Intrastate Conflict Studies: Darfur in Pieces

Political Insecurity and Instability in Sudan

2009-04-18T20:48:00.003-04:00

15 April 2009: An Aljazeera Exclusive reveals how the "Sudan Rebels Fight to Forge a New Country."

The largest force is the Justice and Equality Movement. This group consists of over 38 million people in 24 Sudanese states, Al-Jazeera English (Muslim intl. news provider) reports. JEM is one of several groups aligned with Khalil Ibrahim. JEM is majorly comprised of Al-Zaghawa tribesmen in Southern Sudan.

Picture found on Publik15's Flickr.

JEM is one of several rebel movements aligned with Ibrahim. These factions call themselves the United Regions of Sudan (URS). Although they deny the claims made by their government, it is believed that the groups are supported by the president of Chad (also part of the Al-Zaghawa tribe). JEM is the only of the united group that signed the peace treaty with the Sudanese Government in 2005; even so, they have cooperated with URS in numerous attacks on Khartoum, allegedly funded by the government of Chad.

The groups were once divided on cultural grounds, but they have overcome that in this uncertain, vulnerable time for the Sudanese government in Khartoum. The URS leaders argue that 95% of the countries wealth (oil) is controlled by the "North" and Arab elite; meanwhile, they only see a meager 5% and they want "more power and more money".

Chief Khalil Ibrahim told Agence France Presse (AFP) that he refused to attend the Arab League summit in Qatar to protest the cooperation with Omar al-Bashir, a mass murderer, and their disregard for the ICC warrant. Many of these long-oppressed people are out for blood and will not cease attacks until the government surrenders or falls.

JEM and Ibrahim will surely play a large role in forging a new political system for Sudan. I, however, am unsure that any single group in Sudan ought to be given a primary rule in the future state. These people have been through and lot and they may be out for revenge. They may not even be able to handle the flood of power control they obtain. No, I think that the new Darfur would be best divided into a more culturally representative democracy.

I am only speculating and not offering any solutions. I, being a journalist raised in North America, am unfamiliar with the ideologies of the general public in Sudan. Any plan for "democracy" cannot be created in the image of western-style democracy. This has been seen to fail repeatedly.

A democracy will only truly survive if it is rebuilt with the remains of a tattered nation. It must embrace and encompass the diversity, cultural integrity and ideological collectivity of that nation. One cannot just barge in, create a democracy as you see it and then leave expecting the nation not to fall into chaos. An ethnically diverse nation like Sudan needs to unite the factions and forge a system of cultural checks and balances. Resources need be redistributed and a new economic plan adopted as well, to ensure the long term survival of Sudan.

There will never be peace when populations struggle for the bare necessities, when men and women die daily from starvation and lack of clean, accessible water while others sit in palaces eating feasts and drinking champagne.

The Devil Came on Horseback

2009-04-07T21:09:00.005-04:00

The Devil Came on Horseback - trailer

Check out the trailer for thee Hollywood production on the genocide in Darfur. The Devil Came on Horseback produced by Anne Sudberg and Ricki Strend was released in U.S. theaters at the end of this summer 2007. Rotten Tomatoes gave the documentary a 98% on the "Tomatometer," calling it "both a strong primer on the complexities of the situation in Darfur and a harrowing first-person doc."

This award-winning documentary debuted at Sundance Film Festival in 2007 at the Laemmle Music Hall. The Break Thru Films Production depicts the crisis in Darfur through the eyes of Brian Steidle. He was part of a the Joint Military Commission in the Nuba Mountains. They were there to oversee the ceasefire and he soon took the position as the Senior Operations Officer's Team Leader. He was moved by what he witnessed in Sudan and decided to spread the word. He has spoken at many conventions and public awareness events and is part of Global Grassroots Organization.

The film includes over 1000 of Steidle's pictures and allows viewers to experience the revelations that Brian himself had. It is a must see!

And All the While People Die

2009-04-07T02:04:00.005-04:00

Humanitarian aid in Darfur is still under attack. Two more aid workers have been kidnapped and many more live in constant fear. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) intends to address this problem, but is this enough?

Humanitarian aid groups are threatened.

With the second incident of kidnapping of aid workers and the violence erupting in Darfur due to lack of supplies, humanitarian workers in the region are under constant threat and having a hard time providing sufficient aid to the people of Darfur. They are without sufficient personnel and funding, and are watching their collective efforts deteriorate before their eyes. If the situation is not addressed soon, there may be up to 1.5 million displaced people in danger of starvation and/or death by disease.

Currently, the aid groups are being blamed for collaborating with the ICC in its successful effort to indict Omar Al-Bashir, Sudan's head-of-state, on war crimes and issue a warrant for his arrest. This has led the Sudanese government to cease cooperation with international aid groups. They are delaying the acceptance of new groups and, indirectly causing the deterioration of an already unstable situation.

On the 4th of this month, two Aide Medicale Internationale workers from Canada and France were kidnapped at gunpoint. This is the second in what seems to be a series of abductions of aid workers. They were taken overnight from their compound in Ed El-Fursan. The kidnappers demand $200 USD for the safe return of the hostages.

The expulsion of the 13 groups and the threats to remaining ones has left the people of Darfur helpless and desperate. The international community has condemned the expulsions, but Sudan is unwilling to budge and does not seem to be caving to the pressure. If anything, Omar Hassan Al-Bashir is flaunting his freedom and his allegiances to the rest of the world. Yet again, he is allowing genocide by attrition to consume the Darfuri population.

What is the next move?

A U.S. Special Envoy was sent to the region to assess the situation. One envoy member, Scott Gration, said the expelled groups are not likely to return and that they need to focus their efforts in three ways:

By building up the existing groups.

Through recruiting and funding new groups, especially ones from Arab nations and Western Nations in good relations with Sudan.

And by speeding up the visa processes for current aid groups applying to enter Sudan.

The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) announced on Friday that they have a plan to send "urgent and continued aid services" to the region. They plan to help rebuild the war-torn western regions and to help refugees return home. To accomplish this they want to coordinate cooperation between the Muslim NGOs in Darfur and the UN's expelled aid groups. There are 25 Muslim aid groups currently in the region that are based in OIC member countries. This is nearly 20% of all existing aid in Darfur, and coordination of this 20% with outside sources could produce very promising results. The OIC, however, is also in full support of Al-Bashir's defiance of the ICC. They believe it was a poor move on the international community's part. Hopefully their plan can make up for this divergence in arguments which has left a third party, the Darfuri people, caught in the middle and left in a very vulnerable situation.

Facebook Users= Bounty Hunters

2009-04-02T02:32:00.006-04:00

Facebook is an online social forum used by over 175 million people worldwide. The War Crimes Watch has utilized this website as a means of capturing two wanted War criminals for the Darfur Genocide. These two men, Ahmed Haroun and Janjaweed leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, had been in hiding since indicted in 2007, and WCW decided getting their faces out over Facebook was a good way to reach the most people in the fastest amount of time.

Facebook also hosts many groups fighting for the Darfur cause:

For Every 1,000 That Join This Group, I will Donate $1 to Darfur. (425,157 members)

SAVE Darfur. (37, 836 members)

SAVE DARFUR. (2,403 member)

Darfur Awareness. (3,763 members)

Team Darfur. (1,680 members)

Remember Darfur. (1,363 members)

There are over 500 similar groups that do anything from raising money to raising awareness to pressuring governments to make a difference in Darfur.

As you can see, this is a powerful forum because it has such a far reach. Social websites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook are emerging tools for journalists, activist groups and the like to recruit supporters and even gather useful information. No one will be left unaccountable when people a world apart can gather to discuss what is happening in their communities. No longer will inhumanity we tolerated if we can expose it on a global scale and incite massive protests through these online forums.

In a globally connected world, nothing will be swept under the rug.

Confessions of a Sudanese Soldier

2009-04-02T01:34:00.006-04:00

Face to Face: Confronting the Enemy

"They are black; I am black; This shouldn't be happening." When CNN Senior International Correspondent, Nic Robertson, interviewed "Adam" a soldier for the Sudanese government's secret army, he found himself conflicted about how to feel about the man across from him.

This man, he knew, was responsible for raping and murdering the people of Darfur. The same people he and his colleagues had forced to relive their horrific experiences in the name of news and justice. This man was the enemy, but why did Mr. Robertson feel empathy for this poor soul.

Once you realize what these soldiers were put through, you may too. "Adam" and his fellow "black" soldiers were conscripted to the army in about 2002 unaware that they would be forced to fight people they felt closer to than those they fought beside. They were not paid and were made to believe they were only there temporarily. Many were collected at the local marketplace, given a Kalashnikov and told to fire at targets.

The Fighting Begins

When his commander announced that they would soon head off to burn and kill people, "Adam" began to realize what was going on. He finally saw what they wanted of him; they expected him to fight and kill people like himself for someone else to gain. By then, there was no getting out, because, at the same time, the commanders also announced that anyone who tried to escape would be killed.

"Adam" then moved on to a more grave topic. He discussed what happened in the raids. Men were forced to rape women and girls alike. He spoke softly of this, the only hint to Nic that the man did not like what he had done. He spoke of taking down his pants and just laying on a girl because he was unable to get it up. He spoke of watching men double team women as they cried out in fear and pain. In some of the camps correspondent Robertson visited, he was told that some 20 babies were born every month as a result of these rapes. Many of these children have been abandoned by their mothers, who could not stand to look at them without experiencing a flood of mental and emotional flashbacks of the terrible events.

Escaping the Army

At one point, "Adam" came very close to escaping the army but was caught. As a punishment, he was tied to a tree with burning tires hanging above him. He showed Nic the scars from where the melted rubber had scorched his skin. Eventually, however, he managed to escaped for good.

After leaving one army, he went to find his sisters and they helped him join the other. Knowing he came from the army they were fighting left his new allegiance suspicious of him. He was not allowed to fight for the rebels, and, instead, was forced to remain in the camp day in and day out. It was not until the camp was bombed that he even got away.

As much as one resents this man for his part in the destruction of the people of Darfur, one must also pity him for how much he too was fucked with. Can you imagine being forced to do such gruesome things? This is not to say that every "black black" fighter on the Sudanese side was innocent, but that the real criminal behind it all was the government of Sudan. These men were mere pawns in a greater game. They were disposable soldiers. Who is to say that the government was not specifically picking these men to literally KILL two birds with one stone?

The only people who really won in this war were those who sat back and watched. When will we finally hold those people accountable? It will be a glorious day when someone puts that ASSHOLE, Omar Al-Bashir, behind bars.

I am sorry for my inappropriate language, but this article has brought emotions out that I never knew I had in me. If this article doesn't make you want to get out and do something for the people of Darfur, then I do not know what would.

A Home is a Home, Right?

2009-04-01T16:31:00.006-04:00

This is where the refugees of Darfur live, in tiny little houses, because they were forced out of their homes by the big wigs living comfortably in their Mansions in Khartoum. Image found on Flickr's Creative Commons site in user: mknobil's online portfolio.

In contrast, this is the Republican Palace in Khartoum where Al-Bashir and the government of Sudan do business. Image provided by the SBP lighting Company in charge of setting the light fixtures for the entire palace.

Gaming for Darfur

2009-04-01T15:04:00.004-04:00

There is an interactive computer game called Darfur is Dying where the player is a refugee in a camp and has to complete certain tasks to stay alive and keep their community alive. Simple tasks like getting water are life threatening feats to these displaced Darfurians.

If you lose the game and are captured, the following window explains what might happen to you now. When I, the little girl character, was discovered in my attempt to get water for the camp, I was captured by militia. The folowing page told me that "Girls in Darfur face rape, abuse and kidnapping by the Janjaweed." Once you lose one part of a family, they do not return and you have to choose between the other members for your next task.

When you enter the camp itself, you are presented a welcoming page outlining the daily threats refugees there face. Inside the camp, you also have tasks to accomplish in order to keep the community alive.

To feed your village you must water all the vegetable gardens by collecting water from pumps outside the camp. If your gardens flourish, you can return for harvest season.

You must also build homes for the families in your community. This also entails bringing water. The water is mixed with dirt to make bricks.

Do not forget to also stay healthy. When you are sick you must visit the clinic, but realize you will only be treated in rations and it is best to go when new WHO provided medical supplies and WFP food supplies arrive.

Finally, you have to escape or hide when the militia come or you are subject to abuse, rape and murder!

In the game, there is a threat meter. This informs you how likely an attack is in the imminent future. This is similar to the word of mouth and the guards who alert camps of approaching militia. Beware when the meter goes red.

Aside from real-life stimulated games, the site offers links to more informative sites for research on Darfur. Sudan [Translating Genocide] link takes you to a place where you can watch a documentary made by 3 college student who traveled to camps in Chad in 2005. Sudan [Take Action] web page gives you a list of opportunities to make a difference. From this site you can:

Educate yourself on the Darfur Crisis.

E-mail the U.S. government.

Join a growing divestment movement (and learn more about it).

Donate money, supplies, etc.

Check out a benefit album published for the cause and sign a global petition.

And, of course, find out more ways you can get involved.

This is a great way to teach people about the Darfur crisis. It is fun, so young people will not feel like they are researching or anything. At the same time, it is very informative and demonstrates the everyday struggle that these refugees face. By playing a game, you can also educate yourself and get motivated to make a difference. Once you are motivated, making a difference is only a mouse click away!

Baby Izzedine in the Washington Post

2009-04-01T00:54:00.005-04:00

Check out the interactive page on the Washington Post "World News" site dedicated to Darfur stories. One particularly heart wrenching video explains a mothers' struggle to survive and to feed and provide for her baby, Izzedine.

International Law and Playing Our Part

2009-03-31T22:31:00.005-04:00

The ICC is unable to fulfill its mandate. The Organization cannot manage to arrest a man known for committing genocide, because it has no means of enforcement of its decisions. This is devastating to its cause and its reputation.

The whole point of such an organization is to deter humans from acting out such inhumane and widespread campaigns as genocide. It is to balance against powerful individuals who feel they have no constraints under national law. This is especially the case for leaders who incite acts of terrorism against their citizens.

Leaders, however, are extremely difficult to arrest once and international warrant has been passed by the jury. They are not likely to be turned in on their own soil, so the ICC has to wait for them to leave. Even once they leave, it is unlikely that a non-signatory of the Rome Statute will turn them over and risk aggrivating their political relationship with the accused criminal's government.

This is especially a problem with people from regions of the world that feel bombarded by Western principles and culture. Arab people/countries and Latin American people/countries tend to stick together when culturally "attacked" by the West. They have a sort of brotherhood that prevents such violations of trust amongst them. One country would not want to be shunned by their brotherhood for turning one of their kind over to the "other" side.

They tend to look the other way when one of their own is committing atrocious acts. They do this to ensure they receive the same allegiance when they themselves resort to such acts. In other words, the Ethiopian leader will not turn over Al-Bashir, expecting the same from Sudan if he had a ICC warrant out for his arrest.

So how do we fix a world divided by culture? How do we overcome such obstacles to IL as the debate over universalism and relativism? These problems have yet to be solved, but that does not mean all hope is lost. We must keep spreading the word about Darfur. We must encourage our own countries (USA) to sign on to the statute and help enforce the decisions of ICC. We must keep pushing for the people living in camps in Darfur. We must keep fighting for the people who have yet to be victimized at the hand of those more powerful than them. We have to keep International Law alive and revive its credibility!

Citizens Making Change

2009-03-31T02:19:00.004-04:00

The i-Act group's documentary project called Camp Darfur is an interactive event to promote awareness of the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

Anyone can become an active member in the program. One can make a difference and involve local media, schools, government and organizations in his efforts. On the site the give a list of things that we can do to set up a Camp Darfur in our city:

To begin with, you pick a location for meetings.

Create a program of interactive events such as:

Comparing the amount of food intake of a Darfur student to a local university or secondary school student,

Stimulating an attack in what has been called a "Die-in",

Inviting speakers,

Scheduling classes to visit the camps virtually at various times,

Playing music for the people in the camps,

Inviting your community to spend the night like the refugees in Darfur,

Playing a documentary or live video of the camp,

Inviting organizations in your city to take part

Host local genocide survivors as speakers.

Alert local media and get it involved to bring more coverage to Darfur.

Contact surrounding educational facilities and encourage professors to involve their students by bringing them or organizing assignments.

Involve local legislatures and school governments.

Use online forums to spread the word.

And publicize the event through advertisement campaigns.

Here is the first documentary published by the organization:

Team member Katie-Jay even wrote a piece on people like me and you, citizen journalists, who spread the word on Darfur. We just have to keep up the good work! Maybe there is hope for the world after all.

Doha, Qatar: Arab League Summit

2009-03-29T23:46:00.010-04:00

The Arab League Headquarters in Cairo.
Picture by Amarune on Flickr.
Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, and now the Arab League Summit in Qatar: Omar Al-Bashir has become the poster boy for the Arab world's defiance of Western domination in global politics.

These four countries are not signatories of the Rome Statute and the ICC was not optimistic about their cooperation. In fact, only three Arab League members, Jordan the Comoros and Djibouti, are signatories of the ICC charter. The United States of America is not even a signatory state! It has military warplanes and 5,000 American troops stationed there and could put a lot of pressure on Qatar, but it does not support the ICC mandate. NO ONE would be bold enough to take such drastic measures as to arrest the Al-Bahir on friendly soil.

So how will the international criminal parade into a multinational meeting with no fear of imprisonment? It appears that he may have the support of many of his fellow Arab nationals. The Sudanese leader was there on a mission to discuss the recent release of an arrest warrant by the ICC. Col Gaddafi, a friend and ally of Mr. Al-Bashir told BBC reporters that the document was a "practice of First World Terrorism". He reflects the perceptions of many in the Arab world, that this is a bullying tactic of the west.

What is obviously unclear or unimportant to them is that this man is killing hundreds of thousands of his own people both directly and indirectly.

The ICC hopes Sudan's allies who have signed and ratified the "Rome Statute" will remain faithful to their promises over their national interest; that has yet to be challenged.

As it is, the leader was welcomed with hugs and kisses to the summit by Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the standing head of Qatar. The ICC did not expect the leader to be so brazen in his resistance of their arrest warrant and were unsuspecting of this latest appearance in Qatar on the evening of March 29, 2009. Even with such figures as the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, in attendance, he will be present and, predictably, outspoken in the next few days of meetings for the AL Summit. He will likely exit the summit without any obstacles and leave a free man. We will see if anything is done once he boards a plane, therefore entering international territory.

This highlights the weakness of the ICC, especially without the support of the US. The US has political, economic and military leverage that could be used to pressure these leaders. Without that or some other form of enforcement the whole document is an empty threat. We need to improve the international criminal system before making anymore similar charges. The court's reputation is dwindling at the moment, and it is under great criticism for the effect of the warrant on Darfur civilians and its handicapping of humanitarian aid to them.

This court has to obtain some sort of enforcement squad. They need to be able to follow through with their threats or they will never be accepted as an actor in IR. No one will abide by a law that has no repercussions. Leaders who want to commit genocide will not have anything to fear if they are discovered.
We need to fix this system.

We need to improve the international legal system or major war criminals will be allowed to continue their treachery. We need to protect the survivors in Darfur and those like them from inhumane treatment. We are all human, how can we allow this to go on any longer. In my next post, I will discuss ways that YOU can make a difference in Darfur and improve the entire Global Community.

Check out this cartoonist's take on the situation. It will give you a good chuckle.

Challenging ICC and International Law

2009-03-29T16:08:00.004-04:00

How effective or ineffective is the ICC?

The biggest obstacle to implementing International Law (IL) acted out through supranational authorities such as the International Criminal Court and other temporary criminal tribunals is that they have no way to enforce their decisions. This has become a great barrier to the Darfur case, especially because the latest jury decided to issue an arrest warrant for Omar Al-Bashir, the leader of Sudan.

This is the first time the court has ever issued the arrest of a standing head-of-state, and the world is unsure what will happen next. It has been made clear that the government of Sudan will not be handing their leader over to the court, so what is the next step?

The ICC hoped that it would receive the cooperation of other African countries, especially those signatories to the Rome Statute. You can see those signatories and the exact demands of this statute on the ICC website. Al-Bashir, however, remains a free man.

The defiant Sudanese leader paid a visit to Hosni Mubarak, the head of Egypt. They discussed the implications of the ICC warrant. Mubarak had originally condemned the ruling on the grounds that it would "sabotage peace efforts in the turbulent region".

Cairo was not A-Bashir's first appearance outside his own country. He traveled to Eritrea two days before on March 2nd. In doing this, he is damaging the image of ICC and making it appear incompetent. This may affect the court's ability to enforce future decisions and pinpoints the weakness of IL.

Egypt and Eritrea are only two of many countries in the Arab League and AU who have protested the ICC's actions. Their stance combined with that of Washington to "steer clear" of the issue has not given the ICC much credibility. It may be a long time before the ICC can even fulfill this empty threat.

So my question is, was it a good idea to issue this warrant, or has it only slowed progress in the region? It does not help the court's image to make promises it cannot keep, so where has this decision brought them?

Yet again, on 26 March, Al-Bashir left Cairo for Ethiopia. Will he continue to travel freely about with no threats of arrest? These actions bring the effectiveness of the ICC and the entire system of IL under to question and put the system under global scrutiny.

UNAMID

2009-03-29T15:18:00.003-04:00

The United Nations organization has been very active in Sudan. UNAMID is the name of the hybrid United Nations/ African Union mission in Darfur. More formally referred to as Resolution 1769, this mission was passed on 31 July, 2007 and acted upon the following December. It implemented the Darfur Peace Agreement and enabled peacebuilding missions to Sudan.

UNAMID headquarters in El Fasher, Sudan. The five main leaders of the mission are:

Rodolphe Adada from the Republic of Congo: joint AU-UN special representative,

Henry Anyidoho from Ghana: joint AU-UN deputy rep.,

Hocine Medili from Algeria: deputy joint special rep. for operations and management,

Gen. Martin Luther Agwai from Nigeria: force commander and

Michael J. Fryer from South Africa: police commissioner.

The mandate of UNAMID allowed for the deployment of UN forces in Sudan in order to accomplish the following:

To protect humanitarian personnel and supplies belonging to the UN.

To protect civilians during the implementation of a Peace Agreement.

To restore security and ensure humanitarian aid reaches all those in need.

To protect civilians from attack and physical harm.

To monitor and ensure the country's compliance with ceasefire agreements.

To oversee the acting out of the political process towards peace in the region.

To help establish an environment for economic growth and development.

To ensure the sustainable repatriation of refugees and enable the long awaited homage of internally displaced persons.

To establish an ideology of respect and protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms.

To promote and create the environment for rule of law in Darfur by establishing independent judiciary systems, Sudanese authority figures and proper prisons.

To keep track of the border security situations with neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic.

And to disarm militias such as the Janjaweed.

If you are interested, you can find the latest updates on the group's progress in Darfur and other reports produced by their correspondents in the region. It is all available on the website.

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

2009-03-25T12:37:00.004-04:00

With the expulsion and closures of 16 of aid groups the population of Darfur grows increasingly desperate. Several issues worry the remaining aid workers and the people of Darfur as well.

Speculators have predicted that water supplies may diminish in a matter of weeks. All water is pumped to the surface from wells and boreholes, and, without the fuel supplies provided by aid groups, they will soon cease to operate.

Many health clinics have closed and outbreaks have already begun. Diarrhea is speading in Zam Zam camp and meningitis has infected the people in the Kalma camp.

Food was already a scarce commodity, but now, with the expulsion of many groups, the World Food Program (WFP) is left alone to take on the difficult task of feeding millions of people.

People are fleeing the region, yet again, leading the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS) to declare the food security of both Sudan and Bar El Ghazal under imminent threat.

In the light of these circumstances, things are projected to get increasingly violent in the region. On March 14, 26 people died in the Southern region of Darfur. Conflict broke out between the Hibaniya and Al-Falata tribes over cattle raiding. Conflicts of this type are believe to flare up all over Darfur as supplies quickly disappear. In a region rich in weapons and desperate people and lacking law and order, deaths can only be projected to increase until stability and security is brought to the people.

Aid Workers Fear For Their Lives

2009-03-24T18:18:00.006-04:00

The situation in Darfur is spiraling out of control. Aid workers are in imminent danger of abduction, expulsion, resistance and even murder. Immediately following the issuance of the arrest warrant for Sudanese leader Al-Bashir, 13 foreign aid groups were expelled for "spying" for the ICC. The IRC (International Rescue Committee), WPF (World Food Program), and WHO (World Health Organization) are among those expelled. This has only further agitated a volatile situation.

The victimization of aid groups did not stop there. Five Medecins Sans Frontieres workers were kidnapped in Darfur on the evening of 11 March 2009. Two were Sudanese and released immediately, but Marilyn McHarg (Canadian), Mauro D'Ascanio (Italian) and Raphael Meunier (French) were held for three days before being released and returning home. During that time, the aid group was forced to recall all their workers in the region.

On 23 March 2009, in a remote village called Kongo Haraza, further violence resulting from the situation led to the murder of a Sudanese worker for a Canadian aid group in Darfur. Two days prior, gunmen entered Adam Khatir's house demanding a satellite phone. Khatir would not comply and was beaten as a result. When the men returned, they came demanding Khatir's life. A total of 12 aid workers have been killed in Darfur in the past year.

Aid groups have also been targeted in car jackings, ambushes and the like in the last month. However, according to a BBC article, "Aid agencies say they will not cease operations in Darfur, despite spiralling security risks in the area." Some groups have been forced to flee and there has been visible decline in aid to the region. Many more have remained. Those who have fled ought not be criticized, but those who have remained ought be praised for their courageous efforts to fight inhumane treatment of fellow human beings. Hail NGOs!

A World of Illusions: Unveiling Darfur

2009-03-06T18:26:00.004-05:00

My own exclusive interview with Kyle Matthews on the history of conflict in Darfur, including the most recent developments and their implications.

Issuing the Arrest Warrant for Omar Hassan Al-Bashir

2009-03-06T13:24:00.003-05:00

One Step Foreward and Two Steps Back?

2009-03-04T14:09:00.005-05:00

In an exclusive one-on-one interview with Mr. Kyle Matthews this afternoon, I learned that just hours ago the ICC warrant for Omar Al-Bahir's arrest was issued. Mr. Matthews worked for the UN Hich Commission for Refugees for six years and is now the lead researcher at Concordia's Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS).

It was from him that I first heard of this recent development in the Darfur conflict. We discussed some implications of this announcement.

The IO and NGO workers in Sudan are in immediate danger of being arrested by the Sudanese government. Mr. Matthews said he was in communication with relief workers (his friends) in Sudan, and they have stocked up on food and are keeping a low profile for the next few days.

The non-muslim victims in Sudan are also at risk of possible backlash from this. This could lead to further suffering as food and relief supplies may slow to a near halt during this volatile period.

Conflicts among nation-states may be agitated by this announcement. Many nations are trying to invoke Article 16 of the Roman Statute to have the warrant postponed until Darfur citizens are in a more secure position.

An ICC issued arrest warrant has never been released for a standing head-of-state. This could result in the nullification of all previous negotiations and peaceful advancements in the Darfur project.

In an E-mail from Amnesty International I learned that 16 countries are supporting this postponement of the leader's arrest. This could be a devastating setback to the progress that has been made, as this would further delay punishment of Al-Bashir for a year or even indefinitely.

It is important that we, as citizens, write to our Secretary Generals and leading officials to encourage them to fight this invocation of a deferral. It is already unknown how long it will take for Omar Al-Bashir to leave Sudan to a country that will turn him over to UN officials. He could hide out for as long as he can remain within Sudanese and its allies' borders, and the UN cannot do anything about that. The best they can do is release the warrant. To cancel this would be like taking one step forward and two steps back.

The Problem in Darfur

2009-02-28T23:28:00.004-05:00

Problem in Darfur

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The "AGREEMENT OF GOOD WILL AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF THE PROBLEM IN DARFUR" was signed on 17 February 2009, yet fighting continues throughout Sudan. "U.N.: 15,000 flee southern Darfur" and many similar articles demonstrate that the signing of this agreement is not enough.

Since 15 January this year, Sudanese citizens of the Southern regions, especially near Muhajiriya, have been caught in the middle of the Karthoum forces and rebel forces in the south. The government, fighting alongside the Sudanese Liberation Army have authorized numerous air attacks on the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) factions on the ground in the southern regions. In this time, more than 30 people have died and a further 30,000 plus have fled the region. Increasingly more Sudanese civilians are finding themselves migrating away from their homes and in immediate danger of starvation, over-exhaustion and the like.

Action must be taken by the international community to limit arms trade with Darfur. An agreement promising aid workers the ability to safely distribute relief supplies must be forced upon Karthoum. The AU (African Union) is working closely with the UN and other humanitarian organizations to pressure Al-Bashir to encorporate the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) into the ceasefire. Al-Bashir, too, must face justice for his role in the genocides in the northern province of Darfur, Sudan. ICC has yet to issue a warrant for Al-Bashir's arrest and is being pressured by South Africa to delay such action.

Aegis Trust Spreads the Word

2009-02-28T22:58:00.003-05:00

Darfur - Waiting for Justice from Aegis Trust on Vimeo.

This film gives eyewitness accounts of the murders from victims in Darfur. Many of their faces are blurred because there are still large numbers of criminals free and roaming around Sudan. Aegis Trust and UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) encourage us to talk to our governments, activist groups, etc. and pressure them to take action in Darfur.

Darfur - Protection is the least we can give - UNHCR London and Aegis Trust from Aegis Trust on Vimeo.

Without everyone's help, they may not be able to bring these murderers to justice. If we allow our own governments to continue trading with Kartoum without sanctions, we are indirectly allowing this nightmare to continue. As this film demonstrates, the problems in Darfur are still very real and have not ended as news coverage may imply. Lack of publicity due to the existence of other more "important" issues allows western media consumers to forget that the tragedies in Darfur have NOT ceased. People are dying everyday and they need our help. "Protection is the least we can give!"

Defected Janjaweed Discuss Government Involvement

2009-02-18T01:17:00.001-05:00

Darfur Destroyed: Sudan's perpetrators break silence from Aegis Trust on Vimeo.

Sudanese Government in Khartoum is exposed as the mastermind of the mass assaults on the Fur and other tribes of Darfur in the Aegis Trust documentary Darfur Destroyed: Sudan's Perpetrators break the silence. I found this posted on the website of the non-profit organization for Change by Micheal Kleinman. The Herald Tribune also published an article about the documentary on February 11, 2009.

Humanitarian relief and International organizations (IOs)

2009-02-16T01:51:00.002-05:00

The UN, Amnesty International and Save Darfur are just some of the IOs that are up to date with developments in Darfur. They are put under intense criticism by the international media for their shortcomings in providing relief, but I think they provide some of the most accurate, up-to-date information on the progression of repatriation. In fact, The CARMA Report on the Western Media Coverage of Human Disasters found that the "four key motivating factors for western (media) market" coverage of crises like Darfur are:

the impact on the economy

the ability to attack political institutions both national and international

the presence of westerners

and the self satisfaction of promoting a cause

This may help to explain the negative publicity given to the relief workers and humanitarian organizations in natural disasters and threats to human security. The mass media rarely gives us background information on conflicts like Darfur. They report on specific events that coincide with their own aforementioned areas of interest. This results in the ignorance of average people on these topics.

If one is truly ambitious and eager to be informed, they ought visit sites of IOs that do not parallel a specific nation's interests, so check out some of my links and stay informed!

ICC ruling on Bashir

2009-02-12T00:56:00.000-05:00

breaking news:
The ICC has NOT yet approved the indictment of Omar al-Bashir on 10 accounts of war crimes; nor have they issued an international warrant for his arrest. (As was rumored in the New York Times and Reuters last night) The decision is pending, but, in the event of a ruling, Sudan still refuses to abide by any decision demanding the release of Omar al-Bashir to the Hague. A break in this humanitarian crisis is long overdue. The estimated 2.5 million internally and internationally displaced peoples (IDPs) of Sudan deserve justice, and justice will be served!