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I found a great site that gives good, concise information about what's going on Darfur. Check this site out. Wikipedia also has some really good up to date information about what is being done about it.

There is some good news in the mdist of all the tragedy. After fighting worsened in July and August, on August 31, 2006, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1706 which called for a new 20,000-troop UN peacekeeping force to supplant or supplement a poorly funded, ill-equipped 7,000-troop African Union Mission in Sudan peacekeeping force. Sudan strongly objected to the resolution and said that it would see the UN forces in the region as foreign invaders. The next day, the Sudanese military launched a major offensive in the region.

Wikipedia says:
On August 31, the UNSC approved a resolution to send a new peacekeeping force of 20,000 to the region. Sudan has expressed strong opposition to the resolution. On September 1, AU officials reported that Sudan has launched a major offensive in Darfur. According to the AU, over 20 people were killed and 1,000 were displaced during clashes that began earlier in the week. On September 5, Sudan has asked the AU force in Darfur to leave the region by the end of the month, adding that "they have no right to transfer this assignment to the United Nations or any other party. This right rests with the government of Sudan." On September 4, in a move not viewed as surprising, Chad's president Idriss Déby voiced support for the new UN peacekeeping force. The AU, whose peacekeeping force mandate expires on September 30, has confirmed that they will do so. The next day, however, a senior US State Department official who declined to be identified, told reporters that the AU force might remain in the region past the deadline, citing this possibility as a "viable, live option."



It looks like the UN has stepped in unwanted and caused even more problems, but I don't think that's the case. The innocent people of Sudan need to be protected. There are militia armies out of control doing unspeakable things to the people of Sudan and this needs to be stopped. It's Rwanda again! Since Feb 2003 an estimated 180,000 people have been killed! That's unbelievable!!!

So it seems that Sudan is still suffering from extreme acts of violence, poverty and hunger. But at least the UN has stepped in and decided to help the Sudanese people attempt to being the process of disengaging the conflict.



Don't forget about the free MPH festival this Saturday, especially if you missed out on tickets to the concert on Friday night. I can't wait! There are free screenings of the concert at places in Melbourne if you're not going on Friday night. Check out the docklands one, some great live bands are playing there too.