Campus Chronicle

Issue date: 10/20/08 Section: News

With the upcoming Presidential election and the United State's military stretched in so many countries across the world it may be easy to forget about the humanitarian that has been a decade in the making and that can almost rival the atrocities and inhumanity of the Holocaust. Darfur seems to have left the minds of the world, at least all those who are not Sudanese.
"I want to keep you informed of our steadfast commitment to end the crisis. I share your deep concern for the innocent civilians who have suffered grave injustice far too long." These are the words of Jendayi E. Frazer, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs in an open letter to the American people entitled: Peacekeeping Support for Darfur. The letter is the latest addition to state.gov, a website for the US Department of State. It is dated May 10, 2007.
Let's bring the US Department of State up to speed. There are a large number of news reports on the continued devastation of Darfur and of those who live in the region. Headlines mention the intense fighting between rebels, militias and Sudanese government military organizations. One report from the Agence France-Presse(AFP) that was posted today, October 17, states that fighting in north Darfur has misplaced 24,000 Sudanese. But a year ago Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs for the US, Jendayi Frazer, was confident of US's actions, "Now, with continued peace, more and more people displaced by the war have begun to return home to Southern Sudan." Even if the refugees were able to return home they probably would not want too. The Daily Star, a Lebanese news organization, reports that the same 24,000 refugees are now faced with possible starvation due to shortages of food and water.
The U.S. has imposed economic sanctions on a total of seven individuals and more than 160 companies owned or controlled by the Government of Sudan or linked to militia. A more logical course of action would be to attain these seven individuals and replace those in charge of the 160 companies. The said seven individuals have "widespread involvement in Darfur, and have been linked to violence, atrocities, and human rights abuses in the region" according to the state.gov website. The sanctions are intended to increase pressure on all parties to end the violence in Darfur. Sanctions may not be the best course of action here. In a country in desperate need of supplies, shelter for refugees, food and water and medicines, economic sanctions seem to hurt more than they help.

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