By Kriste Marciulionis
ROME, Feb. 19 - Former U.S. Marine captain Brian Steidle shot away with his 35mm camera as he watched Janjaweed militias burn the village of Labado to the ground.
Steidle, 27, began his assignment in September, 2004, where he spent six months as a U.S. military observer monitoring the ceasefire on behalf of the African Union in the Darfur region of western Sudan. Day to day, he helplessly recorded hell on earth. The Janjaweed Arab militia, backed by the Sudanese government, unleashed a mass scale genocide of African tribes, and all Steidle could do was watch.
“What does monitoring ceasefire really even mean?” Steidle’s narration echoed throughout the documentary. Steidle sent over 80 reports depicting the horrors he witnessed to the African Union; only four reports reached government officials in the United States.
The U.S Citizens for Peace and Justice in Italy screened the haunting documentary "The Devil Came on Horseback" on Sunday to usher in part seven of their Eyes Wide Open documentary series. The organization was created three years ago, on the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
Everyday Steidle witnessed and recorded the mass murder and slaughter of innocent people. The militias raped, pillaged and burned all towns they deemed a threat, allegedly with the full support of the Sudanese government. Video clips showed repeated images of mass graves filled with the bodies of children eyes cut out and ears chopped off.
In the fractious region, what constitutes a threat to the government? Perhaps a vocalized desire for equality, education and property rights.
The movie screening, held at Circolo Arci Arcobaleno, drew a diverse group of individuals as far as Egypt and the United States, ranging from high school students to university professors.
The discussion after the documentary provided viewers with an opportunity to share their views and reactions. “Focusing too much internationally makes the individual feel debilitated. We can do something,” said Angela Debnath, Professor of International Relations at the American University
of Rome.
The U.S Citizens for Peace and Justice organization will continue to actively educate and expose the tragedies of war, screening documentaries for the Eyes Wide Open series throughout May.
To learn more about the bloody ongoing war in Darfur, click here.
Wonderful article Kriste! I am proud of you.
Posted by: alvydas konce | February 21, 2008 at 08:14 AM