Opinion

Darfur genocide needs end

This week the United Nations Security Council issued a resolution that aims to stop the violence in the Darfur region of Sudan by threatening economic sanctions against the country’s leaders and oil industry if the government fails to curb the massive violence. The language of the declaration, however, shows the reluctance of the international community to put the necessary pressure on Sudan to stop the genocide.

The resolution calls on U.N. Security General Kofi Annan to form an international commission to investigate whether or not the killings in Sudan are in fact genocide. Most member nations are not calling the extensive killing in Darfur “genocide” because that would automatically trigger action under the Genocide Convention.

Unfortunately, the international community moves slowly on the pretext of the expensive nature and complexity of sanctions and the belief such sanctions would be counterproductive. But which is a bigger cost — human life or a temporary setback in economic activity?

Sudan has been in an almost constant civil war since 1956 between the Arabs in the north and the black Africans in the south. Darfur, an arid and impoverished region in the west, has historically experienced disputes between nomadic Arabs, called the Janjaweed, and African farmers over land and grazing rights. But the current crisis began in February 2003 after a group of African rebels started attacking government targets, claiming the government in Khartoum was neglecting and oppressing black Africans in favor of Arabs.

The rebels have been vague about their political goals but suggest more sharing of power in the Sudanese government and the country’s wealth. In order to reach these goals and express their frustration, they resort to some unsavory tactics, including kidnapping aid workers in Darfur. Because of the atrocities committed against them by the government and the Janjaweed, the Africans have gained international support.

As a result of the terror in Darfur, approximately 50,000 of the African population have been killed and more than 1.2 million have been driven from their homes. Most of the refugees live in squalid camps throughout Darfur and lack food, clean water and other necessities. These conditions alone could result in a death toll in the hundreds of thousands from famine and epidemics.

Crises in Africa have to be particularly large in scale before the outside world pays attention beyond providing humanitarian aid. Rwanda is a perfect example. Western countries fear more conflict with predominately Muslim nations, so they limit their involvement to humanitarian relief. While this is necessary and beneficial, the aggression and destabilization in the region require more action.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide in April 2004, Annan issued a statement that reflected the realization that more serious action is needed against massive violations of human rights.

“The United Nations has a moral responsibility to ensure that vulnerable peoples are protected and that genocides never occur again,” Annan said.

The 15 member countries of the Security Council must fulfill their roles as international leaders and demonstrate a firm commitment to human rights and to ending the Sudanese genocide.

A July 30 U.N. resolution gave Sudan 30 days to stop the attacks by the Janjaweed, disarm those militias, punish the leaders responsible for the atrocities and ensure greater access by international aid groups to Darfur. In response, Sudan has facilitated access to the region by humanitarian agencies but little else. The Sept. 18 resolution only threatens sanctions because of fears that imposing them now would cause the Sudanese government to end its cooperation and impede humanitarian efforts. While there is some merit in this argument, the path has shown that only sanctions, followed by the use of force if the sanctions fail, will stop the bloodshed. The human cost of delay is too high.

Natalie J. Mikhail (nmikhail@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in journalism and international studies.