Here's what I see when I turn on the TV - Jon and Kate Gosselin, celebrity break-ups and their most recent DUIs. What I don't see the media mention very often is the 400,000 deaths that have occurred because of a continuing conflict in Darfur, Sudan.

Since the horrific conflict that took place in Rwanda in 1994, where nearly one million people were killed, and the extermination of the Jewish population in World War II, genocide has been a major concern in countries such as Bosnia and currently Sudan.

Let's fast-forward almost 10 years to Darfur. Since 2003, Darfur, a region in western Sudan, has been engaged in a deadly and controversial conflict. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, the crisis has claimed as many as 400,000 lives and forced more than 2.5 million people from their homes with hundreds of people continuing to die each day. The innocent civilians of Sudan now live in scattered refugee camps throughout the neighboring country of Chad. Now that the conflict has spread to Chad, over 170,000 Chadians have been displaced.

Now, let's rewind back to 2003 when the conflict began. For those of you unaware of the root cause, here's a briefing.

Residents of the Darfur region consist of racially mixed tribes of nomadic herders and settled peasants, distinguished as African and Arab.

In early 2003, two local rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, insisted that the Sudanese government was subjugating non-Arabs in favor of Arabs. Leaders of both groups, the Sudanese government and representatives of these rebel groups, were brought together to discuss various ways they could address this humanitarian crisis. However, the negative response from the Sudanese government forced the two rebel groups to lead a revolt against the Khartoum government. The government, in turn, responded by enlisting the help of a militia consisting of scattered Arab nomadic tribes to effectively eliminate the innocent non-Arab civilians of Darfur.

The conflict began six years ago, and it should have ended right when it began.

The conflict is stimulated primarily by a government supported militia, the Janjaweed. They have used rape, starvation, mass murder and other means to essentially wipe out the entire Darfur population. The Sudanese government argues that they are in no way supporting the Janjaweed. However, it has been proven that money and arms have been provided and that they have aided in attacks by the militia.

The Save Darfur Coalition reported in September that Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has expelled rumors that the Sudanese government has covered up mass graves to destroy evidence and killed and imprisoned witnesses of the conflict. They claim and protest that "only" 10,000 people have died because of the conflict. Your estimate seems a little off, al-Bashir.

Genocide can be defined as the systematic intent to destroy a national, racial or religious group, according to the International Criminal Court. There has been a constant debate over the identification of this conflict - genocide or not genocide? In 2004, the Bush administration declared the Darfur conflict "genocide" and urged an intervention to stop the violence. Yet, the violence continues.

Last year, al-Bashir claimed that the conflict in Sudan is not genocide. Does that surprise anyone? While officials and organizations are debating back and forth on the classification of this conflict, people continue to die in large numbers, while many others are displaced from their homes.

Many Americans have turned a blind eye to the atrocities. Why should we care about people dying in Africa? Here's why: we have a moral responsibility to do so. How can we just sit here and allow thousands of innocent people to die each day through mass violence? We can't.

The innocent Darfur civilians are facing unimaginable violence, famine, displacement, looting and sexual abuse. The Janjaweed militia and other government supported militia are responsible for approximately 97 percent of the killings that take place in Darfur. According to a CNN report from last year, women as young as 4-years-old are being raped and sexually abused multiple times a day by militiamen while living in aid camps. While I sit here drinking my Starbucks coffee, civilians are sneaking out at night in search for water while avoiding being beaten by militiamen. Food and water are scarce and personal safety is eradicated.

What is being done to end the violence and save these innocent civilians?

Humanitarian aid groups play a vital role in the eventual reconstruction of Darfur. The help of these groups cannot end the genocide, but can ultimately save lives of those in need. However, the Janjaweed continue to destroy villages and humanitarian aid is gradually getting worse because the aid workers themselves are being placed in constant danger. If the safety of the humanitarian workers continues to diminish, then the aid may no longer be available for the Darfur civilians who desperately need it. The Sudanese government has expelled 13 humanitarian aid groups from the Darfur region. The government is not protecting its own people. It is aiding in the continued slaughter of innocent men, women and children.

An AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur, known as UNAMID, is a peacekeeping force with its primary goal being the protection of Darfur civilians. This new force is still lacking proper funding and missing vital resources. The force still requires a lot of funding, assistance, especially from the international community, and resources to make this a successful mission.

Through advocacy and political action, we can all make a difference.

I could go on for hours about this conflict, as well as the constant peace agreements, humanitarian aid and peacekeeping forces that the Sudanese government continues to reject. They may sit back and watch their people die, but we will not. The conflict began six years ago, and it should have ended right when it began.

Just last month, President Barack Obama revealed a new Darfur policy, providing strategies to end the violence in Darfur. Darfur activists are happy to see the new Sudan policy put into place, but we all know it takes time for policies to take action. Now what?

Even with the body of water between us, there are plenty of things that we as Americans can do to help end the genocide in Sudan. Through advocacy and political action, we can all make a difference.

One of the most important things you can do is hold your political representatives accountable. Let them know that we must end the conflict in Darfur. Write them letters, call them, e-mail them, schedule appointments and do whatever you can to stress the importance of this crisis to your officials.

Stay informed. Sign up for e-mail updates from organizations such as the Save Darfur Coalition. The weekly e-mails will keep you informed of the conflict and let you know how you can get involved from wherever you are.

Join a local advocacy group. We have one right here in our neighborhood. STAND, the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network, has a chapter right here at UT. Join with other UT students to fight genocide!

Professor, political activist and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, said it best: "Remember: silence helps the killer, never his victims."