Monday, January 31, 2005

Silent No Longer

The situation in Drafur, Sudan has been on my news feeds for months now, and I find the amount of coverage given to this tragedy to be appalling. Artciles are hidden on news sites and never garer more than passing attention. It is well past time for the world to step up and approach this situation on several fronts.

The following sites provide the most complete and latest news regarding the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan:
Sudan: The Passion of the Present
Darfur: A Genocide We Can Stop

I have been wanting to post regarding this situation for a long time, and have referenced it in various posts. In attempting to provide the most up-to-date news regarding the tragedy in Darfur, I am befuddled by the lack of media attention to the crisis. Occasionally, a link to a news story will appear on the front of a news web site, only to disappear within a half hour and become incredibly hard to locate.
It's like the world doesn't want to be made more aware of the crimes being committed and the lives that are being destroyed in Sudan, lest they be called to act in response to this humanitarian tragedy.

Beginning today, everytime I come across an article that includes news of the situation in Darfur, I will at least post a link to that information. Below are the articles that I have been following lately, from oldest to newest.

Darfur News:
The Worst is Yet to Come (25NOV05)
U.N. Puts Darfur Dead at 70,000 (21DEC04)
Powell Mum on Genocide in Sudan (08JAN05)
World 'Ignoring' War Torn Darfur (14JAN05)
World 'Hasn't Listened to Holocaust' (24JAN05)
Davos Focus Turns to Africa (27JAN05)
GOP Lawmaker: Stop Sudan 'Genocide' (27JAN05)
Sudan 'Bombs Darfur Village' (27JAN05)
WHO: Darfur Crisis Apparently Eases (27JAN05)
Peace Team to Probe Darfur Raid (28JAN05)
Sudan Troops in Darfur Offensive (28JAN05)
Darfur Rebels Request Peacekeepers (30JAN05)
Darfur Killings Not Genocide, Says UN Group (31JAN05)
Darfur Misery 'Fault of Sudan' (31JAN05)

United Nations Sites
United Nations - Greater Darfur Crisis
United Nations Situational Reports - Sudan

Special Reports
CNN.com Special - Sudan
Time - Surviving Darfur

Get Involved!
What You Can Do About Darfur


As of today, I refuse to be associated with those who are aware of the crisis and do not pass that information on in an attempt to promote action. The situation in Sudan is worse than most people even realize, with the crisis about to become exponentially disastrous due to the impending famine. The Tsunami was a terrible natural disaster which has impacted millions and killed hundreds of thousands. If the situation in Darfur does not improve rapidly in the coming months, the numbers of dead and displaced will likely match and surpass those of the Tsunami by the end of the year.

One catastrophe has raised billions and all types of support.
Another one continues on the other side of the world, and the support raised has been incredibly minimal. I'm glad that Doctors Without Borders has approached this issue and is now asking for people who want to donate to give and help Darfur and other areas. If only more people and the media would make that transition.

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