The Crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

Despite the hope that a "peace" deal will soon be announced in Sudan - which will primarily allow the two warring factions to share in the country's oil money - the other civil war to ravage Sudan is still raging, and urgent action must be taken. While I have previously posted on this, the situation has worsened. Too little attention is being given to this crisis; whatever one calls it, the result is a repeat of the disastrous, unnecessary underaction in the Rwanda genocide. On this Independence Day for a nation whose leaders have been rushing to bring what no one could mistake for real "liberation" to Iraq, we would do well to ask why those leaders have done comparatively little to halt the vicious weapons of mass destruction that have been unleashed on the blacks of western Sudan. But then again, who cares - so long as the oil fields are secured for US companies to develop, right? I have gathered various resources for everyone to learn the latest of the tragedy, and join efforts to stop it and aid the displaced and the abused.

First, absolutely essential reading is a series of "columns from Sudan, many of them focusing on the personal experiences of a young woman there named Magboula" (MoveOn). These are from Nicholas Kristof, and are linked here for free:
    "Dare We Call It Genocide?" (June 16, 2004)
    "Sudan's Final Solution" (June 19, 2004)
    "Magboula's Brush with Genocide" (June 23, 2004)
    "Dithering as Others Die" (June 26, 2004)

As you know, I have applauded The Economist's consistent, balanced coverage of the crisis since its emergence. The latest article (which is still free for the next week) gives a quick overview.

Next, turn to the International Crisis Group's comprehensive page on the crisis, which includes excellent background, resources, and ways to help. Human Rights Watch (HRW) also includes all the significant material on the crisis.

Sadly, we in our privilege so often don't get it until we see it, so here's a gallery of pictures from the camps.

As for helping the relief efforts, the US Agency for International Development's (USAID) Sudan page sure makes it sound like the US has the situation in hand ("a reinvigorated commitment"), but it also has links for giving to aid efforts. See Oxfam's relief efforts, "constructing thousands of latrines and providing clean drinking water and washing facilities for more than 200,000 people"; you can donate directly to support Oxfam's efforts, which continue 20 years of work throughout the country's wars.