... AND WHY THE USA WON'T CARE
There is a country on planet Earth that has had an ongoing government-supported genocide going on against the people of Darfur in Sudan since 2003. It is 2010, 7 years later, and how many times do you see a story about what is going on in Sudan on your television? And yet, when other disasters go on, such as in Haiti, we hear about it. Additionally, there is useless story after mindless story that is "reported" and regurgitated until boredom sets in, if not swallowed by a hypnotic effect of a story that is over-told. And if the gossip factor of a story can be used to suck us in - it is used. Many of us are apparently willingly absorbing gossip news as distractions from what warrants authentic news attention. There is no story about the story. That media is selling us crap as news much of the time.
The excuses given by my local news TV stations and newspapers as to why they can't/won't include a story about Darfur and related actions by grassroots activists in our local communities is simply that - excuses. Such as: It's not a local story, it's not something our policy allows us to cover, the activists aren't all from the community of the newspaper, the actions we are taking are too far away for their crew to travel to cover the story (40 miles). These are excuses because the "gossip" stories that they do cover as a part of their newscasts often have nothing to do with anyone living in the state we live in - Rhode Island. And they will travel to cover stories that are nothing more than human interest stories, if that definition can be stretched beyond common sense to make it fit human interest stories.
Shame for the media
The media could be moving us from states of inactivity, reaching us in ways, which serve to encourage us to use our abilities to be inspired and inspire. To be more humane humans. To be more caring human beings for our fellow human beings. To lift us up to be our best selves. To aid in our answering a call to manifest the good in our humanity. This has happened with Haiti. The power of TV was evident. You couldn't watch a TV show in the USA without being given information of how you could give to help.
The people behind the media have the power to help shape our lives in fruitful and beneficial, positive ways, make a valuable difference in making life better. And, yet, they don't so very often. Missing the needed target of a planet full of pained humans because of other humans' behavior upon our fellow humans on this relatively small part of the universe. The target of helping pain be diffused. Enabling something that could have some claim to looking like peace on earth.
If the media were doing their jobs admirably, there would be less conflict on the planet because it would be in front of our faces, grab our needed attention, speak to the good within us that too easily lies dormant when not informed about our world. The media has the capacity to be our mirror with integrity built in the stories they tell us. But, the media is missing lifting us out of our "stuck in the mud" entertainment addictions and choosing instead to feed us like we are bottom feeders. Transparently, media moguls have little interest in feeding us as intelligent life forms and I think we as a country are on the down side of being our best. It is a feeling. And is one personal view of what is going on in the United States of America. Mine.
Bec Hamilton sent this information today to activists in the USA:
I know you don’t know the *name. I’m posting this because it is not the kind of thing that generally makes it into the media. But, it matters. And we need to hear about it. So, here is the notification I just received about the killing of *Mohamed Musa Abdella Bahraldien (A friend just spoke by phone to someone within Darfuri community, who says everyone is just very sad.)
When a vocal student can be abducted by Security Services in broad daylight and killed with impunity, why is the language of “free, fair and credible” even entering into the realm of conversation around the upcoming election?
By the way - so much for the “reform” of the National Security Act.
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February 12, 2010
A brave university mathematics student, Mohamed Musa, was found dead yesterday, February 11, 2010.
The murdered student victim of University of Khartoum was very active among Darfuri students. Wednesday, after a university exam, the Sudanese government's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) members, driving a truck, kidnapped him in front of main gate of the Faculty of Education in Omdurman. Following his abduction, he was found dead in an open space in Elneel, a town in Omdurman.
Student's name: Mohamed Musa Abdella Bahraldien
Position: Student, University of Khartoum, Faculty of Education, Mathematics section level 3
Native town: Kabkabi, Northern Darfur State
Source: Abdelrahman Gasim, Darfur Bar Association
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Report from Radio Dabanga: http://radiodabanga.org/?p=9806
Darfur student tortured and killed in Khartoum
Posted on 12 February 2010
(By Radio Dabanga)
KHARTOUM (12 Feb) – A Darfur student was tortured and found dead yesterday (Thursday, February 11, 2010); in Omdurman. Mohamed Musa from Kabkebiya (North Darfur), studying at Khartoum University, was abducted last Wednesday (February 12, 2010) from the dormitories in Khartoum near the University of Khartoum, where he studies at the Education Faculty. After the mathematics student disappeared in the late afternoon, his colleagues started searching. According to the leader of the Darfur Students Union, Osman al Nijami, the corpse of Mohamed Musa was found yesterday and brought to the Omdurman hospital. This morning the Darfur Students Union will request to release the body and has asked for legal support from the Darfur Bar Association. The killing of the students is one of several incidents in a row. Security organs have recently arrested scores of Darfur students who are protesting exclusion from exams. Demonstrators have been detained without charges.
Media Contact:
Sandra Hammel
Press Release
Thursday, February 25, 2010
RHODE ISLAND CITIZENS
CALL ON US GOVERNMENT
TO WITHHOLD SUPPORT
FOR SHAM SUDANESE ELECTIONS
WHO: Residents of Rhode Island communities in partnership with Use Your Voice to Stop Genocide RI and Brown University STAND chapter join activists nationwide to call for the withholding of US support for illegitimate Sudanese elections, currently scheduled for April 11, 2010. Beginning February 20th, for the 50 days leading up to the Sudanese elections, regular citizens in every state are taking targeted and effective action to ensure the US government will not legitimize sham elections in Sudan.
WHAT: Thursday, February 25, 2010 is Rhode Island’s Day of Action! On February 25, activists in Rhode Island are coordinating action calling on Senators Reed and Whitehouse, Representatives Kennedy and Langevin and President Obama to stand with the people of Darfur and demand free and fair elections and to withdraw USA support from the Sudanese Presidential elections due to the present climate of violent political intimidation with millions disenfranchised in refugee camps.
WHEN: Thursday, February 25, 2010
WHY: Sudanese elections, currently scheduled for April 2010, will be anything but free and fair. The electoral reforms laid out by Sudan's 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement - necessary for a credible election - have been delayed, obstructed and outright violated by the Sudanese government. With instability continuing in Darfur and violence mounting in the South, fraudulent elections in April could be a dangerous flashpoint for Sudan. The US should not legitimize non-credible elections in Sudan.
Visit www.SudanSham2010.org for more information.
ABOUT SUDAN SHAM 2010
Sudan Sham 2010 is a coordinated effort of regular citizens across all 50 states and DC who stand with the people of Sudan—the marginalized, the disenfranchised, and the brutally oppressed—in demanding free and fair elections. In a climate of violent political intimidation and with millions disenfranchised in camps, there cannot be credible elections in Sudan. US support gives the government of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, indicted on war crimes and crimes against humanity, legitimacy it does not deserve. It is a waste of American taxpayer money, and non-credible elections will fuel violence and divisions in a country that is already on the brink.
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A Must Read:
U.S. State Department:
Twitter
this coming week to meet w/ Sudan's People Liberation Movement and President Bashir.
Contact
202-456-1111
More ways to contact the President:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
Speak Up
You Have A Voice
standnow.org
www.savedarfur.org
CALL YOUR U.S. SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES and PRESIDENT OBAMA:
1-800-GENOCIDE
Click post title to view
Ingredients of a Genocide
Perpetrators, Unarmed Citizens
and a World That Turns the Other Away
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Previous posts about the genocide on the Native Americans:
genocide-by-united-states-of-america
justice-too-long-delayed-is-justice
One of my most visited posts:
neglected-story-of-discrimination
bohzo (hello)
ReplyDeleteI think it is a little funny that you say that you are a human rights activist, you passed by a Native American site that represents one of the greatest genocides in American history without a curiosity of who we are.
We belong to some of the largest human rights groups in the world.
David M.