Posted on 04/30/2006 12:13:27 PM PDT by knighthawk
What horrors will be visited on Darfur next? On Friday the United Nations' food agency said it was being forced to cut rations to the more than 3 million people in this war-ravaged western region of the Sudan who rely daily on the cereals, the oil and the legumes from the U.N.'s World Food Program. Starting next week, the rations will drop by half from 2,100 calories a person to 1,050. That's less than half the daily amount required for a sedentary man of average weight.
The U.N. had to cut its food supplies both because it is so difficult getting food to people who need it and because the world has not anted up the money required to pay for it: The United States has provided $188 million, but the BBC reports little has been received from the European Union or the Arab League. "We have been pushed into this last resort of ration cuts in the Sudan so we can provide the needy with at least some food during the lean season," said James Morris, head of the U.N. food agency.
This news comes on top of today's deadline for peace negotiations; African Union mediators have been meeting in Nigeria with the Sudan government and Darfurian rebels, but the mood is not sanguine. A cease-fire that was imposed two years ago has never been enforced and previous talks have failed.
The violence against the people of Darfur came to light three years ago; the Darfurians had pressed for more development and a share in Sudan's oil wealth but Khartoum's answer was to send in Arab militias, known as Janjaweed, to cause havoc. More than two million Darfurians have been displaced from their homes; up to 400,000 have been killed or died of disease.
The violence has spilled over to neighboring Chad. The United States has, rightly, described this civil war as genocide, although the U.N. Security Council is reluctant to go that far. There has been pressure on Khartoum to allow the United Nations to send in 10,000 peacekeeping troops, but the Sudanese government is opposed to that, declaring its sovereign rights. A rag-tag force of 7,000 African Union soldiers is attempting to moderate the conflict between the ethnic Africans and the government-funded Arab militias. The world is taking notice. Hollywood actor George Clooney just returned from Sudan. A big march is planned in Washington today and a local rally in Chicago on Monday. Still, the Sudanese government seems impervious to diplomatic overtures.
Last week the U.N. imposed sanctions on four Sudanese men found guilty of atrocities in Darfur. More sanctions would be useful. Perhaps President Bush should appoint a special envoy, as we have done in the Middle East. Former President Bill Clinton would be a good candidate. The world chided itself for not preventing the horrendous genocide in Rwanda more than 10 years ago; to allow the same thing to happen in Sudan would be a travesty and an indictment of the U.N. mission to maintain world peace.
Ping
Let Hollywood pay for this.
Thats sounds good,I'll back that.
This should make Tom Terrific's fan's happy, Representative Tancredo is pushing for more U.S. involvement over there.
There is something unsavory, in the face of genocide, to ask the authors of genocide for their permission before you send peacekeepers.
Could anyone imagine asking permission of the SS before kicking in the doors of the death camps?
I am inclined to say about the UN the same thing I said about the IAEA. Its not their job to stop genocide, its just their job to monitor the process, fill out the paperwork, affect a proper public posture of pained concern and, most of all, keep track of those frequent flyer miles.
What did they do in Rwanda? Nothing. What have they done in Congo, where millions have died? Count the dead, where they dare. And what have they done in the South Sudan, where two million died? Nothing at all. And now, in the Darfur, what now?
Nothing, but thats not the point. The point is that they are monitoring the situation, and will continue monitoring the situation until there is no one left alive to monitor.
What?
Another U.N. bailout?
How about they cancel a few of the million dollar "parties" this year and use the money for Darfur instead of gourmet feasts and travel expenses.
Someone tell Tancredo the purse is a bit empty right now...
Next?
Where is the Red Crescent? Don`t Muslims ever help Muslims?
thank you for posting this as the tragedy of Darfur becomes worse and worse. as if it were not bad enough that Arab Muslim is exterminating black Muslim, raping their wives, all actions to wipe out the line (genocide); that the refugees who have left are being terrorized in their camps; now there is news that they may starve as well. enough with the jokes about Hollywood, folks. these are fellow human beings in dire straits. there but for the grace of God go you. we, the richest and most compassionate nation in the world, can galvanize help - food, Nato troops, to stem the disaster. and we should. NOW.
That's part of the problem. The Darfurians are Christians and animists whereas the Govt. folks are members of the glorious Muslim faith.
links please.
thank you for your service, River Rat.
Either provide links that originate from FR or cease with your claim. I can find all sorts of nonsensical "facts" on the internet through google. The beauty of FR is that if its bs, its made clear by posters very shortly.
LOL! Does it bother you so much that Tancredo is pushing this? If it does then it's real simply for you to read his own words...not just a claim, fact.
Not going to provide any evidence of Rep. Tancredo's request to send in US forces to Sudan huh? No problem. Anyone who reads this thread will draw the appropriate conclusion.
LOL! When you go all hysterical like that you confuse things. I said that Tom Terrific is pushing for more "U.S. involvement", which doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as sending in troops. But if you're really interested all you need to do is go this his own website and you can learn all about how he wants us to get more involved over there...or you can sit here and whine.
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