As the conflict in Darfur continues claiming victims whose stories and numbers are both horrific and threatening, the international community cannot figure out how to respond effectively to this situation of gross violations of human rights.

Sometimes, life on the Rez is difficult and not very easy. There is nothing to do and a lack of opportunities. There are drugs and binge drinking and social fightings that go on. But it's not all bad things because there is family here, there is a rich spirituality here.

On a deeper level, you can feel the sadness and remorsefulness of a hundred years of slain people, and the wraiths leak up through the very trees and plants themselves, and our people become lost. Most youth here cannot see beyond the moment, or think beyond the day.

We are back again to the age old debate of language and the way it is used - this time however the consequences are much greater. Genocide, how do you define it? In a Slate News, Senator Obama's comments are noted when referring to genocide. The article, titled "Getting comfy with genocide", gets deep into the definition of genocide and the consequences of our current use of the term.

Genocide continues, people continue to be murdered, lives continue to be lost. The next month will mark the anniversary of the Darfur Peace Agreement. The crisis in Sudan's western region of Darfur is only getting worse. The Sudanese government claims to be making it easier for aid groups to provide humanitarian support, yet aid groups are at times allowed to work and later denied. Under-staffed and under-supported African Union troops are being threatened and killed. The US deputy secretary, John Negroponte, sees this as the last opportunity to bring in a hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force as hope seems to be running out for a solution. As Negroponte travels to Sudan he will be bringing the message that Washington's patience has run out. Ban Ki-moon says that he thinks a misunderstanding with the Sudanese government is holding up the peacekeeping force.

Game developers, Reebok's Human Rights program, and mtvU (the media giant's university run media outlet) have teamed together to develop a computer game `based' on the genocide that is ongoing in the Darfur region of Sudan (for more information on Darfur check out savedarfur.org).

    The concept of the game, titled "Darfur is Dying" is that players choose a character (a Darfur refugee) and then play out the day to day struggles of a refugee through tasks such as going toa well while avoiding militiamen. Susana Ruiz, the designer of the game described the original goal of the game as "... trying to make something that would be accessible to the audience that wouldn't go to see a documentary about Darfur, or wouldn't read a newspaper article".

    While this seems like a cool use of technology and has garnered a lot of support and praise for spurring discussing on the issue among those who normally would have none it also has drawn some criticism. This criticism is largely based on its simplistic presentation of the complex issues of Darfur. The game designer admits this however and states this is hopefully a first step in discussion and student activism.

    I have to agree that this is an ingenious idea to (in the words of the all time greatest movie, Hackers) give "a wakeup call to the Nintendo generation." For our classmates who seem wired into the opiates of our day (namely SMS, gaming, AIM, and iTunes) creative solutions using digital media are needed in order to give American's a broader world view and more extensive human right's knowledge. It is also a pleasant surprise seeing two large corporations (things that I as a progressive normally would be wary of) really lead the charge on this issue on a national (and hopefully) international scale. Their action is a commendable one.

    Let's hope some good can come of this game so that we can pressure our leaders into creative solutions to end the bloodshed in the war torn region of Darfur.