❧❧❧ Whatever you can do or dream, you can BEGIN IT. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Goethe ❧❧❧
❧❧❧ You were born whole, not broken. Sandra Hammel ❧❧❧
.................................................... Uploaded June 21, 2009 by stopgenocidenow World Refugee Day 2009.
The i-ACT team gathers people at refugee Camp Djabal, getting ready to bring the world 4 hours of live streaming from the camp - one year ago. These Darfuris of Sudan live in a refugee camp, in the bordering country of Chad.
.................................................... Uploaded May 28, 2009 by RefugeesIntl Narrated by Sam Waterston Music by James Sale
Text at youtube that accompanies the above video: This video celebrates Refugees International's 30 years of lifesaving action around the world and highlights our successes in generating assistance and protection for refugees in Southeast Asia, Rwanda and Iraq.
.................................................... Uploaded June 03, 2010 by RefugeesIntl
Refugees International's president Dan Glickman and senior advocate Patrick Duplat assessed conditions for displaced people in Pakistan in May 2010. This footage is from their visit to the Jalozai Camp in Peshawar, which now holds approximately 107,000 internally displaced people.
Imagine your neighborhood being brutally burned to the ground in the early morning hours, while your children are sleeping. Leaving with only what they are wearing, the family disperses to escape being killed or raped.Running while carrying your baby on your back, the baby is shot and killed.But as the mother, you are not able to cope with the reality, so you continue to carry the dead baby on your back for days.And now, months, years later, you have no idea where your other children are, or if they survived because they scattered during the surprise attack.You have been unable to return to your home and now are living as a refugee with only your hope to return one day.
Many refugees are traumatized after losing their land, seeing their homes burned, relatives being killed, stuffed down the water wells and livestock stolen. Millions of human beings are living this way around the planet - as refugees.And yet, the world and US media pays little attention.
Before becoming an activist to prevent and end genocide, I, also, didn’t think about the life of a refugee - missing the essentials of life, such as clean water, food, sanitation, shelter, health care and protection from violence and abuse.Their daily existence is more than an ordinary struggle.They are true life survivors – not some TV entertainment show. The United Nations General Assembly decided that, from 2001, the 20th of June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day and this Sunday is that day. Perhaps it is appropriate that this year World Refugee Day falls on USA’s Fathers’ Day and the theme is “Home”.
The world economic crisis surely will slash humanitarian aid budgets. With enormous uncertainty around the world, we need to ensure refugees are not forgotten.
Refugees are real people, just like you and me, and they have real needs. Of the more than 40 million of forcibly displaced and stateless people, 5 million are from Sudan, including the region of Darfur.
Vice President Joe Biden returns this week from a trip to Africa in which Sudan was a main focus.The U.S. must commit to a re-energized Sudan policy implementation, directing the necessary diplomatic resources towards resolving the suffering in Darfur and averting all-out war in the South.
As Africa’s largest country, Sudan, prepares to split into two countries in January of 2011, Vice President Biden and President Obama must play a direct role in the U.S. Sudan policy. Moving beyond the rhetoric, their leadership needs to be balanced, focused and determined. What could be Africa’s deadliest war is on the brink of happening during this administration’s watch.
Janjaweed gun down sheikh of IDP camp in South Darfur
MERSHING
Members of one of the Janjaweed militias in South Darfur gunned down a sheikh of Mershing (Refugee) Camp, according to a leader of the camp residents. Sheikh Abakr Hamid went outside of the camp on a trip to gather firewood when he was spotted by the janjaweed who opened fire immediately, killing the sheikh. The janjaweed then went into the camp and began firing in the air. The militia is always coming to the area of Mershing with their weapons, a camp leader told Radio Dabanga. He called on the authorities or UNAMID to protect the camp.
Stop the humanitarian blockade of Jebel Marra, Darfur
The source of this post may be found by clicking this post's title.
Thursday 11 March 2010.
By Anne Bartlett
March 10, 2010 — For the people of Jebel Marra, the self congratulatory backslapping and treaty signing in Doha seem to be a world away from the reality of their existence as they starve on the mountain slopes of Darfur. Forced from their villages as a result of a military campaign launched by the Government of Sudan, the idea of peace seems a distant prospect to say the least. Over the last 6 weeks, the displacement of over 250,000 people who are now forced to live in caves or to run from village to village in search of safety also seems far away from the concerns of the International Community, UNAMID, Save Darfur, human rights organizations or indeed anyone who might be expected to help. Instead, innocent people have been left to fend for themselves: their hopes for the future reduced to ashes alongside their villages which the Sudanese government recently burnt.
The big question here is why? Why is blatant genocide being ignored? Why, for example, can the likes of Jerry Fowler of Save Darfur tour the region telling anyone who will listen that: “Organized fighting is not widespread ... Nor is there systematic violence against civilians”. Why, given his “vast” experience on Darfur, is he not able to spot the fact that a quarter of a million people are at this very moment sitting on the side of a mountain not far from him, while he tours around shaking hands? Why, one might ask, with his propensity for “saving” locals, is he not able to see beyond the end of his nose and take some action?
As if the myopia of Save Darfur is not bad enough, then there are the political sideshows which aim to distract attention from the government’s recent activities in Jebel Marra. First there is the carnival of the incompetent in Doha. Susan Rice’s remarks that Doha is a “mere truce between two Islamists factions” are completely correct. Yet given her clarity, why is the US State Department supporting a “peace process” with individuals like Tigani Seisi when he has never been anything more than a puppet of Sadiq Al-Mahdi and the Umma Party? Why should a man who is held in such distaste by the people of Darfur be championed as their leader when his spell as Governor of the region was nothing short of a disaster?
Finally, why is there a systematic attempt to downplay the government of Sudan’s campaign of genocide in Jebel Marra by linking it to fights between opposing rebel factions? This persistent reporting of rebel group infighting when a quarter of a million people face annihilation by the government is bizarre to say the least. The ability to downplay the crisis faced by such a large amount of people demonstrates the effectiveness of the Sudanese government media machine. It also shows how one of the most despicable campaigns that the government has launched to systematically destroy and purge the heartland of Darfur while the world looks the other way, has been successfully disguised by amplifying a lesser story.
If genocide is about intent, then it is hard to find clearer evidence of a systematic attempt to annihilate a group of people in a given geographical area than in Jebel Marra today. In the eastern and southeastern areas of the Jebel Marra — in towns such as Kidinyeer, Leibei, Faina, Dirbat, and Jawa — there is a clear attempt to encircle the area with the express intention of preventing people from being able to enter or leave. Once the population is locked into the area, the real work of genocide can proceed apace. Water sources are buried leaving locals without any way to access clean drinking water. Grain stores are burnt, cutting the supply of food to nothing. Grinding mills are taken away to ensure that no flour can be made. The government forces which invaded the region have also looted houses, markets and removed all the livestock. Even the humanitarian organizations that were operating have been forced to withdraw from the area as a result of their offices being looted. Food is now in scarce supply; potable water absent and the scene is set for carnage on a massive scale.
If slow starvation and thirst is not enough, then consider the cases of four women from Kidyneer. Unable to escape fast enough from government forces, they have been captured and turned into sex slaves. For Hawwa Mohamed Ali Hassaballa 58, Haram Abulgasim Hassaballa 56, Bahria Mohamed Saleh 54, Khadija Abdulrasul Abulgasim 32 their life today is one of brutality. Raped on a continual basis and held with government militias, they probably wonder whether they will even survive. Contrast this with all participants in Doha with their fancy suits, per-diems and disingenuous hand-shaking. Has Sudan’s political strata been reduced to a parade of the greedy and corrupt, while innocent women – mothers, daughter and wives – are brutalized and receive no protection from those who are supposed to help them?
Whichever way one views the situation, one thing is clear: all that counts today is the strength of one’s political connections and how much one can talk. All that counts are the sham peace talks, expensive airline tickets and the empty rhetoric of the international community. Those without such connections are simply forgotten. For those without power, human rights conventions mean nothing; hard-fought conventions to stop genocide buy them no time. Today the people of Jebel Marra wait hoping that tomorrow will bring a better day. They wait hoping that someone will come to their rescue and stop the humanitarian blockade of their region. Unfortunately however with the current apathy of those in power, it may be some time before their plight is noticed. Let us hope that it will not be too late.
Dr. Anne Bartlett is a Professor at the University of San Francisco. She may be reached at albartlett@usfca.edu
Standing with Darfur
If you want peace, work for justice إذا كنت تريد السلام ، أعمل من أجل العدالة
Tweet this button to read: @JimLangevin Call for a Intelligence Committee special hearing re: #Sudan policy review and demand pressures and consequences #SudanSham
GENOCIDE WILL only STOP WITH US - Our leaders have taught us this
And at http://sudansham2010.org/page3/page3.html do the tweets but replace any reference to Senate Resolution 404 with something important like "Gration has got to go" in words of your choosing.
* Action to take: US RI Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Call (401) 453-5294 or Email Message: I would like to thank Senator Whitehouse for his continued efforts for Darfur and Sudan. The Sudan Policy’s quarterly review just happened. Sudan has clearly violated benchmarks, and Obama’s policy promised consequences and pressures if and when this happens. Senator Whitehouse, as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, should hold a hearing about the Sudan Policy quarterly review. The Senate Intelligence Committee members should ask about the specific benchmarks, pressures, and incentives in the policy, hrolding our administration to their word.
"The United States has a moral obligation anytime you see humanitarian catastrophes..We can't say 'never again' and then allow it to happen again and as President of the United States I don't intend to abandon people or turn a blind eye to slaughter.” Presidential candidate Barack Obama
March 4, 2010
Sudan Sham 2010
Dear President Obama,
I write to you about Sudan. I cannot put it firmly enough in printed words how disappointed I am in your lack of interest in this deeply defining issue of humanity and justice. For me, this is proven by allowing US Special Envoy Gration to remain in his position, even while the people who are victims of the genocidal regime and still alive don’t have any confidence in him.
The only way for me to be convinced that you meant what you said about genocide and Darfur prior to becoming President is for you to actively become engaged in the Sudan policy set by your administration.
The State Department has not publicly disclosed the precise benchmarks it is applying to assess progress in Sudan. But clearly, whatever the benchmarks, things have only gotten worse since your administration has been in office. I am not blaming your administration for everything that has gone wrong, however I do hold your administration accountable for being willing to work with Omar al-Bashir, as if he isn’t a central part of the problems in Sudan. For example, the corrupt regime in Khartoum has at every turn blocked political reforms necessary for free and fair elections to take place. The government of Sudan's increased intimidation by kidnapping and killing citizens during the time running up to the election is proof this election is a sham.
The election will only be used to legitimize this genocidal regime led by the man indicted by the ICC for “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes”, President Omar al-Bashir. And yet, our government is showing no signs that it gets what is going to be the outcome of these misnamed “elections”. They won’t be a sign of anything other than the international community turning its head once again, when it should be looking straight into the face of a dictator who is only playing with us. While we are foolish about the truth, the genocide goes on actively and passively, simultaneously. In 2009 and 2010, genocide is tolerated because we don’t have the political will to make ending it a priority.
What will be your legacy regarding Sudan and genocide? I, as many grassroots activists, do not want to continue to be defined by complicity regarding stopping and preventing genocide.
Most sincerely,
Sandra Hammel Use Your Voice to Stop Genocide RI Leading Rhode Island in Sudan Sham 2010 campaign
and the message of March 9, 2010
Dear President Obama,
Feb. 2, 2010 during his congressional testimony on the U.S. government's annual threat assessment, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair stated "Looking ahead over the next five years, a number of countries in Africa and Asia are at significant risk for a new outbreak of mass killing…Among these countries, a new mass killing or NOCIDE, Southern Sudan, Bush DOESN'T CARE ABOUT DARFUR, genocide is most likely to occur in Southern Sudan."
Traditionally, the U.S. government talks tough about genocides and mass atrocities, but does little more than talk.
President Bill Clinton stood by while intervening simply by jamming radio signals in Rwanda could have saved hundreds of thousands of lives. George W. Bush's administration said that the violence in Darfur was genocide, but made no real efforts to explain to our citizens how it was a threat to U.S. interests. Now, Blair has stated out loud what human beings with active consciences have known.And that is that mass killings are not only moral issues, but are threats to the national security of the United States. And since our governmental leaders operate as politicians first and human beings second, we could choose to act on behalf of our own interests and still be the caring country we like to believe that we are.And for me, an important part to this story is that, it is common sense and humanity centered decisions that could make a big difference for those suffering under a genocidal regime.We certainly shouldn’t be giving 95 million US tax dollars to assist Omar al-Bashir pretend he is leading a free and fair election this April 11.
In Foreign Policy Magazine in “How Genocide Became a National Security Threat” by Abramowitz and Woocher, it reads“Genocide's negative consequences for the United States are increasingly plain. Mass violence destabilizes countries and entire regions, threatening to spread trafficking in drugs, arms, and persons, as well as infectious disease pandemics and youth radicalization. When prevention fails, the United States invariably foots much of the bill for post-atrocity relief and peacekeeping operations - to the tune of billions of dollars. And even as Washington is paying, America's soft power is depleted when the world's only superpower stands idle while innocents are systematically slaughtered.”
It is in our best interest to stop soft shoeing around the “crimes against humanity and war crimes’ criminally charged President Bashir of Sudan.It is time to stay true to your words: "The United States has a moral obligation anytime you see humanitarian catastrophes. We can't say 'never again' and then allow it to happen again and as President of the United States I don't intend to abandon people or turn a blind eye to slaughter.”
Not only are we US citizens, who speak up on this deeply defining issue watching your actions and lack of actions regarding this, but those directly effected by your lack of leadership are well aware of what you have said versus what you have done about Darfur and Sudan.It only leaves me to wonder if you genuinely care.And as one who volunteered for your campaign for weeks, stepping outside of my comfort zone to go door to door for you to become our President, I am truly disappointed.
Mr. Gration is not working out in his role as US Special Envoy to Sudan.The marginalized Sudanese people that most need help have no confidence in him.And the longer you have him in this position, the less confidence they have in you.
And the Sudan Policy Review is a mystery, lacking transparency and accountability.Since, the Sudan Policy’s quarterly review just happened, we should be able to see some actions, as a result. Sudan has clearly violated benchmarks, and your policy promised consequences if and when this happens. The “unstinting resolve” that you, President Obama, promised regarding Darfur is at best, thin resolve.
I would like to see some resolve to show some engagement on this issue.Your leadership is needed and could make a world of difference to the indifference so far the world has shown.
Where there is a will, there is always a way and where there isn’t a will, there is never a way. Let’s have the courage to use political will to make a change.Change we can believe in.
Sincerely yours, Sandra Hammel Use Your Voice to Stop Genocide RI Leading Rhode Island 2010 in Sudan Sham 2010 campaign
GENOCIDE WILL only STOP WITH US - Our leaders have taught us this
Jenn Marlowe, author and director of the film Darfur Diaries book signing
just before the screening of the film by the same name.
I ONCE WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER IN BARACK OBAMA
When Barack Obama was campaigning for the job he now has, I watched him closely. I worked (volunteered) for the first political candidate in my life - Barack Obama. I went outside my zone of comfort and went door to door in New Hampshire for a week and also in Rhode Island. I was shoved done the road by one citizen in New Hampshire after knocking on his house's door. I phone banked in New Hampshire and New Jersey. I sent in many checks for his campaign even though I really couldn't afford to do so. I remember him saying if we thought he was wrong, once President, that he wanted us to tell him. I remember him saying " I will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear".
He has morphed into something other than what he presented to us as a candidate.
I am a community activist leader to prevent and stop genocide and have been since 2004. When Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator he said all the right things about Darfur. Now, that he is President, he has not.
He has not told us what we need to hear, but more what we want to hear. Too many times.
Leadership is more than getting people into a room, which he has said repeatedly is his strength. I believe he needs to be a leader that is directly involved regarding Darfur and Sudan. Not just someone in the room with others. He needs to Be The Leader in this defining issue. He kept saying "this is our defining moment". Well, I believe there is no more defining issue than what we will and won't say and do regarding genocide. It says a lot that he has let seven months go by and has said very little about Darfur. And he has done even less. And that little he has done because we activists have pressured him. He only appointed the U.S. Special Envoy because we pressed him to appoint someone. And U.S. Special Envoy Scott Gration has been a huge disappointment. General Gration’s explanation of his incentives-heavy approach:
"We've got to think about giving out cookies," said Gration, who was appointed in March. "Kids, countries, they react to gold stars, smiley faces, handshakes, agreements, talk, engagement. Source: cookies-khartoum
I also think that Mr. Obama's whole life has been about being conciliatory. And now, since President, I think it can be his weakness. He needs to lead. And by that, I mean he needs to take stronger stands, the kinds he said he would take while running for President.
US-BASED DARFURIS CALL ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO REPLACE SPECIAL ENVOY GRATION Read the article
Sudan's state-sponsored pyromania Militias burn rebellious villages in southern Sudan. What will the U.S. do? Link to article Los Angeles Times Opinion
By John Prendergast
"For the past seven months, President Obama's special envoy to Sudan, Maj. General Scott Gration, has led the U.S. response to Sudan's multiple challenges - ongoing humanitarian crisis and political deadlock in Darfur, growing tension between North and South over a 2005 peace deal that is largely unimplemented, and increasing violence in the South in which Khartoum seemingly has a hand. Absent an official policy line, General Gration has had the leeway to implement an approach that many longtime Sudan watchers, including Enough, feel is inappropriately soft on Khartoum.
Today, at 9 a.m. EST Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, and General Gration unveiled the official U.S. policy toward Sudan. They called for a mixture of 'incentives and pressures,' enabling the U.S. to take a more conciliatory stance toward Khartoum if verifiable progress is made toward tackling its various challenges." Text from an email received today from:http://www.enoughproject.org/
I'm not sure why the embed isn't working here. If you go to the following link, it will take you to the video: See the announcement from today, October 19, 2009 of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, talked about U.S. policy toward Sudan. The Obama administration began a policy review of policy in March.
My name is ______________ and I wanted to thank President Obama for releasing his plan to bring peace to Darfur and Sudan.
I am calling to ask that President Obama stick by his word and maintain his commitment to generate multilateral support for both incentives and pressures on Khartoum to create concrete and lasting progress towards peace in Darfur and Sudan.
I expect President Obama will exhibit personal leadership and take an active role in seeing this policy through by bringing up Sudan with Chinese President Hu Jintao during his trip to China, as well as with other heads of state.
Genocide Intervention Network has created the first anti-genocide hotline. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE and enter in your zip code and be connected directly to your elected officials for free.
The hotline will provide you with up-to-date talking points related to current Darfur legislation and other actions your elected officials can take to help end the genocide. Call today and make Darfur a top priority for your representative, senators and the White House.
Click on a link below to view talking points for the appropriate elected representative:
On October 19, 2009, the Obama administration released is policy toward Sudan. This is a video response and call to action from Genocide Intervention Network Executive Director Sam Bell. Uploaded by genocideintervention From genocideinterventionchannel
EL FASHER (31 July, 2009) – The leaders of the Internally Displaced People groups (IDPs) in Darfur have refused to cooperate in ‘voluntarily return programmes’ initiated by the government. After their refusal, local security officers came to El Gereida camp (South Darfur) and have arrested three IDP-leaders during the last three days. The leaders were approached by a local committee formed by the government authorities. They explained to the committee that they are not willing to return to their villages unless full security has been restored and the issues of compensation for lost properties and disarmament of militias have been resolved. The names of the detained leaders are Ali Abdel Nagi, Abdallah Mohammed Ibrahim and Mohammed Gamar al Din, all three from Al Gereida camp. The IDP leaders in El Geneina (Rhyad-camp) also told Radio Dabanga that they were approached by a similar type of government committee to return their people, but they refused to discuss since they discovered that their villages and land is already occupied by new settlers. The Abu Shok displaced community near El Fasher also refused to participate in any operation to return their people to the home areas. Sudan has signed international conventions that prohibit any forced return for displaced people and refugees.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Mohamed Suleiman:
The " Voluntary Return" program is one of the plans Gen. Scott Gration is pushing for. This is GoS - Government of Sudan - plan to dismantle the IDP - Internally Dispaced Persons - camps in a hurry to derail the ICC - International Criminal Court - warrant of arrest.
General Gration a few weeks ago in the camp of Kass asked the refugees to return to their villages to catch with the rainy season to farm the lands. The IDP leaders told him that their lands are occupied by the pro-GoS militias.
IDPs are accusing the national NGOs in Darfur ‘to merchandise their sufferings’, while gaining large amounts of money for their own benefits. One IDP leader in Abu Shouk camp told Radio Dabanga in detail how Zubair Charity is marketing the suffering of the IDPs to receive considerable money to siphon it. He says that the Zubair organization brought clothing for 2000 people. The packs were well wrapped and brought to the camp leaders. The charity stayed until they were filmed and photographed, but left before they unpacked the aid. After opening the parcels the clothes were dilapidated and turned out to be rags. After asking for explanation, the Zubair Charity refused to come back. The national aid campaign by Sudanese NGO’s started after 13 international NGOs were expelled from Darfur after the indictment of President Omar al Bashir.
Here is my latest (fourth) letter to our President about Darfur. Yes, it gets personal. But, I really don't know if it matters. He doesn't read these letters, but someone hopefully does. And I just wrote in my stream style of writing. I'm sending it the old-fashioned way - with a stamp.
April 30, 2009
GENOCIDE FLOURISHES WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction of an ethnic, religious or national group.
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
In Darfuri refugee camps, that are fortunate to be in Chad since March 4, 2009, the following rations are for one month for a family of five:
2.5 ounces of salt 6 cups of sugar 11 lbs of cereal 8 cups of oil 25 cups of yellow split peas 70 lbs of sorghum grain
I fasted today along with hundreds of others for the Darfuri people. I noticed I had no energy and I was tired. I couldn’t go about my yard work as was on my list of things to do. And this was only for a single day. The Darfuri children and adults do this every day for years now. And those are the fortunate ones who aren’t inside the Sudanese borders where no food, no water and no medical attention is getting to one million of our brothers and sisters. As I am sure you know, since March 4, 2009, the humanitarian agencies’ aid workers have been forced out by the very President who made it necessary for them to come to Sudan in the first place.
On this day of chosen fasting, on rations that I would have as a Darfuri refugee in camp Djabal, the irony for me was that, I was in my local grocery store shopping for food to take home and put in my refrigerator and cupboards. The rations that I was to live on today are the following:
Cracked Wheat - Daily, 7 oz. (weight not volume) (686 Calories) Farina Wheat Cereal - Daily - 1.17 oz (weight not volume) (123 Calories) Yellow Split Peas - Daily 1/6 Cup (82 Calories) Oil - Daily 2.4 TSPNs (96 Calories) Sugar - Daily 2 TSPNs (30 Calories) Salt - Daily 1/10 Teaspoon per day. Total of 1,017 Calories
President Obama, I am shocked over your administration’s lack of leadership regarding Darfuri families. Extermination by dehydration, starvation and diseases of cholera, meningitis and diarrhea are already happening increasingly since March 4, 2009.
Hearing what our Special Envoy Gration said on his trip to Khartoum recently, I find myself in disbelief. Gration used the word “friendship” when referring to a man you said was behind the genocide on his own people. Is diplomacy with the perpetrators of the genocide really going to be your policy for ending a genocide? You are a smart man and I am sure you know the history of Bashir saying one thing and doing another. Why are you disregarding the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant out for President Bashir and his genocide associated crimes?
How can you believe that we can affectively use diplomacy with a génocidaire? When you ran for President, you said you wanted, we the people, to let you know when you are wrong. You are wrong. You are wrong because you are not taking the lead on handling the Darfuris situation. You are wrong because your administration is talking as if Bashir is a rational human being who can have a shred of trustworthiness. We need your leadership regarding Sudan and the Darfuri families. We need your leadership for the short term. We need it for the long term. We need you to be the man you claim to be on this defining issue. It defines us because of what you choose to do and what you choose not to do. I don’t want to be defined by another administration who says “never again” and means it only in the terms of what sounds good in the immediate moment.
"The United States has a moral obligation anytime you see humanitarian catastrophes...We can't say 'never again' and then allow it to happen again and as President of the United States I don't intend to abandon people or turn a blind eye to slaughter.” Barack Obama http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEd583-fA8M Where is this man? I would stand with him in any kind of storm.
Darfur and genocide are deeply important issues to me. For the first time in my life, I volunteered for a candidate this past election. And it was for you. I remember being so disappointed January 8, 2008, when we all expected to be at the Primary Night Party in Nashua South High School celebrating a victory. As a volunteer I was in a special section, and was standing where you and Michelle entered and exited that night. It was the “Yes We Can” night. I remember the rhythm of the first and second “Yes We Cans” and knew you were going to keep up the rhythm for a rousing acceleration. I remember calling out to you as you exited, “Good-bye, President Obama!” Irish TV requested to interview me on camera that night and their reporter asked me why I was for you and not the other candidates. My answer was that you weren’t promising to solve our problems for us, but calling us to get involved and solve the problems along side you. My picture was taken by AP and shown in many newspapers across the country, as well as on many websites – a picture of my response to watching CNN on the big screen when you edged closer to Hillary Clinton. When the photographer section ask for my name, I handed them my Save Darfur card.
I believed what you said in your interview with the Save Darfur Coalition (which by the way isn’t solely made up of high school and college age students), and is still on Youtube. We need you to be engaged as you led us to believe you would be.
Following Gration to Khartoum and representing you, was Senator John Kerry, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. When I volunteered for the “Obama for America” campaign, I was asked to introduce Senator John Kerry to the Obama volunteers in the Newport, Rhode Island Obama campaign office at the corner of Thames and Memorial. One thing I noticed as I volunteered for you and spoke of that day was the impression the young people have made on me. Made while volunteering along side them for your candidacy and also for the work that http://www.StandNow.org does for Darfuri families to survive a genocidal government. The young people are standing up and being counted for what is important. And Darfur is important. And the story defines us as a nation and a human race. It is a more defining issue than our economy crisis.
Senator Kerry signaled on his recent April Sudan trip, that the USA is prepared to grant Khartoum what it has wanted for years – the removal from the USA list of state sponsors of terrorism. “Kerry, who says a new dialogue has been brought about by Obama's special Sudan envoy Scott Gration, suggested diplomacy could eventually result in a lifting of sanctions against Sudan and its removal from a US list of state sponsors of terrorism. ‘Absolutely. That is entirely on the table. I can't tell you when, that's a decision President Obama makes,’ said Kerry.” (Reuters [dateline: el-Fasher], April 17, 2009)
President Obama, it frightens me that this talk may be true. If you are serious, then I want my dissenting voice to be clear. I believe you are wrong to shake hands with a génocidaire and to try to be “friends” with him. And I believe you are wrong to think you can trust Omar al-Bashir. He has never shown he is trustworthy. I don’t believe he is going to change because you have the gift of bringing people together. I feel like the man I thought you were has deserted me. When I first signed on to your “Obama for America” website, my page stated one thing: I am for Barack Obama for President because I believe he will make a difference and end the genocide on the unarmed Darfuri families.
Please remember Martin Luther King’s words: “In the end, we remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” And Elie Wiesel’s words "...to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all..." The collective indifference to this human disaster is numbing and stunning. Words mean something. But so do our inactions.
Please go out on a limb and do what is right regarding our humanity. We who believe in our goodness as a human race will be right there with you.
Sincerely,
In the month of April – Genocide Prevention Month there were 450 ACT NOW FOR DARFUR events across the USA – Youtube link of our Rhode Island event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQH-BIS4taE
Included in the text with our Youtube video:
MALNUTRITION When food is not readily available, the body is thrown off balance, which results in weight loss from the digestion of body fat first, then muscle, then vital organs to keep the body alive.
With extreme malnutrition comes starvation. The skin hangs on the body, the facial contours change with temple wasting as a giveaway sign. Hair begins to lose pigment, thin, and then fall out. The person becomes so weak that appetite is radically diminished: the effort to eat and the energy needed to digest exceed bodily strength. Lethargy, apathy and onset of opportunistic diseases (bacterial, parasitic) besiege the helpless system.
In open circumstances, such as starving populations, disease usually kills first.
Kwashiorkor is a disease of children caused by protein deficiency in malnutrition. Signs of this are orange hair, swollen bellies from liver disease, vomiting, diarrhea (which contains undigested food), ulcerated peeling skin and sloughing of tissue/development of ulcers throughout the digestive tract. Extreme pain is present. The ulcers are entry points for bacteria and death usually occurs from overwhelming infection.
THIRST AND DEHYDRATION Thirst drives a person to consume fluids of all types and juicy foods to make up the deficit.Unless fluid intake is successful, signs of dehydration occur, the most obvious of which is tenting. Gently pinching up a bit of flesh on the back of the hand creates a small tent which should fill and sink back if all is well. If there is dehydration, the tent stays up.
Sudden life-threatening dehydration brings on cholera. A healthy adult can die from cholera in 2-6 hours because of the acute and massive diarrhea it causes. There is no effective vaccine and antibiotics do not act quickly enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Is President Obama’s Sudan Policy Becoming One of Capitulation?” www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article31042 The Sudan Tribune By Eric Reeves April 28, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Write to President Obama http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Tell him we need his leadership for the short and long run on the issue of genocide and the 6 year old genocide on the unarmed Darfuri civilians, families.
President Obama can be called: 202-456-1111 or 1-800-GENOCIDE
To join Darfur Fast for Life for one day or more, send an e-mail to join@fastdarfur.org with your name, date(s) fasting, hometown, and form of fasting you will participate in (water only or refugee rations). Please be sure to check with your doctor, if you intend on doing any extended form of fasting.
Water only fast
In this fast only water is consumed.
Refugee rations fast
Cracked Wheat- Daily, 7 oz. (weight not volume) (686 Calories) Farina Wheat Cereal - Daily - 1.17 oz (weight not volume) (123 Calories) Yellow Split Peas - Daily 1/6 Cup (82 Calories) Oil - Daily 2.4 TSPNs (96 Calories) Sugar - Daily 2 TSPNs (30 Calories) Salt - Daily 1/10 Teaspoon per day.
Total of 1,017 Calories
People Fasting in Solidarity are listed at fastdarfur.org
Darfur Fast for Life was created so that you and many more around the world can participate in saying no to the status quo on Darfur. Mia will be blogging here and at MiaFarrow.org. Others will join by participating in water-only and/or “refugee rations” fasts to bring attention to the immediate humanitarian crisis in Darfur created by the expulsion of aid organizations by the government of Sudan. Darfur Fast for Life demands from our leaders around the world to be ambitious and work on creating lasting peace in Sudan and guaranteeing the respect for the human rights of all.Darfur Fast for Life
I love my life. I love where I live. And I am passionate about my passions. I love to dance. Necessary to live: music, piano, singing, writing, acting, painting.
I have been fighting for and supporting the arts all my adult life. Since 2004, I have been working with other activists to end the Darfur genocide.
I have traveled to Europe many times since my early twenties. Places I have been: many USA states including Hawaii, Montreal, Canada, Barbados, France, Spain, Luxembourg, England, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Germany - and have wonderful memories.
My last trip was in May - June 2013 to Spain.
I would like to travel to Europe and Kyoto, Japan.
I love the southwest where I have visited Hopi, Navajo, Zia and San Idlefonso potters.
Life is exciting and I intend to live it full-out to the end.
B.S. and M.M., both in music
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Khartoum, Sudan Stop Genocide Time
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Spain Time
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Melbourne Time
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Hawaii Time
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RAFA NADAL -BRING BACK LONG PANTS - SLEEVELESS TOPS
Double Click on Videos to Enlarge
Darfur - The Abandoned Genocide - a video by Sandra Hammel
Want to help? Call 1~800~GENOCIDE
"May I Suggest" by Susan Werner
Satchita - Playing for Change
Stand By Me ~ Playing for Change
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Genocide is not only a word,
it is crying of the whole human race.
There is nothing redeeming about being silent
when speaking up is the humane thing to do.
The honor and integrity of the human race is at stake.
