in 2004 I became a military observer with the African Union in Darfur Sudan
I was totally unprepared for what I’d
I was totally unprepared for what I’d see I’m a captain in the Marine Corps
see I’m a captain in the Marine Corps
see I’m a captain in the Marine Corps I’m an infantry officer I just commanded
I’m an infantry officer I just commanded
I’m an infantry officer I just commanded the company 330 Marines and so I decided
the company 330 Marines and so I decided
the company 330 Marines and so I decided to get out and without really any idea
to get out and without really any idea
to get out and without really any idea what I was gonna do I found a job on the
what I was gonna do I found a job on the
what I was gonna do I found a job on the internet said patrol leader Sudan
internet said patrol leader Sudan
internet said patrol leader Sudan I said patrollers Sudan that sounds
I said patrollers Sudan that sounds
I said patrollers Sudan that sounds great
great
great so I wouldn’t picked up a few books
so I wouldn’t picked up a few books
so I wouldn’t picked up a few books about Sudan and started reading my job
about Sudan and started reading my job
about Sudan and started reading my job was to go monitor a ceasefire
I was going to be in charge of a
I was going to be in charge of a three-man team and we would go out and
three-man team and we would go out and
three-man team and we would go out and investigate and monitor what is
investigate and monitor what is
investigate and monitor what is monitoring ceasefire really mean
the Sudanese government and rebels are
the Sudanese government and rebels are in final negotiations for a peace accord
in final negotiations for a peace accord
in final negotiations for a peace accord that would put an end to a two decade
that would put an end to a two decade
that would put an end to a two decade long civil war between the predominantly
long civil war between the predominantly
long civil war between the predominantly Muslim north and the animist and
Muslim north and the animist and
Muslim north and the animist and Christian South meanwhile a separate
Christian South meanwhile a separate
Christian South meanwhile a separate conflict in the Darfur region of western
conflict in the Darfur region of western
conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan has claimed thousands of lives and
Sudan has claimed thousands of lives and
Sudan has claimed thousands of lives and displaced as many as 1 million people
displaced as many as 1 million people
displaced as many as 1 million people out of a population of seven million
Gretchen I had to write you to get this
Gretchen I had to write you to get this out of my mind I don’t know whether or
out of my mind I don’t know whether or
out of my mind I don’t know whether or not you’re aware about the African
not you’re aware about the African
not you’re aware about the African Union’s recent statements they have
Union’s recent statements they have
Union’s recent statements they have released a report that states that there
released a report that states that there
released a report that states that there is some evidence that individuals have
is some evidence that individuals have
is some evidence that individuals have been chained and burned alive by the
been chained and burned alive by the
been chained and burned alive by the Janjaweed I’ve seen these photos from a
Janjaweed I’ve seen these photos from a
Janjaweed I’ve seen these photos from a confidential au report I’m not permitted
confidential au report I’m not permitted
confidential au report I’m not permitted to send them nor do I wish on you the
to send them nor do I wish on you the
to send them nor do I wish on you the same dreams that I’ve had as a result of
same dreams that I’ve had as a result of
same dreams that I’ve had as a result of these photos the individuals that were
these photos the individuals that were
these photos the individuals that were burned were children from a girl’s
burned were children from a girl’s
burned were children from a girl’s school and their families that had tried
school and their families that had tried
school and their families that had tried to save them the photos were the most
to save them the photos were the most
to save them the photos were the most disturbing thing that I’ve ever seen I
disturbing thing that I’ve ever seen I
disturbing thing that I’ve ever seen I saw girls that had their hands bound by
saw girls that had their hands bound by
saw girls that had their hands bound by makeshift handcuffs huddled together and
makeshift handcuffs huddled together and
makeshift handcuffs huddled together and burned alive men strewn all over the
burned alive men strewn all over the
burned alive men strewn all over the village burned alive only because they
village burned alive only because they
village burned alive only because they were trying to protect their family
the entire village lay in ashes if these
the entire village lay in ashes if these photos were released to the public
photos were released to the public
photos were released to the public there would be troops in here in a
there would be troops in here in a
there would be troops in here in a matter of days the people of Sudan are
matter of days the people of Sudan are
matter of days the people of Sudan are scared they fear if they speak out
scared they fear if they speak out
scared they fear if they speak out against the government that they will be
against the government that they will be
against the government that they will be imprisoned I was talking to two
imprisoned I was talking to two
imprisoned I was talking to two individuals confidentially the other day
individuals confidentially the other day
individuals confidentially the other day and was basically asking them to tell me
and was basically asking them to tell me
and was basically asking them to tell me what their thoughts were about the
what their thoughts were about the
what their thoughts were about the government in the situation in Darfur
government in the situation in Darfur
government in the situation in Darfur they said that there is no gray area
they said that there is no gray area
they said that there is no gray area it is either genocide or not are people
it is either genocide or not are people
it is either genocide or not are people being killed because they are Africans
being killed because they are Africans
being killed because they are Africans and not Arabs yes I’m afraid that we
and not Arabs yes I’m afraid that we
and not Arabs yes I’m afraid that we will be hearing about Sudan for a long
will be hearing about Sudan for a long
will be hearing about Sudan for a long time to come
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