New hope as the violence continues

Friends,

As usual, the world continues to be a chaotic place. Over 1,000 people have died as a result of inter-tribal conflict in Southern Sudan- another flare up from the glaring inequality in wealth distribution in Sudan. A handful of "oiligarchs" and war-profiteers are inordinately wealthy while groups in Darfur, and eastern/southern Sudan are disastrously impoverished- a Khartoum-implemented strategy that is leading to the conflicts in Sudan. Conflict-mineral mining in the DRC is continuing to fuel the deadliest war since WWII in the DRC. The American consumer needs to stand up and demand electronics that are conflict- free- a demand that will result in increased wealth for the Congolese citizens and less for marauding militias like the FDLR and LRA- thank you Enough Project for your thorough and sagacious reporting on the aforementioned conflicts.

I am heartened by the comments from the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N., which signaled increased U.S. support for multilateralism, especially the International Criminal Court and the U.N. U.S. support for these institutions is critical in ensuring legitimacy for these bodies that were so de-legitimized during the Bush/Bolton years. How can anybody expect these international bodies to be effective when they are chronically shot in the foot by the U.S. and Israel-and others? the U.S. owes 1 billion to the U.N. in dues and those funds are desperately needed to make the U.N. effective. I agree with the Enough Project that the U.N. and its members, need to start creating peacekeeping operations that are not designed to fail- aka the under-funded UNAMID peacekeeping force. By creating success stories the U.N. will legitimize its actions- it is a self-fulfilling cycle. To initiate a multi-lateral paradigm shift, the U.N. members need to provide the U.N. legitimacy that it so desperately needs- only then will international law be upheld.

Godspeed to a world that respects international law.

-Cameron