The US government did not find out about Darfur after watching the Clooney film.
It has been almost two years since then Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on what he termed as a genocide taking place in Darfur. The fact that he addressed the committee on this matter provided the means for the United States to intervene in the situation under international law. More about Darfur (yeah, I know I complained about my son, but there is useful info here)
Here we are.
About a hundred thousand corpses (and a million or so displaced people) or so later, the United States is the largest body to donate (by far) in terms of food, but there has been no clear attempt on any part by the west towards a diplomatic solution. The government is destroying people, but our president did freeze some dudes’ assets after the whole thing blew up on Oprah. I guess the switchboard got lit up over at the white house.
The UN is cutting Sudan food aid in half citing donor fatigue. I find it interesting that people in power get fatigued and lacadasical when it comes to the plight of black people, be they black Africans or black Americans (Remember Katrina, y’all?). These people were ordinary people minding their business, supporting their families, when the government decided to wipe them off the face of the earth. Making bonfires with the bodies of men and infants. Raping women and girls in a culture where suicide (and sometimes homicide) is preferable to dishonor of this kind.
Save Darfur.
There will be rallies this weekend (April 30) to aid in the plight of the people of Darfur. The big one will be in Washington DC with other gatherings throughout the country.
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