Where is Europe's voice against genocide? (by Kenneth Jacobson)

An op-ed in today's "International Herald Tribune"...

When we talk about the genocide in Darfur, the one element that needs far more attention is the disgraceful role of Western Europe. It has often been said with regard to Middle East issues, and it applies to Darfur as well, that where Europe goes often determines where many other nations will go.

Europe has been missing in action. It has not labeled what is taking place as genocide. It has not supported the United States in advocating stronger action by the United Nations. It has not picked up on the idea that NATO ought to get involved to provide the kind of security for the people of Darfur that the African Union has not provided.

It is time that this story were told, in the hope that exposure might generate enough pressure and public embarrassment to reverse the European position.

Europe has a particular responsibility for several reasons. First, the European Union often presents itself, in alleged contrast to the United States, as the guardian of human rights in the world. Whatever the issue - capital punishment, gun control, avoiding war - the EU seeks to depict itself as occupying the moral high ground. The shamelessness of this posture in light of the inaction on Darfur must be exposed.

Second, Europe is not only the continent where the genocide of the Jews took place; it is also the place where Srebrenica happened, on the doorstep of the EU, only nine years ago.

Third, while the United States may not have done as much as it might have, it is on the right track in its effort to get a more serious military force into the region to protect the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people and to ensure that food supplies reach those who truly need them to survive.

Now, thanks to individuals like the New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and groups like the Save Darfur Coalition, which is organizing a rally in Washington on April 30, there is far greater public attention being drawn to the tragic situation.

The gap between attention and action, however, remains huge. The necessary first step for action is rousing American public opinion and concentrating the thinking of Washington. More needs to be done in these areas but the direction is promising.

Given the scale of what is happening in Darfur, however, and the U.S. focus on Iraq, this cannot be a unilateral American effort. If the EU were to join the United States, first in describing what is taking place as genocide and then in advocating a UN force with greater military responsibilities to protect the people of Darfur, a new momentum could be created. It would then be far more difficult for other nations to rationalize inaction.

One hears time and again the question of whether, a few years from now, the Western world will be asking itself where it was when the people of Darfur most needed it. Fortunately, the Jewish community has responded. It is motivated by a philosophy of "never again." The U.S. government is doing its share, though more is needed.

Now we need to state bluntly to Europe that the balance of the historical record lies in European hands. Europe can either join the United States in an aggressive campaign to place substantial forces in Darfur to prevent an even greater tragedy or continue on its current path and be held accountable for the consequences.

Indeed, given Europe's inaction on Darfur, the question must be asked: Is there truly a new Europe?

Kenneth Jacobson is the associate national director of the Anti-Defamation League.