9,000 -- 200,000 -- 450,000
What are these three numbers? The first is the number of people the Sudan government claims have lost their lives in the Darfur conflict. The other numbers, are much larger, sadly they are much more accurate. Sudan has denied that the murder count has increased this high, but now intelligence reports have confirmed it, as have eye-wittness survivers.
2,500,000
And this number? The number of lives who are considered 'displaced.' When I was younger, I often dragged my toys and dolls outside to play with them. At the end of the day, I was a mess and my toys were no where to be found- My mother called them 'displaced', or in the words of a five year old "they got lost, mommy."
Governments around the world have called some 2.5 million defenseless refugees 'displaced'. Because of pride, greed, or just lack of acknowledgement, the refugees are brought down to the level of my toys, and they are simply lost.
In reality, these 2.5 million women, children, and the few men who survived, or were not forced to become 'child soldiers', are fleeing for their lives. They are leaving homes where they lived in poverty with not much food, and no hope. The Sudan government, who is behind the genocide is making a hard, hopeless life, much worse.
The definition of genocide is a graphic one- the targeted mass murder of an entire people, race, ethnic group, or religious group. Darfur is being targeted by its own government, that of Sudan, and because other world governments simply have 'higher priorities', no one is doing a thing about it.
Voices are being raised to the president, and to leaders around the world, and though some money is being sent, these people are no closer to safety than they were six years ago when the conflict began. A generation needs to stand up for these people.
Toss in your support or tell me what you think, I want to know if others will be concerned, or if they will read this, ignore it, and never look back.
-Shirley
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Whats going on in Darfur is an avoidable tragedy. You left a comment on my blog before about Human Rights, and your right, President Bush and other leaders have brought this up multiple times. Nothings been done about it though. I emailed my senators about it, and I hope more people will begin doing so. If this becomes an issue maybe Congress will start considering action. The United States needs to start working at an elevated level with the UN over this issue. The people dying from this could be avoid. The people displaced as well could be cared for. We shouldn't allow whats happening or happened in Africa to contiune.
And, by the way, the purpose of government is to protect its citizens. When a government like the one in Sudan doesn't allow peace keepers in to aid in the effort against the militias, what does that tell you? Has government done it's duty?
No, Sudan's government is not effective, unless you consider murdering millions of it's people, effective. That is an issue directly connected to the genocide that makes me increasingly mad. Thank you for commenting on this, I'm hoping we keep pressing our senators and these people will be saved.
Too many times we have said "never again" and then let history repeat itself. What is happening in Darfur is a reflection of a world that is currently not serious about helping innocent people, I know that is a generalization but the international community including the UN is moving excruciatingly slow, I care and I hope that more and people do too. Where there is a will there is a way! Check out Savedarfur.org
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tinacho
ever looked at the number of estimated civilian casualties from the Iraq war
I warned that it is off subject but I just had to interject...
not that it makes what is happening in Darfur any less cruel and unimportant.
"I'm more like a fool for soul and passion....
I watch crash, and realize that we all survivors
no religion or race, whatever describe us." -Forever Begins, Common
http://www.progressiveu.org/012450-old-and-gold-times-change-my-immigran...