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THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER |
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OPINION |
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Stopping ethnic cleansing in Darfur By Bill Fletcher Jr. Over the past several weeks it has been amazing to watch the global (in)action concerning the humanitarian crisis playing itself out in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. As street demonstrations and media attention have exposed the scale of the killings, rapes, and expulsions of people of Darfur from their homes by the Sudanese army and their Arab militia allies (the Janjaweed), international demands for action have largely fallen on deaf ears. While it is true that individuals, such as Secretary of State Colin Powell, have been visibly and personally moved by their visits to the region, this has not translated into clear, strong action in defense of the people of Darfur. Instead, we have played witness to discussions concerning the character of the Darfur crisis, i.e., is it or not “genocide.” On one level, the debate as to whether the crisis constitutes genocide is very important. Should the world community conclude (recognize) that genocide against the people of Darfur is actually transpiring, actions are then mandated by international law and conventions. Thus, many nations that would rather not act, for whatever reasons, would be forced to act. At the same time, there is an internationally-recognized consensus that a humanitarian crisis is quickly unfolding. Therefore, irrespective of whether the catastrophe meets a legal definition of genocide, it is clear that something swift and dramatic must be done. This is what makes the molasses-like movements of the African Union and the United Nations so frustrating and infuriating. When the African Union decided to deploy cease-fire monitors (and 300 troops to protect them), this was symbolic but lacking in substance. Three hundred troops plus cease-fire monitors to cover a territory the size of France is absurd in the extreme. The Bush administration could play a positive role in the midst of this crisis were it to offer financial and logistical support to the African Union (or those African countries prepared to act) in deploying troops to the Darfur region. The Administration’s voice has been muted, however, with rhetorical calls for selective sanctions and other ineffective measures being suggested against the Janjaweed. The suggestion that there is a qualitative separation between the Janjaweed and the Sudanese government is nothing short of laughable. Testimony by refugees as well as human-rights observers has spoken to the integral connections between the military forces of both groups. It has recently been reported that in light of international pressure on the Khartoum government, that the Janjaweed are being absorbed into the formal Sudanese military! The ethnic cleansing in Darfur will only stop when the ruling clique in Khartoum understands that international troops will be deployed. Selective sanctions against the Janjaweed are ridiculous. Economic and/or military pressure brought by African countries, as well as trading partners of the Sudan will awaken the Sudanese government to the fact that their convoluted rhetoric is not an acceptable response to international demands for justice for the people of Darfur. Bill Fletcher Jr. is president of TransAfrica Forum, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit educational and organizing center formed to raise awareness in the United States about issues facing the nations and peoples of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. He also is co-chair of the anti-war coalition, United for Peace and Justice (www.unitedforpeace.org). He can be reached at bfletcher@transafricaforum.org.
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