DarfurAfter the genocide by the Nazis in Europe during World War Two the world promised not to forget. In other words the world promised not to allow genocide to happen again.
Since then there has been genocide in Bosnia (formally Yugoslavia) between 1991 and 1995. There was an intervention by NATO forces which brought that genocide to an end. In the town of Srebrenica an estimated 8,000 men and boys were murdered.
From April until July of 1994 at least 800,000 people were murdered in a genocide in Rwanda. There was no intervention.
The genocide in Darfur has been going on since 2004. And although UN peace keepers have been there for a couple of years, there has been no real intervention.
And now Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was in Chad for a summit last week. And although he is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, Chad refused to honor the arrest warrant and arrest al-Bashir. This despite al-Bashir being responsible for the genocide in Darfur in which an estimated 400,000 people have been murdered, so far.
The United States has not officially called for al-Bashir's arrest.
"U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley conspicuously avoided calling for Bashir's arrest, but said that U.S. officials "strongly support international efforts to bring those responsible for genocide and war crimes in Darfur to justice."
And I'd really like to know why Sudan still has an embassy in the United States.
Read more on this subject here
4 comments:
UN Peace Keepers are really no deterrent to genocide; after all, they have no military mandate, so there is little reason to fell them.
After what happened in Somalia in 1993, there is little political will in this country or in Europe to become involved in a military role in Africa.
As far as African countries themselves go, there appears to be little call to oust Bashir, as there is little call to oust other tyrants like Mugabe.
@?
You're right about UN peace keepers. They are mostly worthless in these situations.
I think some African leaders are afraid helping to oust al-bashir will open a hornets nest.
Sadly, when this genocide made national news, I thought, the media is going to cover it for a little while and the U.N. will intervene minimally but it won't stop those people from dying.
"The genocide in Darfur has been going on since 2004. And although UN peace keepers have been there for a couple of years, there has been no real intervention."
Very Unfortunate!
@Jason
Not only is it discouraging it's also frightening. There but for the grace of God, I always think.
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