Sudan’s Moves in Darfur Concern U.S. Envoy

Toni Rockette
Sudan’s Moves in Darfur Concern U.S. Envoy
It’s been two years since the Bush administration first said the word genocide in reference to Darfur and the U.S. is finally renewing the push to get peacekeepers over there. A peace agreement was signed in May but that meant nothing to those over there. All sides of the war are accused of killing civilians. There has been a plan to quell the violence: to send more than 10,000 Sudanese troops. Sudan’s acting ambassador, Oman Monis, says that the Sudan government is opposing the idea of sending troops in and he does not know why so many people would try to send in troops if they would be unwelcome. Sudan says that they have not been consulted enough on the UN’s plans but others say they have already been consulted. Many aid workers have been killed in the last month and there are escalating reports of rape and the recruitment of children to fight in the war.
I feel that this situation has gotten out of control. Not many people know about Darfur. I first heard about the conflict last semester. The UN is getting involved and telling Sudan what it’s plans are and they act as if no one told them anything. They are being childish. I agree that it is stupid to try and send if that many unwanted troops but if it has to be done, it has to be done. I am shocked that they are recruiting children to shoot. That is wrong, on more than one level. War is a horrid thing already because it steals fathers, husbands, and sons; but to steal the next generation before they have a chance to really live is morally wrong. The aid workers went over there out of kindness and they, especially the women, are getting taken advantage of. War is a horrible and disgusting thing but it seems as if it has to happen for the world to move on.
Source: NPR News, Washington
http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100046288&docId=l:422144174&start=1