Darfur, Sudan

Fire of Liberty

I was over @ Southern Appeal and came across the post on Darfur. As with the Steve Dillard (Founder of Southern Appeal), I'm appalled at the lack of news coverage and as well as the tepid response by the UN to this massive genocide . It's unbelievable that an institution that was originally established to prevent this sort of thing, hasn't bothered to lift a finger to save these people from their murderers. Currently, the UN's response to these events is to conduct talks about the situation in Darfur which has resulted only in a 176 report to the Security Council. Even when they conduct such investigations, they continue to deny the people of Darfur any sense of hope thus opening the door for continued rapes, murder, torture, beheadings, and starvation. Even when the Janjaweed and its compatriots in Khartoum continue to slaughter some 300,000 plus people and dislodging some 2 million individuals, Kofi and the boys sit on their assumed laurels and do nothing. To understand the complete hypocrisy and ever increasing ineffectiveness of "the sacred" UN, check out this article by Daniel McKivergan over @ The Weekly Standard.

I'd also suggest that you read this interesting Op/Ed by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast. I don't know about the ICC getting involved in the situation in Darfur. All we need is another international body of lawyers getting involved with the situation in Darfur. I doubt the Janjaweed or the leaders in Khartoum really care if some lawyer in Brussels threatens to put them in the dock. When you kill some 300,000 plus people you're beyond the point of respecting the rule of law let along receiving that respect. I think it's time to push the Organization of African Union and the UN to respond. By God, its what they're created to do. We can provide the logistical, moral and financial support as well as a small contingent of advisors for these groups but the actual peacekeeping should be done by the local AU forces (they know the language and territory better than us) and the UN. Also check out these following pieces here, here, here, and here.

Also go over to the blog Coalition for Darfur and read more on the situation.