me because politicians from other countries should not expect the US to take care of their starving people. And when we do take care of these people, the politicians certainly should not take it for granted and say “the US is handling it” in such a carefree manner. It also offends me that other countries are not going to appreciate or recognize the aid that is costing the US over $450 million. Sudanese politicians should be taking steps to help the major issue in Sudan, but since the African peasants “never start coups” this issue has been ignored. When other Sudanese citizens make efforts to relieve the hunger problem, they are looked upon as black sheep. One 24 year old man, Osama Fatouta, founded the Sudanese Volunteer Services Association. This Association consists of a young group of Sudanese volunteers that work with famine victims. From the United States point of view, this man is a leader and he is doing the right thing. However, Fatouta says “’People I know think I’m crazy. They can’t understand why I am doing this. I’ve gotten little support, it has been an uphill struggle all the way.’” Most of the people in Khartoum were worried about overthrowing Nemerie, and the author of this article said “I rarely heard any discussion of [famine].” I think the Sudanese people and government leaders need to help their own country as much as possible and eliminate this welfare mentality.
Source:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198604/sudan
http://i.timeinc.net/time/daily/special/photo/inferno/sudan2.jpg
http://www.mzv.cz/servis/soubor.asp?id=11079
1 comment:
Becca,
You quote that the people of Khartoum say famine is "best left to foreigners" to deal with. What about the leaders of the country--or is that what they meant?
What if people in the United States said that the people of New Orleans who suffered through Hurricane Katrina were best left to foreigners to deal with?
We, as a nation, are very good about helping out others in our nation--aren't we? It seems we are from my perspective--perhaps I am naive.
Why don't the people of Sudan feel the same way? I think there are very real, and quasi-acceptable reasons for this that go back many hundreds of years.
Perhaps that is why we need to learn to be better at helping everybody in the world--not just Americans who need help.
Enough people mobilized can make a difference. You would be surprised what the efforts of a few students could do to help the world--even on a small scale.
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