I just watched one of the most disturbing and saddening videos.  The documentary, The Devil Came on Horseback, gets its title from the word 'janjaweed' meaning 'Devil on a horse', and is also the name of the mercenary group sponsored by the Sudanese government to conduct their genocide in Darfur.  The video follows the life of Brian Steidle as he joins a ceasefire monitoring group that goes into Darfur to document the attacks of the janjaweed on villages and determine whether or not they are backed by the government.  What he documented was hell.  

The video's most compelling aspect is the large amount of photos Brian took while in Darfur.  These photos depict the aftermath of the janjaweed attacks on villiages (some with populations as large as 20,000) that are laid waste by this Arab group in their (mostly successful) attempt to rid the land of black Sudanese.  As they go into a village they chant, "kill the slaves, kill the slaves".  Something should be happening.  But it isn't.  People should care.  But most don't even know.  

One of the most sobering facts about this documentary, aside from the hundreds of photos of men, women, and children brutally murdered, is that all this took place 3 years ago - and nothing has happened to stop it.

There is much debate about how to stop the genocide.  One of the most practical is by divesting in the genocide.  This is an attempt to put pressure on major firms that fund the genocide by investing in the Sudanese government.  You can find out more here.  

Posted In: social-issues movies

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