Demagogue

Eric Reeves says that Khartoum has engineered a famine and that "catastrophic food shortfalls in Darfur can no longer be avoided."

The Washington Times has more on the looming famine

If the food situation deteriorates further, the first victims will be children such as 16-month-old Mohammed.

The staff at Muhajeria's feeding center bandaged his hands as a precaution, but he is too weak to pull the feeding tube from his nose. His eyes are closed to ward off the flies, and the skin on his stomach is wrinkled like an old man's, signaling chronic dehydration.

The boy's mother, Sawat Ise, has three other children who also are ill, but they are too old to be admitted to this program.

Refugees International released a very interesting piece regarding Khartoum's defense and denial regarding its culpability for the genocide in Darfur

Our host and his associates said that Darfur was largely safe and secure, so that people can return with confidence. He said that the police are providing adequate protection. But displaced people say that police are often part of the problem. There are reports that the police have been penetrated by the Janjaweed. As a result, the police are often deeply distrusted by displaced villagers. People in camps repeatedly said they are afraid to go home because their villages are still subject to attack.

Most of the men's assertions were clearly wrong. They said, for instance, that the war was over and the villagers are returning quickly. In fact, fighting continues and most camp residents are afraid to stray far from the camps for fear of being attacked, let alone go home.

As we left, it was hard to know whether or not our host was proud or worried to be on the list of potential human rights violators, but what was clear is that he, as a government official, was not ready to take any responsibility for the death, destruction and displacement throughout Darfur.

The UN says Khartoum is harassing and detaining aid workers in Darfur.

Letters to the editor show that Nicholas Kristof's piece yesterday moved some to action.

Refugees International is hosting a luncheon with Samantha Power next week at the Kennedy Center to discuss the crisis in Darfur and human rights in general.