Rabbi Or N. Rose: September 2008 Archives

Today is the third day of the Hebrew month of Elul.  This is the last month of the Jewish calendar, a time of sustained introspection in preparation for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).  Among the special rituals enacted during Elul is the sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) following morning prayers.  This ancient ritual is designed to awaken us to teshuvah, to spiritual return, during this season of renewal.    

When I sounded the shofar this morning, my thoughts turned to Darfur, Sudan.  As has been widely reported in the media, the Sudanese government and its proxy militia, the Janjaweed, have carried out a brutal scorched-earth campaign against their opponents in the western province of Darfur.  This genocidal rampage has involved the burning of homes and crops, the destruction of wells and granaries, and the rape, torture, and murder of countless civilians.  The violence in Darfur has led to the displacement of approximately two and a half million people and the death of hundreds of thousands of others.

Despite mounds of evidence, international leaders have been unwilling to take the necessary steps to stop the crisis in Darfur.  China has been Khartoum's most significant ally, repeatedly using its veto power as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to prevent the passage of strong measures against the Sudanese government.  While China did support a 2007 Security Council resolution calling for the deployment of a hybrid UN-African Union peacekeeping force to Darfur, Beijing weakened that resolution before it was passed. China also doubled its trade with Sudan in 2007 and, in violation of a UN arms embargo, continues to supply Khartoum with weapons used to perpetrate violence against innocent Darfuris.

Beijing is not, of course, the only international power implicated in the genocide. Though its actions are particularly despicable, other world leaders have failed the Darfuris.  As an American citizen, I am deeply disappointed with President Bush and his administration. While the President was one of the first heads of state to name the crisis in Darfur a genocide and, with Congress, has supported substantial funding for relief aid, he has not demonstrated the kind of consistent engagement necessary to help end the genocide in western Sudan.  Bogged down by the war in Iraq and other political misadventures, the President has not used the bully pulpit effectively to create a strong international coalition to properly address this crisis.

As the contest for the next American president intensifies, we must insist that senators McCain and Obama pledge to make Darfur a priority if elected.  There are several critical steps that the new president will need to take in the coming months:

• Work aggressively with the UN Security Council to deploy the full peacekeeping force promised in July 2007, including the equipment and logistical support to carry out their mission effectively.

• Do everything in his power to persuade China, Sudan's most important economic and political ally, to play a constructive role in helping end the genocide in Darfur.

• Continue to provide the people of Darfur with the necessary supplies to endure in refugee and displaced persons camps. 

• Advance a sustainable peace for all Sudan, including a viable peace process for Darfur and increased support to uphold the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in southern Sudan.

• Work with the international community to bring to justice all those who are guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Hebrew month of Elul is a time for individual and communal reflection, a time to honestly assess our actions over the past year, and to set our goals and priorities for the coming year.  When we sound the shofar each morning, we attempt to stir ourselves anew to become agents of justice and compassion.

In the spirit of Elul, I pray that during this historic election season people of conscience throughout the country--Jews and non-Jews, religious and secular, Democrats and Republicans--engage with renewed commitment in the struggle to save Darfur, calling on the next president to dedicate himself to ending the pain and suffering of the people of western Sudan.