Possibly my favorite television journalist, Aaron Brown's new show on PBS, Wide Angle, will be tackling the massive humanitarian crisis that is Darfur.

In the half-century since Sudan was granted independence from colonial rule, the country has been in a chronic state of civil war. Most of the fighting has been between the Arab-controlled central government in Khartoum and rebels in the predominantly Christian and animist south. But in 2003, rebels in the Darfur region of western Sudan — a predominantly black, Muslim area — rose up against the central government, angered by the economic and political marginalization of their region.

In response, government-backed militias known as the janjaweed began a “scorched earth” campaign — riding on horseback, the janjaweed looted shops, raped women, and burned entire villages to the ground. Five years later, United Nations officials estimate that as many as 300,000 people may have been killed, and more than 2.5 million have been displaced.

[...]

Heart of Darfur takes a look at the people and places affected by the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Our cameras follow the people working to bring an end to the conflict and suffering, such as Mohamed Siddig Suliman, a Darfuri aid worker who has been working in the region for more than 20 years. We travel into the expanding Sahara desert with Siddig, where, he explains, three decades of drought conditions have led to fighting over scarce resources—one of the root causes of the conflict in Darfur.

We also meet General Martin Luther Agwai, the former head of the Nigerian Armed Forces, who now leads UNAMID, the joint U.N./African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur. The film follows Gen. Agwai as he helicopters into hostile areas to meet with leaders of various rebel factions. We learn that he is concerned about the fragmentation of the rebel groups, the logistics of UNAMID’s deployment, the expectations on the mission, and the limits of his power. Still, Gen. Agwai manages to have a positive outlook.

The documentary premiers on July 1, 2008.

Most of the time I won't publish just a plain-old press release, but I was just checking my email before going to bed for good when I saw this one. It struck me as important because I made 4 posts today from three different cities, yet there are much more important things to talk about than what happened in the Indiana primary tonight. Things like the genocide taking place in Darfur.

Actor-turned-humanitarian George Clooney met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday to discuss the Sudan genocide crisis.

The Oscar winner visited Brown's official residence in London's Downing Street in his capacity as a United Nations Messenger Of Peace, a post to which he was appointed in January.

Clooney, who talked to Brown ahead of the British premiere of his new movie Leatherheads, emerged from the meeting with the news a "wonderful suggestion" for buying peacekeeping helicopters had been made.

The actor/director then posed for pictures with Brown and his wife Sarah. Brown said, "I am grateful for the leadership George Clooney has shown in drawing attention to this crisis - this is a humanitarian tragedy of colossal proportions and the world must take note and act.

"The U.K. is working with the international community and others to pressure all sides to agree a ceasefire and start peace talks." Clooney has become a leading celebrity advocate for action against genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan after filming a documentary about the ongoing violence and refugee crisis there last year.

He has also set up the Not On Our Watch organisation with his Ocean's Thirteen castmates Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Don Cheadle - to help provide humanitarian aid in the region.

If you'd like to learn more about Darfur or genocide in general, take a few minutes to visit the Genocide Intervention Network.