Die-in for Darfur draws interest to region
Four hundred-fifty thousand people are dead. That is the size of Kansas City, Mo. All of them from one region of one country in north-central Africa. Doesn’t ring a bell? Here is another figure to help figure it out – 2 million displaced from their homes. That is the size of metro Atlanta. Still don’t know what I am talking about?
Their government killed all of these people. No, it is not Nazi Germany. No, it is not Saudi Arabia or any other Middle Eastern country. It is not any nation in Central or South America. It is the largest region of the largest country in land area in Africa. It is Darfur in the nation of Sudan.
If you stopped by the die-in last week, which STAND, A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, put on, you might have gotten some information packets about it, by my friend and fellow poli-sci classmate Valerie Blum. I was lying on the ground with the other 40 students, who represented those killed in Darfur by the government-supported and armed Janjaweed Militias.
Out of all places in the world, why Darfur? Because it is a hot spot. The Arab-Muslim extremist government is killing the black Africans in the country who are not Arab and/or Muslim. It has been going on since 2003 at least. Enslaving, raping, pillaging.
“I thought slavery was over!” one girl remarked the other day with eyes wide open when I described the first time I ever heard about the problems in Darfur. I then explained that the rebels (Janjaweed) have infiltrated the Central African Republic to the South. CAF is now about to have their own civil war because of the turmoil. The Janjaweed have also entered into the nation of Chad, Sudan’s western neighbor. There has been at least one or two attempts to topple the government there.
Coca-Cola is “thinking about divestment” at the moment from Sudan, since it gets one of it’s ingredients from there. Other national companies have also thought about divesting, although the U.S. officially does not directly trade with Sudan. Goods usually go through Belgium or the Netherlands, then are sent here on Belgian, French or Dutch ships.
The capital city, Khartoum is perfectly peaceful. It looks like any other huge city with horrible traffic, tourism, etc. Many of the tourists who come to look at the relics of ancient Nubia are like many students here on campus. They are unaware of what’s going on in Darfur.
That’s just a brief snapshot of the problems in Darfur and why the die-in occurred. STAND and other activist groups focus on these places and people, because we’re giving a voice to those who cannot speak.
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Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Apr 20 2007. Filed under Opinion.
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