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Darfur Now

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The Darfur region of Sudan is an area the size of France with about six million people from a hundred tribes. The Sudanese government of president Omar al-Bashir has backed the Janjaweed militias to plunder, pillage, rape women of every age, and liquidate entire villages. According to the United Nations, 400,000 people have died, and over 2 million have been displaced (many refugees pouring into Chad). This documentary takes you to Darfur and introduces you to people who experienced these atrocities; but the film is really about six very different people and what they are doing to stop the genocide -- Argentinian Luis Moreno, prosecutor for the International Criminal Court in the Hague; American Adam Sterling, co-founder of the Sudan Divestment Task Force; Chief Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Abakar of the Hamadea Displaced Persons Camp; actor Don Cheadle; World Food Program officer Pablo Recalde; and Hejewa Adam, a woman rebel of the Sudanese Liberation Movement. "Our problems have no limits," said one Darfurian.

Since 2003, the people of Darfur - mainly tribal blacks - have been undergoing a systematic genocide at the hands of the largely Arab-run government of Sudan (Darfur being a western region of that nation). The UN has estimated that, as of 2007, 200,000 residents of Darfur have been slaughtered and 2.5 million more displaced from their homes and forced to flee to refugee camps both inside Darfur and in neighboring countries.

The must-see documentary "Darfur Now" focuses on six specific individuals who have chosen to make a difference in the world. Adam Sterling, co-founder of Sudan Divestment Task Force, is a young activist from Los Angeles who spends his time not only trying to raise public awareness of the atrocities taking place in that part of the world but also lobbying the California legislature and governor to get oil companies to stop funding the Sudanese government. Luis Moreno-Ocampo is a prosecutor for the International Criminal Court whose job it is to build a case against the Sudanese government officials in order to bring them to justice in The Hague. Ahmed Mohammad Abakar is the Chief Sheikh of the Hamadea Displaced Persons Camp. Don Cheadle ("Hotel Rwanda") is, of course, a well-known movie star and author who has met with a number of world leaders on the issue. Pablo Recalde is a humanitarian who delivers food to people in the refugee camps, often at great personal risk to himself and those who work with him. And, finally, Hejewa Adam is a rebel for the Sudan Liberation Movement, a group dedicated to fighting back against the killers.

All six share a common belief that what happens to one person on this planet happens to us all - and it is this philosophy that motivates them to take an active role in doing everything they can to try and change that world.

Survivors of the raids recount in horrific detail the inconceivable suffering they have endured at the hands of the Janjaweed, an Arab militia unit funded by the government to carry out rapes, pillaging and murder on a massive scale (though the government, of course, denies it). We also spend time with the rebel forces - motley bands of dedicated but poorly armed and trained men and women who have taken to the hills to defend their lives and homeland, while they wait patiently and, in many cases, in vain for the "white people" to come and help them.

Writer/director Theodore Braun effectively cuts back and forth between his various subjects and, in so doing, brings an emotionally compelling dramatic arc to the film.

More than anything else, "Darfur Now" drives home how monumentally difficult and frustrating it can be to get recalcitrant people to put aside their daily concerns or foot-dragging governments their political expediency in order to help put an end to any humanitarian crisis, not just the one in Darfur. But, at the same time, the film points out that people of goodwill, particularly if they are large enough in number, can have an enormous impact if they are simply willing to step up to the challenge.

Filled with both hope and heartbreak, "Darfur Now" is a fit companion piece to "The Devil Came on Horseback," an equally compelling documentary on the same topic. Together, these two fine films help to bring Darfur's plight to the world-at-large.

The theme of both films is, perhaps, best summed up by the actor George Clooney who, in a press conference on the issue, asks, "One day this will end, and the question will be, where did the nations of these United Nations stand?" Where indeed!

This highlights the cause and the people who are helping that cause of Darfur. I hope this opens people's eyes to the real problems in Sudan. Cheers for those who are out to publish truth.

Effectively educational without being sentimental or sensational, this film tells the story of modern genocide and the western cultural denial of it. Kudos to Cheadle for being a voice for those whose story would otherwise still not have been told.

Darfur is one of todays often overlooked nightmares. See six people trying to do something about the problem.

If you are looking for a DVD on Genocide this is currently a bargain. The documentary can be used for educational purposes, to provide a background into Darfur, to build a background understanding on genocide, and to provoke thought regarding the mismanagement the political superpowers of today exercise.

The world was told, the world knew, the world mostly watched, and serious issues in the region go unresolved today. Sometimes I question the sanity of our species and this movie made me reflect this way once again.

If you are very keen on understanding human rights issues/genocide I also recommend The History and Sociology of Genocide: Analyses and Case Studies.

Sadly the situation has not turned itself around since the film was made - there are "developments" but not "progress." Get this DVD (priced right for activist and educational purposes), share its message, and learn how you can help.

If you are interested in international humanitarian efforts, particularly the Darfur crisis - I would say that this is a necessary addition to your research materials - more now than ever as Darfur is in greater crisis since this film was made.

Since early March 2009, a warrant was recently issued by the ICC for the arrest of Omar Al-Bashir - President of Sudan, and many humanitarian aid organizations have since been booted out of the country leaving millions on the edge of imminent danger. (see more: http://sebiart.blogspot.com/2009/03/urgent-report-on-darfur-you-too-from.html)

This dvd thoroughly covers the history of the problem in Darfur, following six different individuals around the world, and their involvement in the liberation of the civilian population. There is ample information here about the ICC (international criminal court) and their investigations into crimes against humanity. It also shows Don Cheadle and George Clooney's very earnest and active roles in attempting to bring worldwide awareness to this VERY pressing issue.

I originally rented this video and then bought it as I felt it was timeless and invaluable reference material for my library; and as documentary DVDs go - this is incredibly affordable.

This is a totally different documentary about Darfur! Most are told from an interview perspective, but this documentary, from the perspectives of six different individuals from different countries and walks of life, is a great resource for anyone wanting to know more about Darfur.

Thanks, the seller sent the item right away in the condition it stated to be in