❧❧❧ 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 ❧❧❧
Darfuri Refugee LIVE Town Hall Meeting Sunday, Dec 12 at 10:00 a.m. USA EST. Join in a live conversation with Darfuri refugees from Camp Djabal, a refugee camp in eastern Chad. Participate in the meeting by sending questions. They have now lived as refugees for over seven years, and the violence and destruction continues in their lands. www.iactivism.org/2010/12/darfuri-refugee-town-hall
Check out the videos being uploaded from Camp Djabal - video taken by the youth at the camp vimeo.com/iactivism/videos Great opportunity to see the camp through their lens.
Katie-Jay, Gabriel and James are at Darfuri refugee, Camp Djabal in Chad. This is their 9th trip.
On Sunday, they are going to make available to us a Live Town Hall Meeting with the Darfuris there, who are living in exile during the genocide supported by Sudanese President Omar al Bashir. Sunday, December 12th, 2010. Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am USA, Eastern Time. 4:00 pm in Camp Djabal. Watch here on Sunday ~ iactivism.org
.................................................. Getting to a Darfuri refugee camp on the Chad and Sudan border is not easy.
President Omar al Bashir denies the stories these pictures express. The children draw what has happened to them.
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How long is too long for the world to tolerate genocide, and tolerate not only forced child labor, but forcing children to be child soldiers?
President Obama grants waivers to Chad, the Congo, Sudan, and Yemen, which use child soldiers but are strategically important to the US. The waivers mean military aid will continue.
As a senator, Barack Obama supported legislation requiring the United States to cut off military aid to countries recruiting and deploying child soldiers.
This week as president, Mr. Obama acted to ensure that four countries found to use child soldiers – but which are also considered key national security interests – do not lose their US military assistance. Obama heeded the recommendation of a State Department review and waived application of a year-old law on child soldiers in the case of Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Yemen.
In a Oct. 25 presidential memorandum, Obama said he had “determined that it is in the national interest of the United States” to waive application of the Child Soldiers Prevention Act for the four countries.
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images AsiaPac Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images AsiaPac
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates match against James Blake of the United States during the 2009 Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 at Qi Zhong Tennis Centre on October 14, 2009 in Shanghai, China. Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images AsiaPac
Photo credit by Victor Fraile/Getty Images AsiaPac
Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after winning his match against James Blake of the United States during day four of 2009 Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre on October 14, 2009 in Shanghai, China. Photo credit by Victor Fraile/Getty Images AsiaPac
Photo credit by Victor Fraile/Getty Images AsiaPac
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First things belong first, not last or never
Darfur needs attention from those with freedom of speech ........................................................
........................................................ Keeping Your Word ~ apparently isn't a priority to the Obama administration Sorry to have to say so. Uploaded bydontgiveupondarfur
- GoS (Government of Sudan) is intent to close down the Kalma IDP (Internally-Displaced-People) people, reported a refugee to Radio Dabanga. The refugee said that the GoS has introduced lately rules and regulations that will result in fear and starvation in the camp. The refugee, who sounded educated, said to Radio Dabanga that these rules and regulations will affect the security inside the camp and will slow down the flow of food and other necessary goods into the camp.
- Security forces opened fire on a vehicle carrying civilians and wounded 4 passengers, reported Radio Dabanga. The vhicle was traveling from IDP_ camp of Alsalam and Nyala in south Darfur when, with no apparent reason, security forces opened fire on the vehicle wounding 4 people among them a 5 months child in the lap of his mother, the mother to Radio Dabanga. It is reported that the injury of the child was on the head and was very serious.
- IDP leaders in the camps of Shaddad and Ottash met yesterday with some NGOs and complaint about lack of blankets (winter is approaching), food, education materials, and other necessary items, reported Radio Dabanga.
PRESS RELEASE
US-BASED DARFURIS CALL ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO REPLACE SPECIAL ENVOY GRATION
In open letter to President, Darfuris express grave concern about direction of US policy on Sudan
CITIES NATIONWIDE – October 12, 2009 – Today Darfuri organizations representing over 1000 Darfuris who live throughout the United States called on President Obama to replace Special Envoy Major General Scott Gration. In an open letter to the President, the Darfuris expressed their grave concern about the recent attacks in Darfur and the direction of US policy under Special Envoy Gration. Copies of the letter were also sent to key decision makers in the Administration and on Capitol Hill, and a translated version has been disseminated to foreign media outlets. (Full text of letter and list of signatories are below.) The letter states:
“Given the track record in the past nine months, we believe that the violence, terror, death rates in Darfur are greater after the appointment of Major General Scott Gration as Special Envoy than before his appointment. The good-intentioned yet soft approach of the General towards the Government of Sudan is abused and exploited by a regime that has continued to rule Sudan with fire and blood throughout the last twenty years. The Darfuris and the Southern Sudanese are the ones who are paying the price now. Major General Scott Gration, after hearing the complaints of the victims in the camps, is stubbornly staying the course of treating the government of the killers of our people, with the same soft approach. Not even a public condemnation of the latest round of violence in Darfur is heard from his office.
We, the undersigned, in order to save the lives of our people in Darfur, respectfully request from your excellency that Major General Gration be relieved from his post as Special Envoy to Sudan. We hope that a candidate who has better understanding of dealing with the Government of Sudan will replace him.”
According to Mohamed Suleiman, spokesman for the group, the Darfuris in United States of America believe that the current U.S. policy carried out by the U.S. Special Envoy is futile. “We believe that the current soft approach policy towards the regime in Khartoum by the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Major General Scott Gration, has emboldened the government of Sudan which is headed by a President who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court to commit further atrocities against our people in Darfur. We understand that the selection process of the next candidate for this post may take time, yet we believe that having the post vacant is greater deterrent to Khartoum regime than having Major General Gration in the post. . “In Darfur we have lost already more than 400 thousands and the numbers are climbing. Worse than Rwanda, the Government of Sudan is holding now 3 millions Darfuris as hostages in the refugees’ camps. It is not wise to wait for something terrible to happen to our people to prove that the policy of Major General Gration is wrong,” stated Suleiman.
FULL TEXT OF October 12 LETTER
October 12, 2009
The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500
cc: Vice President Joseph Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ambassador Susan Rice, Senator John S. Kerry, Senator Richard G. Lugar
Dear President Obama,
We, Darfuris in the United States of America, write to you with grave alarm and concern about the latest news coming from our native land, Darfur. The Government of Sudan is brutally taking advantage of the fact that the world is turning numb to the news of atrocities occurring in Darfur and is now wreaking havoc in North and West Darfur.
At the end of last month, the Government of Sudan mounted fresh attacks on our people in the areas of Korma, Ain Siero, Jabal Marra, and Miliet. The news we get from our people is that the Government used the now familiar tactics: Antonov aerial bombings, Janjaweed attacks on civilians, burning, looting, raping, and savage killings. The news is chillingly so familiar that it escaped the attention of the news media and the international community. This familiar method of executing genocide in Darfur in a fresh wave of violence is an evil, clever way for the Government of Sudan to hide its crimes in the open.
Yet there is a fresh Darfuri blood spilled over the hills and valleys of Darfur as recently as last week. The society is further destroyed. Now even those who are fleeing the hellish killing fields are prevented from reaching the camps or the large towns and cities. In these recent attacks, the Government of Sudan has unleashed its surrogate militias, the Janjaweed, to block the trails and ways that lead from Korma to the major refugees’ camps or cities like ElFasher. Many civilians are stranded in the mountains and hills between Korma and ElFasher with little food and water.
Last month, our beleaguered people in the Internally-Displaced-Persons (IDPs) camps near ElFasher met with your Special Envoy Major General Scott Gration. Despite the heavy presence of the government’s security agents, our people braved the authority of the Government of Sudan and told your Special Envoy that his current approach in handling the Darfur problem is simply wrong and deadly. They called on you from their camps to replace your current Special Envoy.
We whole-heartedly agree with our people in Darfur. They are the ones who are paying the price with the loss of their lives almost daily by a government that committed and still is committing genocide against them.
Given the track record in the past nine months, we believe that the violence, terror, death rates in Darfur are greater after the appointment of Major General Scott Gration as Special Envoy than before his appointment. The good-intentioned yet soft approach of the General towards the Government of Sudan is abused and exploited by a regime that has continued to rule Sudan with fire and blood throughout the last twenty years. The Darfuris and the Southern Sudanese are the ones who are paying the price now. Major General Scott Gration, after hearing the complaints of the victims in the camps, is stubbornly staying the course of treating the government of the killers of our people, with the same soft approach. Not even a public condemnation of the latest round of violence in Darfur is heard from his office.
We, the undersigned, in order to save the lives of our people in Darfur, respectfully request from your excellency that Major General Gration be relieved from his post as Special Envoy to Sudan. We hope that a candidate who has better understanding of dealing with the Government of Sudan will replace him.
Truly yours,
Darfur Reconciliation and Development Organization Adeeb Yousif, Founder & Chairperson Zalingei-West Darfur and San Francisco – California
Fur Cultural Revival Mansour Ahmed, President Portland, Maine
San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition Mohamed E. Suleiman, Member Executive Committee San Francisco, California
Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy Mohamed Yahya, Founder and Executive Director Washington, D.C.
Darfur Human Rights Organization of the USA Abdelgabar Adam, President Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Darfur Human Rights Organization of the USA Garelnabi Abbass Abusikin, Director of Operations Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Darfur People’s Association of New York Bushara Dosa, President New York, New York
Darfur Renaissance Association Ismail Omer Ibrahim, Executive Director Dallas, Texas
Darfur Working Group Dr. Badawi Osman Washington, D.C. Rahama Deffallah Brooklyn, NY
Fatima M. Haroun Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mahdi Musa Nouk Fort Wayne, Indiana
Ibrahim Hamid Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Motasim Adam Brooklyn, New York
Yahya Osman New Jersey
Eltayeb M. Ibrahim San Jose, California
Sabah Ibrahim Springfield, Virginia
Isam Omer Brooklyn, New York
Hamzah Ibrahim Brooklyn, New York
The letter of U.S. Darfuris to President Obama has picked up some interest in the media, English and Arabic.
The Alarabia satellite news TV interviewed some of those who signed the letter. U.S. based Radio Afia Darfur interviewed some of those who signed the letter. Mohamed Suleiman was interviewed by Voice of America. The interview will be aired tomorrow and will appear also on their website.
blogfordarfur.org "The Most Important Office is That of Private Citizen" Louis D. Brandeis Comments to President Obama: 202-456-1111 or 1-800-GENOCIDE Join the Fast for Darfuris "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
Poems from my past time, here. . . . just know that I'm not in the mood of these poems, at the present time. I am in such a great place in my life, now.
Justified Anger
I’m tired.
I’m tired of thinking that everyone knows better than me.
I’m tired of feeling drained by the love I’ve never been extended.
I don’t want my own self-pity.
In my mind I constantly attempt to justify that what I feel,
what I think,
what I reason,
with so much contemplation,
while trying so hard to be fair to everyone else.
I am constantly wantingSOMEONEto see the good in me.
But everyone that I have poured so much heart into
has just turned their backs on me.
I cried every day.
Tonight I have been crying slow hot tears,
crying overpowering, intense tears, feeling a big sucking hole in my chest.
I hurt
And nobody cares, but me.
I think my pain is okay.
My pain is right.
I don’t owe anyone justification for this hurt.
He cuts my spirit up.
All of the things that I have done to make a connection to him have simply failed.
I am devastated by him.
Stunned.
If he intentionally mapped out a plan to break my heart, he couldn’t have been smoother.
Hills can be obstacles or glorious delight. When a child asks about God, what God do we name?
Someone 'up there' . . . ? an invisible person . . . ?
Why not answer with the experience of love wonder creativity that invites children to discover something new in themselves for whatever opens us to become more human is flesh of the God we can know.
. . . . . . Instead of asking: 'How should I pray?' we should ask: 'How can I grow?' How do I touch what is most real in myself and others -
That something which ties us into the world and life?
How do we open out to a sight a touch a whisper of joy up and down the spine - Drawing these into our faith-experience of God-with-us?
Why not let life itself teach us how to pray? Developing a 'feel for life' is developing a 'feel for God.'
. . . . . . God touches us in the same way that the world and other people touch us -
Calling, inviting us to become more open, to become more human.
If we answer with all that we are - and hope to be -
then to live
is to live in faith
that we have found and are at one with an incarnate God.
The meadow is not God you are not God the patterned morning freshness is not God.
BUT to O P E N ... Y O U R S E L F
to meadow and morning, to what is before you is to find Emmanuel, to know God-with-us
as life in the moment.
We know this in moments of beauty. . . "
from the book "Please Touch" by Edwin M. McMahon and Peter A. Campbell
>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>: "to believe in God is to know the thing you are shall make you live and it will never make you do anything less. . . . . .
to believe in God is to be one of those kids who just refuses to grow up and get older and older and die forever."
from Joseph Pintauro's little book "to believe in god", illustrated by Sister Corita Kent
“We are All the Keepers of Justice. . . . . . OR not.” Sandra Hammel, aka ilovemylife :>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>: peacepeacepeacepeacewillnotworkifjustonemanaliveisunjustignoranthungrycrazyashamed Joseph Pintauro :>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>: "The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive." St. Irenaeus of Lyons :>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:
"We think of religious activity as directed toward God - instead of man. We believe in someone divine rather than in ourselves. Maybe we have turned religion inside-out." Please Touch Edwin M. McMahon & Peter A. Campbell "The strong can not expect the weak to placate them and call it healing." Sandra Hammel, aka ilovemylife :>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:
Let's do more than love the movie, "AMAZING GRACE". Let us be inspired to act. To act with our own "will" and "force" of passion, conviction and knowing the truth.
“Loose Change to Loosen Chains” Use your loose change to free slaves around the world. Email Zach Hunter, a fifteen year old, who wants to put an end to world-wide slavery Tell him know what you are doing in your community to end slavery: contact@theamazingchange.com
His website: http://www.myspace.com/amazingchange :>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>>:>:>: REAL "news" is that the Genocide in Darfur, Sudan is Four Years Old February 2007. Divest all mutual funds from Sudan http://www.genocideintervention.net/ Use Your Voice & YOUR Amazing Grace to Stand Up & Stand Out Against Human to Human Disaster = Genocide. Being Human means being Amazing with Grace
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.
