 - Pages: 3
...SAVE DARFUR “We want to go home, but how can we when there is no peace?”–Zakaria Arbab What have you done today? Have you fought for your life? Have you watched your mother or sister be raped? Have you looked into your father’s eyes and know everything is not okay? Have you felt the fear that at any second, your whole life could be shattered? These people have. They experience that unbearable pain everyday, pain that we can’t even begin to imagine. Every single day, innocent families are being torn apart, women are being raped; children are being left without a family and without a home. This is a map of Sudan highlighting Darfur, the area that is affected by the violence. It was 2003 when Darfur was first devastated by torture, destruction, rape, and murder. This deadly conflict between rebel tribes and the government is still occurring today. Many of the minority tribes have been forced into refugee camps and left to starve and die. Many others have seen their houses and lives burned to ashes or they have watched family and friends being killed by the Sudanese military. Amnesty International USA has reported that so far, 400,000 men, women, and children have been killed and 2.6 million have been left without a home. So how much is too much? At what point will we stand up and stop this genocide? After 500,000 have lost their lives? 600.000? 700,000? Has the world not learned from the tragedies that happened in Rwanda just over a decade ago...
Words: 909 - Pages: 4
...In early 2003, a horrific event started; genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Genocide is the intentional killing of a mass quantity of people, usually of people of a particular ethnic group. In the following, you will see how this gruesome act was put into action. Darfur, Sudan is located in northeast Africa. Surrounding Sudan is Egypt to the north, Ethiopia and Eritrea to the east, South Sudan to the south, and Chad to the west. The Sudanese government committed the genocide. The government orchestrated the genocide because they wanted to stop the rebel groups from their up rise against the government. In February of 2003 the Darfur Liberation Front (later the Sudan Liberation Army) attacked Gulu, the capital of the district of Jebel Marra. Their second attack was on April 25, 2003. In Darfur, Sudan, two rebellious groups, the Sudanese Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement, attacked the El Fasher airport....
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...Darfur Genocide is about massive murders of innocent people. During the Darfur genocide, the African colony were murdered by the Sudanese government (non-military army). It is important to educate others about this harsh situation to prevent genocide from happening. The Darfur genocide happened in 2003 when the Sudanese government took over. It occurred in the country of sudan, Darfur.The region where it happened was in the eastern region of Red Sea Hills. It all started when some individuals weren’t liking the new colony that was happening during that time. So the whole village went against the government of Darfur. The victims were mostly Arabs(muslims). These people were victims because supposably there were one ones who tried and attack the government. Furthermore, the people they were killing were the Arabs.The only reason they were murdering them was because they didn’t want to follow the commands of their government. Also about 480,000 of the Darfur village were murdered, tortured, and raped....
Words: 408 - Pages: 2
...more than tens times the minimum wage. Thesis Statement: This tells me what your position on the topic is as well as how you are going to support it. Example: Her suggestion is ridiculous and should be opposed for three reasons. First of all, it is arbitrary – why should it be 10 times the wealth of the poor and not 8 or 15. Secondly, it is un-American by going against basic liberal values of freedom and one’s right to pursue their economic dreams. Finally, it is likely to be destructive to economic growth. Indeed, numerous studies show that the type increased taxes Ackerman supports have hurt us in the past. Here is an example of a thesis paragraph all put together (with a title): The Conflict in Darfur: Causes, Consequences, and International...
Words: 792 - Pages: 4
...Last year on September 9, 2014, “the on-going conflict in Darfur, Sudan was declared “genocide” by United States Secretary of State Colin Powell”("Darfur Genocide « World Without Genocide - Working to Create a World Without Genocide."). The Darfur Genocide specifically refers to the wiping out of the Darfur race of people in Western Sudan. Starting in 2003 and still happening today, it is the first genocide of the 21st century and could potentially be the worst. By way of recent recognition, the United Nations calls it the greatest crisis in the world; and the United States now calls it genocide. But the damage done to the people of Darfur may already be beyond repair. What’s happening is taking place in Sudan, the largest country in Africa. Where almost 480,000 people...
Words: 609 - Pages: 3
...of becoming a world power. After two world wars, countries that had previously been colonized agitated for independence, and eventually colonial powers withdrew their administrators from Africa. For each African state, becoming independent meant something far more than simply gaining back territory. For some, it was the beginning of a stable government, a local economy and a cultural comeback. For others such as the Sudan, it was the start of tragic consequences driven by political conflicts and civil wars. Through the process of decolonization that began, African leaders worked to shape the character of their postcolonial state, usually either against the continued European cultural and political predominance, while others worked with European powers in order to maintain an economically and politically stable state. As the success of each nation and region of Africa widely varied after their independence, their progress also varied. Unfortunately, some are still struggling to overcome these crucial instabilities preventing them from being at peace within their own state, and internationally. By examining Sudan and the decades leading up to its current political, social, and economic state, this paper will highlight the ways in which colonialism has effectively shaped the state's current context. It will give an overview of the current conflict in the western region of Darfur within Sudan's political instability, civil wars, and crisis of identity. More specifically...
Words: 3381 - Pages: 14
...community was muted about Darfur conflict. In this respect the chronicle of the international response to the Darfur conflict is in one common sense a familiar tale. Here we can say that, there were anxieties between bilateral and multilateral perspectives. There were contending political concerns within Sudan, within the region and in the globe at large which acted to entertain and restrain political response to what was happening in Darfur, hence international community paid much attention to North and South armed conflict and kept aside their concentrations and commitments on the other conflict in Darfur. As Darfur conflict being on the world agenda, the international community had not yet led to...
Words: 954 - Pages: 4
...Darfur is geographically situated in the westernmost province of Sudan (North). The region has been rocked by constant civil wars that generated feelings of hatred between different ethnic groups in the region and frequent crisis, which was humanitarian in most cases that attracted the international and regional organizations concern since 2003. The Darfur region was an arena of violent clashes between African tribes namely Fur, Mazalit, and Zaghwa and Arabian tribes. This unmediated and unsolved conflicts turned into one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The conflict in Darfur has old and deep roots and it’is only the latest manifestation of a recurring problem. However, several important differences distinguish the 2003 and 2005...
Words: 1183 - Pages: 5
...Crisis in Darfur: An Educational Simulation July 10, 2009 U.S. Diplomacy Center Department of State PARTICIPANT BACKGROUND GUIDE INTRODUCTION: “CRISIS IN DARFUR” Whether the murder, rape, pillage, and displacement of tens of thousands in the Darfur region of Sudan is labeled a tragedy, or civil war, or ethnic cleansing, or genocide “in slow motion” 1, the world can’t ignore what is going on in western Sudan. According to the UN, over 2.1 million people are believed to have left their homes, and up to 70,000 have been killed. Other estimates put the death toll higher, up to 400,000. International media has only limited access due to the remoteness and instability in this vast region the size of France. So we don’t see all the day to day details of suffering as we did, for example, in late 1998 in Kosovo. Those images and reports helped trigger UN ultimatums and eventual NATO intervention in 1999. After the Holocaust, the world said “never again” should we stand by and watch while millions are slaughtered. After the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s, after the Rwandan genocide of 1994, and after the mass killings in Srebrenica in Bosnia in 1995, the world also stood by, and then said “never again.” And now we have Darfur. Thus Darfur can be seen as a profound test of the credibility of the international community: the United Nations, the international NGO community, the African Union, and citizens and governments around the world. Is there the will to act in Darfur or will we stand...
Words: 7062 - Pages: 29
...Cold War over Africa’s Oil Riches Darfur? It’s the Oil, Stupid... By F. William Engdahl | Global Research, May 20, 2007 | To paraphrase the famous quip during the 1992 US Presidential debates, when an unknown William Jefferson Clinton told then-President George Herbert Walker Bush, “It’s the economy, stupid,” the present concern of the current Washington Administration over Darfur in southern Sudan is not, if we were to look closely, genuine concern over genocide against the peoples in that poorest of poor part of a forsaken section of Africa.No. “It’s the oil, stupid.” Hereby hangs a tale of cynical dimension appropriate to a Washington Administration that has shown no regard for its own genocide in Iraq, when its control over major oil reserves is involved. What’s at stake in the battle for Darfur? Control over oil, lots and lots of oil. The case of Darfur, a forbidding piece of sun-parched real estate in the southern part of Sudan, illustrates the new Cold War over oil, where the dramatic rise in China’s oil demand to fuel its booming growth has led Beijing to embark on an aggressive policy of—ironically-- dollar diplomacy. With its more than $1.3 trillion in mainly US dollar reserves at the Peoples’ National Bank of China, Beijing is engaging in active petroleum geopolitics. Africa is a major focus, and in Africa, the central region between Sudan and Chad is priority. This is defining a major new front in what, since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, is a new Cold War between...
Words: 3108 - Pages: 13
