A Plea to Save the Innocent and Voiceless in Sudan
By Erica Kamara, 10.22.04

The ongoing mayhem in Darfur, Sudan’s western province, hits home for me even though I am many miles away, living in a different continent.

As the death toll rises in Darfur, I am reminded of my experience during the civil war in Liberia.

I was nine years old when the war started. My family and I immigrated to America when I was 13. The experience was unforgettable—one that vividly resides in my heart and on my mind today.

As in Liberia, Sudan’s crisis began with an ethnic divide. However, today, Sudan’s situation has escalated into what the United Nations has noted as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Since early 2003, Arab dictatorship has been battling an uprising led by non-Arab Africans protesting for greater economic and political rights in Sudan.

The government is accused of supporting Arab militia on the quest to terrorize, rob and murder thousands of non-Arabs, rape the women and force about 1.4 million villagers to flee from their homes.

Currently, the death toll is up to 70,000 people.

Still, “The crisis has not yet peaked,” said William Garvelink, deputy assistant administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. “We have not yet seen the worst.”

In early September, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the situation in Sudan is genocide.

So, why hasn’t the U.S. done all that we can to save the innocent in Darfur?

Each day hundreds of innocent children, women and men are dying because of famine. Many others are malnourished and homeless.

It’s not debatable that the tragedy in Iraq has demanded more of America’s attention. The news media overwhelms us with coverage about this situation. But, news about Darfur is mostly buried in newspapers and rarely makes headline news. This is so common that even though many Americans may know the crisis exists, they are unaware of its severity.

I understand that Americans may have an attachment to the war in Iraq because of relatives and friends who have lost their lives or are still fighting. But, we must also take a look at tragedies in other parts of the world that demand equal attention.

The genocide in Sudan calls for urgent deliberation.

The international community must take heed to the faint screams of the Sudanese people echoing throughout the world. And the U.S. must do our part, even if it’s by seriously pressing the issue of sending more African Union troops to stop the mass murder, violence and rape.

If we should exhaust ourselves for any cause, shouldn’t this be among the priority?

By not doing all we can to help the people in Sudan, we are allowing genocide to perpetuate.

The situation in Sudan should no longer be ignored.

We must stop looking at the suffrage of the Sudanese people with invisible eyes and hardened hearts. With intent and purpose, we must do our best to end the mass massacre of thousands of innocent civilians in Darfur.

We have a responsibility as human beings to take immediate action.

For more information on how you can help the Sudanese people, go to BBC NEWS.