How have the leading powers of the world contributed to the devastation of Darfur? Although the United Nations recognizes the war in Darfur to be the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” The resources of supplies and people are depleted. The World Food Program has no where near the resources to handle this problem. It has cut in half the quantity of food and supplies it is able to deliver to Darfur. There are many nations who have pledged money and resources, but they have not fulfilled these promises. The United States is currently carrying 85% of the food being supplied to Darfur.
While China has encouraged the leaders of Sudan to welcome a United Nations peacekeeping force into Darfur, they have not used any meaningful force to effect any change in the atrocities taking place in Sudan. China is a trading partner with Sudan for oil. This influence of oil explains, perhaps why Russia has not acted in Darfur’s defense. Russia has been a partner with Sudan, buying oil and has also sold weapons to the government of Sudan.
These two very powerful nations have chosen to turn a blind-eye toward the plight of the people of Darfur. Is it again the United States who has the responsibility on the world stage to stop this injustice?
To read more on this read January’s issue of New York Times’ Upfront Magazine.
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On February 28, the International Criminal Court at the Hague requested the indictment of two Sudanese officials. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor said he had presented close to 100 pages of evidence and asked the judges to issue summonses for two men, Ahmad Harun and Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman.
Mr. Harun, currently Sudan’s deputy minister for humanitarian affairs, was a senior government official in charge of the military and police and intelligence forces in Darfur as civilians were killed, raped and chased from their homes in the region, the prosecutors said.
His “unlimited” budget, the prosecutors said, allowed him to arm and finance Mr. Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, the militia leader who led fighters in a brutal campaign of violence against civilians. President Omar al-Bashir stated on Saturday that Sudan will not hand over any Sudanese for trial abroad by international courts.
"(The) Sudanese judiciary is honest and qualified to try any Sudanese" who commit crimes against humanity, the president was quoted as saying.
Al-Bashir lashed out at those who "committed crimes against the Iraqi people, who are being killed, displaced and their infrastructure destroyed at the hands of the alliance forces" — a reference to U.S.-led troops in Iraq. Those perpetrators have "to be brought before courts of law and find prompt justice," al-Bashir said.
While Bashir's comment can be seen for what it is - an attempt to deflect attention away from the Sudan crisis, do you think that the U.S. actions in Iraq (and the subsequent negative world opinion) make any action in Sudan harder? Do we lack credibility?
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