I hold these truths to be self- evident:
1. That GENOCIDE in the SUDAN is REAL
If you've been paying attention to the media lately (I know it's rough but you gotta) you would have gained some idea of the awful reality of the crisis that now exists in Sudan, specifically the region known as Darfur. It is a FACT that the Arab ethnic group is systematically exterminating Black Sudanese, under the apparent patronage of the Sudanese government. The attacks, perpetrated by an Arab militia with the sci-fi-like name of Janjaweed (and therefore highlighting the unreality/surreality of acts like these in this, the "enlightened" 21st century) have compelled almost 2 million to leave their homes (NY Post Sat 9/25/04). Recent reports set the death toll so far at between 30,000-50,000 (BBC.com, 7/26/04).
One report even states that 6000-10000 people are dying each month (David Gow, The Guardian,9/14/04). That's like having 9/11 happen two or three times a month. And when you compare the cumulative death toll to that of the entire US casualty list in Vietnam, which was 58,169, according to Vietnam Wall.org... well, remember it took 14 years for that total to accumulate. The Janjaweed have only been at it since early 2003, according to New Jersey Jewish News reporter Jerry Fowler, who experienced the situation first hand this year.
The atrocity in Sudan extends to the old-school tactic of raping black women in an attempt to "cleanse" the region of dark blood. The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, in an address on September 24 to the UN Security Council, stated: "The tragedy in Darfur is one of the greatest challenges the international community faces today. The whole world is watching this tragedy unfold, and it is watching us. No one can be allowed to sidestep or ignore their responsibility to protect the innocent civilians." Even so, the UN has so far failed to come up with a better response than a well-written speech. As of this date, the United Nations has not approved any sanctions or any other action against the Sudanese government.
The US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in an uncharacteristically bold, brave statement early this month, called the situation what it is, genocide. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mutapha Osman Ismail powered back by saying that this was the Bush regime's attempt to obfuscate the real deal:
"This is a politicized agenda for the [United States General] election," said Ismail. (Associated Press, 9/13/04)
Think WE'LL be the judge of that, buddy.
More news organizations are taking up the mantle of this cause, and Vanity Fair's October issue recently saluted 4 people: two journalists, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and the British writer Julie Flint, along with United States Congressman Donald Payne and John Prendergast, a specialist in African affairs at the International Crisis Group. The quartet has essentially served as the Paul Reveres of this situation, riding around the world to bear witness and seek action. (Vanity Fair, Oct 04, P198)
Even the right-wing New York Post is op-edding on the situation- last Saturday (Sep 25) they weighed in with a stinging piece, "Diplos Dither, Darfur Dies", calling for more decisive action from the world community and deploring the hand-wringing over the issue at the UN. "Perhaps by the time everyone is dead, U.N. apparatchiks will have it sorted out".
Think: In the Summer of 1994, Romeo Dallaire, a UN General in charge of peace-keeping forces stationed in Rwanda, sent an urgent message to the UN, warning them of the atrocities being perpetrated against the Tutsis. Nothing was done and 800,000 people died. (Hemphill/Agilar, Daily Egyptian, 4/27/01) Here we are exactly 10 years later. Throughout the summer, there have been reports, small and large, that something awful is happening in Sudan.
I think as human beings we have a tendency to want someone to walk right up to us and scream in our faces before we can be justifiably horrified. But this is how it starts.
Spring 1915: 300 Armenian leaders and writers are slaughtered in Constantinople.
Spring 1933: the first concentration camp is established at Dachau.
Late Spring 1951: the Chinese government finesses its illegal occupation of Tibet in 1949 by forcing the Tibetan government to sign a 17 point agreement. This was the jumpstart to the killing of over one million Tibetans. Overall, the Chinese government gets rid of reportedly over 20 million of its enemies (Tibetan and mainland Chinese) between 1949 and 1976. (Lethal Laws, Jay Simkin, Aaron Zelman, and Alan M. Rice, 1994)
1971-1979: Idi Amin kills 300,000 rivals (Lethal Laws, Jay Simkin, Aaron Zelman, and Alan M. Rice, 1994)
Early Summer 1994: General Dallaire gives the first report of ethnic violence against the Tutsis.
Fall 2004... let history read that disaster was averted.
PASTE & READ more via links below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3925239.stm
http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp
WRITE to the UN or your congressman
And if you're in New York, ATTEND:
Catastrophe in Darfur-A Panel Discussion sponsored by Doctors without Borders
Thu Sep 30, 2004
Tishman Auditorium, New School University
66 West 12th Street, NY
Tix: 212.847.3151
If you've been paying attention to the media lately (I know it's rough but you gotta) you would have gained some idea of the awful reality of the crisis that now exists in Sudan, specifically the region known as Darfur. It is a FACT that the Arab ethnic group is systematically exterminating Black Sudanese, under the apparent patronage of the Sudanese government. The attacks, perpetrated by an Arab militia with the sci-fi-like name of Janjaweed (and therefore highlighting the unreality/surreality of acts like these in this, the "enlightened" 21st century) have compelled almost 2 million to leave their homes (NY Post Sat 9/25/04). Recent reports set the death toll so far at between 30,000-50,000 (BBC.com, 7/26/04).
One report even states that 6000-10000 people are dying each month (David Gow, The Guardian,9/14/04). That's like having 9/11 happen two or three times a month. And when you compare the cumulative death toll to that of the entire US casualty list in Vietnam, which was 58,169, according to Vietnam Wall.org... well, remember it took 14 years for that total to accumulate. The Janjaweed have only been at it since early 2003, according to New Jersey Jewish News reporter Jerry Fowler, who experienced the situation first hand this year.
The atrocity in Sudan extends to the old-school tactic of raping black women in an attempt to "cleanse" the region of dark blood. The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, in an address on September 24 to the UN Security Council, stated: "The tragedy in Darfur is one of the greatest challenges the international community faces today. The whole world is watching this tragedy unfold, and it is watching us. No one can be allowed to sidestep or ignore their responsibility to protect the innocent civilians." Even so, the UN has so far failed to come up with a better response than a well-written speech. As of this date, the United Nations has not approved any sanctions or any other action against the Sudanese government.
The US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in an uncharacteristically bold, brave statement early this month, called the situation what it is, genocide. Sudanese Foreign Minister Mutapha Osman Ismail powered back by saying that this was the Bush regime's attempt to obfuscate the real deal:
"This is a politicized agenda for the [United States General] election," said Ismail. (Associated Press, 9/13/04)
Think WE'LL be the judge of that, buddy.
More news organizations are taking up the mantle of this cause, and Vanity Fair's October issue recently saluted 4 people: two journalists, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and the British writer Julie Flint, along with United States Congressman Donald Payne and John Prendergast, a specialist in African affairs at the International Crisis Group. The quartet has essentially served as the Paul Reveres of this situation, riding around the world to bear witness and seek action. (Vanity Fair, Oct 04, P198)
Even the right-wing New York Post is op-edding on the situation- last Saturday (Sep 25) they weighed in with a stinging piece, "Diplos Dither, Darfur Dies", calling for more decisive action from the world community and deploring the hand-wringing over the issue at the UN. "Perhaps by the time everyone is dead, U.N. apparatchiks will have it sorted out".
Think: In the Summer of 1994, Romeo Dallaire, a UN General in charge of peace-keeping forces stationed in Rwanda, sent an urgent message to the UN, warning them of the atrocities being perpetrated against the Tutsis. Nothing was done and 800,000 people died. (Hemphill/Agilar, Daily Egyptian, 4/27/01) Here we are exactly 10 years later. Throughout the summer, there have been reports, small and large, that something awful is happening in Sudan.
I think as human beings we have a tendency to want someone to walk right up to us and scream in our faces before we can be justifiably horrified. But this is how it starts.
Spring 1915: 300 Armenian leaders and writers are slaughtered in Constantinople.
Spring 1933: the first concentration camp is established at Dachau.
Late Spring 1951: the Chinese government finesses its illegal occupation of Tibet in 1949 by forcing the Tibetan government to sign a 17 point agreement. This was the jumpstart to the killing of over one million Tibetans. Overall, the Chinese government gets rid of reportedly over 20 million of its enemies (Tibetan and mainland Chinese) between 1949 and 1976. (Lethal Laws, Jay Simkin, Aaron Zelman, and Alan M. Rice, 1994)
1971-1979: Idi Amin kills 300,000 rivals (Lethal Laws, Jay Simkin, Aaron Zelman, and Alan M. Rice, 1994)
Early Summer 1994: General Dallaire gives the first report of ethnic violence against the Tutsis.
Fall 2004... let history read that disaster was averted.
PASTE & READ more via links below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3925239.stm
http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp
WRITE to the UN or your congressman
And if you're in New York, ATTEND:
Catastrophe in Darfur-A Panel Discussion sponsored by Doctors without Borders
Thu Sep 30, 2004
Tishman Auditorium, New School University
66 West 12th Street, NY
Tix: 212.847.3151
posted by euphoria at 11:12 PM
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