As a 20-year civil war between the Sudanese in the North and South gradually peters out, bands of Janjaweed are systematically extinguishing African farming communities in Darfur. Despite claims to the contrary, the Sudanese government covertly backs the Janjaweed in their violent campaigns.
Messinger vividly described the Janjaweed attacks. "First the planes came, then the Janjaweed [government-backed militia] attacked on horseback, shouting racial epithets and raping and branding women," she said. From the planes, the Janjaweed drop heavy objects, such as refrigerators and radiators, instead of bombs. These heavy objects alone are enough to collapse the fragile huts where the Sudanese live.
Following the planes, the Janjaweed attack the villages of Darfur on horseback. The Janjaweed deposit the bodies of dead animals and children in wells in order to poison the water supply and to ensure that the people of the village do not return. Both the victims and their attackers are Muslim.
The murders increased after the tsunami, when the world shifted its attention to the tsunami victims, lifting pressure from the Sudanese government. Messinger called Sudan "the darkest place in the world," and described the situation as "Rwanda in slow motion."
International humanitarian organizations have attempted to bring aid to the refugee camps that have sprung up throughout Sudan. The camps, Messinger said, suffer from the problem of "too few resources among too many people." Between 10 and 15 thousand refugees have died of dehydration, hunger, and malnutrition in these camps, Messinger said. Forty percent of the refugees in these camps do not have access to enough water. Located in the desert, the camps do not have firewood or cooks to prepare the food. Every day, women go outside the camps in search of firewood, and many do not return.
AJWS has contributed funds to help support these refugee camps, rehabilitate water sources, improve sanitation, promote health and hygiene and provide other crucial humanitarian services, including clinics to care for the thousands of malnourished children. AJWS is currently funding an experiment in Chad, in which zinc is given to children as treatment against diarrhea and pneumonia. Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve of this medicinal use of zinc, the U.S. government will not fund such treatment. AJWS is funding a school in Chad for displaced children and is also trying to sponsor reproductive rights workers to aid victims of rape.
Messinger called for greater political pressure on the U.S. and the United Nations to place sanctions on Sudan. The U.N. Security Council, Messinger said, is unlikely to agree to sanctions on Sudan because two of its members, Russia and China, have oil deals with Sudan. France supports intervention in the international court, yet the U.S. does not wish to support an international court in order to protect its own self-interests. Messinger continued to elaborate upon the U.S.'s history of failures to intervene in international crises. "The U.S. has almost zero records, with the exception of Kosovo, for humanitarian interventions," she said.
Messinger urged members of the audience to make donations to aid efforts in Darfur and to wear bracelets inscribed with the words, "Save Darfur. Not on my watch." The phrase "not on my watch" comes from President George W. Bush, who wrote that in the margins of his briefing notes on Rwanda. Because journalists are unable to access Sudan, Messinger said, the media remains largely ignorant of the crisis in Darfur. "Spread the word," she urged the audience. Messinger emphasized the need for more support to stop genocide in Darfur. "All are responsible," she said. "We have a responsibility ethically, especially in a democracy."
Messinger's words resonated with many of the students in the audience. Katherine Chen '08 commented on the impact of Messinger's talk. "Ruth Messinger's talk on the crisis in Darfur was both moving and informative," she said. "I learned more about Sudan in the hour that I heard her speak than I've learned in the two years that this systematic violence has been going on. I doubt that anyone in the audience was able to remain indifferent after hearing her description of the Janjaweed raids and refugee camp living conditions, especially those of the IDPs caught inside Sudan's borders, still without homes."
Jacob Maguire '07 observed Messinger's merits as an activist. "I really loved the talk, and was privileged to attend the dinner beforehand, where I got to hear Ruth Messinger speak a little more casually," he said. "What really impresses me is how down-to-earth this woman is. She's no-nonsense ... the kind of person who gets things done. At the same time, her warmth is incredibly evident, and she clearly believes passionately in what she's doing."