Many of you may have taken comfort in the peace agreement recently brokered by Bill Richardson (Gov. – NM), and may think it’s still in force. Unfortunately, that cease-fire only held for about 10 days before the Sudanese government attacked a village, shattering the agreement and the hopes of all who thought it meant (finally) an end to the genocide in Darfur.
Reuters has just posted an article regarding some massive movement by the Janjaweed – the government backed militias who’ve been attacking defenseless African’s in the Darfur region of the Sudan. This can only mean more bloodshed and suffering for the millions living in refugee camps in Darfur.
They’re still dying in Darfur folks, and it’s up to us to pressure the powers that be into enacting that UN resolution which would put 22,500 UN peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur. So put down your coffee cup and make a call or two...
From that Reuters article ...
Janjaweed militias have been concentrating forces to the north of el-Geneina, the capital of Sudan's West Darfur state, an African Union military source said on Tuesday, corroborating a U.N. report.
Janjaweed is the local name for militia forces drawn mainly from the nomadic Arab tribes of the area and blamed for much of the killing in Darfur over the past four years.
The AU source, who asked not to be named, said: "They are massing (north of el-Geneina). ... They have vehicles with machineguns on top and they're Janjaweed. We can't say what their intentions are."
The source declined to give numbers, but described the forces gathered as a "huge amount of personnel," with pick-up trucks, camels and horses, while a U.N. mission spokeswoman said the militia numbered in the hundreds.
The AU source said an African Union helicopter was keeping the force under surveillance and the government was being notified. The Sudanese military could not be reached for comment.
A former rebel movement said a separate Janjaweed force has been attacking villages far to the east of the Darfur region for the past two days, killing six civilians.
It’s been a bloody week in Darfur...
Rights group and Western governments say the Sudanese government has used the Janjaweed as auxiliaries against Darfur rebels and civilians suspected of rebel sympathies. The government denies this and says the Janjaweed are outlaws.
On Monday, a report by the U.N. Mission in Sudan said "armed militia have been mobilizing in large numbers over the last five days in the general area of Abou Souroug and Sliea (approximately 50 km north of el-Geneina). The reason behind the massive militia mobilization is so far not known."
Tribal clashes in South Darfur killed up to 100 people last week, according to the United Nations.
This genocide’s been going on for nearly 4 years now. We all wrung our hands and said "If only I’d known..." when we heard about the brutal butchering of innocents in Rwanda. We said "never again" and even "not on my watch" when we first heard of the genocide in Darfur now. Four years later, people are still dying. It’s time to put our words aside and actually do something to stop this shit. Here’s where you come in.
The first step is to get informed. You can’t lobby your CongressCritters, or write to the Chinese Embassy without knowing the facts. It’s been a while since I’ve posted the following information and given this latest development, I thought it might be a good time to remind everyone of some valuable resources in this fight to stop the genocide...
Reports
Physicians for Human Rights Report (Jan., 2006) http://www.phrusa.org/...
Groups
Save Darfur Coalition
Human Rights Watch
Sudan Watch (Timeline & other info)
Genocide Intervention Network
Amnesty International
Students Taking Action Now - Darfur STAND - Divestment Campaign
Africa Action
Organizations Providing Aid In Darfur
UN World Food Program
UNICEF (Canada)
OXFAM International
Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
Genocide Intervention Network
Partners In Health
UNHCR UN High Commission for Refugees.
Videos -
Darfur Diaries
Sudan - The Quick & The Terrible (PBS Frontline)
Peace Under Fire (the UN)
Video Testimonials (Amnesty International)
Photos
Darfur Eyewitness
Pysicians for Human Rights Photos
A Promise Unkept (NYT Photos)
Darfur - A Challenge for Us All (Center for American Progress)
Other Info
Africa Action Talking Points
Sudan By the Numbers (Center for American Progress - Feb 2005)
Darfur Scores (find out how your CongressCritters are doing)
Campaign to Send in UN Peacekeepers (Darfur Scores effort)
Info with Google Images of Darfur (burned out countryside & all)
Get the Latest News
Save Darfur Coalition Newsroom
International Crisis Group A great conflict analysis group that has put out many conflict reports (30-50 pages each) on the war in Darfur, as well as many policy recommendations.
Online African Newspaper Sources from around the continent, in English and French
Strategic Analysis some of their Darfur stuff is decent
Reuters’ News Network for Humanitarian Orgs
United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks
Relief Web (looks like an amazing site)
CBC News In Depth - Crisis Zone, Darfur Sudan
BBC News Timeline
BBC News in Depth - Sudan, A Nation Divided
Contacts
Andrew Natsios - Special Envoy to Sudan -
Try Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns (202-647-2471) or the Special Assistant for African Affairs, Economic Affairs, Environment and Science Affairs, Democracy and Human Rights, Counterterrorism Affairs -- Kara McDonald (202-647-4315). Either one will put you through to Natsios's office.
White House Comments Line - 202-456-1111
Capitol Switchboard (they’ll connect you to your CongressCritters) - 202-224-3121
Sudanese Embassy in DC -
<http://www.sudanembassy.org>
2210 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 338-8565
Fax: (202) 667-2406
info@sudanembassy.org <mailto:info@sudanembassy.org>.
Chinese Embassy in DC -
2201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 110,
Washington D.C. 20007
Tel : (202) 338-6688
Fax: (202) 588-9760
(Believe it or not - they’re playing a part in preventing action to stop this genocide
I know this is a lot of information to digest but go to these sites, bookmark them and get informed. Then make a few calls, write an email or two and send a letter to the editor of your local paper(s).
But for goddess sake - please don't just click past this information while this slaughter of innocents continues in to the 4th year of this genocide.
Do something.
Anything.
But please, don't click away and take another sip of your coffee saying "if only I could do something to stop this".
You can. No excuses now - you have the information. Now do something. Go to bed tonight knowing you did something to help the defenseless and the innocent.
UPDATE
Taps mic... Hello? Hello, is this thing on?
C'mon you guys. Don't you think this MIGHT be just a little important? Worth a few minutes of your time to leave a comment, make a call or write a letter about?
Put down your burger / sandwich / fork and pick up the phone. Too many lives are at stake here.
Thanks!