Behind the Front Lines in the Nuba Mountains
In
July of 2011, southern Sudan seceded and the
Republic of Southern Sudan came
into being. But what should have ended the conflict between the two parts of Sudan
instead was the catalyst for another round of genocide, much like that which
occurred in Darfur. The president of Sudan, Omar al Bashir, has systematically
tried to wipe out all non-Arab ethnic groups in the region. When South Sudan
seceded his next target became the villagers of the Nuba Mountain region who
had supported the creation of Southern Sudan. Using air bombings and rebel
soldiers, he has driven the Nuba people out of their villages and into caves in
the mountains. Not content to simply force them out and terrorize them, he has
blocked all forms of International aid to the region. He has effectively doomed
them to starvation and a slow painful death, should they survive the military
actions. In protest for these attacks, the Republic of Southern Sudan has
discontinued pumping oil which the North needs for its refineries.
The conflict between
Sudan and Republic of South Sudan is not merely an isolated situation, with no
impact on 1st world nations. From a purely political standpoint the
issue of oil and its availability is of great importance to all nations. The
disruption of the Sudanese oil industry forces the Chinese government to seek
out oil in the open market, thereby reducing the availability to the rest of
the world. It has been postulated that the recent unexpected price increases at
the gas pump are, in part, related to the situation in Sudan.
Beyond the pragmatic
issue of oil, can we as a society stand by watching the annihilation of an entire
group of people? What does that say about our culture and our so called
humanity that we chose to look away as such atrocities occur? What is happening in the Nuba Mountains is no
less than the calculated genocide of an entire group of people by the government
which should protect and aid them. Instead, their government has driven them from their homes, isolated them in the mountains, forced them to live in caves and blocked the efforts of any
international aid. The area is categorized by the Famine Early Warning Systems
Network as being in stage 4 – just one phase short of a famine designation. And
still, no outside aid is being allowed to enter the region.
The organization Not On Our Watch has
attempted to leverage the enormous fascination our society has with celebrities
into a spotlight on international causes. In this particular video, actor and
activist George Clooney visits the Nuba region to view the destruction and
utter desolation that the citizens endure daily and in doing so, allows us to
witness this horrific tragedy as it unfolds.
The video shows the
stark reality of the daily struggle to survive for the Nuba Villagers. We get a
glimpse of the caves they now call home as well as the visible marks of bombs
which came too close for comfort. There are bombs which lie unexploded in the
dirt, with only shrubbery and a chalk circle to warn of the potential
danger. The people speak in aching
detail of the pain and fear they experience daily and their frustration with
the seemingly endless situation.
The video is filled with many powerful moments which illustrate the plight of the villagers. Such as the young boy who has just lost both of his hands in a
bombing raid. Another scene shows us a boy who has just had surgery in the most primitive of conditions. He stoically lies on a cot, refusing to cry as we are shown the bullet that was removed from his body. The viewer is left wondering what the future holds for these two young boys and how they will survive the seemingly insurmountable odds.
There is one image
which for me is the most powerful and makes me weep. It is that of a young woman
whose body is scarred all over with what we now understand to be bullet wounds.
As she sits there, it is so clear how hard her life has been, the pain and
horror that she’s experienced is etched into her body with ragged angry scars.
And yet, she sits there with so much dignity and strength. On her lap sits a beautiful
young child – a child that is clearly loved and adored and I find myself
wondering if he’ll survive. The content of this one image haunts me with the
story it tells. This woman clearly fights to hold on to her dignity even when
she seems to have so little; a simple dress, a simple necklace, a beautiful
child and a quiet strength that leaves me in awe.
The image of this
amazing woman is framed by the caves which have become her home and sanctuary
from the relentless bombing. It’s a tragic reminder of how small her world has become, how hard and unforgiving are the circumstances that surround her. Visually the image’s composition keeps you anchored
in her reality: the caves, and the rocks she now calls home. She is centered in
the shot, making her the focal point of this one moment in time, when she can
speak of her frustration, anger and uncertainty. Pinned to her dress is some
sort of red flower, but it’s almost impossible to look at the flower and not
see the scars which cover her chest. Once again driving home the pain this
woman has endured. Clooney, as her interviewer appears briefly in the corner of
shot, but it’s clear that she and her story are the focus.
Behind her lies the
darkness of the cave, perhaps a metaphor for the darkness which engulfs her
life. Periodically a ray of light comes through, hopefully also a metaphor of
better times to come. The primary texture of the scene comes from the hardness
of the rock and it is a texture which represents so much. It is the hardness of
the life they lead, the barren existence they now deal with; but perhaps also
the determination these villagers share to survive and overcome the tyranny which
has forced them to the caves.
The organization’s
credibility, and by extension the video’s credibility, is established by
various methods. The website for Not on Our Watch is packed with historical
data and information describing the nature of the conflict between Sudan and
South Sudan. It also supplies documentation showing their work with various
world organizations such as Unicef and even meeting with President Barak Obama.
The video continues to build on this credibility by briefly explaining the
conflict as well as interviews with the victims and even rebel military
leaders. If there is possibly one flaw
in the credibility of the video it is unfortunately the one thing which will
likely bring the most viewers. That is the presence of George Clooney. Though
he has been dedicated to the cause of the Sudanese people since 2007 there are
those who would dismiss him as a dilettante. Perhaps in an effort to combat
that perception, Clooney takes on the role of observer, asking questions and
letting the visuals and the subjects make his case.
The emotional appeal,
or pathos, is clearly present in the stories of the various victims of the
bombings. In image after image we are
shown the unimaginable horrors these villagers experience daily. It is difficult to imagine that anyone could
see these images of human beings living in such abject conditions and not be
moved. The tears of the young woman as she pleads her case will stay with me
forever and I know that I will always wonder what became of her and her child.
The video’s primary
goal is to raise awareness of this crisis and to hopefully move people to
demand change. It does not seem to have a specific or defined political agenda
beyond raising awareness. The logic of the video is simply that
this is a crisis of humanity. We cannot look away or ignore it any longer
and that something must be done. To that end, I believe
that this video is extremely effective. It shows the world the horrific
conditions which exist today and lays bare the inhumanity of the genocide which
is occurring. It reminds us not to ask for whom the bell tolls, because as
always, it tolls for us, for our brothers and sisters, and especially for a
beautiful sad woman in a simple dress.
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