U.N. looks for Japan to send mine-removal troops to Sudan

Alyssa Perez
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080403a6.html

I. Citation
U.N. looks for Japan to send mine-removal troops to Sudan
The Japan Times
April 2, 2008

II. Summary
In this article, the author is discussing a request to bring Japan in to help the United Nations in Sudan. Japan is said to have been asked to join several other times but refused. The subject of the dispute is mine removal, which is crucial for securing transport routes to deliver aid to others. In the end, Japan decides to take part in the mission but research is going on for the security situation of the activities going on in Sudan.

III. Reactions
A.) This article relates to the theme ‘Interaction between humans and the environment’ because not only is Japan now bringing troops into a foreign country but also the issue of mine removal is an abnormality to the environment which changes how everything functions.
B.) There isn’t much historical background on the issue other than the fact that the United Nations is trying to remove mines in Sudan so there is less trouble with missions to aid others.
C.) This article is written in the point of view of, most likely, a Japanese male. The author is definitely an outsider to the issue and is just being brought in to write about it generally. This also isn’t a Japanese issue so they probably don’t know much about Sudan as it is.
D.) Because the article is written from the point of view of someone from Japan, they obviously won’t be experiencing the event first hand. They also aren’t the ones initiating this mission, they are just being asked to join and help out the United Nations. If your nation isn’t causing the problem, you won’t know extreme details that would help make the article more complete.
E.) It would be helpful to hear from someone within the United Nations to hear why they are actually in Sudan and why they would like the Japanese to help by bringing in their own troops. It also may be helpful to hear from someone who lives in Sudan to know what they are thinking of all these foreigners in their country.
F.) In my opinion, the Japanese shouldn’t get too involved with this problem so that they don’t start trouble with anyone. Another war can’t be started or even be thought about at this point. I also think that the United Nations should just keep this mission to themselves. If they want to complete this so badly, they will find the right amount of people to make it happen.