Intervene in Darfur

Stronger peacekeeping effort should be an international priority

The worsening situation in the western Sudanese region of Darfur is a nightmare lived out by real people who desperately need the help of all nations. The latest news: Thousands of refugees are fleeing attacks by Arab militias and Sudanese Army bombs, to the point that the wave of humanity poses an enormous threat to neighboring Chad.

The chaos has made for a toxic brew of rebels, government forces and ethnic militias, as Chadian rebels based in Sudan have tried to topple the government of Chad President Idriss Deby, who Thursday declared a state of emergency after fighting that reached the gates of the presidential palace in Ndjamena.

The rebel group that had controlled the part of Darfur under attack, the Justice and Equality Movement, warned the new United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force not to enter the area. Everyone is fair game in what has become one of the most significant acts of genocide in history. Perhaps most remarkable is that the genocide continues seemingly unabated.

Roughly 6,000 Sudanese recently reached the border town of Birak in Chad, while about the same number gathered in the nearby village. There already were 240,000 Sudanese refugees in Chad, and a nearly equal number of Chadians displaced because of what is occurring along the border.

The daily reports of the atrocities occurring in Darfur are truly horrific, and the ravages have continued since 2003 when the Arab-dominated government of Sudan let loose tribal militias known as the janjaweed on non-Arab rebel groups in Darfur that were seeking greater autonomy and a larger share of Sudan’s wealth. President Bush has labeled the subsequent atrocities genocide. And yet, the bloodletting continues.

At least 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur, and 2.5 million people have been displaced. The Sudanese government has spent most of this time denying the undeniable. Read more >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>