There are several things that have to happen for the growing issue of genocide in Darfur to be resolved. “Long-term peace in Darfur requires that the government of Sudan, the Janjaweed militia forces and the rebel groups of Darfur find a way to resolve their political and economic disputes” (Darfurscores.org 2).
What needs to happen?(U.S. Congress Senate Committee on Foreign Relations 4-5)
1. Rebels need to come together. This will be accomplished by first getting negotiators to each rebel group. From there talks can begin to unify the groups. Issues like who will be in charge, along with other details, will have to be worked out before the groups can come together.
2. There needs to be a peace process not just peacemakers. There needs to be a specific plan or set of guidelines planned out by all members involved. This way there is a specific way to do things and nothing is done that would jeopardize the negotiations. The problem with individual peacemakers is that there can be too many and they are forming different deals with different groups that do not coincide with the deals of others. This ends up causing more problems because there is too many deals being made and some of them fall through because of the lack of cohesiveness with the other parties' deals. Another issue that comes with multiple peacemakers is that under-the-table deals are made and results in backtracking from progress made. With a systematic peace process put into place, the negotiations will run more smoothly and there will be less accusations of other parties not delivering or following through with their word.
3. Other countries need to come together and realize the problem and work to help end it. The biggest obstacle for this happening is with the Genocide Convention defining the crisis in Darfur as genocide or not. Once that is settled, and it is classified as a genocide, the parties of the convention are obligated to prevent and punish the acts of genocide. With the crisis being defined as a genocide the countries will come together automatically to help Darfur and its people gain peace.
Along with this comes the assumption that America will lead the other countries in resolving the problems. This shouldn't be the case. ANY country can start the movement to end the genocide.
4. The focus needs to be on Darfur and its neighbors to resolve the spillover effects of the genocide in Darfur. Once the aid of other nations begins, the spillover of refugees into neighboring regions in Sudan should subside. The people displaced will have to return to Darfur and a serious rebuilding stage has to take place.
5. The need for pressure to be placed on Khartoum to accept a significant peacemaking force. The Khartoum government is refusing to let anybody in or out of Darfur to help with the efforts of peace. The main reason for this is because they will be charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other charges. It is because of this that the government is refusing to allow peacekeepers and declining negotiation deals. Once the countries come together they can pressure the Khartoum government to accept peacemaking force.
All of these steps must be taken seriously on a higher level by the governmental officials. They will take much time and hard work to achieve but once they are met the healing process for the Darfurians will be able to begin. On a more common level, people wishing to aid the efforts to stop genocide in Darfur and the surrounding areas can help by contacting your members of Congress about their grades on stopping genocide, meet with the your elected officials, help out with a Sudan divestment campaign, write to your local media, and spread the story of the genocide by telling yours friends and family (Darfurscores.org).
Become a global citizen and help show that the genocide in Darfur is important. Let your voice be heard. We are the ones to help step it up. We need to become more informed about what is happening around the world. We are the voice of change.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. “Darfur: a “Plan B” to stop
genocide? : hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate,
One Hundred Tenth Congress, first session, April 11, 2007.” Washington: U.S. G.P.O. 2008.
What needs to happen?(U.S. Congress Senate Committee on Foreign Relations 4-5)
1. Rebels need to come together. This will be accomplished by first getting negotiators to each rebel group. From there talks can begin to unify the groups. Issues like who will be in charge, along with other details, will have to be worked out before the groups can come together.
2. There needs to be a peace process not just peacemakers. There needs to be a specific plan or set of guidelines planned out by all members involved. This way there is a specific way to do things and nothing is done that would jeopardize the negotiations. The problem with individual peacemakers is that there can be too many and they are forming different deals with different groups that do not coincide with the deals of others. This ends up causing more problems because there is too many deals being made and some of them fall through because of the lack of cohesiveness with the other parties' deals. Another issue that comes with multiple peacemakers is that under-the-table deals are made and results in backtracking from progress made. With a systematic peace process put into place, the negotiations will run more smoothly and there will be less accusations of other parties not delivering or following through with their word.
3. Other countries need to come together and realize the problem and work to help end it. The biggest obstacle for this happening is with the Genocide Convention defining the crisis in Darfur as genocide or not. Once that is settled, and it is classified as a genocide, the parties of the convention are obligated to prevent and punish the acts of genocide. With the crisis being defined as a genocide the countries will come together automatically to help Darfur and its people gain peace.
Along with this comes the assumption that America will lead the other countries in resolving the problems. This shouldn't be the case. ANY country can start the movement to end the genocide.
4. The focus needs to be on Darfur and its neighbors to resolve the spillover effects of the genocide in Darfur. Once the aid of other nations begins, the spillover of refugees into neighboring regions in Sudan should subside. The people displaced will have to return to Darfur and a serious rebuilding stage has to take place.
5. The need for pressure to be placed on Khartoum to accept a significant peacemaking force. The Khartoum government is refusing to let anybody in or out of Darfur to help with the efforts of peace. The main reason for this is because they will be charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other charges. It is because of this that the government is refusing to allow peacekeepers and declining negotiation deals. Once the countries come together they can pressure the Khartoum government to accept peacemaking force.
All of these steps must be taken seriously on a higher level by the governmental officials. They will take much time and hard work to achieve but once they are met the healing process for the Darfurians will be able to begin. On a more common level, people wishing to aid the efforts to stop genocide in Darfur and the surrounding areas can help by contacting your members of Congress about their grades on stopping genocide, meet with the your elected officials, help out with a Sudan divestment campaign, write to your local media, and spread the story of the genocide by telling yours friends and family (Darfurscores.org).
Become a global citizen and help show that the genocide in Darfur is important. Let your voice be heard. We are the ones to help step it up. We need to become more informed about what is happening around the world. We are the voice of change.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. “Darfur: a “Plan B” to stop
genocide? : hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate,
One Hundred Tenth Congress, first session, April 11, 2007.” Washington: U.S. G.P.O. 2008.
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