The Janjaweed militias, as you know, are primary actors in the genocide going on in Sudan. It is estimated that these militias have killed between 200,000 to 400,000+ Darfurians. If one can’t imagine it, think of everyone inside the city limits of Cincinnati, Ohio being killed. The Janjaweed have also displaced about 2,000,000 people and have raped girls as young as eight years old.

This has all gone on with the blessing and support of the Sudanese government who want the region for both the land leases/rights it could sell to interested bidders and for the oil beneath the land. With riches in the equation, the lives that will be sacrificed to attain them seemingly matter little.

Now, as the eyes of the world focus on Sudan’s government more and more, the Sudanese government has supposedly stop funding and supporting the Janjaweed. However,somebody in Sudan’s government is calling these claims false.

Minni Minnawi, a former rebel leader and current advisor to the Sudanese president, says that the government is still backing the Janjaweed and is calling on his government to desist.

Six months ago, Minnawi was the only rebel leader to sign a peace accord with the government. It appears that he may be regretting that decision as he sees the government does not seem to be interested in ending the genocide and, in fact, has actually made the Janjaweed even more powerful, not less.

It’s a shame. As we continue to was lives and resources in Iraq, just think of the real good we could be doing to help stop a genocide.

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