Standing up for the rights of all, particularly the right of existence for defenceless children and innocent women and men, is the responsibility of us all. Millions died at the hands of the Nazis during WW II; thousands were deprived of their lives in Kosovo and Rwanda; and now Darfur experiences similar grave crimes that should not have been allowed to recur. Although the international community have exerted some efforts to combat these crimes against humanity and war crimes, more action needs to be taken to stop these horrendous crimes that were supposed to "never again happen.

The deployment of only 2,300 African Union (AU) forces and a few civilian police in Darfur, which is the size of France, with a mandate to simply monitor and report violations in respect to the ceasefire agreement of April 8th, 2004, is inadequate. The feebleness of AU forces was clearly depicted when Sudanese government forces accompanied by Janjwid militia recently committed horrendous crimes in Khor Abeche on April 7th. Even to carry out their monitoring the AU must ask the Khartoum regime in advance for permission, which might be obtained days later, if at all.

Canada's decision to send troops to assist AU forces in addressing humanitarian and security issues is a giant leap towards reducing the atrocities that are still being committed by the Khartoum regime and its partisan Janjawid militias.

The Sudanese Vice'President, Ali Osman, observing Canada's plan as a threat to the Khartoum regime's reluctance to settle security and humanitarian issues in Darfur, reacted quickly by asserting the regime's "unwavering position in this connection is categorically rejecting any deployment of non'African military personnel in Darfur region." Nevertheless, PMO spokeswoman Melanie Gruer emphasized that "there is no change to the plan." Deployment of Canadian troops will not only improve the efficacy of AU forces but also curb the government's desire to continue with further atrocities.

According to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on May 14th, 2005, the Sudanese government stated that the troubled western region of Darfur is witnessing calmness and reconstruction. On the contrary the Sudanese forces, located in Argi, and Janjawid militias in Fono, about 40 km to the west of the town of Kuttum, were destroying the remnants of the villages and pillaging and impounding the animals that were left behind. On the same day the Minister of (In)Security and (In)Stability, Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, was meeting with the architect of the atrocities in Darfur, Ali Osman Taha. After the meeting, Abdel Rahim said that he will tour some areas of Darfur as part of an effort to realise security and stability. But last time he toured the area of Khor Abeche, just a week after the adoption of UNSC resolution 1593, there was a brutal attack of the city and its residents, which left UN & AU envoys with complete "shock and disbelief."

Abdel Rahim said that camps in the area of Garcella have vanished and the displaced people there have been sent back to their villages. Sending the displaced people from relatively safe camps to the villages still heavily occupied by Janjawids and government forces is no different from sending them to ghost chambers of torture, raping and killing.

Without a UNSC mandate for protection of the civilians facing mass killings in Darfur, or peace enforcement operations supported by member nations, "Never again" is looking decreasingly likely. Genocide happened to Jews. "Never again will it happen," we said. But it occurred in Kosovo, "Never again" was reiterated. It happened in Rwanda. "Never again" was "Never again" this time. But it is still occurring in Darfur. When will "Never again" be "Never again" any more?

At the Gaylord Family'Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Senator John McCain said, "Today we know what is happening and the world must not stand by and do nothing." The world must give a genuine significance to the phrase "Never again" by putting McCain's principle into action or by following the lead of Canada to protect the innocent civilians of Darfur until the implementation of UNSC resolutions 1591 & 1593.

Ahmed M. Mohamedain is a writer for the Truth News (www.truthnews.net) where this article was first published. Responses can be directed to him at mohamedain02@gmail.com