The United Nations, fully dependent on its negligent members to pay for missions, did not have the money. The 5,500 additional troops never arrived in Rwanda to intervene. The genocide was stopped by the Tutsi rebel forces a few weeks later.
Almost a million people died on everyone’s watch in only three months.
The current world order is based on realism, or Realpolitik, the oldest and most used theory of international relations. The realist approach views states as rational and unitary factors focused solely on self-interests, national security, and balance of power.
Realism influences states to pursue their national interests even if they are contrary to the interests of other states and peoples. Morals, ethics, and legality are the least important principles for realists.
One of the by-products of international relations based on the realist theory is the lack of interest in conflicts that do not come under the sphere of national interests.
Sadly for the people in Darfur, their suffering does not bother those in power who could make a difference.
The Western world does not have burning interests in the area. China’s interest in Sudan is oil and Chinese will do everything to be on good terms with the Sudanese government. Not long ago, China claimed in the UN Security Council that the human suffering in Darfur was insufficient to provoke serious reflection on whether Sudan was fulfilling its responsibilities to its citizens.
As one of the five members with veto power, China can block any UN decision concerning Darfur.
The UN cannot intervene in Darfur or in any other conflict on its own, since it is an umbrella organization dependent on its member states for decisions, funds, equipment, and troops. “We’re in the hands of member states,” said a UN spokesman for Darfur. “They need to make good their pledges of support.”
Many people, NGO’s, and human rights organizations care about the suffering in Darfur and elsewhere around the world. Many protest, write letters, and campaign. Some Hollywood stars give their own money to help the World Food Program deliver food to the refugees in Darfur.
This is not enough to influence powerful states to intervene and stop atrocities, as long as the international relations are based solely on realism, and not at all on empathy, legal principles, ethics, and morals.
Article comments
1 - Whymrhymer
"Realism influences states to pursue their national interests even if they are contrary to the interests of other states and peoples. Morals, ethics, and legality are the least important principles for realists."
Personally, the way I look at it is it is the responsibility of a government to look after its own national interests above all else. There is no president of any country that was elected because of a promise to send lots of money to another country.
The United States, however does not even approach the "realist" category. We send billions (perhaps trillions) of dollars in aid to countries all over the world (nearly 8 billion to Africa the past year). If Darfur isn't getting it its because we don't trust that the government will use it as intended.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
"Realism" means this. If you are Jewish or black or Asian and not a "Palestinian" - a South Syrian Arab - your death doesn't mean shit. If you are an eastern European, unless the press likes your particular nationality (according to the MSM, Serbs are scum, Croatians are so-so and Albanians and Moslems are saints), you are ignored. I filter all the news I see through that prism, and it gives a very real reading of what is going on.
3 - Marcia L. Neil
Since English immigrants want to 'winter' in the Deep South here in the United States along with all the indigenous inhabitants, perhaps the Darfur conflict means some plan to send those back across the Atlantic Ocean -- to Africa. [in Stuart, FL]
4 - Jessica
If your not going to make it your responsibility to help other people, you are no better than the people are killing them. think of the holocaust. 6 million jews were MURDERED becuz of who they were, and the rest of the world knew what was going on, and did nothing. make a choice