Darfur - we can NOT just watch and do nothing

What is happening in Sudan is becoming one of the greatest human tragedies - ever. So far, about 400,000 people have been killed and still no significant political effort is being put forth to stop the genocide in Darfur.

It seems that on a daily basis one of our politicians will shout about what is happening in Iraq. In the 3 1/2 years the US has been there, there have been about 3000 Americans killed. Sadly this number pales by comparison to the Darfur genocide. Multiply the number of Americans killed by 100, and you'd still have fewer deaths.

But what do we hear about it? Hardly a word. Will it take a full million dead before this becomes news? Do we have to once again witness an Auschwitz before we take action? Are we simply numb to death in Africa - due to starvation, AIDS and now murder - that it's no longer news? To use an old cliche', the silence is deafening.

Some folks are attempting to increase awareness. Jars of Clay, The Fray, Ziggy Marley, among others - all participated in an event on October 21 of this year. Rock For Darfur events helped increase awareness and money, as many artists donated proceeds from their various concerts to Oxfam. (click this link for more information on this event: www.myspace.com/RockForDarfur)

But what is eating at me is that, while these events help increase awareness, the significant effort required is not taking place. That effort - a global political and military exercise to impose peace on this region - is being quashed by certain entities in the United Nations that refuse to mobilize. I don't care that Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir opposes any external military presence - it's really not his choice anymore. Even though he denies it, his government is providing support for the murderous Janjaweed militia, and that puts the blood of these people on his hands.

What should we do? How can we mobilize? It's not simply getting President Bush to move forward, it requires British PM Blair, Japanese PM Koizumi, Australian PM Howard, and leaders from Sweden, Mexico, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Canada, etc. It requires every leader of every free country. Heck, it's even leaders of countries that are not free - China, Russia, and the like. The United Nations simply condemns the actions of the Sudanese military, but so what? That symbolic slap on the wrist is embarrassing.

I read an interesting passage in Scripture that resonated with me as I meditate on this tragedy.

Proverbs 24:11-12
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those
staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew
nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart
perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

Aren't these words being spoken to each of us right now, from men, women and children in Darfur?

Here is my call to action. Every day, spend 5-10 minutes - more if you can - calling or writing everyone you know to let them know what is happening. Friends, neighbors, family, politicians, actors, musicians, writers, etc. Tell them that 400,000 have been slaughtered. Ask them, beg with them, plea for them to reach to their network. Multiply. Ask your church to get involved. Call your pastor, priest, rabbi - ask them to invite their people to become involved, to pray, to mobilize.

Visit different websites to educate yourself on what is happening:
http://www.un.org/News/dh/latest/selectstory.asp?Cr=sudan
http://www.oxfam.org/en/programs/emergencies/sudan/index.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6135960.stm


Call your local news organization. Provide them with statistics, and ask them why they are not talking about this.

A movement is required. We are called to action. The passage above from Proverbs tells us to "rescue those who are being led away to death."

Jesus said 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (Matthew 25:45) We will be judged, whether by our actions or inactions, but we will be judged.

Please get involved.