In February of 2003, the attacks or genocide began in Darfur. There was no triggering event which ignited the fire of genocide in Darfur. Decades of prolonged civil war in Sudan led to the north, Arab Muslims, being pitted against the south, African Christians. The southern region of Darfur was not receiving any monetary support from the Khartoum government. The African Christians revolted against the Arab-Muslim supported government because they believed it was discriminating against their section of the country. The distinctive factor of who would be killed was ethnic based. It was the Arabs against the Africans.
The groups involved are the Arabic Janjaweed and the Government of Sudan (GoS) against the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). The SLA is a militia/army located in the south of Sudan who oppose the government and armies of Northern Sudan. The Arabic name Janjaweed comes from jinn (“spirit”) and jawad (“horse”) (Prunier 2005, xvi). This name can be translated to “evil horsemen” or “ghost riders” and was given to the Arab militia who made the first attacks on Darfur (Prunier 2005,xvi). In December of 2003, the Janjaweed carried out attacks against African villages. They burned down the homes in the villages, and murderer and raped the villagers. This led to 10,000 refugees fleeing to Chad (Totten 2006, xx).
Even though China is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, they are still supplying Sudan with weapons which are only fueling the fire. According to Amnesty International, China is selling military aircraft, parts, ammunition and other forms of arms to Sudan. Chinese soldiers are alleged to be in Sudan protecting Chinese oil interests.
China’s President, Hu Jintao, has refused to mix diplomacy with human’s rights issues, but the UN and other nations are forcing China to respond. China is the biggest consumer of Sudan’s oil, buying two thirds of the countries oil every year (Washington Post). China seems to be overlooking the issues in Darfur, perhaps for the purpose of gaining more resources. China and its President finally cracked under the pressure and in February of 2007, Hu Jintao told Omar al-Bashir (Sudan’s leader) that he must allow the UN to become involved with ending the conflict in Darfur...or else.
There are documents and signed agreements emplaced which should have prevented this genocide, yet four and a half years later, Darfurians are still being murdered. On such document emplaced is the Genocide Convention. The Genocide Convention document contains lists for the Prevention of Genocide and the Punishment for the Crime of Genocide. (Quigley 2006, 8). The Genocide Convention was a document constructed by the UN after the Holocaust. So it seems like the UN should be the first to declare genocide has occurred in a region..right?
The United States and the United Nations knew what was occurring before their “special investigative reports” came in almost two years after the genocide began. Other agencies and organizations inside the United States were speaking out for Darfur publicly. In January of 2004, The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Committee on Conscience issued a “Genocide Warning” for Darfur (Totten 2006, xx). Then in June of 2004, the museum closed all its exhibits for the first time in history in order to do a program about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and called for “immediate action” to be taken (Totten 2006, xxiv). A month later, The U.S. Holocaust Museum and American Jewish World Service hosted an emergency meeting. The summit led to the creation of the Save Darfur Coalition (Totten 2006, xxvi). Even though it took the UN two years to react after the start of the genocide, they are “kind of” helping now. The UN Security Council has referred the situation in Darfur to the International Crime Court (ICC) (Quigley 2005, 87). Since then, the court has indicted State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and alleged Muslim Janjaweed militia leader Ali Mohammed Ali Mohammed Ali aka Ali Kosheib, in relation to the atrocities in the region. The UN is also offering Sudan peacekeepers, but the Sudanese g
overnment is rejecting offers.
Due to the UN’s slow response, other organizations and people have become involved with stopping the Darfur crisis. Dream for Darfur is an activist group who is trying to get nations involved in order to stop the crisis in Darfur. Dream for Darfur and other organizations want the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to use the Olympics that are scheduled to take place in Beijing, China, as leverage to stop the genocide in Darfur (USA Today). Since China has oil rights in the African region of Sudan and because of the upcoming Olympics, Dream for Darfur believes the IOC should pressure China into doing more to secure peace in the troubled region. But the IOC fails to make Darfur their issue. A representative from the committee stated that it would be inappropriate to address the situation or to write the UN Security Council since the committee is not a political one (USA Today).
Since the IOC is failing to take a stance on the issue, some athletes decided they have to. Some of these individuals who are competing in the 2008 Summer Games are using their status to let people know how the feel about the Darfur crisis. The Olympic athletes who are speaking out about the genocide are a part of what is now called Team Darfur. They said when not competing they will not be wearing shirts/hats of the country they are competing for, but will wear items advertising Save Darfur.
Mass society theory says that social movements occur when society no longer has mediator organizations that unsatisfied people can join. The definition of mass society theory paints a perfect picture of what has happened and is continuing to happen in Darfur. What are displeased Americans suppose to do, write their Congressman? That sort of passive action would take months for something to happen and we don’t have months. So organizations are being created on the internet, which is a fast way to get many people, masses of people, involved. On the Save Darfur website you can make donations; buy shirts, hats, wristband, etc., and they even have an online petition set-up. What is so great about this website is that people from all over the world can work together to achieve a peaceful Darfur.
Cultural approaches to social movements occur when citizens who have already have rights believe they must become involved in or create a movement in order to make a greater impact. I also believe that the cultural approach “theory” seems to define the Darfur social movement. I have the right to vote and hold office, but I feel I must write this blog and become a part of the Save Darfur website in order to make an impact.
The political process theory states that economic and political shifts happen which allow social movements to occur. This theory believes that changes made to political polices are the most important to a movements cause. The political process theory cannot be applied to the genocide in Darfur. Changes in Sudan’s politics are very unlikely to happen since the government’s army is responsible for the genocide. In my opinion, America does not need to change their politics regarding Darfur. I think the majority of Americans and politicians believe this is a huge problem and want to do every thing they can to help. Out of all three of the theories/approaches listed, I think mass society theory fits the best.
Sources
Chinese President Pushes Sudan on Darfur. 2 Feb. 2007. The Washington Post.com. 28 April 2008 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020200251.html>
Dream for Darfur group gives IOC an 'F' for Sudan response. 27 Jan. 2008. USA Today.Com. 28 April 2008 http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/
LeBlanc, Lawrence J. The United States and the Genocide Convention. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1991.
Prunier, Gerard. Darfur the Ambiguous Genocide. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2005.
Quigley, John. The Genocide Convention: An International Law Analysis. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2006.
The groups involved are the Arabic Janjaweed and the Government of Sudan (GoS) against the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). The SLA is a militia/army located in the south of Sudan who oppose the government and armies of Northern Sudan. The Arabic name Janjaweed comes from jinn (“spirit”) and jawad (“horse”) (Prunier 2005, xvi). This name can be translated to “evil horsemen” or “ghost riders” and was given to the Arab militia who made the first attacks on Darfur (Prunier 2005,xvi). In December of 2003, the Janjaweed carried out attacks against African villages. They burned down the homes in the villages, and murderer and raped the villagers. This led to 10,000 refugees fleeing to Chad (Totten 2006, xx).
Even though China is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, they are still supplying Sudan with weapons which are only fueling the fire. According to Amnesty International, China is selling military aircraft, parts, ammunition and other forms of arms to Sudan. Chinese soldiers are alleged to be in Sudan protecting Chinese oil interests.
China’s President, Hu Jintao, has refused to mix diplomacy with human’s rights issues, but the UN and other nations are forcing China to respond. China is the biggest consumer of Sudan’s oil, buying two thirds of the countries oil every year (Washington Post). China seems to be overlooking the issues in Darfur, perhaps for the purpose of gaining more resources. China and its President finally cracked under the pressure and in February of 2007, Hu Jintao told Omar al-Bashir (Sudan’s leader) that he must allow the UN to become involved with ending the conflict in Darfur...or else.
There are documents and signed agreements emplaced which should have prevented this genocide, yet four and a half years later, Darfurians are still being murdered. On such document emplaced is the Genocide Convention. The Genocide Convention document contains lists for the Prevention of Genocide and the Punishment for the Crime of Genocide. (Quigley 2006, 8). The Genocide Convention was a document constructed by the UN after the Holocaust. So it seems like the UN should be the first to declare genocide has occurred in a region..right?
The United States and the United Nations knew what was occurring before their “special investigative reports” came in almost two years after the genocide began. Other agencies and organizations inside the United States were speaking out for Darfur publicly. In January of 2004, The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Committee on Conscience issued a “Genocide Warning” for Darfur (Totten 2006, xx). Then in June of 2004, the museum closed all its exhibits for the first time in history in order to do a program about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and called for “immediate action” to be taken (Totten 2006, xxiv). A month later, The U.S. Holocaust Museum and American Jewish World Service hosted an emergency meeting. The summit led to the creation of the Save Darfur Coalition (Totten 2006, xxvi). Even though it took the UN two years to react after the start of the genocide, they are “kind of” helping now. The UN Security Council has referred the situation in Darfur to the International Crime Court (ICC) (Quigley 2005, 87). Since then, the court has indicted State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and alleged Muslim Janjaweed militia leader Ali Mohammed Ali Mohammed Ali aka Ali Kosheib, in relation to the atrocities in the region. The UN is also offering Sudan peacekeepers, but the Sudanese g
overnment is rejecting offers.Due to the UN’s slow response, other organizations and people have become involved with stopping the Darfur crisis. Dream for Darfur is an activist group who is trying to get nations involved in order to stop the crisis in Darfur. Dream for Darfur and other organizations want the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to use the Olympics that are scheduled to take place in Beijing, China, as leverage to stop the genocide in Darfur (USA Today). Since China has oil rights in the African region of Sudan and because of the upcoming Olympics, Dream for Darfur believes the IOC should pressure China into doing more to secure peace in the troubled region. But the IOC fails to make Darfur their issue. A representative from the committee stated that it would be inappropriate to address the situation or to write the UN Security Council since the committee is not a political one (USA Today).
Since the IOC is failing to take a stance on the issue, some athletes decided they have to. Some of these individuals who are competing in the 2008 Summer Games are using their status to let people know how the feel about the Darfur crisis. The Olympic athletes who are speaking out about the genocide are a part of what is now called Team Darfur. They said when not competing they will not be wearing shirts/hats of the country they are competing for, but will wear items advertising Save Darfur.
Mass society theory says that social movements occur when society no longer has mediator organizations that unsatisfied people can join. The definition of mass society theory paints a perfect picture of what has happened and is continuing to happen in Darfur. What are displeased Americans suppose to do, write their Congressman? That sort of passive action would take months for something to happen and we don’t have months. So organizations are being created on the internet, which is a fast way to get many people, masses of people, involved. On the Save Darfur website you can make donations; buy shirts, hats, wristband, etc., and they even have an online petition set-up. What is so great about this website is that people from all over the world can work together to achieve a peaceful Darfur.
Cultural approaches to social movements occur when citizens who have already have rights believe they must become involved in or create a movement in order to make a greater impact. I also believe that the cultural approach “theory” seems to define the Darfur social movement. I have the right to vote and hold office, but I feel I must write this blog and become a part of the Save Darfur website in order to make an impact.
The political process theory states that economic and political shifts happen which allow social movements to occur. This theory believes that changes made to political polices are the most important to a movements cause. The political process theory cannot be applied to the genocide in Darfur. Changes in Sudan’s politics are very unlikely to happen since the government’s army is responsible for the genocide. In my opinion, America does not need to change their politics regarding Darfur. I think the majority of Americans and politicians believe this is a huge problem and want to do every thing they can to help. Out of all three of the theories/approaches listed, I think mass society theory fits the best.
Sources
Chinese President Pushes Sudan on Darfur. 2 Feb. 2007. The Washington Post.com. 28 April 2008 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020200251.html>
Dream for Darfur group gives IOC an 'F' for Sudan response. 27 Jan. 2008. USA Today.Com. 28 April 2008 http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/
LeBlanc, Lawrence J. The United States and the Genocide Convention. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1991.
Prunier, Gerard. Darfur the Ambiguous Genocide. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2005.
Quigley, John. The Genocide Convention: An International Law Analysis. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing Company, 2006.
2 comments:
Lisa, i enjoyed reading your blog very much! You gave a very in depth explanation of the human rights crisis in Darfur and explained very well the connections it has / will have to the Beijing olympics.
I agree with your explanation of mass society theory and agree with your statement on the urgency of helping and getting the word out about the crisis. "The definition of mass society theory paints a perfect picture of what has happened and is continuing to happen in Darfur. What are displeased Americans suppose to do, write their Congressman? That sort of passive action would take months for something to happen and we don’t have months." That statment i belive is ideal to any human rights crisis. Keep up the good work!
In using the mass society theory you make an excellent point by stating, “Mass society theory says that social movements occur when society no longer has mediator organizations that unsatisfied people can join” and in showing how people will come together and support a cause such as athletes wearing Darfur gear to show their support.
Post a Comment