Darfur, we all should do what we can to help

[Vogelgrippe]

Darfur issue is mostly realted with the control of valuable land. The african muslims live on such lands, and the Janjavit Arabic SUdanese(Who are supported by government) want their land, so the government supports Janjavits to ethniccally cleanse Darfour's natives who are also muslims.


Again Christian issue is seperate, and there is a ceasefire with the Christian seperatists in the south, and Sudan has limited control in the south.

Turkey helps out Darfour region to solve the humanitarian crisis.

Thank you for the info and correction. It turns out I was wrongly and unnecessarily proud of Turkish government to support the cause of a Christian minority persecuted by Moslems.

I am still glad that Turkey is helping out to solve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. However, I was to naive and optimistic to think that AKP would show such care & sensitivity toward non-Moslems as well.

[Joseph]

The caricature certainly makes a good point.

I have not been to, nor talked to an expert in Sudanese matters. But according to all I have read, you seem to be right. Probably the poor Sudanese Christians are paying the price for the attrocities committed by Israelis, Russians, and Americans on Moslems. I am afraid that the Western world tries to assuage Moslem rage, and openly tolerates the killings of Sudanes Christians by Sudanes Arabs supported by the Egyptian government.

In addition to this religious vendetta factor in the Sudanese genocide, there is also the more terrifying racist aspect. Otherwise, who in his/her right mind could claim that the world would stand by and watch if the victims were white & European or American Christians? What a pity.

I agree with you 100% on your explanation.

[TurQ]

Well right now that issue is kind of settled(At least for 4-5 year s ago), and in past Turkey asked Sudan to act accordingly towards the Sudanese Christians and solve the problem peacefully. They had a civil war, southern christian militias vs Sudanese army. Darfur issue is totally different, it is an ethnic cleansing policy.
The problem in Darfur and the problem in the south are not comparible in terms of human tragedy.

And 4-5 years back TUrkey had its own internal problems, economic crisis, and found little time to deal with problems abroad. But you're right Turkey should pursue consistent and long lasting foreign policies.

Thank you for the info and correction. It turns out I was wrongly and unnecessarily proud of Turkish government to support the cause of a Christian minority persecuted by Moslems.

I am still glad that Turkey is helping out to solve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. However, I was to naive and optimistic to think that AKP would show such care & sensitivity toward non-Moslems as well.

[Gavur]

The Darfur Tragedy : The Islamic World Needs To Speak Out Loudly

Pakistan Link, Abubakr G. Shaikh

New California Media, CA
May 15 2006

The blood-thirsty and the much feared Sudanese militia, known as
Janjawed, has been trained by the Sudanese army with the explicit
purpose of ridding Darfur villages of black Muslims. They race their
camels and machinegun- mounted trucks through the villages, shooting
indiscriminately at the helpless and unarmed villagers. These barbarous
butchers are aided helicopter gunships to maximize the terror and
mayhem so that none could dare to return. Men, women and children
are virtually mowed down without mercy. When the mayhem is complete,
the victims' bodies are dismembered, sprayed with oil and burnt
alongside their huts. The livestock and young women are spared to
be taken away as the war booty. The women are routinely kidnapped,
raped and enslaved as serfs and domestic servants. They tend the
farms and cattle of the brown skinned Arabs and satisfy their lust
and give birth to the Arab progeny to replace the black population.

Slavery is an ugly blot on the Islamic faith. Despite the immense
compassion shown by the holy Prophet, peace be upon him, for the
oppressed, poor and children, it is an irony that slavery is still part
of the Sharia. The glorious Qur'an says: "O mankind We have created you
from a single male and a female and made you into nations and tribes
that you may know one another. Verily the most honorable in you in the
sight of Allah is that who has At-Taqwa (pious and righteous person)
who fear Allah much and love Allah much."(49.13).

Color, creed or caste, does not distinguish a person from the other
in Islam and given that all people are born equal how could slavery
be justified?

The Darfurians have a valid claim on their sacred lands from where
they are being consistently and systematically uprooted. They are the
original natives, not the Arabs whose forefathers came to the region
with a noble cause: delivering the message of peace and not to rule or
drive the Darfurians away from their homelands .They were received
well by their hosts and they in turn served them well. However,
their descendents have followed a path of savagery, prejudice and
hate, breaking every rule of civility, all principles of humanity,
and the basic tenets of Islam.

The merciless genocide has gone on unchecked for the past two years
and while the actual death toll is difficult to estimate, close to
200,000 innocent people have been butchered in this worst scenario
of ethnic cleansing according to some sources - the biggest carnage
after Rwanda and Bosnia. More than two millions have been rendered
homeless. Milovesic must have been wondering in his grave what did
he do to deserve the Hague trial! The United Nations' duplicity and
double standards are also evident from the fact that it actively got
involved in East Timur and Sudan's other conflict based on religion
with its southern region whereas in this conflict based on color
prejudice there are no signs of urgency on the part of the world
body. The world remains cool and impassive because of global oil
interests tainted with the blood of the innocent Darfurians.

In their quest to complete the annihilation of black Muslins,
Sudan's army supported by its notorious militia, continues to chase
and attack refugee camps inside the neighboring country Chad. Sudan
is also accused by the president of Chad to be actively involved
in its nefarious activities to destabilize his regime by providing
aid to rebels to instigate a revolt in Chad. The aim is to install
a proxy government, which in collaboration with Sudan, will wipe out
the entire black Muslim population of Darfur. The only crime of these
unfortunate and helpless people is the color of their skin and their
Islamic faith, Islam, whose basic tenets call for eradication of all
kind of prejudices.

How much longer can they endure and keep their faith in Islam?

Perhaps they must already be thinking of other options for their
survival while the Islamic world remains unmoved. Its silence and
indifference is staggering. The catastrophe is of a colossal nature,
but it has not moved the hearts of 1.2 billion Muslims of the world
who only recently reacted violently to the much less critical issue
of the cartoon controversy. The entire Muslim community from one
end of the globe to the other, erupted in furor, over-reacting to
the controversy in a manner that seemed to suggest that Islam was in
eminent danger. The irrational behavior led to many deaths of innocent
citizens, loss of property and revenue, and contra-productive results
in the form of severe criticism on the conduct of Muslims by the
international press. However, not a single protest march took place
on the massacre and carnage of 200,000 Muslims at the hand of fellow
Muslims in Darfur.

One wonders about the priorities of the Ummah. The Qur'an is very
specific on resolving disputes and making reconciliation between two
Islamic factions. Allah has ordained: "And if two parties or groups
among the believers fall into fighting ,then make peace between them
both and if one of them rebels against the other then fight you against
the one that which rebels till it complies with the command of Allah
then if it complies then make reconciliation between them justly and
be equitable"(49: 9,10) Every big fire starts with a small spark, each
movement is the brainchild of an individual and eventually transforms
into a revolution, every hurricane develops from the buildup of winds
and waves.

Nicholas Kristof, a New York Times columnist and champion of the
oppressed people around the world, has tirelessly raised awareness
on the Darfur genocide in the past two years. The spark now seems
to have developed into a sizeable flame. Here in the United States,
with the steady involvement of the common people, religious leaders,
organizations, human rights activists, college and universities
students - the flame is getting larger every day. In contrast tothe
Muslim world's apathy, the Jewish, Evangelical, Armenian and human
rights organizations are in the forefront of building alliances,
pressure and lobbying groups to get the administration involved in
ending the genocide in Darfur. I had counted more than 60 nationwide
Jewish organizations' names which sponsored a full-page protest in the
Columbus Dispatch, the leading newspaper of Ohio on the insensitivity
of the Bush administration to the Darfur genocide. I am sure similar
protest ads must have appeared in all major newspapers nationwide. The
Jews' sensitivity reflects their having suffered the worst genocide
in human history. This movement is gathering momentum and now has
reached colleges and universities, churches and synagogues. These
groups also arranged a million march to Capital Hill. No name of
any Muslim organization appeared in the protest march nor any public
statements appeared on the subject in any newspaper.

Some hopes have started to build as there are indications that
president Bush might take an initiative to involve UN troops in
Darfur yet nothing concrete has emerged so far. Meanwhile, Sudan
has successfully persuaded South Africa to stay for six more months
in Darfur and delay in handing over charge to the UN. What sinister
motive is behind this move is not clear yet.

One regrets the snail-pace response of the UN and the confounding
apathy of the Muslim world to the unfolding tragedy.

[Gavur]

Those who commit along with those who stand by attrocieties are both from the same family.

[Gondorian]

ghost

First Israel is not commiting any Genocide. Second comparing a few thousand Arabs, many most of whom were killed in military encounters to millions of Africans is insulting to Africans, and reeks of anti-African Bigotry to me. I don't know about you but an African killed for his or her race is not the same as a Hamas Member killed for being a terrorist.

I am pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israeli btw, I support a two state sulloution, in which Israel withdraws to the 1948 borders, and the Palestinians cease all terrorism, and they along with other Arabs cease belligerence.

Unfortunately as it seems one can not point out a clear genocide without needing to cut down an anti-semitic myth that a Genocide comparable to the Holocaust (Which all Genocides are) is being commited by Israel.

However if you truly want to talk about the Middle East which I certainly did not want to do, why don't you talk about the Anfal Campaign (Genocide against the Kurds), or about the election of Hamas (A party that is open about wanting war, genocide and ethnic cleansing), the persecution of Copts in Egypt, or the slaying of Priests in Turkey? It was you who wanted to change the subject was it not?

There is no Genocide going on in Israel, however there is Genocide going in Darfur.

Vogellgripe

You could just as well justify the Armenian Genocide by the Balkan Wars that the Ottomans lost to the native populations in the 19th century. There is never any excuse for Genocide.

Gavur

I agree with what you said.

[Joseph]

ghost

First Israel is not commiting any Genocide. Second comparing a few thousand Arabs, many most of whom were killed in military encounters to millions of Africans is insulting to Africans, and reeks of anti-African Bigotry to me. I don't know about you but an African killed for his or her race is not the same as a Hamas Member killed for being a terrorist.

I am pro-Palestinian and Pro-Israeli btw, I support a two state sulloution, in which Israel withdraws to the 1948 borders, and the Palestinians cease all terrorism, and they along with other Arabs cease belligerence.

Unfortunately as it seems one can not point out a clear genocide without needing to cut down an anti-semitic myth that a Genocide comparable to the Holocaust (Which all Genocides are) is being commited by Israel.

However if you truly want to talk about the Middle East which I certainly did not want to do, why don't you talk about the Anfal Campaign (Genocide against the Kurds), or about the election of Hamas (A party that is open about wanting war, genocide and ethnic cleansing), the persecution of Copts in Egypt, or the slaying of Priests in Turkey? It was you who wanted to change the subject was it not?

There is no Genocide going on in Israel, however there is Genocide going in Darfur.

Vogellgripe

You could just as well justify the Armenian Genocide by the Balkan Wars that the Ottomans lost to the native populations in the 19th century. There is never any excuse for Genocide.

Gavur

I agree with what you said.

Amen brother. Good post Gondorian.

[Joseph]

Armenians Should be on Forefront of
Efforts to Stop Genocide in Darfur

By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier

On Sunday, May 20, I attended a Darfur Observance Day rally held at the
renowned First AME Church in Los Angeles. The event was co-sponsored by theCity of
Los Angeles, First AME Church, Jewish World Watch and the American Jewish
Committee. More than one thousand guests from all faiths, colors and creedswere
in attendance.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke eloquently calling for the
immediate end of the mass killings of the innocent people of Darfur. The Mayor
referred twice to the Armenian Genocide as the first genocide of the 20th Century.
Janice Kamenir-Reznik, President of the Jewish World Watch (JWW), described
the various efforts of her organization in support of the victims of the
genocide in Darfur. She said that Hitler, emboldened by the world¢s lack of reaction
to the Armenian Genocide, carried out the Holocaust against Jews 20 years
later. Rabbi Harold Schulweis, Founder of JWW, called for action, not just words
or prayers, to stop the mass killings in Darfur. Supportive remarks were also
made by Sherry Weinman and Seth Brysk, the President and Executive Director
respectively of the American Jewish Committee, Los Angeles Chapter, and Rev. Dr.
John J. Hunter, Pastor of the First AME Church.
As the grandson of genocide survivors, I was able to readily identify with
the tragic plight of the people of Darfur. Incredibly, they are going through
what Armenians experienced almost a century ago. The names and faces may be
different, but the brutality and suffering are the same.
The most heart-wrenching testimony was delivered by Mohamed Yahya, Executive
Director of Damanga: Coalition for Freedom and Democracy. He spoke about
losing 21 members of his family in the brutal attack by the Sudanese
government-sponsored Janjaweed militias on his village.
It was heart-warming to see a fellow Armenian, Rev. Berdj Djambazian, on the
altar of the First AME Church, along with other religious and civilian
leaders. He had brought with him a busload of his Armenian parishioners. Armenian
organizations should have co-sponsored this important observance and taken part
in the program. Some Armenian groups, particularly the ANCA, have joined in
other actions supporting the people of Darfur. The time has come for large
numbers of Armenians, not just community leaders, to join the expanding grassroots
movement in the United States to stop the genocide in Darfur.
While fighting against the denial of a past genocide, it is imperative that
Armenians do their utmost to stop a genocide that is happening in our own day.
Already up to 400,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million others
have been driven from their homes. No one understands the plight of these
victims better than the descendants of a past genocide.
Unless people around the globe band together to come to the rescue of those
being attacked today, they themselves may become the next victims of genocide.
As the German Pastor Martin Niemoller astutely observed:
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out -- because I was
not a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out
-- because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I
did not speak out -- because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for
the Jews, and I did not speak out -- because I was not a Jew. Then they came
for me -- and there was no one left to speak out for me."
With each passing day, the oft-repeated slogan, "Never Again," is becoming
more and more devoid of meaning, as genocide keeps re-occurring without any
preemptive or punitive measures undertaken by the international community.
Sympathetic words and lip service cannot stop genocide. Determination and
tough action are necessary to prevent further bloodshed. The killing spree can
only be halted by a credible international force on the ground. There must be a
worldwide groundswell of public support for such action before callous
government leaders would pay attention and stop the killings.
In the meantime, here are some specific actions that everyone can take to
help stop the genocide in Darfur:
-- Write to your elected officials urging the U.S. and U.N. to allocate more
humanitarian aid to the refugees and send an international peacekeeping force
to Sudan.
-- Urge city, county, state and federal officials to divest from any shares
in companies doing business in Sudan;
-- Participate in protest rallies calling for an end to the genocide in
Darfur; and
-- Contribute to the Save Darfur fund (www.savedarfur.org) in order to
provide humanitarian assistance to the refugees who have survived the killings.