Topic > The Case of Human Rights Violations in Sudan and Contributing Factors

In 2003, two Darfur rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, rebelled against the Sudanese government with violent complaints of government oppression against the non-Arab population. The government responded to this situation by launching a brutal and bloody campaign against non-Arabs in Darfur. The Sudanese army and police, as well as a militia known as the Janjaweed or "devils on horses", as well as rebel factions such as the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, engaged in a fierce conflict that resulted in the death of 400,000 people and the additional displacement of 2,500,000 people (Copnall). The conflict in Darfur is still ongoing and more than one hundred people continue to die every day. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Sudanese government disputes the accepted death toll and denies any involvement in the conflict. In 2009, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for former Sudanese Interior Minister Ahmad Harun and Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb. Despite this, the Sudanese government refused to hand over both suspects. The government of Sudan is unwilling to address human rights violations in Darfur. Without the protection of the Sudanese government or the military support of another nation, the people of Darfur are left to be massacred. The international response to the Darfur travesty is one of indignation. Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell described the situation in Darfur as genocide (Hamilton). Gérard Prunier, an academic specializing in conflicts in the Horn of Africa, argues that the world's most powerful countries are simply expressing concern and asking the United Nations to act (Prunier). Instead of entrusting tasks to the United Nations, the United States should recognize its moral responsibility towards the victims of human rights violations and intervene itself. Circumstances like those in Darfur can be prevented through US intervention. Humans as a race have a responsibility to stop serious acts of violence, but the United States as a country has a moral responsibility to intervene in cases of human rights violations. Countries have a responsibility to protect their citizens from mass violence such as ethnic cleansing, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. This simple fact is part of international law accepted by most countries in the world. However, when a country does not adequately fulfill its duty to protect its citizens and/or even violates the human rights of its citizens, it is up to the society of countries to protect the citizens of the host country. responsibility to protect citizens of a foreign nation from human rights violations. While other countries may wish to intervene in cases of human rights violations but lack the funds or military to do so, the United States has both the funds and the military. The United States is the seventh richest country in the world, after small nations like Qatar and Hong Kong that do not have an American military equivalent (Tasch). The United States leads the world in military spending with over $600 billion per year (McCarthy). Furthermore, aircraft carriers are a key component of a country's military, and very few countries have one. However, the United States possesses ten aircraft carriers compared to the number of aircraft carriers it.