“The World’s New Threat: Conflict Fatigue”
June 12, 2009 1 Comment
The current humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo calls for our attention. However, according to two individuals connected to Enough, there is a major obstacle facing its resolution.
That obstacle?
“Conflict fatigue“.
Click here to read the article recently published on the subject – quite interesting.
The world has a lot of work to do…Anyone advocating for an end to the conflict must be content with slow and steady progress and not expect a quick fix…In fact, this is true of most conflicts…Conflict fatigue only takes root when we forget that.
About Kristen
Orange County for Darfur Blog 
While I am a very big fan of the Enough Project and applaud the writing of an article on “Conflict Fatigue,” I can’t help but think that the premise is a bit limited in perspective. Yes, we need to set our sights on the long-term and in an attention-deficit society, that is a tall order. Beyond a shift in perspective we need an education on the role of compassion fatigue in being at the root of conflict fatigue. It is not merely a cognitive process that is involved. In emotionally charged situations of life and death, we miss the mark by under-recognizing the toll it takes on any human being to stay engaged. To miss this profound aspect denies us the opportunity to stay well over the long term which I am equating to being able to stay energetically alive to and engaged with these incredibly challenging situations in desperate need of sustained attention. We need much more than a shift in perspective, we need a long term plan for maintaining our own well-being as we seek to expose and re-expose ourselves to the horrors of mass atrocities. We can not afford conflict fatigue. We need a broader perspective on what it stems from.