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| Fr, Ploem, Kinshasha Congo Presentation |
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While
our eyes are focused on Gaza, the perpetrators of violence are doing their evil deeds elsewhere as well. Please see
the actions below on behalf of Darfur.
Rosemarie
Sharon Silber of YNC
Coalition for Darfur has sent us distressing news about Darfur. Please act on the e-mail and/or writing actions to take
with all possible speed.
January 12, 2009 1. LEARN WHAT IS HAPPENING: NEWS FROM DARFUR:
Last week, we reported that Janjiwid militias were being armed and recruited. Now
bombing of civilian targets has resumed and re-arming continues. A Darfuri activist friend reports:
I got many calls from North Darfur - Area of Anka and Donkey Housh. They said Antonov plane is dropping
bombs for hours. It is circling an area where many villages are. One eyewitness said he could see
fire all over around
Donkey Housh. He said he is afraid that there may be casualties because the
bombing is around a water source (wells)
where natives come with their animals to get water.
Another source said his place is far from the location of bombings
but he can hear and feel the loud
explosions.
Sources in two camps ( Kassap in North Darfur and Shangel
Tobai in central Darfur) said the Government
troops made mock raids on the camps ( stayed outside the camps but took
pictures) two days ago. In Shangel Tobai a gunship helicopter flew over the camp and keptcriss-crossing over the camp
for close to an hour.
Our friend is trying to have Radio Darfur to broadcast this news to alert UNAMID and NGO's in North Darfur.
Another
report from Darfur: I am a Darfurian and Sudanese
human rights defender. I write this letter today in order to urge you to take action to end the six years of violence in Darfur
. Hundreds of people have been killed, hundreds of women raped, hundreds of children abducted, hundreds of villages burned,
hundreds people are currently arrested and a million people have fled their homes. The immediate issues
facing internally displaced peoples (IDPs) are those of survival and protection. According to Dennis McNamara,
Director of the UN Internal Displacement
Division, protection remains a major concern. As a result of the great importance given to national rule, this issue is highly
sensitive and careful handling is required. I am deeply concerned about the Sudanese government having
recently rearmed the Janjaweed militia in the three states of Darfur with new unconventional weapons and also opening a new
training camps in the Garash Northeast of Zalingie, Jebel Jawa, Jebel Kuoyo, Jebel Karago Derasa, Sarafuamra, Mstreha…etc
The main reason for these actions is to threaten and intimidate the IDPs and the international community regarding the accusations
of the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for genocide, crimes
against humanity and war crimes. This has created a situation where most international
organizations and UN agencies evacuated some of their staff out of the country. On the watch of the international
community, the Janjaweed have received renewed support from the Government of Sudan (GoS), where IDPs as well as civilians
feel threatened and concerned about suspected attacks. What I predict will happen in the coming few days are
renewed genocidal attacks against IDPs and civilians that may also be inflicted upon international organizations. GoS is working
on a campaign to organize demonstrations in many towns in Sudan , including Darfur, to stop the ICC process against Bashir and to get international organizations
permanently out of Darfur . I urge you to take immediate action to prevent this uprising of genocide and human rights abuses in Darfur .
Speak to the media; talk to the UN missions in New York; encourage Sudanese authorities to stop distributing, recruiting,
and opening Janjaweed training
camps; urge the Security Council to get involved immediately and create a resolution for a
UNAMID mandate to protect IDPs; implore NGOs on the ground to monitor the situation; send updates to others; tell your government
to get involved; and tell everybody you know that she/he can do something. From jarayousif@gmail.com
NEW YORK 2. NOW ACT: TAKE THE E-ACTIONS BELOW
Sudan President al-Bashir's repeated
threats to escalate violence against, and completely cut off humanitarian aid to, Darfuris and other marginalized people of
Sudan if the International Criminal Court issues the arrest warrant against him, as well as the increasing militarization
of Darfur in preparations for larger attack, remain unanswered by the US, other nations, and the UN.
(The US last week announced an airlift of supplies and personnel in support of the UN/AU Mission in Darfur, Sudan)
I am
writing to thank you for the Bush administration's press announcement this past week that the US government will be airlifting
personnel and supplies in support of the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan. I fully support the airlift,
as well as supporting both reinvigorated diplomatic support of the peace process and more muscular action in
response to Sudanese violations of Security Council resolutions. I am deeply concerned
by reports this week that the Government of Sudan has been re-arming and recruiting additional Janjiwid militias and bombing
civilian centers in North and West Darfur,
and urge that you ensure that the Government of Sudan receive consequences for its current and ongoing attacks on civilians,
humanitarian aid workers and UN personnel. I also urge that you immediately implement
an emergency plan should the Sudanese government carry out its threats in coming days to increase attacks in anticipation
of the indictment of Sudanese President Bashir by the ICC. Sincerely, [your name and address]
E-Action to the Sudanese Mission--It is important that we communicate to the Sudanese
government that their actions are seen by us. Cut and paste the following email and send it to sudan@sudanmission.org.
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding reports this week that the government of Sudan has
been re-arming and recruiting Janjiwid militias and conducting aerial bombardment of civilian targets in North and West Darfur.
I ask that you urge the government of Sudan to stop these actions immediately, as well as all actions intended to harm
civilians, interfere with humanitarian aid and target UN personnel. I will be writing my own government to ask that they take
firm and decisive action if you do not. Respectfully [your name and address]
If you
wish to write and send a letter the address is the following:
Permanent Mission
of the Republic of the Sudan to the United Nations
305 East 47th Street, 3 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 4th Floor, New
York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 573-6033
Telefax: (212) 573-6160
As always, with deep appreciation
for your commitment and action for the people of Darfur.
Remember the book, "Left to Tell"
by Immaculee? She has written another book, "Led by Faith, Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide"
which continues her story of survival and struggle to find meaning and her own purpose after her experience in the Rwandan
holocaust.
Immaculee will give a brief presentation followed by book signing
at the Pauline bookstore, 150 East 52nd Street, Manhattan, on Thursday, Sept. 25th, starting at 1pm.
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