What needs to happen to make this a thing of the past?

Well, short of annihilating the human race, anyway.

Systematic Slaughter Unfolds in Sudan

Regardless of whether it is genocide or not--and I believe it is, but frankly, more important than that debate is making sure that humanitarian aid can reach those in need and that order is restored, either by the Sudanese government or perhaps an international cooperative force. The Sudan has long been an area of tension, and most recently gained attention for the practice of slavery still being practiced there.

Many areas of Africa are in crisis. Those of us who watched the results of Ethiopian famine years ago as part of Live Aid, etc., realise too that funds for food and medicine are one thing--getting the supplies past warlords and anarchy is far more difficult. Add the AIDS crisis--with 2/3 of worldwide AIDS cases in Sub-Saharan Africa, plummeting life expectancies within Africa, and a burgeoning number of children who, if they escape the disease itself, have become orphans, many of whom no longer have access to school, as it costs money and they are lucky to be have food and shelter.

The politics of hate, of genocide, of how some conflicts--even with modern technology--are covered and others are covered up, is an academic interest of mine. I have studied the genocides of the past hundred years--Armenian, Holocaust, Stalinist, Cambodian, Balkan, and Rwandan among them, but I have no answers for how to stop it, except that every country and its leaders must be held accountable for such crimes, humanitarian aid and refugee shelter must be allowed, and the media must show the world what's going on. Areas that are isolated either geographically or politically are in the most danger, of course. But descriptions of genocide, no matter how horrific, tend to be a reported as blips that often get loss in the shuffle as new news stories happen. Plus, it seems to be an unfortunate truism that the true horror of genocide is usually only opaque once it is either over or has been going on for some time, making it harder to end the suffering early. And short of money--and yes, if I won the lottery, tolerance and genocide prevention is one thing I'd fund extensively, voting for candidates willing to do something (and most mainstream politicians get pulled into what is politically viable than what is right per se), or pulling up roots and working directly in the humanitarian field (difficult for those with families, limited resources, or without the proper skills needed), it can be difficult to know what to do when these crises come to light. It's almost paralysing--individuals, countries, and international agencies may want to do something, but talking about it and doing it are two different things.

There are times I think I should have worked for the United Nations or that I should drop everything and join a humanitarian group to put my hands where my mouth is, but realistically I see that my own health is an impediment for working under such conditions, and I don't have direct medical, formal counseling training, or building skills. I have offered in the past to volunteer my information skills, though, and that offer stands. If any of you know how I can help this situation with my super librarian powers, let me know. In the meantime, I hope they will not let this become another Rwanda.