Power to Truth: Keep the Noise up on Darfur

Samantha Power, the author and human rights activist, told a meeting of Refugees International's Washington Circle that the world must “keep the noise up” to pressure the United Nations and governments to do more to stop the killing in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Power won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for ­A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. The study, one of the books on the RI reading list, is a damning account of American reluctance to stop genocidal killing. “The problem from Hell is that there are too many bystanders and not enough upstanders,” people who are willing to speak up and demand a response to genocide, she said.

Although the U.S. and its allies have refused to take effective action to stop the genocide in western Sudan, she said that “the noise has been remarkable on Darfur.” Human rights groups, newspaper editorial writers and columnists, and humanitarian organizations have all demanded action. Now demands to stop the genocide are beginning to spread to college campuses.

Right now, Power said, people should be demanding action of two fronts: an expansion of the African Union peace monitoring force in Darfur and an investigation of possible crimes against humanity in Darfur by the International Criminal Court. RI is working hard to promote action on both fronts. Power urged the audience of 100 to write letters and speak out in favor of more action to stop the fighting. (Send your own email to President Bush and tell him that the International Criminal Court is needed to bring justice to Darfur.)

She noted that the Bush administration has been analytically strong in defining the killing in Darfur as genocide—a term used by President Bush and by former Secretary of State Colin Powell. But the U.S. has been operationally weak in moving to stop the killing.

Following Power’s remarks, Eileen Shields West and Shannon Meehan reported on their recent mission to Darfur for RI. Their accounts are available here.

The Washington Circle, which began three years ago, is a group of women interested in advancing humanitarian causes. By contributing their individual abilities, Washington Circle women strengthen Refugees International’s advocacy voice on behalf of displaced people worldwide.