Darfur: Packaging a Tragedy | Newsweek International

Posted By: lainey @ 11/12/2007 12:15:14 AM

Comment: It appears that the citizen's call for action from our government scares many "establishment" personnel. It is our right to demand an end to the genocide in Darfur. And if in doing so, we shine the light on your failures, don't blame us, find a better solution. "Arab supremiscm" plays the primary role in the conflict, and to ignore that is to to further serve injustice to those whom the genocide is being perpertrated against, and falls right into the hands of the government of Sudan. Furthermore, the North/South agreement is unraveling due to the fact that you gave the GOS a way out. Don't pass the buck. Admit you made an error Mr, de Waal, and use the movement to your advantage. It might just help your miserable track record in Sudan. By the way, I cannot believe that a movement to end murder, rape, terror and torture has to somehow be justified. It should be embraced, not shunned.

Posted By: MaryBanerian @ 11/01/2007 10:11:55 AM

Comment: Latin 101: Genus = species. Cidere = to kill
How could the events in Darfur NOT be genocide?
Would you prefer that nobody sticks their neck out and tries to end the killing? If you have a better, guaranteed way to stop it, please go ahead. Otherwise, do not criticize.

PS. I am Armenian, and yes, there was a genocide in eastern Turkey.

Posted By: bluesoul @ 10/30/2007 5:47:25 PM

Comment: The "Jewish groups" who started it were looking for a way to whitewash their own complicity in the destruction of Palestine. And for the rest it was a way to avoid talkinbg about Iraq. There have been over a million excess deaths in Iraq "thanks" to U.S. interventionism. The last thing Darfur needs is a dose of that!

Posted By: bluesoul @ 10/30/2007 5:41:02 PM

Comment: t

Posted By: bluesoul @ 10/30/2007 5:40:49 PM

Comment: t

Posted By: bluesoul @ 10/30/2007 5:40:02 PM

Comment: The "Save Darfour" Movement succeeded. Since its only real goal was to bask in the glory of its own goodness. It was never about Sudan. The success was not due to good marketing but to a good product. A "human rights" campaign that can be sold as "anti-Muslim", that can paint "interventionism" in a positive light, that did not require introspection on the part of the public and did not clash with any serious elite US interest. gbgggg
The perfect campaign in short.

Posted By: thoughtrock @ 10/29/2007 10:15:34 AM

Comment: . what about the u.n. why is it the u.n. can't solve this problem let me see- this world body (u.n.) could care less. all the u.n. does is talk talk talk until all is distroyed.

Posted By: seitsk @ 10/29/2007 9:33:12 AM

Comment: It is difficult to look at live in afur and other parts of North Africa, without pitty for these opressed people. The solution for their plight is far more then building homes and factories for these people. With the choas in these areas prevents building a community then the warring will cease. You build one house and start a second house those people who are the opressor will destroy the first house. It is a very ciomplex situation in Africa, It would be nice if building house then factories would stop the war lords and rebel fighters.

Posted By: jojoc10 @ 10/28/2007 4:02:35 PM

Comment: The sad reality of the matter is that the US simply does not care about Africa nor has it ever. It doesn't even take the American short term memory to understand that Rwanda and Somalia have put a bitter taste in the mouths of Americans. I would argue that Africa is far from the top of our foreign policy list due to the lack of vital strategic interest. Historically, we have only involved ourselves in a quid pro quo basis. Unless we tap into and learn to cultivate and understand the resources at Africa's disposal as well as the people and various cultures than our standoffish policy will continue. Even if we were to take a bigger interest into the continent (which our military has with the advent of the newly found Africa Command in order to counter China's presence), we do not have the personnel, time or education or energy to be productive. What is happening in Darfur and all of Sudan is sad and tragic. So too are the problems in Uganda, Congo and other African countries. Unfortunately, no matter how much awareness is brought to the United State's attention, our congress and President will continue to maintain the status quo.

Posted By: a1900 @ 10/27/2007 4:50:26 PM

Comment: Darfur has been about politics for far to long. Throughout our history we have come together void politics and politicians and brought about change. We raise money by giving concerts, we make a statement by marching through the streets, we advise and inform by standing on street corners. We don't need the UN nor do we need the Bush administration. If we as Americans reach out to our brothers and sisters across this planet, as a people we can force a change. The coalition has come a long way, but they have a long way to go. Our campaign now should be to keep Darfur in the news worldwide on a daily basis. It took far to long to get where we are now, yet I think we are on the right track. Now we must make Darfur an inssue in every political debate. It's a question we want every candidate to answer. Our media needs to make it an issue in every discussion, on the front page of every paper, every interview, every talk show, everyday. We as Americans have the tools to do this. Now all we need is the guts to move ahead.

Posted By: aDean @ 10/27/2007 4:31:36 PM

Comment: Dafur... needs for World society Charitable thinking to "THINK"....build...Roads, Water Treatment, Sewer Treatment facilities, then begin building building factories of Commerce, and then housing...Simply build higher Quality of Living and the War will stop.
Note China Change since changing from War machine of terror to 1997 ...country of Commerce, now the most powerful nation in partnership with India the world will ever see. The next century will be "Chindia".

Posted By: aDean @ 10/27/2007 4:25:29 PM

Comment: adean
It is interesting to read off the worst case scenerio of the narrow minded complainers engaging their mouth before engaging thier minds...For example no one observes China Government coming to the aid of Dafur with Construction companies, and commerical trade. They deal directly with Sudan in thier house of government.
Improving Quality of Life is what all these countries strive for, not forgetting how this will benefit all religions of all faiths.
It is imperative to get UN to espouse to All member nations of this trajic occurances as it also happens in their countries where Muslims live around the world.
This problem is as President Bush, (Christian) must involve all religions to come forward excluding no religion to push for Economic improvement.
Thanks for looking in on my comment.
Dean

Posted By: Sabrina_the_witch @ 10/27/2007 4:10:16 PM

Comment: Oh... Are the fires in California out? Is that why it's time to focus on Darfur? Nice reporting American press.....

Posted By: ballbreaker @ 10/27/2007 4:01:05 PM

Comment: I belive the bush administration only works for profit.The people of darfur have nothing to offer the states,therfore they are last on the list for help,along with anyother genocide nation.If all the blabber would stop and the DO would become first in line,maybe these nations would get some help.It;s sad to think we are in IRAQ,soon to be in IRAN,because of profit and oil,and our goverment stands by while people are suffering .If they really wanted to make a change,our goverment would deploy to these nations and stop the genicide.Then maybe the U.S would have the respect it had after invading the german camps.We were HEROS then,NOW WHAT ARE WE?It makes me ashamed,when ther is so much we could do.

Posted By: ballbreaker @ 10/27/2007 3:59:49 PM

Comment: I belive the bush administration only works for profit.The people of darfur have nothing to offer the states,therfore they are last on the list for help,along with anyother genocide nation.If all the blabber would stop and the DO would become first in line,maybe these nations would get some help.It;s sad to think we are in IRAQ,soon to be in IRAN,because of profit and oil,and our goverment stands by while people are suffering .If they really wanted to make a change,our goverment would deploy to these nations and stop the genicide.Then maybe the U.S would have the respect it had after invading the german camps.We were HEROS then,NOW WHAT ARE WE?It makes me ashamed,when ther is so much we could do.

Posted By: mcveigh111 @ 10/27/2007 2:56:41 PM

Comment: Its always interesting to me that there are usually more "stop bashing Bush" comments than there are comments that bash Bush. Its a very sad and debilitating epidemic in our country where people focus more on the dissenting voices than the actual issues. Its time to wake up--this is what keeps the average Joe from becoming involved and effective in the political issues that effect their lives. Its a government ploy that has worked for centuries (and take note that I'm not focusing on Republicans, all governments and administrations have done this, so don't get your panties in a bunch). Don't let your attention be diverted or blindly follow those in authority (whether they be Republicans or Democrats). One of the many great things about this country is that we can voice our discontent with our government, don't be a party to the stifling of those voices (unless you want to be linked to those Communists that we have been taught to loath--a little joke, don't take that too seriously people.

Posted By: mhop456 @ 10/27/2007 1:47:43 PM

Comment: Your never going to get any movement out of the Bush administration since the same people who stand up and say "Save Darfur" are the same ones blasting Bush at every turn. He can't win - if the US goes to Darfur and suceeds Bush has blood on his hands for delaying. If the US goes to Darfur and losses, just another example of the incopetance of the Bush Administration. Bush is correct in pushing the Darfur issue on the UN and showing just how inept this organization is. Funny how Clinton Experts joined up with the Darfur group when Bill did nothing about Ruwanda and only entered Kosovo after it was too late.

Posted By: mhop456 @ 10/27/2007 1:42:24 PM

Comment: The reason there is no movement is that the same people who bash Bush on a constant basis for Iraq, Global Warming, etc. are the same ones saying intervene in Darfur. If the Bush adminstration were to intervene directly these same individuals would blast him both ways. Look at all the people who died needlessly due to delay Bush's fault if successsful or just another incompetant ploy by the Bush White Hose if not. By Bush pushing the UN to be the lead organization to save Darfur he has put the spotlight on the absolut failure that this organization is. Funny that Clinton experts joined the Darfur group when Bill did nothing in Ruwanda and did not enter Kosvo until they finished thier ethnic clensing.

Posted By: jyotiray63 @ 10/27/2007 1:17:50 PM

Comment: George Clooney, Richard Gere and his ilk never understand how to do anything. You need power to do something. Let him get the independant candidate nomination for President 2008, and then do what he wants to do. Otherwise, everything else is a fashion statement. He can criticise Arnold Schwarznegger all he wants to but Arnold is a doer, Clooney is only a complainer.

Posted By: skippio @ 10/27/2007 12:44:34 PM

Comment: join grid computing ,help worldcomunitygrid org check it out please

Posted By: skippio @ 10/27/2007 12:41:53 PM

Comment: the real solution is to cross borders with clean water and give that area some much needed water to both drink and to grow sustainable food crops,a mediteranean water purification plant and pipelines or canals to the parched interior of sudan and its surrounding countrys,charge the african union and un to simply do it as support ot a new infrstructure,sustainable living .medicines to the sick?food to the masses ,crops ,ssustainable foods

Posted By: skippio @ 10/27/2007 12:33:08 PM

Comment: the crisis is on going ,that area needs a pipeline of drinking quality water to bring it out of drought conditions and let sustainable food crops bring it out of starvation and malnutrition,the african union and un should build and fund this as an intervention to restabilise the areas food chain ,like doctors without borders ect. even if it means crossing several countries borders its humanitarian effect should make it so.

Posted By: skd500 @ 10/26/2007 4:58:13 PM

Comment: I think the world faces many "inconvenient truths" that get conveniently "shoved under the carpet". My prayers and cares go out to the people of Darfur. This is not the first article I have read of the atrocities of Darfur and I am sure it won't be the last. May a significantly Higher Power come to their aid, and bring them peace. skd500

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