JagBytes

Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: Commentary

"Doing anything is better than doing nothing." --Don Cheadle (Cheadle in director Ted Braun's "Darfur Now," a Warner Independent Pictures release. Photo credit: Samantha Casolan © 2007 AIW Documentary, LLC and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc)

I was somewhat ashamed to realize how little I knew about the crisis in Darfur, which the United States has labeled as genocide. Before seeing "Darfur Now," I didn't even know where Darfur was, except that it is in Sudan; but where is Sudan? It turns out Sudan is situated on Egypt's southern border, and is the largest Arab/African country in the world.

The origins surrounding the conflict in Darfur are convoluted. Simply put, they are the result of attacks between the Janjaweed, a terrorist militia aimed at cleansing black Africans from the area, and various rebel factions, claiming the Sudanese government is oppressing black Africans. While the Sudanese government denies supporting the Janjaweed, little has been done to disarm them, and evidence has grown increasingly clear of their relationship with the government.

The film focuses on how several different individuals across the world are helping, instead of just showing clips of dead bodies and burning villages. I think we all know that genocide is occurring in Darfur, but very few of us feel empowered to react to it, whether stemming from feelings of helplessness, apathy or ignorance. If you do nothing else after seeing this film, you will at least be inspired to get on your computer or pick up a newspaper and educate yourself about the situation.

One of the more inspiring stories in the film is that of activist Adam Sterling, a graduate of the University of California, Los Angelis, and head of the Sudan Divestment Taskforce. Besides waiting tables, Sterling devotes his time to pushing legislation that will divest all 50 states of their investments in Sudan. On Sept. 25, 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 2941 into law, completely divesting California from Sudan. Similar bills have been passed at state and national levels.

We're also introduced to Luis Moreno-Ocampo, a prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, who is attempting to gather evidence against key officials in the Sudanese government for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Continued...

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