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Not On Our Watch - The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond
by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast
Hyperion
ISBN 1-4013-0335-8
Published May 2007 - Paperback - 252 pages - $14.95

I am from Africa.  I know the atrocities that have gone on there, and still do.  Some of them chill me to the core.  I cannot believe that in this day and age, horrors still occur.  I cannot believe that the world allows it to continue.  Don Cheadle and John Prendergast's brutal, disturbing, and frank account of Darfur will leave you exhausted and angry.  Not many people know that much about any of the African countries - you'll learn a lot from this book.  Like, Britain and Egypt had "joint authority over Sudan" in 1899 - The British withdrew after World War II and Sudan became independent on January 1, 1956.  It's gut-wrenching and heartbreaking to see news footage of war zones, to see the absolute fear on people's faces, or to watch in horror as they run screaming into the unknown.  This is when I have a hard time believing in a higher being.  Why the destruction of people?  Why the pain and unbearable grief?  One always feels so utterly helpless towards these war-torn areas, and in many ways we are.  But with the enormous technological advances, many more people can be reached and told about Darfur - the more who know, the more can help.  It's our duty as human beings to lend a helping hand.  We also need to push governments to help more.  How come America hasn't stepped in to help the African atrocities in a bigger way?  Because there's nothing for them there, that's why.  In other words, no bottomless oil wells.  (This is my opinion.)  To many Africa is scary and should be left alone.  Sometimes I feel this is so, but only when it comes to nature.  When human souls are brutally extinguished, and the violence is allowed to spread like wildfire, the rest of us humans should do something to help, and not leave it all to pop singers, actors, athletes, and a dedicated few.  We can help, and we need to help.  Don and John share their stories and tell us the great ways how we can be of help (see the Appendix).  If this book doesn't open your mind to the world outside, nothing will.  Both authors have a sense of humor which comes out in their writing - not that this is a laughing matter, but it eases the tension.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book is being donated to ENOUGH, the project to abolish genocide and mass atrocities (www.enoughproject.org).
These words in the book summed things up for me: "State-sponsored brutality."  It gave me chills.  At times I was almost physically sick reading of the unspeakable horrors people had to suffer.
Conclusion - Mind-bogglingly intense.  Never again should anyone in this country complain about being "mistreated."