Richardson and Darfur again

I just got off the phone with Governor Richardson about his Sudan trip. He is so inspiring. While there has been some coverage, it is just a shame that the national media hasn't made the agreement front page news. Actually, I would argue that it is a shame that the national media hasn't made the Darfur crisis front page news.

In addition to the 60 day cease-fire -- which was agreed upon not just by the government, but by all the rebel forces as well, Richardson got the President to agree to include the militia -- which is vitally important. He also garnered an agreement that the horrible rapes and gender violence would start to be investigated and prosecuted. This is a huge part of the humanitarian horror faced by those in Darfur. Another important aspect of the agreement was that he got the president to loosen red tape for humanitarian groups and journalists.

What I found most amazing about this call was the Governor's humility. When complimented on this huge accomplishment, the Governor modestly said that he just tries to connect with and appeal to the pragmatic interests of the bad guys. Instead of merely focusing on the agreements, he said we ought to learn more about Darfur and the tragedy facing the people there. While there are huge tragedies throughout the world, this part of the world needs more attention. He called it the worst humanitarian crisis of the world.

Taking Richardson's suggestion, I would encourage all who read this to check out SaveDarfur.org. Learn about the crisis. Donate time, money, and/or energy.

For myself, I have to reiterate that we need this guy! He accomplished so much in the past four days -- as a private citizen. I can't even imagine how much he could do diplomatically sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office.