As human beings living in the developed world we are privileged to have a number of luxuries and relative safety ill afforded to many countries around the world. As citizens of these societies we pride ourselves on the existence of our moral values and the depths of our humanity. We see ourselves as people who will do the right thing if given the opportunity. So what happens when a catastrophe occurs and we as a people are called to action? What happens when we are asked to deliver on the promises of our moralistic upbringing?
There is an ongoing genocide currently occurring the region of Sudan more specifically known as Darfur. Nearly 300,000 lives have been lost and 2,500,000 people have been displaced due to the actions of the Janjaweed (Warner).
The conflict began in February of 2003 when the poverty stricken citizens of Darfur rose up against their government. The Janjaweed was formed by the government in response to this movement to quell the civilian uprising. The government has been accused of providing monetary and military support to the group.
Recently, the international criminal court after much deliberation found the Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir guilty of war crimes in Darfur. In response he has shut down more than a dozen aid groups in Darfur effectively ending aid to more than 2 million of its citizens. These expulsions have left these displaced people without proper access to clean water, food and health care. Aside from the fear of shortage of food in the coming months they will also have to contend with malaria, dengue fever and cholera. Rebel leaders have also demanded in certain camps that citizens refuse the help of the relief parties from the Non- Government Organizations (Warner).
If humanity is described as the abilities and characteristics of human beings then it would stand to reason that not only is the Sudanese government devoid of humanity. But the United Nations and all participating world powers are also responsible. The United Nations is a governing body that was created not only to regulate world issues, thus endeavoring to prevent calamities such as this. But also as a body which would regulate countries in using their maximum resources. Lack of foreign mandate to intervene in this crisis the United Nations has essentially been left with enough authority to provide a supporting role. In fact recent reports showed that most of the arms that are entering Sudan come from Russian and China (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute).
The crisis that is currently happening in Darfur has been a constant for the people living there since 2003. It’s incredible that in the 6 years since the conflict has started no government has actually stepped in to end it or to come to the aid of the Sudanese people. If we consider that the will of governments is dependent on the will of its citizens. Then why have the people of those countries not come forward to protest these atrocities. Not only that, they are silencing the representatives who speak out against these actions in an effort to bring aid to these people (Dizikes). We are all the same; we all have mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. And yet when it actually comes to saving someone other than ourselves we flinch. We feel remorse that other people are in such a situation and yet we do not work towards truly making things better. At the end of the day all that we look after is ourselves.
Works Cited
Dizikes, Cynthia. Rep. Ellison arrested outside Sudanese embassy, calls for help for Darfur. 2009. Web.
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. SIPRI Arms Transfers Data for 2007. 2008. Web.
Warner, Margaret. New Concerns Stir on Darfur’s Humanitarian Situation. 2009. Web.