Spring Break
New York Times journalist visits
Kristof concluding speaker at Human Rights Education Program conference
Caitlin Booker, Contributing Writer, cebooker@smu.edu
Issue date: 4/11/07 Section: News
"They thought they could get away with it," Kristof said. "Darfur is an area west of Sudan, perennially neglected and out it the middle of nowhere. Tourists never go there, there are no phone lines, hotels and no real religious differences."
The Sudanese government sent the Janjaweed militia to fight the Sudanese Libearation Army and destroy African villages. Though the Sudanese government distances itself from the Janjaweed, Kristof said the Sudanese government provides the Janjaweed with salaries, uniforms and even satellite phones to keep in contact with the government.
"After talking to the victims, I thought of the Janjaweed as total evil," said Kristof. "Then I saw that they were just teenagers. They had been paid. They were only 16 years old."
As a journalist, Kristof has witnessed firsthand the tacit collusion between the Janjaweed and the Sudanese government. After he had visited a village where 50 villagers had been killed, Kristof saw Janjaweed convoys roll past a military checkpoint without being stopped by Sudanese soldiers. However, the Sudanese soldiers stopped Kristof, a photographer and Kristof's interpreter, a young African college student. The soldiers grabbed the young interpreter and told Kristof to leave. Kristof and his photographer tried to bribe the soldiers until the soldiers imprisoned all three of them.
"It was clear that they were going to shoot him 10 minutes after I left," Kristof said. "But just seeing the soldiers wave the Janjaweed on and the convoy just roll on by the checkpoints was such a clear moment of what was really going on."
Kristof brought up the issue of ethics that many journalists face when witnessing conflicts such as Darfur. Journalists often struggle with the pangs of morality and the need to preserve their own safety and the safety of their crew.
"Being in Darfur as a journalist, there is a question of ethics," Kristof said. "What do you do in this situation? Do you intrude to save a life or make a difference? You come across an injured person and you want to help. Do you take the person to the hospital? If you do that, you look like you are taking sides."
The Sudanese government sent the Janjaweed militia to fight the Sudanese Libearation Army and destroy African villages. Though the Sudanese government distances itself from the Janjaweed, Kristof said the Sudanese government provides the Janjaweed with salaries, uniforms and even satellite phones to keep in contact with the government.
"After talking to the victims, I thought of the Janjaweed as total evil," said Kristof. "Then I saw that they were just teenagers. They had been paid. They were only 16 years old."
As a journalist, Kristof has witnessed firsthand the tacit collusion between the Janjaweed and the Sudanese government. After he had visited a village where 50 villagers had been killed, Kristof saw Janjaweed convoys roll past a military checkpoint without being stopped by Sudanese soldiers. However, the Sudanese soldiers stopped Kristof, a photographer and Kristof's interpreter, a young African college student. The soldiers grabbed the young interpreter and told Kristof to leave. Kristof and his photographer tried to bribe the soldiers until the soldiers imprisoned all three of them.
"It was clear that they were going to shoot him 10 minutes after I left," Kristof said. "But just seeing the soldiers wave the Janjaweed on and the convoy just roll on by the checkpoints was such a clear moment of what was really going on."
Kristof brought up the issue of ethics that many journalists face when witnessing conflicts such as Darfur. Journalists often struggle with the pangs of morality and the need to preserve their own safety and the safety of their crew.
"Being in Darfur as a journalist, there is a question of ethics," Kristof said. "What do you do in this situation? Do you intrude to save a life or make a difference? You come across an injured person and you want to help. Do you take the person to the hospital? If you do that, you look like you are taking sides."
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