UN Security Council Meeting & Me
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Miriam Fink is a Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Center. She is a graduate of American University. |
On September 14, 2006 I attended the United Nations Security Counsel meeting with special guests Elie Wiesel and George Clooney addressing the Security Counsel on the crisis in Darfur. Mr. Clooney visited Darfur in April and has since been a strong advocate of the people suffering at the hands of the Sudanese government as well as brought the genocide in Darfur into public awareness.
Everyday 2.5 million people in Darfur continue to face the danger of rape, disease, starvation, and murder. The death toll in Darfur has increased to the hundreds of thousands and for the genocide to stop it is paramount that the United Nations implement the Darfur Peace Agreement and increase humanitarian aid.
This week’s announcement that the mandate of African Union peacekeeping forces will be extended through the end of the year is a positive, but only a small step toward ending the violence. As Mr. Clooney said, “ The United States has called it genocide. For you it's called ethnic cleansing. But make no mistake -- it is the first genocide of the 21st century. And if it continues unchecked it will not be the last." To do their job, AU forces need more resources and an end to the impediments the Sudanese government has put in their path.
Elie Wiesel told the Associated Press, “If the UN does not act it will be blamed for history.” After the Holocaust the world said, “Never Again.” We need to listen to that mantra and act now in order to save those that are suffering and dying in Sudan.