by Tyson Abaroa

Created on: March 20, 2009   Last Updated: March 26, 2009

The United States should not take any actions in the Darfur whatsoever. Have we not learned from the constant secular power shifts in Kosovo? What about the fiasco in Somalia? The echoes of explosions between Shiites and Sunnis in Baghdad are still ringing in our ears, and we call for more war against secular violence?

I was recently deployed to Djibouti, not far from the Darfur Conflict. Preceding my deployment to Djibouti I saw the movie HOTEL RWANDA. I remember being so affected by this story that I was actively hoping that I would be tasked to a peace keeping force that would enter the Darfur. I felt ashamed that the western world turned their backs while Rwanda was seeped with innocent blood. I seriously wanted to fight for the innocent in the Darfur.

I served as a fire team leader in the provisional security company charged with the security of Camp Lemonier. The Camp provides thousands of jobs to local Africans. Our status of arms agreement with Djibouti limited our physical contact with Africans unlike in Iraq or Afghanistan. One of the Lockheed Martin sub companies was contracted to do the physical searches for us. This company, Nomad Security, staffed Djiboutians to perform the security procedures that we were prohibited from performing. They did the pat downs, the bag searches, and the x-rays. These were honest, trustworthy men and women. A few of the Nomad Security Guards used to be Djiboutian Police Officers. It was from them that I received first-hand accounts of the violent Djiboutian Civil War. I heard their stories, saw their scars, and felt the pride in their people. It was from their accounts that I changed my "we should do something" mentality.

Djibouti was formed as a French Colony without regard to the two tribes that lived in the country. The Issa and the Afar were forced to be coexisting subjects of France for a few centuries. The French rulers exercised their power and maintained peace over both tribes. When the French relinquished their power to the Djiboutians there was a power vacuum. The only ruler that could maintain peace was a violent dictator. Finally he was overthrown in the nineties. This second power vacuum sparked a ten-year civil war. The Issa and the Afar were at each other's throats. My friends that were police officers during this time showed me the scars that remained from the fire fights. They told me of the violence between the two tribes.

What they also told me was that they settled the war. Both tribes had grown tired of fighting over what felt like nothing. My good friend, Said Abadid, said that peace was theirs. "No United Nations, no Africa Union, no Issa, no Afar, just Djibouti!" he said, pumping his chest. His pride in his nation is what changed my heart and opened my eyes.

What is going on in the Darfur is atrocious. The crimes are disgusting and unwarranted. However, peace in Africa must be achieved by Africans. The people of Kosovo are fixing the problems in Kosovo. The Iraqis are fixing Iraq. The Djiboutians fixed Djibouti. Why are we so arrogant to believe that we have all the answers? What I call the "We should do something" attitude gets us into more problems than it solves, and will get us into more problems than we can presently see.

One of the symbols of Djibouti is two camels looking in the same direction. This is to symbolize the peaceful existence of two tribes that were once enemies.

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