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Darfur: the other anniversary.

Article Excerpt
"Three years after Powell had first declared that genocide was taking place in Sudan, hundreds of people every month continued to die in the camps of Darfur--mute evidence of the policies that failed to save them."

--Glenn Kessler; pg.119 in The Confidante, 2007

9/11 is not this week's only grim anniversary. We also mark Darfur being labeled genocide. It has been over a thousand days and over one hundred thousand additional lives snuffed out since the world's sole superpower loudly and publicly blew the whistle on genocide in progress. Significantly, it is being committed by the military dictatorship of a poor African country. So why has it not been stopped even after three years? Because our leaders have cynically failed to walk their talk. And the reason for that? Because we, the people, have not done our job.

How do we correct the situation? We must start with a tougher attitude. Words and promises-whether by Khartoum and its murderous Janjaweed allies, or by the rebels, or by the UN, or by China or by the United States--count for very little. We must demand action. And we must show outrage that politicians have dallied for four years, allowing hundreds of thousands innocent Darfuri lives to be snuffed out, not to mention the millions more who have been violently uprooted and terrorized. Some might label this the attitude of an impatient skeptic. I would not disagree.

But even skeptics must admit Darfur has seen some recent progress. On July 31, the Security Council finally authorized UNAMID, the robust hybrid protection force that must prepare the way. African countries have quickly pledged all the warm bodies that UNAMID needs. Most rebel leaders participated in the August common strategy session in Arusha, Tanzania....

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