War in Darfur

[oureternity]

I don't know if any of you know about it - I thought it was a very important issue and I was wondering what you guys think about the situation.

Darfur is a region of far western Sudan, bordering the Central African Republic, Libya, and Chad. It's about 90% of France - there are about six million citizens there.

The war in Darfur is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. Unlike the Second Sudanese Civil War, the current lines of conflict are seen to be ethnic and tribal, rather than religious (Wikipedia).

Basically Sudan turned against the citizens of Darfur, and its government murder them shamelessly because there's been a conflict between both for a long time (a conflict based on economy and such).

Sudan's government claims that more than 9,000 people have been killed, although this figure is seen as a gross underestimate. As many as 2.5 million are thought to have been displaced as of October 2006.

Some of the citizens of Darfur escaped - they walked all the way through Egypt to Israel, while Egypt against them too, and tried to find a place for living in Israel. Israel hesitated about the actions that should be taken since Sudan is an enemy, and so only 500 of them were accepted, the rest were put in jail and such.



I think somewhat (although it might not be much of an appropriate comparison) this is like what happened back 60-70 years ago with the Jews in Germany. The world is so apathetic to what's happening there, they just let it happen, when thousand of people get killed for nothing, it's just very sad.

Any thoughts/ opinions?

[Dominique]

I have to admit that I don't really know all that much about this, it hasn't really received much coverage here. It always disturbs me when something like this is happening and barely anyone even knows about it.

[Bina]

Watching the news is so depressing, especially since it´s all avoidable. Other gouvernments don´t do anything about it because they don´t get anything out of it. Like the Israel- Palastina situation.
Isn´t Darfur Obama´s thing?
I´ll have time for politics come monday

[bookworm]

I am disappointed too because such an important issue hasn't received any coverage in the news here! People here are really focused on the whole Tibet-China thing ever since the protests at the ceremonial torch lighting of the Olympic flame...

[jobean]

Yeah I agree. We pretty much hear about the Tibet issue or American economics issues here. While people do bring the war in Darfur up, nobody really knows what it's about.

[oureternity]

Jobean and Dom, this is exactly why I brought this up. I myself didn't know about the war's existence until not too long ago until one of my teachers asked me to talk about it in class - I felt ashamed. Nobody in my class except for two guys knew about it anything. I think it's sad that no one knows, and those who do know don't try to raise any awareness. I feel involved mostly because it's things that are somewhat related to my country (Israel), the acceptance of refugees are a very crucial decision, on one hand Israel wants to accept them and be their shelter, but on the other it isn't so easy because they come from the enemy, hence while sending them back, Israel sends them to their deaths.

dorothyparker85 said:

Watching the news is so depressing, especially since it´s all avoidable. Other gouvernments don´t do anything about it because they don´t get anything out of it. Like the Israel- Palastina situation.
Isn´t Darfur Obama´s thing?
I´ll have time for politics come monday

I think it's a little different from the Israel- Palestine situation, again, I hate comparing, but this is a little more serious. When massive murders take place, the world should intervene. It shouldn't be a matter of interests, but in reality that's what happens, if I don't get nothing - I don't see the point in interfering. (What usually happens is in the end the USA government intervenes, like in all the wars - WW1, WW2, and even in a way the Palestine thing). And to your question, I heard Obama spoke of taking actions concerning Darfur. So yep he pretty much tries to do something about the situation but I'm not sure what actions he took so far - I will have to look it up!

[Carma]

I don't know a lot about it.. but they've had several awareness actions here in Holland.. they raised money etc. So I know theres a war in Darfur, but I've never 'dived' into it, so I'm not sure what it is all about...

[Pilleriin]

I read something about it last month, but I don't know anything specific about it. But after I read the article I asked about it from my social theory teacher and she didn't know anything about it!!

[Isa]

I've heard about it on the news, but I'm not familiar with the whole history behind the war. It doesn't get that much coverage over here either. It mostly reminds me of what went on in Rwanda - about 1,000,000 million people got killed and we only found out about it afterwards. I find it extremely frustrating that when stuff like that happens in Africa, it doesn't seem to get as much coverage, as if it doesn't matter as much when people in Africa die...

[oureternity]

admin said:

I find it extremely frustrating that when stuff like that happens in Africa, it doesn't seem to get as much coverage, as if it doesn't matter as much when people in Africa die...

Yep, for example when we talked about it in class, how we should take them to our country - one girl said "but they carry deceases" or something like that, it really pissed me off