FAQs
1. What is going on in Darfur?
Using rebellion as an excuse, the Sudanese government has hired mercenaries -- called the
Janjaweed ("devil riders") to help fight and kill peaceful Darfuri Africans (certain rebel groups are
associated with specific ethnic groups in Sudan). Hundreds of thousands of people have died, and
over a million have been displaced. (Please visit our History page for more details).
2. Where is Darfur?
Darfur is a western province of Sudan, a country in East Africa. Sudan is south of Egypt and north of
Ethiopia.
3. How can we stop the killing and displacement?
The most practical thing you can do is inundate your local congressperson or senator with petitions
to end the Darfur conflict and request congress take immediate action.
4. Why haven't I heard much about Darfur?
The news media has been somewhat silent about Darfur as of late. Reasons for a lack of reporting
could be many. First, Darfur is not a safe place for the press. News crews would be risking their lives
to report from the Sudan. Second, the news media is paid for by advertisements and if TV ratings are
low, they don't receive enough money, so they feel obligated to keep the news fresh and reporting
24.7 on Darfur would not boost the ratings. Thirdly, not many people know what is going on in
Darfur, even with the internet, so word of mouth is not spreading the news. Finally, it could possibly
be that people don't want to hear about the pain and suffering of people in Africa because it would
make them feel sad or obligated to do something or some people, frankly, just don't care.
5. What about, the U.N., can't they help?
The U.N. technically can help, however their track-record on helping stop genocide is pitiful at best.
Rwanda, Bosnia and Cambodia to name a few. The U.N. has tried to negotiate peace agreements
(which ended up falling out) and impose sanctions (which have been effective). Military action could
be taken but China, as a permanent member of the security council, has threatened to veto any such
measure. The U.N. hasn't even been bold enough to label the events in Darfur as genocide.
6. What is China's influence in all of this?
China has a great deal of influence in this situation. Number one, China is the only security council
member that is stopping U.N. military intervention. Sudan is one of the main producers of oil for
China. China doesn't want military action to interfere with one of their top oil importers. If China was
pressured enough, they could stop buying from Sudan and an embargo would stop the flow of
money to the government and would most certainly end the conflict.
7. What organizations are working in Darfur?
A list can be found at http://www.interaction.org/sudan/index.html
8. Is what's happening really genocide?
The legal definition is found in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG). Article 2 of the CPPCG defines genocide as "any of
the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or
religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to
members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring
about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births
within the group; [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group." (Wikipedia)
Almost all of these things are occurring in the Sudan right now, thus fulfilling the definition. The
government-hired militia is killing Darfurians for the sole purpose of eradicating that ethnic group.
9. What can we do to help the refugees?
Here is a list of organizations helping refugees in neighboring Chad.
10. Why should I care?
It is your own decision of whether or not to care, but the fact other human beings are suffering
should be enough. You would want someone to help if you were in the same situation. There is an
obligation as a human to help another human in suffering, when over a million are suffering; it
becomes a moral responsibility to do something, anything.
11. If the U.S. gets involved, are we going to send troops? If military action is taken, then who will be
sending troops?
Most likely, the U.S. will not send troops. If troops are sent, they will be UN forces or some local
forces such as African Union forces.
12. I want to write to someone in political power. How can I reach them and what should I say?
Check out our Take Action page! You will find contact information as well as multiple examples of
letters that you can send. Don't hesitate to write! Your voice is more powerful than you think.
Using rebellion as an excuse, the Sudanese government has hired mercenaries -- called the
Janjaweed ("devil riders") to help fight and kill peaceful Darfuri Africans (certain rebel groups are
associated with specific ethnic groups in Sudan). Hundreds of thousands of people have died, and
over a million have been displaced. (Please visit our History page for more details).
2. Where is Darfur?
Darfur is a western province of Sudan, a country in East Africa. Sudan is south of Egypt and north of
Ethiopia.
3. How can we stop the killing and displacement?
The most practical thing you can do is inundate your local congressperson or senator with petitions
to end the Darfur conflict and request congress take immediate action.
4. Why haven't I heard much about Darfur?
The news media has been somewhat silent about Darfur as of late. Reasons for a lack of reporting
could be many. First, Darfur is not a safe place for the press. News crews would be risking their lives
to report from the Sudan. Second, the news media is paid for by advertisements and if TV ratings are
low, they don't receive enough money, so they feel obligated to keep the news fresh and reporting
24.7 on Darfur would not boost the ratings. Thirdly, not many people know what is going on in
Darfur, even with the internet, so word of mouth is not spreading the news. Finally, it could possibly
be that people don't want to hear about the pain and suffering of people in Africa because it would
make them feel sad or obligated to do something or some people, frankly, just don't care.
5. What about, the U.N., can't they help?
The U.N. technically can help, however their track-record on helping stop genocide is pitiful at best.
Rwanda, Bosnia and Cambodia to name a few. The U.N. has tried to negotiate peace agreements
(which ended up falling out) and impose sanctions (which have been effective). Military action could
be taken but China, as a permanent member of the security council, has threatened to veto any such
measure. The U.N. hasn't even been bold enough to label the events in Darfur as genocide.
6. What is China's influence in all of this?
China has a great deal of influence in this situation. Number one, China is the only security council
member that is stopping U.N. military intervention. Sudan is one of the main producers of oil for
China. China doesn't want military action to interfere with one of their top oil importers. If China was
pressured enough, they could stop buying from Sudan and an embargo would stop the flow of
money to the government and would most certainly end the conflict.
7. What organizations are working in Darfur?
A list can be found at http://www.interaction.org/sudan/index.html
8. Is what's happening really genocide?
The legal definition is found in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG). Article 2 of the CPPCG defines genocide as "any of
the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or
religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to
members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring
about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births
within the group; [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group." (Wikipedia)
Almost all of these things are occurring in the Sudan right now, thus fulfilling the definition. The
government-hired militia is killing Darfurians for the sole purpose of eradicating that ethnic group.
9. What can we do to help the refugees?
Here is a list of organizations helping refugees in neighboring Chad.
10. Why should I care?
It is your own decision of whether or not to care, but the fact other human beings are suffering
should be enough. You would want someone to help if you were in the same situation. There is an
obligation as a human to help another human in suffering, when over a million are suffering; it
becomes a moral responsibility to do something, anything.
11. If the U.S. gets involved, are we going to send troops? If military action is taken, then who will be
sending troops?
Most likely, the U.S. will not send troops. If troops are sent, they will be UN forces or some local
forces such as African Union forces.
12. I want to write to someone in political power. How can I reach them and what should I say?
Check out our Take Action page! You will find contact information as well as multiple examples of
letters that you can send. Don't hesitate to write! Your voice is more powerful than you think.
Cincinnati for Darfur |
