On the third tier of the Divinity School, on November 15, 2005, several panelists set out to tackle the complex, misunderstood and often overlooked situation in Darfur.  Nearly 125 people were in attendance. The panel was intended to help dispel the sense of disconnection many feel towards the genocide in Darfur, to clear up misinterpretations, and to spur us towards action.

Of primary importance is an understanding of the historical elements that have shaped political, economic, and social life in Darfur. This wase Rhode Island College professor Richard Lobban’s starting point. Professor Lobban described the economic aspects, ethno-ecological relationships, and the role of religion in Darfur. He also explained the con?ict between the SLA (Sudanese Liberation Army) and the JEM (Justice and Equality Movment), two main actors in the Darfur con?ict.

The next speaker – John He?erman, of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) explained his organization’s involvement in documenting the genocide of Darfur. Physicians visit the a?ected areas to “arm” themselves with documentation of abuses, which they collect and disseminate to international organizations that encourage intervention in Darfur. Dr. He?erman suggested that transnational organizations and political groups consider establishing a compensation committee so that once the genocide has been quelled, and the aggressors are in isolation, the natives of Darfur might have access to resources necessary to rebuild their lives.

The ?nal panelist to address the audience was Sallie Booker of Africa Action.  He reminded us that the word “genocide” initially came into reference when referring to Nazi Germany and was intended to serve as a stigmatizing label, leading me to wonder, what happens when words aren’t su?cient to deter?

Despite this, few nations have o?cially termed the situation in Darfur “genocide.” Though many believe that the Darfur killings are justi?ed by the rhetoric of religious di?erence, they still refuse to apply a label that holds such powerful meanings for so many. Mr. Booker concluded by stating that because the US has acknowledged the atrocities in Darfur as genocide, “it has a moral imperative” to see that it ends.

The situation in Darfur is quite multilayered and interdependent. Crimes against humanity in Darfur include rape, poisoned food and water supplies, theft, and torture. However, even simpli?ed and visceral explanations of the situation that has terrorized the desert communities of this portion of North Africa have not been enough to motivate neighboring nations, nor the international community, to coordinate a relief e?ort.

Often, refugees seeking asylum are not even treated as human beings by their neighbors. Most of the refugees, now stationed in Chad, will not return to their homes unless convinced that their land, security of person, and prospects for a living were ensured.

During the questions and answer session that followed, the panelists explained how journalists, especially in the US, have given too little coverage to not only actions in Darfur, but the African continent as a whole. The genocide in Darfur requires attention in order to ensure its eventual abolition. But in order to do this, we must ?rst rid ourselves of the notions we hold of Africa – glossy images of a far, far, faraway.  We are compelled to act in situations that we are familiar with, ones we can identify with, and ones we relate to. We ?nd nothing wrong in Darfur because there is nothing amiss in our verdant backyards.