The international work of the past few days by the leaders of the richest countries in the world is complete, but President Bush and other leaders failed to meet the challenge of the genocide occuring in Darfur, Sudan.
I have limited news resources, PBS specials about the Boys of Sudan and movies like Hotel Rwanda beyond daily newspapers and magazines. Yet, I know up to 400,000 people have lost their lives in Darfur since the government-sponsored genocide began in 2003. People have been diplaced, livelihoods and homes destroyed, women and girls raped, children and men killed. Still the government of Sudan continues to obstruct humanitarian operations, creating famine and misery for multitudes.
We must speak! President Bush and our American leadership needs to intervene. A first step would be to call on Congress to pass the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, which calls for increased support of the African Union, stopping the Sudanese government from using aircraft to attack civilians, bringing the killers and rapists to justice, and dispatching high-level U.S. diplomats to foster the peace process.
We are responsible only for what we know. Now we know! So, as Americans and as human beings, we have a moral obligation to stop the inhumanity.
In “Hotel Rwanda,” Don Cheadle’s character said, “There will be no rescue, no intervention … you must shame them into action.”
Patricia Neel
Everett
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