tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8036334.post110307084536834804..comments2024-02-20T17:58:08.295+00:00Comments on SUDAN WATCH: John Fitzgerald reports on candlelight vigil in NYC for Darfur, SudanIngrid J. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08451813216666237295noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8036334.post-1103219951702633672004-12-16T17:59:00.000+00:002004-12-16T17:59:00.000+00:00"Agrocide" is a term I coined a few weeks ago. I ..."Agrocide" is a term I coined a few weeks ago. I define it as the murder of a large number of people for the sake of cultivating land resources. That essentially describes what is going on in Darfur.<br /><br />Essentially, I'm bothered by the use of the term "genocide" to describe what is happening in Darfur. Genocide, essentially, is a "hate crime" on a large scale. For a genocide to take place, the motivation for the killing has to be the elimination of an ethno-religious community. But violence in Darfur is about the changing dimensions of the Sahara desert and the scarcity of agriculturally subsistant land. <br /><br />Calling what is going on in Darfur "genocide" perpetuates the stereotype that what is taking place there is just Arabs killing black people. If we believe the confict is an intractable "product of history," then we're more likely to do nothing about it because we won't believe there is any solution. If, however, we see it for the land grab that it is, solving the problem becomes more plausible.Mayflowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07527895203153352887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8036334.post-1103183423164076542004-12-16T07:50:00.000+00:002004-12-16T07:50:00.000+00:00Hello Christopher, No doubt you have seen the defi...Hello Christopher, No doubt you have seen the definition of genocide. Sorry I am not sure what you mean by agrocide. I have googled for the term and found it is a trade name of Lindane an Organochlorine which is something to do with cancer. <br /><br />I wish I kept tabs on the various posts that explain genocide in Darfur. Sorry I can't point to them here right now. Without question crimes against humanity are definitely occurring in Darfur. Rwanda in slow motion. <br /><br />Genocide in Bosnia happened ten years ago just a few hours plane ride from England. The leader responsible is still at The Hague arguing his case that it wasn't genocide. I hope Bashir and Taha in Khartoum, along with the leaders of the Janjaweed, are brought to trial at The Hague. <br /><br />With respect to the new nternational Crime Court (ICC) the US is listed among several rogue states as refusing to sign up as it fears being subjected by the Court. The US seems to take pride calling Darfur a genocide and shouting the loudest about genocide in Darfur but refuses to do anything about it or heal relations with the U.N. Seems the US is against EU deploying rapid response battalions to go to places like Darfur within 10-15 days. When it comes to Africa, the UN and EU, American policy and the views of Democrats and Republicans (politicians and bloggers alike) sure are confusing to me.Ingrid J. Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08451813216666237295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8036334.post-1103159760011772162004-12-16T01:16:00.000+00:002004-12-16T01:16:00.000+00:00I don't know if you've seen this article yet, but ...I don't know if you've seen this article yet, but its absolutely haunting. <br /><br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4099601.stm<br /><br />I'm still not convinced the primary reason the violence in Darfur is occurring isn't due to the agricultural needs of Arab pastoralists, but articles like this certainly establish that primordial forces are at play. <br /><br />I'm wondering if you accept the notion of Darfur as "agrocide" and not genocide?<br /><br />Regards- ChristopherMayflowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07527895203153352887noreply@blogger.com