The Darfur Genocide

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The Rwandan Genocide of 1994 witnessed the horrifying genocide of 800,000 (Diep.2007:6) people and left a country devastated by mass famine and atrocious acts of war, such as torture and rape. The ensuing outcry of “never again” (Diep.2007:6) from the international community however, appears to have been nothing but moral lip service as global society has yet again lain as insidious witness to a similar conflict that emerged within Darfur in 2003. Similarity exists between the Rwandan and Darfur conflict in that both sets of conflicts have taken place as struggles over power and resources between ethnic tribes and dominant elites. Though the major similarity of these conflicts is the relatively slow and at times indifferent response of the…show more content…
The reluctance by the UN to commit to the genocide narrative was fuelled by a number of reasons and its belief that the West would be reluctant to provide resources due to their ongoing commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan. China and Russia who had financial interests in both supplying Sudan with arms and its oil industry became key actors within the indecisiveness of the UN, as they Vetoed “Security Council” (Jentlson.2007:277) measures. However it was the United States and its unambiguous self orientated actions who were the preeminent international actors in the UN indecisiveness. On election into office the Bush Administration were highly critical of its predecessor’s record of priorities in humanitarian intervention. The new administration believed that more priority should be placed in states with growing global authority such as China and Russia and in major conflicts such as the Israel, Palestine dispute. Humanitarian intervention and smaller conflicts within minor failing states were to be given less priority as they were not “strategically” (Jentlson.2007:283) significant, a justification that was to come back and haunt them. The terrorist attacks of September 11th played a major factor in the way the Darfur…show more content…
The subsequent failures of the post colonial government of Arab Elites to re-address and balance the issues of economic disparity, land disputes, political and economic marginalization and inequality; have served as the main cause of conflict between the Sudanese Government and those groups in both Darfur and Southern Sudan who strive to achieve equality. Further cause arises in the Sudanese Governments development of fundamental religious and racial policies, towards what it sees as an inferior African race and their failure to provide them security. The combination of these created a volatile situation that was worsened by international actors and their geopolitical agendas within Africa and Sudan therefore; culpability for the humanitarian crisis that ensued must also be placed at the doors of the international community, which is intensified by the slow and inadequate reaction in accepting the genocide narrative and offering protection. The phrase once bitten twice shy arose from the ashes of the Holocaust and mechanisms were put in position to prevent such an atrocity occurring again, yet international actors have allowed similar atrocities to occur thrice over. It is now time for the United Nations to disassociate humanitarian issues from its member’s geopolitical agendas, which will be the only viable way of preventing atrocities like
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