It is amazing how a documentary can open your eyes and change your perspective in ways that you had never imagined. I have been a fan of HBO Documentaries for years because they generally offer interesting and candid topics that are provided in a nonjudgmental and truthful manner. They make you think, no matter what the topic is about. In the case of Sand and Sorrow the topic is concerning something that has been swept under the rug and ignored for far too long.
Sand and Sorrow deals with the Darfur region of Sudan and the genocide that has been taking place in small, but brutal numbers for years with no relief or call to action. At one point Darfur’s population of Arabs and Non-Arabs (as they prefer to be called) got along in relative peace. This is because the non-Arabs did nothing to rock the boat. Sudan was a poor country and Darfur was all but forgotten, despite the large region that it is. However, when Sudan became a huge oil export for China, things changed.
Rebels for Darfur began protesting the fact that they were still poor and scrounging despite the riches that Sudan was receiving. These men felt that Darfur deserved roads, schools, and the respect that the rest of Sudan had received. The response was the Janjaweed and the beginning of a genocide that has killed more than 400,000 people to date and at least 500 a day. This does not include the gang rape and brutal injuries that are inflicted upon those that have survived.
At best, it is important to realize that the Janjaweed is a product of the Arab Sudanese government. Instead of stopping the rebels they attacked the rebels’ families. They burned the villages of Darfur, raped the women, stole what little the families did have, and then they started killing the men, women, and children that had not made it out. The lucky ones that are able to make it out of Darfur or into camps have no money, no means of support, and often die a slower death of starvation and sickness.
Those in the refugee camps consider themselves prisoners because leaving the camps mean danger and pain at the hands of the waiting Janjaweed. According to the logical standpoint of Sand and Sorrow, this genocide differs from something like Rwanda because it is not meant to be an ethnic cleansing. Darfur is a response to the rebels that are fighting for their fair share. The response is the genocide of all non-Arab individuals. I say all, not because all are dead, but because this will continue until someone stands up and stops this from happening.
The purpose of Sand and Sorrow is meant to inform people of the atrocities that are occurring. While George Clooney narrated this and did an excellent job doing so, the focus should not be the attached star power, but rather the fact that there is a man that is willing to take time from a busy schedule to help people less fortunate. We could all learn something from Mr. Clooney.
Despite the excellent job Clooney did in relaying messages and narrating this poignant and necessary documentary, it is the response that the people have to this documentary that will ultimately make the difference. This is shown by two students, siblings in high school and middle school that have stood up to do what they can to make a difference. Riley McDonald, one of the girls, stands in the film, in front of students and peers in her community and says, “Now you know. Are you going to do something about it?”
You might watch Sand and Sorrow and end up wondering what you can do about this problem. Wanting to help people in Darfur and doing it are two entirely different things. It may be natural to feel helpless in this sort of situation. However, Senator Paul Simon once said “If only 100 people from each congressional district had written their representatives and demanded an end to the killings in Rwanda, the political machinery in America would have risen up and taken action.”
So, in asking what you can do, the answer is ACT. Write letters to your representatives. If you don’t know who they are, you can find out through the Congress website. If you aren’t sure of what else you can do, call the following number, 1-800-Genocide (436-6234), to find out how you can help.
The shocking images in Sand and Sorrow will easily leave a person breathless and clamoring to make a change. It becomes the responsibility of those who have everything to improve the lives of those with nothing. We, as Americans, have everything compared to those who live in the desolate murderous lands of Darfur. Even in a land with a failing economy, inept government, and personal problems that vary from state to state and government to government, compared to Darfur we have everything.
Sitting here and preaching that there is a genocide occurring does little if you are not willing to provide the man power and various efforts that it will take to stop this problem. Right now, our government, like many, is unwilling to act because they feel they have more to lose.
It becomes our responsibility, as a group of common people, to reach out for the protection of people that are fundamentally just like us. Sand and Sorrow does an excellent job at pointing out the fact that at the end of the day, people in any situation, are nothing more than people. The displaced Non-Arabs in the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps still manage to be thankful, caring, and have strong spirit despite having so little in life.
People from all walks of life from the NYT columnist, Nick Kristof to people like John Prendergast, author Samantha Power, and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel have stood up against what is happening in Darfur. Many have heard horror tales of the gang rapes and witnessed the makeshift mass graves that litter the area. Every day they work to shed more light on what is happening. At the end of the day all it might take is a letter from each person that watches Sand and Sorrow and that reads this review.
Action starts right here at home. Sand and Sorrow airs on HBO. Paul Freedman, the creative force behind the film (producer, director, writer, and editor) deserves an Academy Award for his work on this heartbreaking film. I highly recommend that you watch this film. Put yourself in the place of these fine individuals in the IDP Camps and ask yourself what you would want others to do for you. The answer should be easy to find and it starts with just one letter.
Technorati Tags: Sand and Sorrow, George Clooney, Paul Freedman, HBO, Documentary, Darfur, Arab, Non-Arab, Academy Award, IDP Camps, Sudan, Janjaweed
