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LESSON:
SUDAN -- EFFORTS TO AVERT GENOCIDE IN THE MAKING
Background, Activities and Critical Analysis
By
Joanne Dufour, a classroom teacher and curriculum developer Subject:
World History, World Cultures, Contemporary World Problems, Civics, African
Studies, Geography, International Affairs, Law
Time:
Two class periods - one for gaining an understanding of the current crisis in
Sudan; the second for research and sharing Objectives
Students
will be able to: - Learn
about recent events in the country of Sudan and efforts to prevent another genocide
- Learn
about the role of human rights organizations in calling the attention of the world
to human rights abuses
- Explore
the legal implications of use of the term "genocide"
- Appreciate
the role of humanitarian organizations and government aid in trying to relieve
the misery of those caught up in Sudan's war
- Learn
about efforts to bring to justice those accused of genocide
Background
A civil war in Sudan for the past 20 years has led to the death of 2 million
people. However recent events have pointed to what some are calling genocide and
there are estimates of 2.2 million at risk of dying in the near future due to
inadequate humanitarian relief. The international community has condemned the
Sudanese government for setting up obstacles to established relief efforts. Despite
a recent cease-fire agreement signed between the government and rebel opposition
groups, fighting continues.
Materials Correlation
to National Standards
Method
This lesson is organized around gaining an understanding of the
current situation in Darfur, Sudan. It is recommended that the entire class take
part in this first portion together (1). Groups could then be set up to explore
other aspects of this conflict, research the Web sites indicated and report back
to the class in a general sharing (2) to (3). Discussion or research questions
have been included for each additional section.
Procedure
1. What's happening in the Sudan?
Read the following story
and interview explaining efforts to avert this growing crisis:
World
Recognizes Refugee Crisis in Sudan
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec04/Sudan_7-05.html Crisis
in Sudan
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/Africa/jan-june04/Sudan_6-24.html
Guiding questions: -
How has the civil war affected the lives of the Sudanese?
- Why
is the area of Darfur of recent concern?
- What
hope is offered by the visit of Colin Powell and Kofi Annan to this region?
2.
The crisis in more detail Independently
or as small groups, research the Web sites of the following agencies involved
in monitoring events in this area. Take notes on what you discover and consider
the following topics in detail: Class
discussion or topics to research: -
What has been the cause of the civil war in the Sudan?
- What
have been the conditions outlined in the cease-fire agreement and peace process?
- What
evidence has been presented for the charges of genocide being made?
Amnesty International:
Sudan Crisis
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/sdn-index-eng Doctors
Without Borders: Emergency in Darfur, Sudan: No Relief in Sight
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/2004/06-21-2004.shtml
Human
Rights Watch: Sudan: Darfur Destroyed
http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/darfur/
Human
Rights Watch: Too Little, Too Late: Sudanese Aid International Response 2004
http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/8.htm
United
Nations: Annan stresses urgency of resolving crisis in Darfur, Sudan
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11105&Cr=Sudan&Cr1=
United
States Agency for International Development: Darfur: Humanitarian Emergency Fact
Sheet #11 (FY 2004)
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/9ca65951ee22658ec125663300408599/5a6ba25bff4d33dfc1256ec100490def?OpenDocument
3.
Is this genocide? Why is the terminology significant?
As you've
read, over the past several years efforts have been under way to broker a cease-fire
and peace agreement among the various factions in this war. Others, who have been
observing the fighting that has been going on, have identified the deliberate
actions taking place as indications of genocide. They cite these actions
as indicators of the "intent to destroy" definition found in the Genocide Convention
[see entry below], and urge the international community to take action. Parties
to the genocide convention are obligated, under the terms of the convention, to
prevent genocide when proof is presented, i.e. to mount a humanitarian intervention.
This can include the taking of military action. Genocide
Convention Article 2
In the present convention, genocide means any
of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a
national, ethnical, racial or religious group, such as:
(a) Killing members
of the group;
(b)
Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately
inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical
destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent
births within the group; and
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group
to another group. The
final text of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide was adopted on Dec. 9, 1948 by the 3rd General Assembly of the United
Nations. The United States signed the Convention on Dec. 11, 1948 and ratified
it on Nov. 25, 1988. On Dec. 13, 2002, Trinidad and Tobago became the 135th party
to the Genocide Convention.
For
additional information see:
Prevent Genocide International: Information on the Genocide Convention
http://www.preventgenocide.org/law/convention/
Prevent Genocide International: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Action Plan
to Prevent Genocide
http://www.preventgenocide.org/prevent/UNdocs/KofiAnnansActionPlantoPreventGenocide7Apr2004.htm
U.S.
Institute for Peace: The Genocide Convention at 50
http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr990107.html
In
your groups, using the definition and information about genocide above and the
information you researched in part 2, come up with evidence as to whether you
think genocide has occurred in Sudan. Present that evidence to the rest of the
class. Decide
as a class: Should the United Nations declare that a state of genocide
is occurring in Sudan and mount an increased humanitarian intervention to prevent
further loss of life? What kind of action plan would you recommend if it is or
is not a genocide? How should the United States be involved? Create a specific
action plan for Sudan.
Extension Activities
What about those responsible?
The issue of impunity,
not punishing those responsible for war crimes and genocidal acts, is of ongoing
concern. Research the progress made with regard to these efforts for acts of genocide
committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. How might the International Criminal
Court be of use in this situation? Look at the Web sites below for more information.
Rwanda
Working in parallel with a Rwandan justice system that has prosecuted many people
who committed acts of genocide, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
has handed down landmark verdicts, which send a message to those who may be contemplating
genocide in other countries. It was the first international court to convict anyone
for this crime; the first court of any kind to hold a former head of government
responsible for genocide; the first to determine that rape was used as an act
of genocide; and the first to find that journalists who incite the population
to genocide are themselves guilty of that crime. International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
http://www.ictr.org/ International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
http://www.un.org/icty/
Class
discussion: What measures might be taken against those considered responsible
for the acts of genocide occurring in Sudan?
National Standards:
National
Council for the Social Studies:
Thematic
Standards
I Culture and Cultural Diversity
Analyze and explain the
ways groups, societies and cultures address human needs and concerns. II
Time, Continuity, Change
Apply key concepts such as time, chronology, causality,
change, conflict and complexity to explain, analyze and show connections among
patterns of historical change and continuity. III
People, Places, Environment
Examine, interpret and analyze physical and cultural
patterns and their interactions, such as land use, settlement patterns, cultural
transmission of customs and ideas, and ecosystem changes. VI
Power, Authority, Governance
Examine persistent issues involving the rights,
roles and status of the individual in relation to the general welfare. IX
Global Connections
Explain conditions and motivations that contribute to conflict,
cooperation ad interdependence among groups, societies and nations.
Geography Standards (MCREL)
Human Systems
9 -- Understands
the nature, distribution and migration of human populations on Earth's surface
10 -- Understands the nature and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics
13
-- Understands the forces of cooperation and conflict that shape the divisions
of the Earth's surface
Civics
Standards
3 -- Understands the sources, purposes and functions of law,
and the importance of the rule of law for the protection of individual rights
and the common good
9
-- Understand the importance of Americans sharing and supporting certain values,
beliefs, and principles of American constitutional democracy
Author Joanne Dufour has been a classroom teacher, teacher trainer and curriculum
developer in the New York and Seattle areas and an educational consultant to the
United Nations, Newsweek Educational Division and a host of non governmental organizations
in the educational field. She is currently on the faculty of Heritage College
at its Seattle, Wa. location.
To
find out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah Clapman
at extra@newshour.org. | 
