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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
April 2006 |
Darfur observer shares horrors of modern genocide
By Matthew Oates
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - For six months from September 2004 to February 2005, Brian Steidle was an eyewitness to genocide.
In 1998, more than 100,000 people were killed and 250,000 starved to death. |
Steidle, a former U.S. Marine, served as an observer with the African Union to monitor the unsteady peace treaty in the Sudan and the situation of Darfur - an area the size of Texas located in western Sudan. "We were there to monitor a cease-fire that was non-existent."
During his six months in Darfur, he wrote more than 80 reports of which four of them reached the United States government regarding ethnic cleansing, continual brutal attacks against tribes by government-supported militias and a mounting refugee crisis.
Steidle made these statements - complete with graphic photographs, video and audio recordings - during a presentation at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne on April 2. Steidle was finishing a tour across Indiana that weekend as he continues traveling across America, talking to groups informing them on the situation in Darfur as part of a campaign to raise one million voices to stop the genocide. His tour will culminate at the "Rally for Darfur" in Washington, D.C. on April 30.
Throughout the more-than-an-hour talk, Steidle shared events and stories of those who have no voice: from one of his first reports of locating refugees of a 15,000-member village that was attacked who were located an hour away seeking shelter under a giant tree from the hot African sun. During that time, Steidle and others were assessing the humanitarian needs, even though they were not supposed to do that.
"We felt it was necessary," said Steidle as the observers were taking notes observing how even newly orphaned one-year-olds were shot, beaten and bruised.
Sudan has had only seven years of peace in its history since becoming independent from Great Britain in 1956. During the recent 20-year civil war, more than two million people have been killed and more than four million have been displaced. In 1998, more than 100,000 people were killed and 250,000 starved to death, according to Steidle.
He said the primary fighting is between the Sudanese government, which is Arab and based out of Khartoum, and black African tribes throughout the oil-rich south. The government is sponsoring militias called the Janjaweed, who are well-equipped and well-trained.
"Whole tribes have been wiped out," said Steidle. "The scale of this - those numbers are unfathomable. This is a large scale military operation for the purpose of wiping out all black Africans in Darfur."
Secondary fighting also continues between two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), against the government. Those two groups are fighting for equal rights in the government. But, they are no match and are ill-equipped and ill-trained.
The actions of the Janjaweed and the Sudanese government against civilians are equally as chilling as the images in Steidle's program and upcoming documentary. Soldiers use sexual assaults and castration on civilians, regardless of gender or age, as well as pluck out eyes and cut off ears in addition to looting, plundering and burning villages and property.
"They do the most horrific things to these people. They do not even look at these people as humans," he said.
In addition, Sudanese law calls for women who are raped to be punished for having sexual relations outside of marriage. "Rape brings with it all other types of issues," says Steidle, explaining how the Janjaweed taunt the black Africans for having "lighter-skinned" children, as well as carrying the dishonor of the rape and the child with them.
Refugees abound, not only in Darfur, but also flowing into neighboring Chad. Government soldiers and Janjaweed will go through refugee camps in Chad and internal displacement camps throughout Sudan and harass the Darfurians and destroy the camps.
Current options
According to Steidle, a multi-national force from the African Union cannot do the job, as part of the AU charter has to ask permission before entering a country. The United Nations, however, does not have to ask permission. Steidle believes a NATO-sponsored force would be best, with support from the United States.
Even simple steps such as making sure there is security on the ground, hold the leaders accountable in Khartoum and proper nation-building with new leaders by investing in the country and education could start the healing process.
Economic sanctions would be difficult, though. The United States does not do business with the Sudan. The French have larger interests in Chad, which is in a fragile position and could introduce resolutions or even lead a multi-national force.
China receives about five percent of its oil from the Sudan and runs seven out of Sudan's eight oil fields, so economic sanctions at the United Nations would not work since China has veto power.
Grassroots solutions
Steidle is encouraging people of all socio-economic, religious and professional backgrounds to help the Darfurians. The actions are relatively quite simple. He encourages people to write elected officials, especially a handwritten letter, which has a greater chance of being read.
One of his goals of advocacy is to raise the support of one million people to call on the world to stop the genocide through the "Million Voices for Darfur" campaign, located online by logging on to www.millionvoicesfordarfur.org.
He also encourages people to advocate targeted divestment programs, such as the one that helped end Apartheid. Some states and public pension funds are already divesting themselves of companies that do business with the Sudan. The thought is that normally embargoes and divestments hurt people they are intending to help.
"These people already have nothing. There is no difference between any of these two people and any of us," said Steidle as images of children were shining on the screen behind him. "I honestly believe she should have the chance to be a doctor or a lawyer. She should not have to fear because of the color of her skin."
Matthew Oates serves as a correspondent to the Hoosier United Methodists Together and is a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Lafayette.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008