What the Experts Say

The experts about the genocide in Darfur just about say the same thing.

The President of the United States, George Bush, has said about the genocide,
"For too long the people of Darfur have suffered at the hands of a government that is complicit in the bombing, murder, and rape of innocent civilians. My administration has called these actions by their rightful name:genocide."

United Nations' agencies in Darfur have said,
"Access to people in need in December 2006 was the worst since April 2004...In the last 6 months alone, more than 250,000 people have been displaced by fighting, many of them fleeing for the 2nd or 3rd time. 12 relief workers have been killed in the past 6 months. In the last 6 months, 30 NGO and UN compounds wre directly attacked by armed groups. More than 400 humanitarian workers have been forced to relocate 31 times from different locations throughout the 3 Darfur states."

Willie Hankerson, a protestor ouside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington D.C., said,
"Demonstrations will continue until the UN declares in print and in open that there is genocide being waged in Sudan. And the US government needs to go in to Sudan and not be witness to another Rwandan slaughter. I'm anitwar and I don't advocate war, but I advovate military suport for the people there."

Second Strongest Arguement

My second strongest argument would be how other nation's are reacting to this crisis. The United States passed a resolution declaring the situation in Darfur to be a genocide. Colin Powell, then Secretary of State, made a report and determined by overwhelming evidence that Darfur was in fact the place of a genocide. Then President Bush first declared it a genocide in a speech to the United Nations. The European Union has also expressed concerned and have been given money to the Darfurian people.

Citizens of country's have also voiced concern. This is happening in both the United States and Europe. Many people have protested outside the Sudanese embassy demanding to stop the killing. Organizations have formed to demand the government to intervene and to help the Darfurian refugees and the people still living in fear in Darfur. Many humanitarian groups have been in Darfur since the crisis started trying to help the victims of the genocide the best they can.

I intend to argue the pro side of the arguement because it is the most common sense of the two positions. Thousands of innocent people are dying and are not getting the help they are in dire need of. I think my strongest argument will be the heinous crimes that are being commited by the jangaweed. Not only are they murdering thousands of innocent people but they tortue them and destroy their villages and livelihoods. I intend to convince readers to agree with my position by having a heart. I want to project how these people's lives are being destroyed and they are very desperate. They really need other people to help them because their own country is killing them. I am concern that most of my argument will just be the violent crimes being commited and how the people's of Darfur way of life is being destroyed.

Con

The United Nations has asked the Sudanese government to allow peace keeping forces into the Darfur region. The government has complied allowing African Union forces admission into Darfur. They have also allowed humantitarian aid workers into the country to help the people of Darfur. There have been peace talks with the Christian black farmers of southern Sudan and the government. Some other countries do not think the violence that has occured is called a genocide yet. The militias also began to fight after rebel forces attacked military insitutions in 2003.

Pro

More than 70,000 Sudanese civilians have been killed and the death toll is continually rising. Other civilians have been internally displaced, over 1.7 million. 200,000 displaced victims have fled to Chad. The jangaweed militia attack villages that have no sign of rebel activity. The jangaweed have burnt villages to the ground and set fields aflame so they can not be used again. Men and boys of the villages are dragged from their homes and shot, women are often gang-raped. Many citizens of other countries have asked their own countries to help with the atrocities. Many have protested including outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington D.C. The United States was the first country to declare the state of affairs in Darfur a genocide. The United States has began to put sanctions on Sudan and have only been giving aid money to Darfur. The United Nations has tried to get the Sudanese government to agree to a cease-fire but the killing has continued. Many of times the Sudanese government agrees to a peace policy but back down right before it would be validated.

Genocide In Darfur

In the region of Darfur in western Sudan, thousands of civilians are being killed by an Arab militia group. There are two rebel forces that are answering to this. Both sides have ignored cease-fires that have been issued by the United Nations to stop the violence. Other nations do not know whether or not they should get involved. I have selected this issue so I can learn more about and it is a topic that is very interesting. Should outside forces be brought into Darfur to stop the violence?