The situation in Darfur has only worsened with time. With increased attacks on peacekeepers (such as the one pictured in the graphic at left) and overall violence skyrocketing, peace appears to be slipping out of reach for the people of Darfur. They continue to suffer while the international community dawdles, unwilling to fully commit to ending this nightmarish genocide. Although the establishment of the UNAMID (UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force) has mustered some sentiments of hope for change, (as I previously reported on) with time, it too has been proven ineffective in implementation. Deploying these troops to start preventing atrocities committed against Darfurians has been painfully slow at best, with hardly any troops actually having set foot in Darfur to date. Meanwhile, the people wait. This week, I decided to explore the blogoshpere to see how others might be feeling regarding the current state of affairs in Darfur. I commented on two blogs discussing different aspects of the conflict in Darfur. The first is from Britannica Blog, an intellectually stimulating compilation of blogs written by accredited authors. The post is entitled “Darfur: A Problem Worth Solving” by Alex Meixner, the Director of Government Relations for the Save Darfur Coalition. The second is from the Reuters AlertNet Newsblogs, on the post “Women Say Darfur Peace Won't Work Without Them”, by Megan Rowling, who was previously a journalist before working full time for AlertNet. My comments can be seen in their original context by clicking on the titles above, but are also reproduced below.Response to Alex Meixner’s Post
Although Darfur has attracted substantial media attention, little has been accomplished in attaining a long-term solution to the conflict. I am the first to agree that raising awareness of a problem is crucial, but it only goes so far. Tangible action must be taken in Darfur to, as you say, “reduce the threat to Darfuri civilians of physical violence,” and most importantly, “to achieve a lasting political solution to end the conflict altogether.” I could not agree more, because without the stability of a political solution to remedy all sides of the conflict, any physical peace would be a façade and doomed to failure.
In reading your post, I cannot help but draw comparisons between Darfur and the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Both are based on fictive racial divides arbitrarily created by outside parties; in Rwanda with the Belgians fostering hatred and resentment by creating the irrational distinction of Tutsis as superior to Hutus, and in Darfur with the separation and differential treatment of “Arabs” and “Africans,” though, as you point out, both parties are “Muslim, speak Arabic, and share the same skin tone.” Thus, I fear another parallel can be drawn in the lack of action within the international community to halt these genocides. In Rwanda, it was much too late before sufficient attention was given to this atrocity. The international community has undoubtedly dragged its feet in taking effective action in Darfur, but all is not lost. The establishment of the UNAMID force shows promise, but not unless it is deployed as soon as possible. Otherwise, it is inevitable that Darfur become a horrific repeat of shameful history.
Response to Megan Rowling’s Post
This post offers valuable insight to a struggle within a larger conflict. Women, like those inhabiting refugee camps in masses as seen in the graphic to the right, are a marginalized group who are not usually counted as necessary representatives in the peace process of Darfur. The focus is mainly on rebels and the government, but as you point out, it is very important to also look at “those who aren’t armed,” yet are still just as affected by the situation, if not even more.
My only concern lies in how the numbers of women representatives can be raised, which I agree is a vital task. The fact that women are so ignored within the system may discourage them from attempting to be heard, because they feel as though their efforts will be futile. As you point out, “’even those who have made it into the room don’t really feel like they have a voice,’” so, tragically, what is the point of getting in on negotiations if they aren’t even taken seriously? How do we break this cycle?
I do believe, however, that the international community and negotiators could learn a lot from the actions of these women’s groups. The fact that they are able to “adopt a pragmatic approach and bury their political differences” in order to achieve their common goal is remarkable. If the international community realized that the bottom line is ensuring genocide in Darfur is ended, and countries were able to put their own agendas aside in favor of a larger, humanitarian agenda, then we might have much more progression in saving thousands of lives in Darfur.
