Back to Darfur
Last night I saw Mark Brecke's They Turned Our Desert Into Fire, an intelligent, impassioned, well-sculpted doc about the horrors of the Darfur genocide, which apparently will never be stopped by anyone because it's not in their economic interest to do so. Pic was shown to a modest-sized crowd under the auspices of the Artivists Film Festival at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian.
They Turned Our Desert Into Fire director Mark Brecke (center); his wife stands to his right; friend-supporter Svetlana Cvetko to his left.
How does it compare to Ted Braun's Darfur Now and Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern's The Devil Came on Horseback? Favorably. Brecke, a war photographer, lays out the facts, the whys and the wherefores with clarity and fervor. It's a rough film to watch here and there, but impossible to turn away from.
The following wasn't included in the doc: (a) interview footage of Sudan president Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, who was alleged on 7.14.08 by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to bear criminal responsibility for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed since 2003 in Darfur; (b) a hard-hitting interview with rebel leaders and their feelings about the mass slaughter; (c) an interview with a representative of the Chinese government, which has financed the slaughter, in a sense, by being a principal purchaser of Khartoum's oil without demanding humanitarian conditions; (d) an interview with a rep of the American news media, which has paid scant attention to the Darfur genocide since it began in 2003; and (e) a review of the Darfur-related events from late '06 to mid '08.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 4, 2008 at 2:36 PM
comment #1
raskimono
says ...
Why all the criticism of America and China? China is just doing business. You want to play humanitarian rights, all countries are guilty of doing business with dodgy partners. Check out Guantanamo Bay and the accusations of US breaking the Geneva convention? The Darfur crisis is similar to Israel invading Lebanon or the US bombing Afghanistan or Somalia. Darfur rebels are determined to overthrow the Sudanese government. The rebels are hiding among the people who shelter and house them. Shit happens. Attacking China is just a cheap and low dirty trick that humanitarian organizations play because they know China is not a controversial target to attack.
It's the same way some group is using Nikki Finke to smear Obama to put pressure on Tyler Perry. We will go after the bigger name to put pressure on the littler name. Last of all, why pick on The American, Europeans and the rest of the world for not helping? What have the African countries done to help the matter? They just sit down and cross their hands as they do with everything. We don't give a shit. What has the OAU said on the issue? Nothing. Trust me on this. More Americans know about Darfur and care than the Africans. My mum and dad don't know shit and don't give a damn. Why isn't anyone criticizing the Africans. It's their neighbor. It's not as if Sudan has the firepower of Russia and is going to blow them to smithereens. The Western media is going giving the Africans a free ride on matters like this. The Africans are too poor or helpless to do anything. No. They just don't give a shit.
Posted by raskimono
at October 4, 2008 11:56 PM
comment #2
Josh
says ...
so we can't go into Iraq and free people but we should go into Darfur with troops and free people?
Posted by Josh
at October 6, 2008 7:28 AM
comment #3
janee
says ...
Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability storage
Posted by janee
at May 18, 2011 4:48 AM