by Jack Evans

Created on: April 16, 2008

The fighting in the Western Sudan between the Sudanese Military backed by the Janjaweed militia, and the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) cannot be blamed on one international organization due to the fact that such blame is far to specific, counterproductive and divisive when global unity should be sought.

Such blame games have no place in a progressive society wanting desperately to heal the gaping wounds in Darfur when climate change, arms proliferation, fractioning of the SLM and the JEM, coupled with the endless desire for twentieth century gold (oil) plays an integral part in the mass displacement of 2.2 million into neighboring Chad and killings of between 200-400 thousand human beings.

Early in the 1980's precipitation in the Sudan had fallen some 40% due to the temperature rise in the Indian Ocean thus disrupting the seasonal monsoons resulting in wide spread drought. According to the Washington post article "A Climate Culprit In Darfur" the "Darfur conflict began as an ecological crisis, arising at least in part from climate change" furthermore "It is no accident that the violence in Darfur erupted during the drought".

Due in part to the climate change, fighting began to break out in 2003 between Northern nomad farmers and Southern Non-Arab farmers; the former of which were allowed to search for water and pasture lands for their herds in the south. Protectionism and self preservation took place resulting in the Southern farmers fencing off pastures and wouldn't allow further grazing.

With the fighting came the need for instruments of War and many Countries were more than happy to oblige for a modest fee. On the heels of the 2008 Beijing Olympics it is interesting to note that according to Human Rights First organization "China is currently by far Sudan's largest known provider of small arms, small arms parts, and ammunition. Trade data maintained by the United Nations shows that for the period 1999 to 2005, Sudan imported a total some $80 million worth of armaments, and that nearly 57 percent came from China (including Hong Kong)."In this particular case China continues to supply the Sudan's Military and the Arab Janjaweed militia.

The Government of Sudan in the north is controlled mostly by Muslims adhering to Shiria Law whereas the South are inhabitant by Christians and those practicing the Animist faith. 75 % of those living in Sudan are Sunni Muslims. While religious intolerance is not the single factor in the Darfur genocide, according to Religioustolerance.org Sudan "probably has the worse human rights record in the world. It is another religiously divided country"

Improving the condition of Darfur requires more than just throwing money into well meaning organizations. It will require a multi prong attack involving the entire global community in reducing global warming, strengthening weapons importation bans, strengthening cooperation with international organizations by member states and encouraging those states who have not signed on to international laws to do so.

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