In a year of so many natural disasters and relief efforts, the world largely forgot about the ongoing human suffering that continues in Darfur. In Darfur, genocide and horrific atrocities are committed against innocent people every day. Since February 2003, the government-backed militias of Darfur, known as Janjaweed, have starved, murdered, raped and displaced African tribal farmers in areas deemed disloyal to the Sudanese government. In a country populated by six million people, 300,000-400,000 victims are dead, and over two million people have been forced to leave their homes.

The international community must act to stop these crimes against humanity. The Janjaweed's indiscriminate attacks against innocent farmers violate the 1949 Geneva Convention which prohibits attacks on innocent civilians. This matter is about time: If the world does not act soon, millions more will die. The U.N. must send an international peacekeeping force with a mandate enabling it to protect all civilians and must also force the Sudanese government to disarm barbaric militia groups; the world must provide more humanitarian aid to all Darfur victims and must also hold accountable those responsible for the unspeakable crimes committed in Darfur.

Although the U.S. termed the situation in Darfur "genocide," it has taken no decisive action. Along with international effort, the U.S.'s full support would make a huge difference in stopping the violence. The Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2005 has been stuck in committee in both the House of Representatives and the Senate since July. Its purpose is "to impose sanctions against individuals responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, to support measures for the protection of civilians and humanitarian operations and to support peace efforts in the Darfur region of Sudan." If the U.S. House and Senate pass this legislation, and if the president signs it, it will save millions of lives. I urge lawmakers not to waste any more precious time.

Individuals must take action as well. U.S. citizens should write letters to their state senators and representatives and to President Bush. Concerted letter-writing campaigns have significant impact on politicians. The College must come together and help Darfur in its time of need; it will make a difference. Phone, fax and e-mail are also very effective methods for communicating with elected officials. (Go to www.senate.gov and www.house.gov to find your respective congressmen.) Individuals can also purchase a green wristband from the Save Darfur coalition that says, "Not on Our Watch/Save Darfur." Buying a wristband can help spread the word about Darfur and bring it to the attention of those who have forgotten it.

The centerpiece of the Bush presidency, at least in the rhetoric, has been about doing the right thing. In 2004, Bush campaigned on a strong moral stance, and he assured Americans that the war in Iraq was meant to bring freedom to the rest of the world and to the oppressed people of Iraq. If the right thing to do was depose Saddam Hussein for the stated reason that he was a mass murderer and a tyrant seeking weapons of mass destruction, then the right thing to do is certainly to help the people in Darfur. The Bush administration should be consistent with its words and actions.

Unfortunately, history has a tendency to repeat itself. The world remembers the Holocaust of World War II, in which six million Jews perished at the hands of the Nazis. More recently, in 1994, the Hutu militia murdered almost one million Tutsis in Rwanda. And presently, Janjaweed militia wage a calculated campaign of genocide against the African tribal farmers of Darfur. In the Holocaust and in Rwanda, the world acted too late. In the case of Darfur, the world has not yet acted. While politicians sit on their hands and talk about how they are going to stop the genocide, innocents die every day. We must take action to stop the atrocities in Darfur.

Serviansky can be reached at mserviansky09@amherst.edu