Not on Our Watch: Number Three.

So, we have finished the book, and I'm sure that many of us have mixed feelings. Overall, I think that this was a very interesting read and allowed us a fresh push for finishing both the letter writing campaign as well as Camp Darfur. However at times I felt that this book was repetitive and shallow. For instance, sections that I would have enjoyed seeing more depth in regards to content were the historical profiles on Congo, Uganda, and Somalia. After all, this book is dedicated not only to Darfur but also “beyond.” I, personally, feel that “Not on our Watch” was insightful particularly because it presented many the ideas that ordinary people had and implemented. The fact John and Don were so thorough in gathering information on people who have been influential in Darfur was laborious to read at times, making the book very specialized, and perhaps not in a good way. As I was reading a question arose that correlated to the idea that we can change Khartoum’s behavior through pressure: “Could our political pressure make a difference or do we need to –as the book says- turn to aggressive military action?” After finishing the book, I think that it is possible for us to make a difference. There are so many ways one could get involve, and I think that many times people don’t realize the resources that are available to us, or the effects that we can make. I’m sure this was the case for the letters we all wrote. I’ve heard people talk about how we can’t make a difference, but looking at the amount of letters, we at least can show that some people in this world care. I don’t understand how people think that because they don’t see the immediate results, they aren’t making a difference…I guess it all comes back to our human nature.

Not on Our Watch: Number Two.

The chapter 4-6 reading was interesting for me for various reasons. One of the first things that struck me was that the genocide truly is a political strategy, besides its roots as a religious struggle. It is a way for the Khartoum government to maintain power. Secondly, I think that the history of Darfur has greatly affected the way that the situation is being handled today. Until recently it was being dismissed as another one of the many civil conflicts within the country. If you look at the pattern of events it is clear that the stage has been set, and the government has taken advantage of this fact to commit the atrocities that they are. For example, even in previous struggles, the Janjaweed has been a party present and instrumental in the violence. In a conflict from 1987 to 1989, the Janjaweed stole cattle from the Darfurian people, and burned four hundred villages (73). A quote I found interesting can be found on page 127; it regards the reasons why the United States must act. It states that if we stand by and do nothing history will judge us harshly…again. Conversely, I believe there would be some much satisfaction, when,\ looking back we could say, “Glad Darfur wasn’t a lost cause, I’m glad we made the effort to make a change.”
Another part I found interesting was when John says, "Unless people like you reading this book become more vocal, little will change about how we respond to Africa." Like I said last week, this must be a people’s movement. Our staying quiet will do nothing, if we all put a little bit of an effort imagine what we could do.

class discussion reflection.

I think our discussion today was fruitful both in our small groups and as a whole. While in my small group I was able to hear Mariah's opinion on the book. One of the things that she said was regarding the relationship between Sudan and Uganda's government. She thought it was interesting how both countries are currently in troubling times and major groups are supporting one another to commit horrible crimes. I agree that while many people do not know this, I am not sure how beneficial it would be to try to kill two birds with one stone and make an organization that tries to advocate the end of both.

Not on Our Watch: Number One.

Before I began to read “Not on Our Watch,” by John Prendergast and Don Cheadle, I thought that I was not going to learn much, primarily because I had already done a great amount of research on this issue. However, the book went far beyond the scope of knowledge that I had acquired beforehand. While reading I came upon an interesting quote, “By ignoring the positive news, U.S. and European media risk fostering a dangerous tendency to dismiss the entire continent as hopeless.” It echoed one of the many themes of the section. I completely agreed with this statement. So often we are convinced that there is nothing we can do to make changes, when in reality it is simply our mindset that we need to change before we can actually do something. The four things that need to change are: apathy, indifference, ignorance, and policy inertia. I feel so lucky that I have the opportunity to read this book because I know that just by doing this I am doing something positive, not to mention the other components of our project. What I also realized is that there is the cycle and these traps that are so difficult to overcome. There are many decisions that are morally complicated. It seems as though we have to choose our battles so cautiously. For instance, there are the complexities involved with the United States’ war on terror and our relationship with Sudan. This means that either we turn a blind eye and risk losing the cooperation of the government for our own purposes or deny innocent civilians their natural right to life. My final thought is the related to the books spirit: “Lets give meaning to Never Again” it says. I was struck by how well the book rallies everyone, makes me want to get more involved. I’m excited for the next section…