What Happened to Adolescence?

Jamil, Age 12

“The Janjaweed came on camels and horses, very fast. Sometimes two on one camel, with guns. Many soldiers, with guns. This one is a machine gun. They were shooting us.”
In the same exercise book, Jamil had drawn a man with a radio transmitter, drawn larger than the man: “We needed help. There was no one to protect us.”

I remember when I was 12 I used to draw trees, houses and people. I did not even attempt to draw massacre mainly because I did not know about it. I guess most of the children draw nature because that is what they see every day. That is something they know the best. The children in Sudan, however know more about massacre than nature or family. Jamil's desperate cry penetrates my heart: "We needed help. There was no one to protect us" (Jamil). Where are the super heroes when you need one? Those children who should be enjoying their adolescence are waiting desperately for super heroes to save them from Janjaweed, but what are those super heroes doing? The average children strongly believe justice prevails no matter what, but do those children in Darfur have the same belief? What are we doing today to make them feel important? Why can't we all become super heroes to save them from the most horrifying terror?What can we do to restore their adolescence?

http://hrw.org/photos/2005/darfur/drawings/10.htm

U.N. votes to extend mission in Darfur

What Sudan needs the most is ACTIONS. Not only the people in Sudan, but also the refugees who managed to reach the camp die from violence and starvation. What they really need is not insufficient food rations, but a peace proclamation that allows them to rebuild their lives. U.N.'s decision on peace extension in Darfur is not tolerable. Why would they want to suspend investigation on Sudan president? Will the president and his officials ever be brought to justice? I read an recent article about Sudan officials effort to lobby U.N. to avert the charges on genocide. We should not let them escape from charges on millions of voices of suffering. If they do get away from charges, what will we have to tell to children in Sudan? Should we say 'I am sorry, but we do not live in the world of justice anymore. We now live in the materialistic world where wealthy always overwhelms those who believes in justice?'

For those children and people who have always been fighting against violence and despair, we should show them that justice still exists.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/09/22/sudan.un.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch

What have I learned?

Even though I researched and studied human rights violation in honors history seminar thoroughly, the detailed abuse in Sudan surprised me every time I encountered. However, what surprised me the most was not the penetrating sufferings in Sudan, but the people like Lost Boy who find happiness every day in the situation that allows none of it: Alepho finds joy in his colorful blanket even when he has been starving for innumerous days. Lost Boys appreciate education the most even when they have to sacrifice their meals for it. They do not complain for what they do not have, but thank for what they have or what they find. Ironically, Sudan might be the worst place in the world, but for some, it might be the place where hidden happiness could be found.

I am disgusted with people's indifference as well as mine. I recall Elie Wiesel's speech of indifference: "...to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all..." (Wiesel). Indifference is not only "the greatest sin of all", but also the most lethal weapon against humanity. Few days ago, I read an article about China breaking the embargo and aiding Sudanese government militaristically. What surprised me the most was not Chinese militaristic affiliation in Sudan, but the fact that United Nation did not mention anything about immediate reaction to Chinese embargo violation. Even though, many people know about Darfur, Kenya or global warming, they always put their conveniences as their priority, simply because those issues do not seem to affect them directly. We say we live in global era, but do we really? We would never live in global era until we come out of our boxes of indifference.

What makes a person capable of doing great and egregious harm to another human and/or non-human animal?

People fight against each other for survivor. As I mentioned in the last post about global warming as one of the causes of the Darfur crisis, Arab and Africans in Darfur started to fight due to survival; the precarious situation they face incites competition between one another which leads to hostility that triggers the war. Before the global warming, however, when both of them enjoyed great affluence from stability, hospitality took enmity's place. Even though survival could be a significant factor which brings violence and abuse, it does not necessarily affect all people in the same condition; the Lost Boys in "They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky" manage to protect their hopes. They somehow always find optimistic aspects in their lives everyday. Especially, Alepho's appreciation of his colorful blanket surprises me every time I read about him. How can anyone possibly thank for a piece of blanket, when they have to run away from genocide and abuse everyday without family or food or water?

Some other boys, however, lose their hope and identity in the most treacherous violence. In "They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky", the group of boys start to fight against each other because"they'd seen a lot of killing and they also wanted to kill" (Deng 127). What are the differences between the boys who yield violence and boys who do not? What makes those boys more susceptible to violence? I cannot say I know answers to those questions, but as far as I know, I think it really depends on one's personality and their tenacity to protect their hope. Benson, Alepho and Benjamin were not any different from other boys who chose to fight. They starved when other boys starved and experienced the same terror other boys experienced. If there is one thing different about them, it would be the fact that they somehow managed to protect their hope in the realm of the most abominable terror.

Global Warming causes Darfur Conflict?

Ever since the Darfur genocide has been known, people believed religion and ethnicity were the main cuases of the conflict, however, Faris from Atlantic magazine asserts otherwise.

He believes conflict in Sudan is caused by global warming.

Before the global warming dried off Sudan, the African farmers in Darfur were amicable to Arabs who mostly herded flock for their living; farmers in Darfur allowed Arab to pass their land to graze their flock. However, due to global warming, drought became prevalent and Arabs were no longer welcomed to pass farmer's land. The drought did not spare room for hospitality anymore. Even among the farmers, there were constant conflicts to gain access to water. So, the group of Arab nomadics who were left "landless and desperate" started to fight against Africans in Darfur to acquire lands for themselves.

The global warming yields competition for living and competition leads to hostility. Although, this unexpected cause makes all of us responsible for the Darfur genocide, there are so many who are still oblivious of horrible crisis in Sudan. Now it is time for all us to fianally cooperate with decisive attitude to resolve this horrible conflict. Every time we take actions to stop the global warming, we are not only saving the earth, but also saving millions of innocent lives in Sudan.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200704/darfur-climate

Chinese Affiliation in Darfur Genocide

(Military truck built in China in Darfur)

I was surprised to know that there actually is a country that supports such a horrible war.
According to BBC, China is assisting Sudanese government to fight against the rebels by training fighter pilots and providing weapons. Even though China is currently denying those charges, it seems obvious that China is violating the embargo which prohibits nations from giving any types of militaristic supports to Sudan. Due to Chinese militaristic support, Sudanese were not only hunted from the ground, but also "from the sky". Chinese aids Sudanese government for economic issues: "China buys most of Sudan's oil". This issue reminds me of the discussion in Honors History Seminar course. We used to discuss if human rights could be disregarded in foreign relationships to maximize the economic profits. Ironically, the profit Chinese makes from assisting genocide help impoverished people in Chinese. Nowadays, oil price takes crucial role in economy; when oil price soars every price soars. If Chinese engagement in genocide is somehow dropping the cost of living, China is actually protecting human rights by violating them. Can there action be justified?

This article also makes me to think about racial issues. Often times, Asians, Muslims and black people are racially discriminated. Therefore, Chinese affiliation in Darfur GENOCIDE seems ridiculous. When I was about 12 year old, I visited Empire State Building in New York where I was racially discriminated by a black person for just being an Asian. It was such a shocking experience for me, because I never thought black people could discriminate other races, for what they had gone through. It is absurd how some of the discriminated people arouse more discrimination.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7503428.stm

Tragedy Continues

This picture reminds me of the Holocaust. The body skinny as chopsticks convey severe starvation better than any other words. The tragedy that somehow resembles that of the Holocuast continues to present. Do we really learn from history?

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/08/30/slideshow_040830?slide=19#showHeader

An African Tragedy

The boy who is wearing a cap shocked me with terror. How can a boy who looks much younger than me contribute to a horrible murder! Seeing this picture, I remember a story of North Korea that children learn subtration and addition through war. The normal math question for them is "if there were 10 soldiers in the beginning and later 5 0f them were shot to death, how many soldiers are still alive?" Those children in North Korea are also exposed to severe propaganda initiated by the government. They believe South Korean started the Korean War and almost seem to believe democracy leads to poverty.

The boy also reminds me of Benson in "They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky".

As soon as Benson arrives at the Ethiopian camp, he laments over the camp's situation, thinking "It was not what I had expected. The elders had told us there would be schools and thousands of people and that we would be safe" (Deng 86). Benson seems to have been excited by the fact that he might get a chance to be educated. However, his hope disperses in the air of cruel reality.

I think the boy in the picture feels the same way Benson does. He might be grieving over the situation that limits his prospect.

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/08/30/slideshow_040830?slide=19#showHeader

The Second Civil War

Cause of the Second Civil War

In 1983, Nimeiry nullified Addis Ababa accords and divided southern Sudan as 3 regions.

He also imposed Sharia Law on Sudan

*Sharia Law

It literally means "Path to Water"

It is a set of rules Muslims should follow in order to reach salvation

EX)

1. According to Sharia, charging interest is prohibited.

2. Governs marriage, divorce and inheritance.
3. Women's circumcision .
"They cannot foce us to do this thing to our women. We Love our women. We will not cut them like the castrated calf" (Deng 25).
4. Daily advice.

The Second Civil War continues to the present day.

SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) was led by John Garang

*John Garang
-He was the leader of SPLA
-He was born and raised in Dinka community
-He gave emphasis on cultural diversity to ensure the rights of minorities.

In July 2002
The Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir and John Garang met for the first to end the 19 year old Civil War.
They negotiaged to not to apply Sharia to non-Muslims in South.

The peace agreement ended the war in January 2005, yet the fighting still continues to the present day.

Encarta Encyclopedia.
http://www.meforum.org/article/22
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/spla.htm
http://www.cfr.org/publication.html?id=8034#2
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/02/mil-040225-irin03.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sudanese_Civil_War

The First Civil War (1955-1972)

The Unequal distribution of power between northern and southern Sudan triggered the first civil war.

-The government promised Southern Sudanese to construct southern federal system.
-Southern Sudanese felt cheated and disenfranchised when the government did not keep the promise.
-The war began on August 18, 1955, when Equatoria Corps rebelled at Torit.

*Israel helped the rebels by shipping the weapons through Ethiopia and Uganda.

In 1972, Addis Ababa accords ended the war.

*Addis Ababa accords guaranteed southern Sudan's autonomy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addis_Ababa_Agreement_(1972)
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/spla.htm

Basic information about Sudan

Capital/Largest City: Khartoum

Education: Education is free and compulsory from age 6 to 14.

Population:

70 % of people are engaged in agricultural activity.

21% of people are engaged in service.

9 % of people are engaged in mining, manufacturing.

Religion:

70% of people are Muslims, 15% of them are christians and remainder follow traditional religion.

Language:

Official language is Arabic.

People in north mostly speak Arabic.

African languages are used in South.

*Arabization: A program which encourages greater use of Arabic in southern area.