Keren G. Raz Columnist

Almost 20 years ago, the Lost Boys of Sudan fled for their lives because their government was killing young boys whom they feared would become rebels.

Now, they are not lost boys. They are UA students and amazing individuals who have overcome all odds in order to get to America.

They deserve our admiration.

But our interest in their story should not stop with them.

Their country desperately needs our attention.

Seventeen years after these Sudanese men fled from their country, the Sudanese government is accused of committing one of the most horrific crimes - genocide.

No one else but the United States has admitted it, even though the facts support the accusation.

Sudan, Africa's largest country, has been embroiled in a civil war ever since its independence from Britain in 1956.

In 2002-2003, peace talks began with the signing of the accords.

However, in 2003, the talks stalled, and an Arab militia group known as the Janjaweed went on a campaign (many say a government-backed campaign) to rape and murder non-Arab Africans.

So far, 50,000 non-Arab Africans have been killed. About 574 towns have been destroyed.

More than 1.4 million Sudanese are refugees.

If you take some time to read firsthand accounts of what is happening in Sudan, Africa's largest country, you will read of some of the worst atrocities imaginable.

Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times traveled to Sudan in June and told the stories of 1,000 men riding into a village on camels and horses, shouting "This land is only for Arabs," and then brutally "massacring at least 100 people in the village."

One 4-year-old boy was taken from his mother's arms and slashed at the throat.

While international pressure looked as if it were going to help the situation, the United Nations announced on Tuesday that nothing has gotten better.

According to a U.N. press release, the Sudanese government did nothing last month when it came to stopping militia attacks against civilians and taking action against those responsible for the crimes.

Instead the Sudanese government has spent its time defending itself, claiming there is no genocide and playing tricks with the international community.

In the latest twist of its twisted game, the Sudanese government accused the American government for being interested in Sudan only because Bush wants the black and Jewish votes.

I do not care who you support for president. I am horrified that someone can accuse America of standing against genocide for political purposes.

But unless Americans outside the government start to show that we care, those accusations will continue.

Over the summer, stories about Sudan rarely showed up on CNN World, but they were the top story on BBC World everyday.

Americans isolate themselves from the world to such an extent that we create our own bubble of ignorance.

As Wayne Decker, the director of the International Studies Program said, we have myths of the world that prevent us from coming to grips with reality.

Two years ago we went to war with a country most Americans could never even claim to understand.

Yet we had our myths of the country that we used to justify the war.

One myth was that Iraq was one of the greatest threats to world peace.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

Our ignorance is the greatest threat to world peace.

Realize this: The "war on terror" is not a war between governments, and it is not a war between terrorists and governments.

This is a war between people.

We, along with the government, need to do something about it.

We need to get out into the world. We need to rid ourselves of our global myths and come to grips with reality.

And we might as well start with Sudan.

After the Holocaust more than 50 years ago, the world pledged never to turn the other way when faced with genocide.

Well, the world has looked away time and time again.

If you want to know more, read about the genocide in Rwanda or Pol Pot's atrocities in Cambodia.

Let's not turn away again.

Refugees are dying of starvation and disease along the Sudanese-Chad border.

It is no longer safe for us to be ignorant.

Because although we can't see it now, Sudan matters.

Twenty years from now, these refugees who survive the conflict might also enroll in courses at the UA.

We can't wait until they get here to listen to their stories.

They need our support now.

Keren G. Raz is a senior majoring in English and political science. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.