Genocides of Today

Numerous Genocides are happening in the world today.  After the Holocaust people thought that it would be next to impossible to have another genocide happen, but as people sit back, they ignore the desperate calls of the modern day genocides happening.  To find a solution to putting a stop to these horrific events we need to find out why they happen in the first place.

 Most often I have read and come to find that these genocides come from disagreements between two groups of people, usually one is being neglected and refused their rights. As Grant Solis has mentioned the Tutsi and the Hutu people had a disagreement over power.  In 1933 the Hutu president was assassinated. The Tutsi wanted nothing to do with the Hutu. A year later the president of Rwanda’s plane was shot down, violence erupted.

Another genocide of today takes place in Darfur, Africa. This one also began after disagreements between different groups. As Holly Mathews has mentioned, the African people in Darfur were being neglected. They need protection from outside groups so they went to the government to ask for their rights. The government responded by sending a militia group known as the Janjaweed. The people of Darfur have been raped and brutally murdered. The violence continues to go on today.

Genocides happen because one group of people is being neglected compared to another one. Something needs to happen to ensure fair rights between all people. Genocides will continue to happen until this ongoing, and growing problem continues to happen.

A Genocide in the Present Day

People would imagine that after the Holocaust genocides would be almost impossible to happen. Still to this day genocides are happening. Does history repeat itself? Of course, over and over again. Genocides have been happening repeatedly since the Holocaust took place and still people are just standing by watching, doing nothing. History will continue to repeat itself while bystanders continue to sit by and not take action.

Out of the many genocides in present day takes place in Darfur, Africa. In 2003 the SLA (Sudan Liberation Army) and JEM (Justice and Equality Movement) went to the government to demand better treatment and protection against outer forces. The government’s response was not what the village people were looking for[1]. Now a government supported militia, Janjaweed, is murdering the African farmers along with others who live in that area.[2] So far in this genocide alone, 400,000 people have been killed, on average that is 5,000 a month. Almost 2.5 million people have had to move due o he danger in their villages.

However the government does not admit to being associated with Janjaweed, also known as the Devil’s on horseback. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has started to investigate the crimes involves in Darfur, merely just a first step to a huge problem. Although the ICC is trying to help Darfur’s situation and the government claims that they do not have any association with Janjaweed, they refuse to cooperate with the ICC.

As the genocide continues peace between the North and the South continues to diminish. In 2005 a peace agreement was signed by both regions. Now that the genocide has been going on for over seven years tensions are growing. The Sudan’s People Liberation Movement has accused the Khartoum government of providing weapons to regions in the South. This ongoing problem is only enabling the genocide to continue.[3]

Men and boys have been killed in large quantities. Women and girls are raped daily. Entire villages have been destroyed. Since all of the villagers and farmers are being murdered it is estimated that 3.5 million civilians will be in urgent care of food soon. The climate in Darfur has made it increasingly hard to bring any aid to these desperate souls in need. Darfur is a remote region in Africa. There are no close by bodies of water and the rainy season has made it almost impossible to get to. Any aid that was coming into Darfur has almost come to a halt completely.  Not only is this genocide due to horrible violence, but also lack of nutrition and food. [4] The people in this region are desperate for help. People say that the world learns from it’s past, but as time goes on it just seems t repeat itself.

[1] "United Human Rights Council." The United Human Rights Council. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/genocide/genocide-in-sudan.htm>.

[2] "Genocide in Darfur, Sudan." Darfur Scorecard. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.darfurscores.org/darfur>.

[3] "Sudan." Genocide Intervention Network. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.genocideintervention.net/area_of_concern/sudan>.

[4] "Genocide in Darfur - How the Horror Began." - Sudan Tribune: Plural News and Views on Sudan. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.sudantribune.com/Genocide-in-Darfur-How-the-Horror,11445>.

---