:Title: CRISIS in Sudan/Chad - 2008 :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:32:18 PST :Modified: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:57:11 PST :URL: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/114/ Educate, Advocate and Mobilize. ____________________________________________________ The Crisis in Darfur has now spread significantly into Chad. A military Coup launched against the Chadian Presidency of Idriss Deby at the beginning of February 2008 has seen the capital N'Djamena under heavy fire, NGO and Aid Community staff evacuated and the Refugee Camps inside the Chadian border - home to more than 150,000 Darfuris and internally displaced Chadians - left more vulnerable to open attack than ever before. The following website links will connect you to the most active, engaged and up-to-date information, campaigns and activist groups working together to bring this insanity to an end. * `STOP GENOCIDE NOW 2008`_ **Grass-roots Interactive Global Activism** - Projects include **"i-ACT"** - filmed and reported **directly** from the Refugee Camps of Eastern Chad by `GABRIEL STAURING`_ and `KATIE-JAY SCOTT`_ and the team (including `NINY KHOR`_ ) - and **"Camp Darfur"** - an interactive awareness and education event that brings attention to the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and gives individuals the opportunity to discover their own power to make a difference. A traveling refugee camp coming to your community. * `Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net)`_ `Mark Hanis`_ and the team at Genocide Intervention Network envision a world in which the global community is willing and able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities. The mission is to empower individuals and communities with the tools to prevent and stop genocide. Initiatives and GI-Net supported projects include: * `STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition`_ * `Sudan Targeted Divestment`_: Are your investments funding genocide? * `Darfur Scorecard`_: What is your Representative doing about genocide? * `10 Things`_: Ten things you can do to stop genocide. * `ENOUGH! Project`_ The project to abolish genocide and mass atrocities is an initiative of the Center for American Progress and the International Crisis Group (launched January 30, 2007). Site includes monthly reports, papers and op-eds. * `Save Darfur Coalition`_ An alliance of over 100 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations. Updates, campaigns, blog and newsletters on site. * `Ask the Candidates`_ The next US President MUST stop the genocide in Darfur. * `1-800-GENOCIDE`_ (1-800-436-6243): Call the anti-genocide hotline and get the most up-to-date talking points before getting connected (for free) to your legislator at the state and federal level. * `ICG`_: International Crisis Group. Detailed crisis reports, briefings, international op-ed pieces. * `HRW`_: Human Rights Watch. A great site for current alerts & information. * `Amnesty International`_ * `USHMM Speaker's Directory`_ .. _`STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition`: http://www.standnow.org/ .. _`Darfur Now`: http://myspace.com/darfurnow .. _`Dream for Darfur`: http://www.dreamfordarfur.org .. _`1-800-GENOCIDE`: http://www.1800genocide.com/ .. _`Ask The Candidates`: http://www.AskTheCandidates.org .. _`Targeted Divestment`: http://www.SudanDivestment.org .. _`Darfur Scores`: http://www.DarfurScores.org .. _`ENOUGH Project`: http://wwww.Enoughproject.org .. _`10 Things`: http://www.genocideintervention.net/advocate/action/thingstodo .. _`Sudan Targeted Divestment`: http://www.sudandivestment.org/home.asp .. _`Save Darfur Coalition`: http://www.sudandivestment.org/home.asp .. HYPERLINKS .. _`Global Days For Darfur` : http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/globaldays/ .. _`Sprint for Darfur` : http://www.sprintfordarfur.org/ .. _`HRW` : http://www.hrw.org/ .. _`Amnesty International` : http://www.amnesty.org/ .. _`Enough Campaign` : http://www.enoughproject.org/ .. _`Targeted Divestment` : http://www.sudandivestment.org/ .. _`1-800-GENOCIDE` : http://www.1800genocide.com/ .. _`Darfur Scores` : http://www.darfurscores.org/ .. _`ICG` : http://www.crisisgroup.org/ .. _`Susan Megy`: http://www.omidyar.net/user/u471101145/ .. _`USHMM Speaker's Directory` : http://online.ushmm.org/speakers/genocide_prevention/ .. _`Stop Genocide Now 2007` : http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ .. _`Genocide Intervention Network` : http://www.genocideintervention.net/ .. _`Susan Megy`: http://www.omidyar.net/user/u471101145/ .. _`Genocide Olympics` : http://www.sudanreeves.org/Page-10.html .. _`Where Will We Be` : http://wherewillwebe.org/ .. _`USHMM blog on Genocide Prevention` : http://blogs.ushmm.org/index.php/COC2 .. _`Fidelity Out of Sudan` : http://fidelityoutofsudan.net/ .. _`Africa Action` : http://www.AfricaAction.org .. _`Ask the Candidates`: http://www.AskTheCandidates.org .. _`STOP GENOCIDE NOW 2008`: http://stopgenocidenow.org/ .. _`ENOUGH! Project`: http://www.enoughproject.org/ .. _`Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net)`: http://www.genocideintervention.net/ .. _`Darfur Scorecard`: http://www.darfurscores.org/ .. _`GABRIEL STAURING` : http://www.ned.com./user/u607865414/ .. _`KATIE-JAY SCOTT` : http://www.ned.com/user/u305273001/ .. _`Mark Hanis` : http://www.ned.com/user/u230241840/ .. _`NINY KHOR` : http://www.ned.com/user/u173360362/ ---- **Comments** :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:39:16 PST i-ACT 2008 Stop Genocide Now __________________________________ Gabriel and the crew are back in Chad and on their way to the Camps on the Darfur/Chad border. Please support Gabe and `Stop Genocide Now.org`_ by going to the website, following this trip, telling 5 friends about i-ACT 2008 and contacting your elected officials and the candidates for the upcoming US Presidential Campaign. .. _`Stop Genocide Now.org`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:49:04 PST I'll tidy up (and add to) the links in the first part/introduction tomorrow or when I have a bit more time. Cheers, Gayle ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 03:57:59 PST Gabriel and Katie-J have been in Chad for a few days - utterly bogged down in red-tape in N'Djameena and then more waiting and more paperwork in Abeche before finally hitting the first IDP Camp today. Details of the events and trip so far can be found on the website which will be up-dated with new video and journal entries daily for 10 days. For those of you new to "Stop Genocide Now" and the i-ACT trips, details and video of each can be found on the website by year. (2005, 2006, 2007 and the current i-ACT 4) `www.StopGenocideNow.Org/`_ .. _`www.StopGenocideNow.org/`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:08:13 PST :Modified: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:21:01 PST **Day 1: January 19th 2008 - Back to the Camps!** ________________________________________________ .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:30:13 PST Maaaaaaaaaaaaark or Jimmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Will you have a go at fixing the (above) disasterous video embedding effort for me, Pleeeeeeease!! (It's bedtime here - and I can't work it out. I can do youtube ones but.....) Thank you, thank you in advance, G. :) ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:14:37 PST Thanks for posting this Gayle! ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 10:22:20 PST Hey Gayle, I looked at Google Video and did not see the embed code there. I'm getting the video files from Carolyn and Yuen-Lin some time soon to upload videos to YouTube...that we can embed here rather easily. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 11:54:21 PST .. raw :: html ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:11:06 PST With video posted in google video the author has to turn on the embed code. Its less obvious than youtube but you can get in longer videos. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:25:32 PST Thnx John. One of the many reasons why the UI at YouTube was so much better than what Google had built. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:19:49 PST **Day 2: Jan 20th 2008 - visiting the refugee camp's school.** ___________________________________________________ .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:24:40 PST Mark - thanks lots for organising Day 1's code with Yuen-Lin :) John - ta! That makes sense ... even to a (willing but not always successful) learner like moi!!! ---- :Author: Susan Megy :Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 15:51:47 PST So great to catch up on these videos. Thanks for posting them to YouTube and sharing links on facebook, etc. I am playing a bit of catch up here..... ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:16:08 PST Gayle, you bet. Susan, hard to believe it's the 4th i-ACT and this is still going on, huh? A "bonus" video... .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:43:35 PST Ha!!! Mark, I just logged in to post the video you have just posted - excellent **:)** And on the topic of in sync, we were talking here about years passed this morning. I didn't know Gabe for the first i-ACT - only 2, 3 and this one. (oooh - before I forget, HI Susan and Esther!) UN resolutions in place and the Beijing Olympics coming up quickly (and the ongoing attendant ability to pressure them into political decency before the event) and still no real movement on the ground. Hmmmm .... ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:05:04 PST **Conversation had on "Davos" thread - pasted to here as well** ___________________________________________________ *By Meron Moroz (62), Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:49:13 PST* Okay! I just watched the ned.com Macy Gray & Stop Genocide Now Message for Darfur. & Stop Genocide Now???! How did I miss this? How did this all come about? Where the HELL have I been??? __________________________________________________ *By Mark Grimes (124), Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:54:10 PST* Gabriel met Macy's agent/contact at a Darfur event...and she want to help out. She was going to be on this trip...but the concert was the outcome instead. Gabe's the man. ___________________________________________________ *By Meron Moroz (62), Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:56:10 PST* *Edited: Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:01:21 PST* Go GABE Go!!! : ) ** to add Gabriel is the sweetest, most amazing man I know. He's my hero!!! ____________________________________________________ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:11:46 PST **Day 3 i-ACT 2008: Still hoping for action!** _____________________________________ Great video - and who is the biggest softie of them all? .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:26:15 PST **Day 4 i-ACT 2008: Camp Mile** __________________________________ .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:06:58 PST **Day 5 i-ACT 2008: Guereda to Abeche to Goz Beida** _____________________________________________________ .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:21:43 PST .. image:: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/2.56.12010904562/get/chad_map.gif Thought this might help get some idea of where they are. Unfortunately I couldn't find a neat & tidy little map that had N'Djamena, Guereda, Abeche and Goz Beida all listed. So to give you rough idea, Guereda is about 300 miles North East of Abeche. They left there this morning, travelled to the base/hub in Abeche and then jumped another plane and headed a similar distance - this time South East - to Goz Beida. Does the World Food Program flight "service" offer Frequent Flyer miles?? Hmmmmm. :) ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:23:02 PST **Amnesty International - www.eyesondarfur.org/** ___________________________________________________ A site well worth looking at and joining - `www.eyesondarfur.org/`_ and as promoted on the `stop genocide now website`_ by the i-ACT 2008 team. .. _`www.eyesondarfur.org/`: http://www.eyesondarfur.org/ .. _`stop genocide now website`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:26:28 PST **Day 6 i-ACT 2008: Finding Tracy McGrady's friend, Oumar** ___________________________________________________________ This is hot off the presses - in fact it's on Ned before the SGN website :) It's a great video ..... watch out for Mr. Staurings "Bend it like Beckham" right foot flick to KTJ at the end .... VERY impressive! .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Nikki Serapio :Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:57:47 PST Hi everyone! My first post, I think. Nick Kristof has a new Darfur Op-Ed out today: "China's Genocide Olympics" http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/opinion/24kristof.html A magnificent piece -- in the sense that it will really help a wide audience understand the China-Sudan connection. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:10:18 PST Hi Nikki - it's really fabulous to have you here. Thank you **so much** for posting the link - personally it's been a mega busy day and I may well have missed this had you not posted. And agreed - it is a magnificent piece .... but does Nick ever write anything less? **:)** ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:57:40 PST :Modified: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:58:08 PST Yes Nikki - thanks and welcome. A great piece! [Edited by Jon A - typo] ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:39:23 PST **Day 7 i-ACT 2008: Education, Unity & Power** _______________________________________________ **WOW!! :)** .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:28:55 PST **Day 8 i-ACT 2008: Travelling to Farchana Camp** _________________________________________________ This is a really nice video to watch - Gabe and Katie-J look well and lifted by the arrival of Josh and Jeremiah .... and the impending visit with **LEILA!!!!** (whom they met in i-ACT 2007 and probably the cutest kid in Chad - and she is utterly besotted with Gabe.... and the feeling is mutual!!! I can't wait for that reunion :) .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 03:33:53 PST The daily blogs/journals from Katie-J and our Gabriel are deeply intimate, unvarnished accounts of their thoughts and feelings about this experience. Click on the journal link within the `Stop Genocide Now Website`_ to read their updates. .. _`Stop Genocide Now Website`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:22:45 PST **Looking back - before reuniting with Mansur** _______________________________________________________ As I sit here waiting for the embed code for today's i-ACT video, I started to get quite excited. Today, **Gabriel and Katie-J are in Farchana** - the place Gabe first met **Mansur** last year - and as I write, they are probably putting the finishing touches on the video that reunites us all with Mansur. (and delivers some VERY exciting news) Mansur is the most beautiful boy - an artist - and one of the results of i-ACT 2007 was a connection made between him and Gabe's nephew Michael. **Michael** is about 16 years old, lives in the States, is very talented and creative and he designs and makes t-shirts. He was so impressed with Mansur's art-work that he contacted Gabriel and Connie (Gabe's sister, Michael's aunt and Gabe's travelling & advocacy partner in the 2007 trip to Chad) and asked them to return to Mansur and ask if he would give them some drawings so they could be made into t-shirts. The end result has been that the `Stop Genocide Now Apparell`_ (left hand column) carries the art-work of Mansur on the front. (how cool is THAT!) Today - Gabriel (this time with Katie-J as his advocacy & travelling partner) will get to show Mansur the t-shirts with his designs on the front. WOW!!! For those who didn't experience seeing the artwork on the wall of the tent - and the original connection with **Mansur - here is the video from i-ACT 2007. (Mansur and Gabe appear toward the end)** .. raw :: html .. _`Stop Genocide Now Apparell`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:45:13 PST Better late than never! http://reezle.com/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:35:49 PST **Day 9 i-ACT 2008: Meeting old friends in Camp Farchana** ________________________________________________________ Maybe it's because it's almost 1am here and I've only had about 12 hours sleep over the past 3 days ... or maybe I've just had a complete gut-full of this bloody madness, but this video has really gotten to me. I can't stop sobbing - and they are angry tears. .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Megan Goldner :Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 09:47:30 PST .. image:: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2084/2222920561_de887b1830_o.jpg Great job at Farchana Camp Gabriel and KTJ! Loved all the beautiful faces, including yours! :) Pax, Megan ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:53:32 PST Gorgeous, Megan!!! **:)** ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:57:54 PST **Day 10 i-ACT 2008: Meeting Mansur's family** _______________________________________________ Even though Mansur had (temporarily) gone back to Sudan when Gabe and Katie-J returned to Farchana, Gabe had the chance to present Mansur's Mum (oh OK, Mom for those in USA!!!) with the t-shirts bearing her son's art work. .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:04:23 PST The kids singing at the end for peace is **great!** ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:30:39 PST Isn't it though!!! **:)** ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:04:47 PST **Regarding the info at the start of this thread** _________________________________________________ Hey! The start of this thread was driving me barking mad - WAY too messy and long - so I've just made a **start** on re-doing the whole thing using icons that link directly to the organisation's websites. Some of the orgs don't have j-peg type logos that are easy to lift so I've emailed them to have the logos sent. (included in that list are Amnesty & Aegis Trust) **Esther** - I couldn't get an icon off the Save Darfur website (wouldn't save in j-peg). Do you have one or can you get your hands on one for me? (Thanks in advance as always!) I've got a `file here for logos`_ so would you all either send me a PM with info or upload logos and let me know and I'll add them in throughout the course of the coming weeks. Thank you so much, G, **:)** .. _`file here for logos`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/549850/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:34:49 PST **Day 11 i-ACT 2008: Last Day in Camp Farchana** _________________________________________________ The drawings from the little ones are heart-breaking - and then the guys got footage of Fatna's new house being built. "Mixed blessings" indeed today. .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:34:29 PST >>The start of this thread was driving me barking mad - WAY too messy and long - so I've just made a start on re-doing the whole thing using icons that link directly to the organisation's websites.<< Just a thought, but what was there before was pretty *information rich* combined with the direct links to the site. The logos (at a few K each) may make this thread hard or impossible to load for Ned members in developing countries or accessing Ned on mobile devices. Gayle, thnx for staying so on top of things and keeping the new fresh videos in the thread. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:14:03 PST No probs on the new video thing, Marky-Boy - "loose change" compared with what Gabe and the gang are doing again. (And thank YOU for "staying on top of things" at youtube, fb etc. :) Regarding the "Just a thought" bit from above, I've just emailed Christina with links to this thread and the "less pretty" one (had to get that in!!) from sept 2007 thread and asked her if she would compare degree of difficulty in loading whenever she gets a spare minute or two. (sorry darlin' - you need another "job" like you need gastro!) If it's too clunky I'll swap it back to the original format straight away. Cheers, G. :) ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:42:28 PST :Modified: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:43:33 PST **Day 12 i-ACT 2008: The trip is over but i-ACT continues.** _________________________________________________________ This was very hard to wake up to this morning. Gabe and KTJ were denied entry into Camp Gaga because of just **one allegedly missing stamp** on their paperwork. So - Gabriel wasn't able to be reunited with little Leila - and give her the toys and drawings he carried with him from LA from his 4 year old son, Gabo. I can't imagine how they are feeling. .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:44:47 PST **Looking back to i-ACT 2007... meeting LEILA** _________________________________________ I've mentioned Leila a couple of times already so for those who have only recently found i-ACT and `stopgenocidenow.org`_, here's the video of Leila and the kids in Camp Gaga from last year. Little Leila became the poster-girl of the 2007 trip for many, many people..... and stole Gabe's heart :) .. _`stopgenocidenow.org`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:49:53 PST Here is a copy of Gabriel's journal entry covering the last couple of days. The i-ACT team are now just back in N'Djamena - with heavy hearts and a powerfully re-newed committment to action. ____________________________________________________________________ **58 Days of i-ACT completed, and yet the work is just beginning.** Gabriel’s Journal—day 12 (and 11 and 10) I’m again writing from up in the air, flying over the Chadian desert on our way back to N’Djamena. Day 12 is the last day of our fourth i-ACT, but it is not the end of our “interactive-activism.” We have to see it with the energy of beginners. These last few days, KTJ and I have been talking a lot about how to do more and be more effective at what we do, about how we can share the urgency that we feel out in the camps. The end of our current “mission,” as our days out here are called by all workers, is the beginning or continuing of our mission to help the displaced people of Darfur return to a stronger, peaceful, and full life in their homeland. On the personal side, I do not feel as if I completed my mission for this trip. Overall, the journey has been amazing and very productive. We have connected and reconnected with so many wonderful people that are now a part of a larger community that reaches across continents. Our small i-ACT team, both on the ground and back home, has accomplished so much. It is small in scale but huge, rich, and deep in so many human values. We are now all determined to make a true difference in changing the way the world responds to genocide. Driving yesterday from Gaga to Abeche, though, I felt an empty feeling in me. This might seem childish, and I know this trip is not about me, but I really wanted to see Leila and her family. Leila’s face has been in my mind since the end of my last trip out here. She has helped me to stay focused when going out to dozens of communities around the US to talk about Darfur. They did not allow us to go in to Gaga this time. The gendarmes told us angrily that we needed yet another stamp and signature from an official in a tiny little village a few kilometers away. We did not find this official, since he was out looking for some stolen cows. There was just no way to get in, so we drove away. When we got closer to Abeche, we saw heavy military presence guarding the way in to town. They were definitely getting ready for serious activity. At UNHCR, they told us that the rebels were just a few kilometers away, and it was suspected that they were preparing to attack. All missions to the camps were being cancelled, so we were lucky to be back in Abeche and with a flight the next day. If we had stayed in Gaga, we could have been stuck in the middle of trouble. I’m not a big believer in that random “things happen for a reason,” but sometimes being lucky is not bad. We did get very lucky in getting most of our mission completed, with Gaga being the only camp we could not get in to. That means that I did not get to see little Leila. My Gabo had spent weeks drawing and coloring pictures to send as a gift to Leila and her friends. He also gave me his favorite little car and a dinosaur to give to her. I’m going to hold on to those, so I can bring them with me on the next i-ACT, this coming spring. I have Leila’s picture on my phone, and that will stay there until I see her again. I would love it if I could not only be bringing gifts for Leila in the spring but also good news. Wouldn’t it be nice if Leila’s friends from around the world had stood up together allowed her to return home? I will get to Gaga next time, and I’m going to work a little harder in between on finding more friends for Leila. Paz, g ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:24:38 PST More incredible and unreal journal writing at: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:50:04 PST Thanks for posting the iAct videos and news here. I do go to the site, but it is great having it collected here as well. Will try to touch base more soon... is there a Kenya thread here as well? ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:55:05 PST >>is there a Kenya thread here as well?<< You bet, here is the `Kenyan Election`_ thread .. _`Kenyan Election` : http://www.ned.com/group/internationalrelations/news/2/ ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:35:36 PST gabriel, so sorry to read that you were not able to connect with little leila. that feeling can gnaw. i hope you will have a way to reach out to her again. i sometimes think children's eyes are like stars: the same light can beam at you from anywhere. be well. welcome home. ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:14:04 PST The Stop Genocide Now i-ACT field team is currently stuck in Chad due to fighting this week requiring UNHCR and other NGOs to withdraw staff from several areas including camps i-ACT had just visited in the past two weeks (http://http://allafrica.com/stories/200801310911.html). Gabriel and Katie-Jay evacuated to N’Djamena right before violence and instability broke out, but rebels have surrounded the city. SGN will continue to post journals and video/photos at their website while awaiting transport home. You can send them moral support by posting at their site: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/. In the meantime they have asked, "Lend us your voice by signing our petition: http://stopgenocidenow.org/petition! Despite agreeing to a United Nations/African Union joint peacekeeping mission, Sudan has continued to put obstacles on the deployment of the force. We have started a petition urging President Bush to use the last year of his presidency to push for a stronger UNAMID protection force in Darfur." Please help! So far 258 signatures have been gathered, but we can certainly do better. We all need to sign this petition and then get as many others as possible to sign, also! Thanks, Lisa Goldner ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:26:25 PST Done. Thanks for pointing that out! I hope all goes well for Gabriel and Katie-Jay. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:43:23 PST Lisa - I just went to the link to read the comments going with petition signing from others and - GASP - I mustn't have clicked the confirmation link or something when I signed so mine wasn't there. It is now - with message!!! - so **thank you!!!**, both broadly and personally. G. :) ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:46:02 PST Got an email from Gabe this morning and - given the difficulties - they are doing OK. Jon - so good to see you here and thanks to the Nedsters who jumped on and signed the petition as soon as Lisa posted. (have I mentioned lately that I love Ned?) ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:50:05 PST Tonight, our prayers are certainly with Gabe, KTJ, J & J, and, of course, all the other NGOs and refugees who are surrounded by the escalating tensions in Chad. Found the following entries posted at Bobbie-Francis McDonald's Sudan Advocacy Action Forum (SAAF) site and thought they were good ones to remind us the fragility of one nation bears greatly on the well-being of its neighbors. She reminds us, "Historically, in past instances of neighboring country unrest, the GoS has contributed to the turmoil instead of fostering stability. It is with great concern that we monitor potential conflicts in Chad, Dem Rep of Congo, Somalia and Kenya." SAAF Update February 1, 2008 Sudan Cannot Speak In Our Name. To the relief of many and credit to its membership, Tanzania, with president Jakaya Kikwete, was elected African Union chair at the ongoing summit in Addis Ababa Thursday, taking over from Ghana. (Various wire sources) Comment: "The Government of Sudan is one of the most unscrupulous governments in the world, and this is no mean 'achievement' given the many claimants to this dubious honour. It is so cynical that the words 'shame' and 'sensitivity' do not exist in its political dictionary...It cannot be right that a country and a government that kills its own people is allowed to be spokesperson for Africa. Khartoum should be disallowed from assuming the chair of the Union..." (Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem) Kenya Impacts Sudan "Think of Kenya (and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa) as a wall, made up of stones of different sizes representing the different tribes. Imagine this wall as being weakly cemented together and acting as a dam holding back a huge body of water. Think of the body of water as poverty, joblessness, increasing populations, hunger and so on. There is an obvious strain on the wall as the water dams up. Democracy, religion, rule of law, constitutions and some of the other institutions that you may be familiar with can be considered merely as wallpaper that one can bring and paste over this wall. It would certainly look pretty, but trouble would be brewing as the mass of water increased." (Raphael Marambii Jan 9) SAAF Comment: The majority of border states of Sudan—Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Central African Republic--are in some level of turmoil and instability. Kenya is one where there was felt to be some security. Now that Kenya, once a gateway for humanitarian aid and trade with the interior of the continent, is in disarray, those living adjacent to Kenya are threatened with renewed instability. ~Lisa ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:58:59 PST Latest email Gabriel sent me this morning...I am sure he won't mind me sharing it. "We have not made it out of Chad. We missed some trouble in the East, but the rebels made it all the way to the capital and there is fighting outside; they are promising to come in and try to take the President down if they don't get a share of the power. Our flight was scheduled for tonight, but the airport has been closed, so we have to stay put in our hotel until further instructions. The EU forces that have been coming in to protect the aid work in the east have been arriving in the capital and some have taken post here at Le Meridien, since in has a clear view of the Presidential Palace from the roof. There is an eery calm in the city, with the streets being completely deserted. We're OK here, comfortable and feel safe; now it's just the uncertainty of not knowing when we can get out." ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:28:52 PST thank you pam. i think of that "eerie calm" - in Somalia, Congo, Kenya as well... it is unsettling, the on-goingness and spread of these eerie moments. and it is good to know gabriel and team feel safe amidst these risks... keep safe. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:04:06 PST :Modified: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 20:06:31 PST In haste (sorry I have to go out for a bit) Both from a skype call to yet another friend working in N'Djamena about 3 hours ago (and on her way to Cameroon first available flight) through to the BBC just updating with "no change" listed, it looks like everyone in N'Djamena got through the night safely. It's almost 5:30am there now. * ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:23:58 PST Additional thread created to (hopefully) draw extra attention to the PETITION and help keep it in the What's New section for a little while so more members see it. `Here's the link!`_ .. _`Here's the link!`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/129/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 02:55:19 PST :Modified: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:03:21 PST .. image :: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/9.25.12019485259/get/map%20of%20chad%20no%202.jpg Not the best news to report it seems. Right now it is 12 midday on Saturday in N'Djamena (which is Saturday 11am GMT and 2:30am PST). Yesterday the fighting was approx. 50 km to the north-east of N'Djamena's city limits (at Massaguet) but as of two hours ago there was broad media and UN confirmation that the fighting had crossed within 20kms of the city. Al Jazeera posted 1 hour ago that there was gunfire not far from the Presidential Palace but they did not quantify "not far". I've just scoured websites and even the French sites make no mention of any evacuation flights having left yet this morning. (Chad time) Of course that doesn't mean anything except it's not reported. Gabe's family have had the team listed with the US Consulate in Chad and hopefully they are on their way out or close to it. If not, there are many, many reports mentioning a considerable number of EU troops present within the Meridian Hotel - where they all are hold up. ** ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 03:07:26 PST FROM AL JAZEERA - updated 30 minutes ago. __________________________________________________________ **Fighting reaches Chadian capital** Fighting between government forces and an armed opposition alliance has reached Chad's capital, Ndjamena, with preparations under way to evacuate foreigners. Gunfire and shelling near the presidential palace was reported in the city on Saturday morning and French citizens have been assembled in hotels before a possible evacuation. "The fighting has reached Ndjamena," Haru Mutasa, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Ndjamena, reported. "The city is on high alert - there is smoke at the corners. We can hear very loud shelling. "People expected the fighting to stay 30km away and it came as a surprise that it came so quickly." Battle in capital Government forces battled opposition fighters near the presidential palace and seemed to be moving through the city freely. The whereabouts of Idriss Deby, the president the rebels seek to overthrow, was not known. The national television service has been suspended. Mutasa said that French troops were stationed outside hotels housing French nationals, as well as the French embassy. At least 1,500 French people live in Chad. "The [Chadian] civilians are looking out for themselves. Some Chadian forces are in town, but most of them have been sent out where the fighting has happened," she said. "[Chadian] civilians are assuming that because the French have not been involved in the fighting, as yet, that they have let this happen when they could have stopped it." Chadian government troops are guarding the presidential palace, the defence ministry and the official radio station building. Fierce fighting A day earlier, Chad's military said it had defeated the opposition fighters in Massaguet, which lies about 50km northeast of the capital. Amad Allam-Mi, Chad's foreign minister, said late on Friday that the opposition alliance had been prevented from reaching Ndjamena. "The rebels were defeated after serious clashes, the capital is calm and under control," he said on the sidelines of an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A military source in Ndjamena said Deby had been at the frontline on Friday, but had returned to the capital. Timan Erdimi, one of the leaders in the opposition alliance, had a different version of events, saying his fighters had defeated the military. Erdimi joined forces with opposition alliance leaders Mahamat Nouri and Abdelwahid Aboud Makaye in mid-December after a peace pact with Deby failed. Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general, expressed concern at the security situation. A UN statement said Ban was "deeply concerned at the resumption of fighting in Chad ... and reiterates the United Nations' condemnation of the use of military means to seize power". EU mission delay Chad accuses Sudan of aiding the opposition alliance, which has bases in the Sudanese region of Darfur, just over Chad's eastern border. On Monday, an opposition convoy of 300 trucks, each capable of carrying between 10 and 15 men, approached Ndjamena from Darfur in their biggest offensive since April 2006. Jebren Issa, a spokesman for the opposition United Forces for Democracy and Development, said the opposition alliance did not want to endanger civilians. "We don't want the civilians of the capital to be at risk. We can attack the capital at any time we want, but we don't want to get involved in a civil war," he told Al Jazeera. "We want the regime in Ndjamena to surrender to our troops, otherwise we have to get in [to the capital]. But not at the moment. "We know from our sources inside the capital that the government is too weak to resist our troops." The United Nations evacuated all "non-essential" staff from Ndjamena to Cameroon amid the fighting. Amid the increasing tensions, France has sent a combat unit of 126 extra troops into Chad, joining 1,100 already situated there. A EU peacekeeping mission, which was due to start deploying in Chad and neighbouring Central African Republic, announced on Friday that it was temporarily suspending troop flights to Chad. Eufor, which at full strength will consist of 3,700 peacekeepers, is tasked with protecting about half a million civilians displaced as a result of the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:10:08 PST **Gabe JUST posted to the website - excellent!!!** ___________________________________________________ **First post by Gabiel** The US Embassy has told me that they cannot come and get us, so we have to wait it out here. The sounds and feel of fighting is louder and closer. The walls and windows here shake, and we can feel the explosions. OK, fighting is right at the gate of the hotel. We’re all in the dinning area. There are a handful of EU soldiers around, but we are still hoping that there is nothing in this hotel that the rebels want, which I’m sure is the case. They want to take the palace, and the palace is just down the street. paz g ____________________________________________________ **Second post From Gabriel's Journal** We go through some quiet minutes, and it feels close to normal, but then, consistently, we get big bangs and non-stop gunfire that brings us back to the reality of N’Djamena. As I write this, a shell hit way too close to us, the kind of bang you feel on your skin. I start to think, “How long can they keep it up?” Then I think of other war situations around the world, and I know they can keep it up for a long time. The city is taking some heavy hits, and I wonder how the citizens of N’Djamena are feeling and how many are paying for these power struggles. There is now shooting right outside of the hotel, it feels like it’s coming from the gate, but I’m staying down and not looking out for now. We still have French military personnel in and around the hotel. It is clear that the rebels are not here to make a point but to take over power. We’ll stay put, since there are no other options, and it still feels like this hotel is relatively safe, although a little close to the action. Thanks for all the notes of support and caring. Paz, Gabriel ____________________________________________________ ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:10:44 PST In addition to Gabriel and his crew, Dr. Ashis Brahma is also stuck in the capital (unless he was able to get out in the last day or so.) I am terribly worried about them all. If the international community had done a better job for Darfur, could this have been averted? http://www.ashis-africavision.blogspot.com/ (Gayle - not sure if you still need me to check in with the Save Darfur Coalition about their logo.) ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:11:23 PST **And from Katie-Jay** That stray shelling was a little close for comfort. The hotel, and my heart, shook for a moment, the longest moment I have felt in a while. We hold up on the first floor of the Le Meridien waiting to hear word from the French military or the US Embassy who is closer to the Presidential Palace than we are. Just five minutes ago, the eerie silence had over taken the hotel and we began to look a little more at ease. Pilots sit in one corner of the lobby while 25 or so other guests smoke in the lounge. The heavy curtains have been drawn in the case the glass breaks from shots. The normally bustling river bank of Cameroon is empty. The streets have been desolate for two days. We sneak back and forth to the third floor to get a glimpse of anything, something, usually just black smoke coming from the Presidential Palace. Nobody really knows what is happening – not even those armed with humanitarian aid radios or guns. Who will win this one? The rebels are fighting for power. This might be there last chance to grab anything before MINUCAT enters the country. As I said in my previous post, its ironic that these troops have delayed their landing in N’Djamena then travel to the Eastern region. They are the peacekeeping force that has the mandate to protect refugees, humanitarian aid workers and civilians if under attack. The very three groups currently caught in the crossfire. I hear a heavy military vehicle for the first time in a few hours. Still no helicopters or airplanes. Information in French streams from the small room at the front of the hotel lobby which seems to be one of their headquarters. This information doesn’t seem to make to us, the =civilians. Another one, a little to close for comfort. A military tank passes in front of the hotel followed by armed men on foot – Chadian? Rebels? For now I leave with these words and will make my way up to the third floor to set up the bgan, post this, and shoot an email out to our team back in the States. And of course to try to get a few shots of men, smoke, fire, anything that can give me more information. KTJ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:13:59 PST :Modified: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:14:49 PST Esther - another very good friend of mine sent me a brief message this a/m saying Ashis was fine. And he was on skype about 12 hours ago. I don't have any other details. G. xx ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:16:48 PST Thanks - that is good to know. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:36:23 PST :Modified: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 07:43:33 PST thank you for keeping news of gabriel, ashis and others circulating gayle. one's first experiences of violence at close quarter must always be visceral. i am glad they are keeping their heads low... thoughts are with them and kenya today... ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 06:55:37 PST :Modified: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 07:02:03 PST CNN breaking news on cable is reporting the Embassy is evacuating its staff, saying all non-emergency Americans need to leave, heavy gunfire in the capital city, the Parliament building is being looted, and the Chad president may have left the country. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 07:00:27 PST It's the lead story on the BBC site right now: `Chad rebels fight inside capital`_ CNN coverage: `Rebels move in on Chad capital`_ .. _`Chad rebels fight inside capital` : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7223760.stm .. _`Rebels move in on Chad capital` : http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/02/02/chad.france/index.html ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 08:02:42 PST From the BBC article... Eyewitnesses have reported heavy weapons fire coming closer to the city centre. "From the third-floor we can see smoke coming from about a kilometre and a half away near the presidential palace," US aid worker Katie-Jay Scott told the BBC. "The gunfire and artillery shakes the windows of the hotel." ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 08:56:31 PST `Chad Embassy - USA`_ "news" .. _`Chad Embassy - USA` : http://www.chadembassy-usa.org/anglais/actualite_eng.asp ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:19:32 PST Saying a prayer for the safety of our friends. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:27:50 PST There is a photo of Katie-J in this BBC article. She rocks the shirt. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7224015.stm Just received a message from Gabriel's sister. They are worried. I don't know what I can do but I have friends with friends who maybe can help, so going to contact them immediately. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:52 PST I tried the two satellite phone numbers I had for Gabriel from his last trip, but no answer. He quite possibly may have new numbers. I'm sure anything you could do would be great Pam. Hard to say if the embassy telling them to "sit tight" is good advice or not. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:49:52 PST OK, just got thru on one of the good numbers, but Yeun-Lin said the phones don't work when they are indoors. Anyway, I left a message, told them that if there's anything we can do there's a lot of people here willing to do whatever we can. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:54:13 PST it is probably good advice to sit tight: it is known where they are. the fewer moving targets logistics people have to work with, the better. let's hope they are out before the tension breaks and people start to get daring, a little bored, distracted... glad to know many with links to the region are putting in a hand. thanks pam! ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:18:36 PST Latest email from Rachel: "Yes, please any contacts you may have would be great. Things are not looking great over there. The hotel was attacked and they are hiding... They need the French Army to get to Le Meridien hotel and protect them... Before it gets dark and we are already running out of time." I think it is already dark - the time change is 10 hrs from pst I think. Not sure. Making calls and sending emails. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:24:46 PST Le Méridien Chari (Hotel) 396 Rue du Colonel Moll BP118 N'Djamena, · Chad Phone (235) 2525350 · Fax (235) 2522261 ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:27:51 PST Well, I've got no contacts there so I'm working thru the hotel channel to try to get one of their execs engaged. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:42:24 PST Thanks Mark, Here is the latest from JP: "The French are in the lead and are well aware. I will call the State Department anyway and the Embassy in Chad, just to double track. But the hotel is one of the top points for the French army to deploy. They couldn't be in a better place if they are trapped there now." ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:43:26 PST Latest from Gabriel, (forwarded from a family member) ""Thanks, it sounds good. American Embassy is telling us that they cannot do anything tonight, but there is is a flight tomorrow that can get us out; to call first thing in morning; for us, we have to decide if there's a chance to leave with others and then connect with them in the morning; there might be a chance to go to French military base, but we're holding tight to see what happens." ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:45:40 PST Spoke with Scott at the Méridien reservations line, please dial 1-800-543-4300 - they had no numbers for any execs, and could not really help. Then spoke with Media/Pr person for the hotel... Mary Jane Orman maryjane@starwoodhotels.com Phone: 1-914-640-5287 Cell: 914-439-5629 She is going to contact a counterpart in Asia/Africa and see where things stand. She is aware that guests are in danger and going thru the channels. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:08:41 PST Latest from Gabriel (getting feeds from his sister): Thanks for the help. The US Embassy will not come and get us because of the danger in the roads, we're told. There's no way we, by ourselves, can make it to the Embassy; they have evacuated many from hotel, UN and others, but we do not seem to be high on the list; there's word that there might be a chance to evacuate to French military base, which we'll take if that option comes; and then we need to contact US Embassy to see how we get together with their evacuation plans. Thanks! Gabriel ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:09:55 PST Keep posting any incoming news, here; it's very appreciated and keeps us all feeling more in the loop. Right after my family viewed Gabriel's latest video posted to SGN, it was removed from the SGN site, and is listed as "unavailable" at YouTube.com. The one prior to that is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZuEoFM6-5I. I just hope the officials do know exactly where the team is, as Gabriel said they had reports that the UN was advised that they had "refused to leave" when asked if they wanted to evacuate. That's frightening misinformation. An earlier CNN report was interviewing Ann Mayman, Senior Officer of UNHCR, who said all had been evacuated . . . wonder if she now has word of Gabriel's plight. I'm sure Gabe's trying to do what's best, but seems to be at the mercy of officials who keep changing the directions they're giving to remaining civilians. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:16:33 PST Ah, I have a friend at UNHCR - going to call her now. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:21:18 PST left a message. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 11:58:19 PST Latest email from Gabriel! 5 minutes ago - thank goodness for the internet! "Oh, we've been in contact with Embassy from early morning. They put me on hold many times and finally told me to hold tight and wait to see if the French took us out. It's calm in the city, and the hotel is treating us nicely. It seems like we will be spending the night in the dining area; they brought in the cushions from the outside chairs for us. The few French troops are still around, and this is good, since, in my opinion, one of the major dangers is looting and just regular bad guys. I think the people that attacked the hotel earlier will probably not try it again. We're OK here. We're staying busy, writing and editing today's video. I'll shoot up #3 for today as soon as I'm done with it. We've also been sending info to NY Times, BBC, and Reuters, since it seems not many can get info out of this city. We're probably one of two or a few more that have the internet connection, since we brought our own modem for i-ACT. Thanks for all of the support everyone! It feels good to know you're all out there. We have many people e-mailing us, including JP and others that have been contacting congress people and others. Hugs to all! Gabe " ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:34:34 PST thanks pam. i trust one of you in closer contact will let us know if there is something concrete we can do. otherwise, keeping them in my thoughts as the night deepens... mark, can you do the ned channel thing to get gabriel's videos available? ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:51:08 PST You all have been helpful - the State dept is telling us that they are receiving emails and calls non-stop about Gabriel and team. They are now a priority - I would keep making those calls. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:53:24 PST We now have direct contacts to State Dept folks in Chad and in D.C. They are aware of Gabriel, katie-J, Joshua, and Jeremiah and because of all the calls, they will go get them as soon as they can. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:02:55 PST >>mark, can you do the ned channel thing to get gabriel's videos available?<< Will do, I'll check with the team and make sure the videos were not taken down for safety reasons. Mary Jane Orman from the hotel said... "This is being handled from our Europe offices. You can check in with me later on. Thanks" Pinged her back with an email, will report any progress here. ---- :Author: Evvy Bryning :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:05:57 PST Pam O said: We now have direct contacts to State Dept folks in Chad and in D.C. They are aware of Gabriel, katie-J, Joshua, and Jeremiah and because of all the calls, they will go get them as soon as they can. Thank God! But I know none of us will rest easy until we hear they are all out. Thank you to everyone for keeping us all updated. I have never met any of them but feel like they are close friends because of all I know about them and their work. I am praying this is over soon. ---- :Author: Christina Jordan :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:19:19 PST on the edge of my seat in Gulu ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:34:24 PST Mark, thanks for being the contact point for communications with Mary Jane Orman; we hope she updates you soon. Do you advise we all continue calls to Chad and D.C. State Departments, embassy officials, etc. or will the "squeaky wheels" hamper efforts already in motion? Hope to see Gabe's next video installment, soon. The technology connectivity has been a big help in getting them through this, and brought all of us a bit of solace since we know more of what they're facing. (Only the reps at the embassy appear to be totally in the dark! =:O ) ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:49:13 PST Lisa, I advise it-don't stop until they are safe. State dept is totally aware of it but pressure will ensure they follow up. Even Senators and Congressmen are also and I think are helping. Pam ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:51:56 PST .. raw :: html Fighting in N'Djamena, Chad Part 1 ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:57:04 PST .. raw :: html Fighting in N'Djamena, Chad Part 2 ---- :Author: Meron Moroz :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:01:45 PST :Modified: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:07:02 PST I've been following along all morning. Here and at SGN (and okay, I'll fess up I sent the links to Oprah). I have to go now though and catch a ferry. Going to an African benefit tonight in Victoria then off to Hope with Jo tomorrow to deliver some boxes she has collected for Sipho's orphanage in Swaziland; she'll be volunteering there the end of April/May. The stuff is going in a container Ray has arranged. The last thing I packed for my trip was my Genocide Intervention T-shirt that Mark Hanis gave me at that 1st Camp Darfur in LA. It's looking very ragged and faded now but I'm determined to wear it anyways. Not that I need it to keep Gabriel and the rest of the i-ACT Team in mind, they are there anyway ... I WANT people to ask me about it so I can tell them what is happening there and asking them to do what they can do to help, for Gabriel & Team's safe return and for **PEACE IN DARFUR/CHAD**. The Genocide needs to **STOP NOW!!!** I'll check in when I can. Love **ALL** you people!!! : ) ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:51:15 PST Meron - be well! Email me and I will get you more shirts from Mark! Latest email from Gabriel: It is night here in N'Djamena, and we're holding tight in the hotel, now in darkness. There is only sporadic fighting outside, but not as close as before as of right now. We have a bgan modem going right now, which gives us this connection, but the battery will not last all night, so I might be bumped offline in, I suspect, close to two hours. It's not easy to move around the hotel, since it is dark, and I'm sure the few soldiers, who have all been under fire today and exhausted I'm sure, would appreciate people moving around unexpectedly. Best, Gabriel ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:30:02 PST update: Bgan is going down very soon; I will try to reconnect with you as soon as possible. Still good here and very much thankful for all you do. Paz, g ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 15:59:44 PST Hi, Gabriel found a way to stay connected through the night. He is online. He is a courageous man. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:25:44 PST **Same, same but different.** I got a large group email this morning (sent 9pm Chad time) from Jo - also stuck in the Capital. She's British, her partner is Australian and her NGO working contract is of French origin - so she is on French lists for impending evacuation to Libreville and currently sitting tight at one of a couple of designated French assembly points. (known others are confirmed by her as well out and safe in Yaounde) One bit from the email read, *"TA to all for not ringing into N'Djamena at present and as requested. Who'd want to be a Chad based hotel receptionist, consulate official or logistician charged with coordinating evacuation contingencies today? Poor sods!"* The greatest immediate concern expressed in the email was not so much for herself/expats listed for evacuation but for the average Chadian living in N'D. All markets are closed and safe access to food may become an issue rapidly. And they are on their own for all intents and purposes as - unlike 2 years ago when the French military defended the Presidency of Deby - the official position of France is now one of "neutral presence". (Diplomacy speak for France will not intervene further to protect Deby's rule) What a mess! ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:28:41 PST It's lunchtime (Sunday) here and first thing this morning I went to a Service on the other side of Melbourne where one of the largest Sudanese refugee/immigrant communities live. It was heart-breaking. Word of relatives still in Sudan or residing in refugee Camps inside Chad is scarce enough but this coup and the evacuation of NGO staff from the west probably means word on their loved ones will be even more hard to come by - if at all - for many months to follow. It was a very sombre morning over there. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:06:11 PST Let's hope the coup doesn't hold - insanity. Latest US Gov update (a bit late in my opinion): WARDEN MESSAGE February 2, 2008 (#2) Evacuation Update The U.S. Embassy in N'Djamena is issuing this message to alert American citizens in Chad that the U.S. Embassy has evacuated non-essential personnel and family members from N'Djamena. American citizens who would like assistance to depart Chad should contact the Embassy immediately at 251-4299. As of February 2, further evacuation plans have not been finalized. American citizens wishing to depart should be prepared to depart immediately. The U.S. Embassy is located in N'Djamena on Avenue Felix Eboue, tel: 251-7009. For emergencies after regular hours or on holidays, please call the Marine guard at 251-4299. American citizens may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions at http://travel.state.gov or by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from overseas. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:07:35 PST African Summit - Kikwete of Tanzania is new President. Yay. Not Sudan (who was trying again)... he condemns Chad attack...and more http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-02-02-voa22.cfm ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:10:34 PST and in case you are interested: New US Ambassador to the Republic of Chad Louis J. Nigro, Jr. is a member of the Senior Foreign Service of the United States. He entered the Foreign Service in 1980. He arrived in N’Djamena to assume his duties as Ambassador on December 10. Since entering the Foreign Service in 1980, Ambassador Nigro has served at U.S. diplomatic missions in Chad, Guinea, Haiti, Cuba, the Holy See, and the Bahamas. In Washington, he has held positions in the Department of State's Operations Center, Policy Planning Council, Office of Central African Affairs, Office of Western European Affairs, and Office of Canadian Affairs. For his service in Haiti, he won the Department of State's Superior Honor Award. He has represented the Department of State as Professor of International Relations at the U.S. Army War College and as Diplomat in Residence at the University of Houston. Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Nigro earned a PhD. in Modern European History from Vanderbilt University; was a Fulbright-Hays Research Fellow in Italy; taught modern European history at Stanford University; and served as an officer in the California Army National Guard. The Ambassador is the author of the historical monograph, The New Diplomacy in Italy: American Propaganda and U.S.-Italian Relations, 1917-1919 (New York: Peter Lang, 1999) and of scholarly articles on historical and diplomatic subjects. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:51:45 PST Thanks, everyone, for all you are doing. I've emailed Congressman John Lewis' assistant who has been helpful in the past. Maybe he can get Senator Clinton on this. I'm pacing worried sick about our good friend and his family. I've emailed everyone I know to call their Congressmen. Has anybody contacted Kristof? Let's see, what else can we do? How about Maxine Waters? She's Gabriel's representative, I'm pretty sure. Dear God, when will this madness stop? These poor people. ---- :Author: Greg Murray :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:04:09 PST Looks like Gabriel is in amongst the trouble in N'djamena. Hope he's steering clear of the palace. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/rebels-surround-presidents-palace-in-chad/2008/02/03/1201973718204.html ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:05:23 PST Let's hope they are evacuated when the sun rises. That leaves an hour or less I think... Will post news as soon as I hear anything. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:05:49 PST Good news though, that this has reached the highest levels at the State Dept. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:27:24 PST Just got off the phone with CNN and they may use some of the footage Gabriel/KTJ took in those two videos. Gabriel/KTJ doing everything possible to spread the word and get you guys out of there. I gave the CNN contact your email addy too. ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:20:11 PST Pam O said: Good news though, that this has reached the highest levels at the State Dept. Pam, I received the following e-mail tonight from SGN home team. Let's continue to make noise in congressional channels and every other means possible. Loved hearing Meron contacted Oprah! Who has connections to Mia and George? ~ Lisa Greetings Friends y Familia: All out fighting between Chadian rebels and government troops began early this morning in the capital of Chad, N'Djamena. As our team left Eastern Chad three days ago, humanitarian aid workers were being evacuated from the camps where our friends Adam, Yakoub, Darsalam, Selma, Aziza, and Saleh are now without regular services. Since, flights have been cancelled in both Eastern Chad and now out of N'Djamena. Our field team is currently safe in the capital, but felt heavy fire this afternoon. Here is a glimpse from Gabriel, "It was a close call. Bullets flew over our heads and parts of the walls and objects around us came raining down on us. We were already lying on the ground because the attack on the hotel and started to a few minutes before…" "The shots broke through the lobby glass and in to the bar, with heavy shooting in return from the French Soldiers positioned around the hotel. Katie-Jay and I crawled towards the low wall to feel more protected, but it just did not feel safe, to tell you the truth. As I crawled, I touched a small metal object that was burning hot, a bullet that had just ricocheted around the room. I have a little souvenir to remind me of the excitement." There is hope that they might get to head to a French military base tonight, otherwise they will continue to wait at the hotel until they can fly out. They have all expressed that the hotel isn't safe for another night and that the UN and French are evacuating their people from the hotel. We urge everyone to click on the two links provided here. One is for the US Senators and the other is for the House of Representatives. Please ask both the senators and the representatives that you contact to put pressure on the Department of State. They have promised to help get the team protection but please continue to contact the congressmen asking them to follow through until the they are in safe hands. Click here for Senators: www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Click here for Representatives: https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml Gabriel and Katie-Jay have both posted about what they have been experiencing through their blogs on www.stopgenocidenow.org. There are also videos of the city under fire and the current attacks, so please still stay connected with them. I think it is important that we remember our friends that are in the camps without protection in a time like this. It takes us all a bit closer to what its like to live in fear without help on in the way. Lets all work together to get our ground team home, then harder than ever for the refugees because this is their reality everyday. Sending Love and Hope, Tiffany Wheeler ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:37:53 PST From Gabriel... Thank you Mark! We're hanging tight in hotel still; Americans are not coming to get us, since fighting is going on again, pretty heavy. g ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:40:41 PST Hotel le Meridien was mentioned briefly in this article: Chad Rebels Fight Troops in Capital By TOM MALITI,Associated Press Posted: 2008-02-02 21:16:28 http://news.aol.com/story/_a/chad-rebels-fight-troops-in-capital/n20080202211609990006 Also discussed US Embassy and State Department statements regarding evacuations of Americans. ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:54:40 PST This petition carries even greater weight, now, with what's happening in Chad. It needs to take on greater momentum. Let's make sure we sign this and push it before everyone we possibly can. Do it for Darfur and the i-ACT team! http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/petition Latest signatories A total of 276 people have signed the petition! Amy Martin julie hosey tammy v Jeannie Maloy, "Enough is enough. Genocide is genocide. Do something now." Christina Wagner, "Please, don't let the bitterness of genocide be left in the memories of history during your presidency. Fight the good fight for those who cannot. God bless you. My family and I pray for you daily." Kris Renee Murphy Matthew Crippen Morgan Wright Sara G Meron Moroz, "If this was your family would you take years and years to decide if it was genocide or would you just ACT? Darfur is part of OUR global community and it's peoples our brothers & sisters. Do something NOW! deal with the paper cuts later." Lindy Hardin Gayle Rogers, "All the UN resolutions under the sun mean NOTHING unless FULLY ENACTED. Your Presidential legacy WILL include Darfuri blood on YOUR hands unless you DO SOMETHING NOW!!! STOP talking and Start LEADING!!" Catharine Whittenburg Linda Nowakowski, "This is your last chance to make the "Not on my watch!" come true." Jeff Goldner Susan Smylie Amanda Goldner, "It's ridiculous that hundreds of thousands of people are dying, and all we do is wonder whether it's a genocide or not. Face it, it is, now DO something about it! - Amanda Goldner San Antonio, TX" Jon Alexander Lars Torres, "Let's use the 2008 Olympics as an opportunity to brighten the light on the exploitation of cheap resources at grave human cost. The ongoing turmoil is unacceptable." Shawna Hardin Elinor Gingerich carl lloyd Barry Hubbard Patricia Legg Jennifer Judd, "What is and has been happening in Darfur over the past five years is inhumane and unacceptable. We need to acknowledge the painful truth of the sick reality of which these HUMANS are forced to live (if that's what it can be called) daily. Have the courage to stand up for what you KNOW is right!" Jeanette Clark, "Mr. President: PLEASE ACT NOW to do everything you can to stop the displacement and genocide in Darfur. Many of us Americans are doing all we can personally to help these victims. Your voice, your action can make the difference. Thank you." Margie Gostyla, "Please help." Alexis Garner Marin Stark-Steinberg Brittany Rhodes Molly Gruber Valerie Burnett Kiri Veillette, "This needs to end. The pictures of these people I see are macabre. I'll always have a grimace on my face until this ends. What if This was your family?" Megan Villere Goldner, ""Never Again" has been an empty promise to more than 400,000 murdered men, women, and children. "Never Again" lies silently on the tongues of over 303 million Americans." ---- :Author: kilama george :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 00:05:46 PST Gayle Rogers said: i-ACT 2008 Stop Genocide Now You guys I' have been working with Life in Africa for almost three years and I come from northern uganda where war also affected for the last 21 year so if I hear darfur war realy pains me so much, you guys I'm so excited about the work your doing in Darfur, to me I was proposing that if posible they get atleast some assistant where war affected . __________________________________ Gabriel and the crew are back in Chad and on their way to the Camps on the Darfur/Chad border. Please support Gabe and `Stop Genocide Now.org`_ by going to the website, following this trip, telling 5 friends about i-ACT 2008 and contacting your elected officials and the candidates for the upcoming US Presidential Campaign. .. _`Stop Genocide Now.org`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:00:48 PST From the SGN website journal comments, Mimi Schiff says: February 3rd, 2008 at 1:41 am I posted this on the KTJ blog. I have called the emergency number for the US State Department, 1-202-647-4000. They are aware that the team is in the hotel and felt that it was the safest place for them and are requesting that all Americans stay inside, including Embassy personnel. Somehow I felt that this was a good party line as I reminded her that the bullets were flying in the hotel as well. She immediately got me off the line by telling me she had an emergency conference call. I believe that they are completely ingrounded and in as much chaos as the streets of Chad. I urge all to call this number if you have not done so already and make your pleas to get the team out of Chad. I hope this helps, Mimi Schiff ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:46:49 PST Seems like something gov schwarzenegger should know about. i don't have contacts there... called our rep and senators' offices from vermont... ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:54:42 PST I'm sure Adam Sterling is on that, Lars. That fellow knows how to work it! When we worked together at the first Camp Darfur in LA I was blown away by his clear-thinking action. I got an email from Ashis this morning saying he was ok. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 05:00:21 PST Gabriel was just quoted in an AP story that came out a few minutes ago: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20080203/47a54a50_3421_1334520080203-1489975619 ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 06:41:33 PST Embassy numbers are solidly tied up [(235) 251-70-09, 251-62-11, 251-90-52, 251-92-33, 251-77-59, 251-9218, and 51-92-33; fax (235) 51-56-54] - does anyone know how to contact UNHCR Abeche and Ndjamena for evacuation information? ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 07:24:17 PST .. raw :: html Fighting in N'Djamena, Chad Part 3 ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:25:56 PST They are out!!! The french evacuated them a few hours ago... they posted to their website. www.stopgenocidenow.org They are safe at a french military base and now need to fly out. More soon. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:27:54 PST Here is Gabriel's email to the group list: "We have been evacuated to the French base, and it feels very very good. Thank you so much for all the help. I am uploading pics and post; JS, I'm uploading pics to the same place the videos go; please post. Thanks! I'll be in touch! g" Sorry for the delay in posting here... ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:05:21 PST Wow. Feels like I've been holding my breath the entire time. Feeling very thankful. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:07:54 PST They are reporting the camps have also been attacked. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:08:29 PST latest: hey all...we are waiting at the base. we are past registration but are waiting for the next flight out of here - stopping somewhere first then to Paris. From there we will try to get to Charles De Gualle airport and make the flight that Teresa booked for us a little while ago...well it seems like weeks ago, but really she rescheduled only days ago. We hope we make the flight. still no phone opportunities, but will stay connected. I was having trouble posting in wordpress and finally my most recent post is up, unfortunately one of the good ones I wrote from the hotel was never published I just found out...bummer...but here are more words from me! peace, ktj ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:21:41 PST >>They are reporting the camps have also been attacked.<< It seemed like if the attacks in N'Djamena, Chad were so well coordinated, and the main support for the camps come thru that city...there may have been a larger plan with regards to the camps. Feeling very, very uneasy for all the people in the camps at this stage. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:30:07 PST .. raw :: html StopGenocideNow and i-ACT on ABC News This is a few months old, but just found it. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:00:45 PST Here is the statement from Le Meridienm... "Since the breaking of the civil turmoil guests and associates of our LM hotel have been under the protection of the armed forces of the French delegation in Chad, due to the proximity of the hotel premises with French Embassy. The latest reports we have received indicate that the evacuation of the 30 registered guests and the Starwood associates is underway and we have no reports of injuries. While we continue to monitor closely the situation we would like to express our gratitude towards the French armed forces for the suport provided to ensure our guests and associates safety". ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:35:14 PST Nice that Le Meridien made a statement. I believe they did the best they could - would be interesting to get Gabriel's view. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:38:05 PST Hurray for the french government - and with Sarcozy just married and all. Boo to the State Dept. I am getting responses that if this evac had gone bad, they would have been humiliated. I hope France rubs it in. Often. Now we need to pray for peace and taken action for Chadians and Darfuris. While this attack goes on, so many people are left unprotected. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:40:01 PST On the footage from the tank Gabriel mentioned his appreciation of the people from Le Meridien. So it sounds like he would agree with you. I'm curious though, he mentioned feeling bad about the people they left behind. Were there any foreigners left behind or was he referring to people from Chad? Can't wait to hear that they have arrived home. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:50:47 PST Rachel just emailed me that Gabriel and Katie-J and team will be part of a news story on CBS news. www.cbsnews.com online should record it as well. I haven't heard if they are on their way to Paris - goal is to be in LA Monday late afternoon. Cynthia - I am not sure, but I think Gabriel was referring to all the Chadians and refugees left behind. Basically, the UN has pulled out, so has the US Embassy (only essential staff). So there is no committment by Americans. We'll see what the french do. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 16:57:47 PST Wow, what good news. And how extraordinarily sad for the region... VPR seems to be airing NPR reports a couple of times a day now. With Kenyan leaders also calling for troops, mobilizing forces on the continent is getting to be a major challenge... Anyone seen fresh thinking on this - rapid non-aggressive military response across many 'small' (geopolitically speaking) fires? ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:03:40 PST Just saw part of the CBS News piece and they interviewed Gabriel! Amazing. I'm so proud of him I could bust...and so relieved he seems to be safe. Will see if I can find a link. (He was still at the French military base when they interviewed him.) ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:07:41 PST .. raw :: html Getting to Safety in N'Djamena, Chad ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:09:36 PST Here's the link to the CBS News piece and Gabriel's interview: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3784139n&channel=/sections/eveningnews/videoplayer3420.shtml ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:09:38 PST :Modified: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:22:40 PST **AND** he was on SBS World news (Oz public multi-cultural station) last night in Australia - youtube stuff - and either he or Katie-Jay have been cited/quoted in all Australian newspapers today along with morning news broadcasts here as well .... with clear mention of stopgenocidenow.org included each time. **:)** ** ---- :Author: Meron Moroz :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:36:39 PST **PHEW!!!** I just got home from my trip to Hope and the 1st thing I did was check in here about Gabe & Co ... still have my coat and boots on!!! I'm soooo relieved they have been evacuated. They've been on my mind since I left here yesterday, and I've been wearing my ratty T-shirt for 24 hours (thanks for the offer of a new one Pam ... I'll be emailing you). I've watched all the video and links, thanks for putting them here. I'm so proud of Gabriel ... but why the hell did he have to go under fire to get the attention this needs? My thoughts, prayers and action is now for those left unprotected in the camps. Please, let there be **PEACE!!!** ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 18:52:32 PST .. raw :: html CBS News piece and Gabriel's Interview ---- :Author: Sherry Harbert :Date: Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:33:14 PST The level of courage, compassion and action exhibited by Gabriel and KTJ, along with all the members of Ned are examples of how people should be in this world. I hope all of this resonates throughout every media outlet into every home. And with that, building a ground swell of action to mandate a push for peace in Darfur, Chad and the surrounding region. Thank you. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:51:18 PST Sherry - it's GREAT to have you here! (you are pretty amazing yourself - so when DO you sleep!!! :) And your very first post on Ned (above) really hit the mark - looking forward to many more. best regards, Gayle. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 02:59:09 PST This song - and definitely this particular video version - has been in my mind all day. Yeah OK - the PR side of me can very easily see an official re-cut of this video so the line-up is Sir Bob, Betty Williams, Peter Benenson, Nelson Mandela **AND** Gabe/StopGenocideNow .... but for today, I just kept thinking of what can happen when people simply WILL NOT be quiet and turn away - even when things seem overwhelming. .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Meron Moroz :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:02:08 PST Even in times of crisis and trouble we need to maintain a sense of humour. This comment just posted on SGN made me LMFAO! ... couldn't resist sharing it here. Colleen Forest Says: February 4th, 2008 at 5:42 am Katie-Jay I just want to say - I love you and Gabriel and I am so grateful Mia and Josh have been with you during this incredible adventure. Now - get your little butts home - you are all grounded!!!! Lots of Love, MOM ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:41:55 PST It was a goodie :) ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:18:10 PST For the purpose of "front/home page" - and given recent/current events - should I change the name of this thread to "Crisis in Sudan/Chad - 2008"?? What does everyone think? ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:47:27 PST "A Spreading Crisis: Sudan/Chad 2008" Thank goodness for the efforts of people like Gabriel, KTJ, Mia, Josh, the SGN team back home, JP, Pam O, Mark H, and all the other courageous peacemakers. What is being done to help the Chadians left behind? ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:17:08 PST Sadly, it does seem to better encompass the area of focus . . . let's pray the scope doesn't widen. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:40:27 PST Gayle Rogers said: For the purpose of "front/home page" - and given recent/current events - should I change the name of this thread to "Crisis in Sudan/Chad - 2008"?? What does everyone think? Good idea. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:11:18 PST Katie-Jay in a `BBC TV interview`_ Just off the phone with CNN who called again, looks like they may still use the footage. .. _`BBC TV interview` : http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7220000/newsid_7225400/7225460.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm&asb=1&news=1&bbcws=1 ---- :Author: Haney Armstrong :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:23:18 PST :Modified: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:28:20 PST Amazing. Was that Ashis in one of the videos? Any update on him? ---- :Author: Niny Khor :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:55:11 PST Hi everyone!! Very quick note and request: we're trying to track down the contacts for Don Cheadle and Clooney's assistant - someone's blackberry that has the emails aren't working. Any leads? Trying to make sure some media attention is there when G and KTJ reach California. Pls email me if you have the info. Thanks ! :) -n ---- :Author: Niny Khor :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:57:19 PST PS: yes that's ashis PSS: not what i had anticipated, but this has brought a lot a lot of first time visitors to SGN - we've been receiving record hits, and hopefully people are also learning about the plight of the refugees PSSS: ppl left behind referred to the refugees caught in the crossfire :) ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:03:05 PST HI Haney, From Gabriel, about 2:30 am CA time: Hey team! We are still at the French military base and should fly out at around 2:30pm Chad time to go to Gabon. Nothing is for certain here, as you very well know. We're doing good and were able to shower. I spoke at length with US Ambassador and he said that he was constantly hearing from very high US officials that they needed to do something for us at Le Meridien. He says he was constantly calling French officials to ask for assistance to get us out. So, thank you so much for all the incredible support and noise to send us help! KTJ just posted, and we'll be uploading video and pics from the airport. Hugs to all! g ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:04:30 PST Niny - email Randy or John Prendergast... they should have ways to reach them... JP definitely. ---- :Author: Niny Khor :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:11:58 PST OK. Thanks Pam. 2 minutes ago: Hello Team: We are almost out of battery. We have made it to Libreville and will spend the night here; we might be able to leave for France tomorrow at 12noon, but it is not for certain. Teresa, can you make our flight for the day after, the 6th. We'll look to recharge right now and will then upload video, pics, and post. Thanks for all the work! If we can't recharge, we will not be able to do all above, so don't worry. Best, Gabriel & KTJ ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:13:59 PST Hurray! I was just about to post that too!!! Thank goodness. P ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:16:31 PST :Modified: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:37:07 PST Pam, Is it ok to send Gabriel's message above to my friends who manned the phones calling DC? This should be a movie. PS- Just got an email from Ashis that he is in Gabon, too. Does this connectivity boggle anyone else's mind, too? What Gabriel and team have achieved is amazing. To think we knew him when! (I think I say that all the time. But the changes in all of our lives since we found each other online in 2004 are pretty amazing.) ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:24:38 PST Ask Ashis if he needs a hotel room in paris - booking them now near airport for when they arrive. Pam ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:25:03 PST yes, i think fine to pass on msg ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:47:07 PST Will let you know when I hear back. Thanks ---- :Author: Haney Armstrong :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:00:20 PST :Modified: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:09:28 PST I emailed a friend of mine at youtube to see if he'd highlight the videos - `This one`_ is especially amazing - - hopefully it will draw more attention to SGN and NED. .. _`This one` : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDlvTNaTZKQ ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:16:56 PST haney, just did the same to a DC reporter. Wow. That was heavy - I was only able to watch it now because everytime I started it, kids wanted to hear the gunfire so I turned it off. ugh. State dept denies they left them the first time - says they refused the offer. Appalling. Beyond appalling. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:28:56 PST Haney Armstrong said: I emailed a friend of mine at youtube to see if he'd highlight the videos - `This one`_ is especially amazing - - hopefully it will draw more attention to SGN and NED. .. _`This one` : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDlvTNaTZKQ Great, a front page YouTube feature would be just fantastic. I emailed Steve G. the YouTube News & Politics guy yesterday, and it made their blog: `Stuck in Chad, and YouTube is the Communication Line`_ A front page feature have much, much more impact. .. _`Stuck in Chad, and YouTube is the Communication Line` : http://youtube.com/blog ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:51:17 PST Just saw Gabriel and KTJ on Jim Lehrer News Hour. ---- :Author: Nitin Mishra :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:21:08 PST Guys, not sure where look. My brother was on a short tour in ndjamena,chad and i haven't heard from him since 30th Jan. Is any one aware of a helpline number where i can get information about evacuees. His name is Ratnesh Mishra and he's from India. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:32:37 PST I'm not sure what to write about a central helpline because I'm not sure there is one. Other than the French Consulate in N'Djamena - given the French are in control of the airport and will have flight logs - I don't know where else to point you without causing more confusion. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 17:33:39 PST **Leaving Chad for Gabon** _____________________________ .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:29:13 PST I don't think it is an accident that we have chaos in Kenya, LRA attacks in S. Sudan and now Chad...I think the common denominator is the GOS...they are very shrewd. If the rebels take over Chad, the Darfur refugees will be completely surrounded by those supported by the GOS. It's horrible and what is as horrible is that the international community's response is to sit around and wring its hands but go right back to life as usual...sorry to vent...but I don't think it is asking too much of the UN to demonstrate just a bit of backbone such as applying the toughest multi-lateral sanctions possible on GOS leaders so that they too experience a little discomfort. I also think it is well past time for the US to turn over intelligence to the ICC - one of our diplomats was just murdered for pete's sake - how exactly is our relationship with the GOS benefiting us? Prendergast has been pushing this for years now and yet it doesn't get done and the GOS gets bolder and bolder -- it is ridiculous! How many people have to suffer -- does the whole region have to go up in smoke before we wake up and realize there is actually something more important than our global obsession with money and entertainment?! ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:40:46 PST House Committee on Foreign Affairs http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/dayevent.asp?date=2/6/2008 Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Oversight Hearing The Political Crisis in Kenya: A Call for Justice and Peaceful Resolution Wednesday, February 6th, 10am Room 2200 RHOB Witnesses: Panel I Mr. James C. Sawn Deputy Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs U.S. Department of State Mr. Gregory Gottlieb Deputy Assistant Administrator Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance U.S. Agency for International Development Panel II Ms. Mia Farrow Goodwill Ambassador United Nations Children’s Fund Mr. Maina Kiai Chairman Kenya National Commission for Human Rights National Commission on Human Rights Ms. Njoki Ndungu Former Member of Parliament Nairobi, Kenya ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:18:20 PST :Modified: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:18:54 PST Crazy how Bashir just appointed `Musa Hilal`_ strategic advisor on ethnic affairs... talk about spitting on Western policy papers... is this supposed to be some kind of appeasement?! .. _`Musa Hilal`: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article25601 ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:32:56 PST I am beginning to grow into the opinion that one of the most effective ways to reduce - if not the incidence of, at least the effects of - ethnic conflict is to simply (ha!) get the weapons off the markets. Did you know that in the 1990s, in Mozambique for example, there were 6 million AKs for a population of 16 million? Volatile nations are armed to the teeth. And where they are not, ideologically funneled money can make them, by infusing them with arms available for the cost of a chicken. I would be very interested in getting involved in an aggressive international "plowshares" like initiative that was smart enough to not stimulate the market (ie had an answer to the problem of production). Anyone know of really good places to start? ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:55:15 PST Lars, I am with you on disarmament. I have no clue - when I push, I get the "not realistic" comment. But the alternative is? SOmeone told me when they tried to push disarmament legislation for Africa through Congress, the NRA rallied to block it with a "they'll go to us next." Ugh. Maybe we can get another discussion going here - I do not have the bandwidth to get all the data up. But will contribute what I can. This is an important issue and critical to solving this crisis as well. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:57:41 PST To the brother of Ratnesh Mishra, let me ask a few people in DC. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:13:57 PST Thanks for posting the videos here. Our prayers are with them. Esther - you are spot on. What makes anyone think that a regime that came to power in a coup 19 years ago and has wrecked regional havoc since, have any sovreignty? We have given them far too many chances. They have been outwitting us in this bloody chess game for too long - we need to stop the game now. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:22:15 PST Anyone here speak French? Babelfish didn't do it's job per usual, and I've got no idea what this person is saying (top post): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98mZRIZSCY0#GU5U2spHI_4 ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:53:56 PST Hi, Let me try (I speak franglais) - actually the spelling is atrocious - he is spelling phonetically. But hey, my french writing bites - his writing is with passion and heart. Neddotcom,tu souhaite ke ds amis soit evacue,kest ce ke tu pense a toute la population civile inoncente ki non rien a voir avc c confli e ki en paye le prix par ler pente.les etranger au chad ne pense ka ler securite,eu on ls laicera pa crever,et ls otre la securite et la paix nest pa faite pr eu???je suis un chadien e desole kil yai tjr d guere dan mn pays Neddotcom, you wish that your friends will be evacuated, what do you think about the innocent civilian population that have nothing to do with this conflict that pay the price with their (suffering), the foreigners in Chad are only thinking about their own security and we won't let them die and what about the others won't have security and peace. I am Chadian and I am sorry there is war in my country. Pierre was leaning over my shoulder so he gets credit for the translation. Thanks sweetie! ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:08:31 PST Thanks to both of you (minus the sweetie part), just dropped the translation and a response in the YouTube thread. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:19:40 PST De rien (informal "your welcome - it was nothing" ok sweetie. Signing off - Good night. (nice to be "back" on ned.com) ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:59:00 PST Mohamed Suleiman gave me permission to post the following. Mohamed is from Darfur and currently lives in the US. ----- Dear All, This past weekend was very uplifting to me by meeting all of you. As we all agreed on the urgency and importance of the targeted sanctions to be imposed on the real perpetrators in the Government of Sudan, attached please find a list of the most terrible 8 men in control of Sudan today, who are the actual architects of the Genocide in Darfur. These individuals up to date they have never been even threatened by any sanctions or even reprimanded. In fact they act with impunity in Darfur til now. The events in Chad stand as a witness of their audacity. Please go over the list and let me know of any question you may have. Thank you Mohamed E. Suleiman List of The Individuals in The Government of Sudan (GoS) To be Targeted by Sanctions 1 - Omer Hasan Albashir - President of The Republic of Sudan. He is also the Supreme Commander of The Sudanese Armed Forces. 2 - Ali Othman Mohamed Taha: Deputy (VP) of Albashir. Also he is the head of the Sudan National Security Council ( this is where most of the decisions are made regarding strategic and tactical campaigns of war in South - Nuba Mountains and Genocide in Darfur ). Ali Taha was the person who personally negotiated deal to recruit the Janjaweed with their leader Musa Hilal who was in prison at that time for murder ( 2001/2002). All the people in this list except Albashir are members of this National Security Council . 3 - Salah Abdalla ( known as Salah Gosh): The Head of the dreadful National Security Apparatus. He is one of the main Architects of the Genocide in Darfur. His agents are all over the IDP camps. His agents conduct arrests and kidnapping of any Darfuri who is suspected of being rebel sympathizer. Many Darfuri tribal leaders vanished from camps and never returned, others returned broken men as result of severe torture. He trained Janjaweed elites in how to conduct interrogations under torture of Darfuris from African tribes. 4 - Dr. Nafi Ali Nafi ( PHD) Albashirs Assistant and ruling party General Secretary. He is the most ruthless Sudanese official in the last fifty years. He was in charge of the regime overall security in its early seven years. He is the inventor of the Ghost Houses (Torture houses used only by nights where screams of the victims could be heard from far distances but by day time these houses stand empty and silent ) . He is very instrumental and recruiting Janjaweed Arab tribes from neighboring countries ( Chad, Central Africa, Kameroon). He gave the lands and burnt villages of the African tribes to these new comers. His goal is to offset the demographic composition of Darfur. 5 - Abdulrahim Mohamed Hussein : The Defense Minister . He is the executer of the Genocide in Dafrur. He built training camps for the janjaweed forces, su[[lied them with arms, provided them with air and land cover. He assigned high ranked officers in the military and intelligence to lead and direct the Janjaweed on their raids on the native villages , exactly as witnessed by the Marine Officer Captain Brian Steidle in the film : The devil came on horseback - http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/07/25/movies/25hors.html Abdulrahim's latest blunder is the failed raid of Chadian rebels of N'djamina. 6 - Dr Awad Aljaz (PHD) : The Energy and Oil Minister - He is the Money man - nobody knows exactly the revenue of Sudan Oil but this man. He is more powerfull than his title. Some call him the China man. He is the financier of the Genocide in Darfur. No cent goes out without his knowledge. The janjaweed used to get loads of cash money loaded in Helicopters and delivered to them directly to them in the camps or at the outskirts of the burnt villages. He worked with Ahmed Haroun ( the fugitive) very closely. Awad Aljaz is the man of all the deals of weapons from china and Iran . 7 - Dr Alzubair Bazhir Taha ( PHD) : Minister of Interior ( State Police) He is well known of his violent methods of resolving problems. All the harassment of the IDP in the camps are carried out by his police forces. 8- Bakri Hasan Salih : Now is an assistant to Albashir in security issues. He was Defense minister during his era the South, Nuba Mountains, Darfur have seen deliberate bombing of the civilian villages and gathering points ( water wells, markets ). He believes in terrorizing the marginalized population to control them (to discourage them from uprising.) ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:16:58 PST Also from Mohamed... http://www.dailymail.com/News/200802040612 US abandons Chad embassy, warns Sudan on support for rebels By MATTHEW LEE Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States has abandoned its embassy in Chad, evacuating all but four diplomats who are now stationed at the N'Djamena airport amid heavy fighting between government forces and rebels in the capital. The downtown embassy, which was hit by indirect fire during weekend clashes, is now vacant and unprotected and the State Department on Monday warned the rebels not to enter the compound, which remains sovereign U.S. territory. "We would tell anybody who has any thoughts of entering the embassy grounds that that is American territory, leave it immediately and do not attempt to enter any of the buildings,'' spokesman Sean McCormack said. He said the warning is being sent to the rebels "through various channels'' but acknowledged there was no guarantee the compound would not be breached. At the same time, he said that suspected Sudanese support for the rebels was "very worrying'' and that Washington had told the government of Sudan to end such backing and to press the rebels to withdraw. Those messages were conveyed directly to the Sudanese presidency and foreign ministry by the top U.S. diplomat in Khartoum, he said. The rebels arrived on the capital's outskirts Friday after a three-day push across the desert from Chad's eastern border with Sudan and the situation in N'Djamena deteriorated over the weekend to the point where the State Department ordered several dozen nonessential U.S. embassy staff and their families to leave the country. The four who remain -- Ambassador Louis Nigro, a defense attache, political counselor and security officer -- shredded and burned sensitive documents and removed the flag from the compound on Saturday before heading to the airport where they are now based, officials said. McCormack said the decision to abandon the embassy, a rare step believed to be the first such move since the U.S. mission to Liberia was fully evacuated during that country's civil war, was made because of a "very fluid'' security situation. He stressed that he expected the diplomats to return once conditions improve. The State Department has urged U.S. citizens to leave Chad, and officials said a little under 100 of the roughly 500 registered with the embassy have gone. Without any personnel at its embassy, the State Department has set up two telephone numbers to report the presence and whereabouts of Americans in Chad. Those numbers are (888) 407-4747 from the United States and Canada and (202) 501-4444 from overseas. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 03:13:22 PST Pam, just sent Ashis' response to your email. Thanks. Glad to have you back on ned. Shoot, I'm glad I'M back on ned! I'd smile and say that it feels like old times, but I know we'd all prefer to be working together on plans to help refugees rebuild their villages because the conflict is over. Somebody ought to stick Bashir in a refugee camp for a few days to see how HE likes it. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:03:13 PST To the person looking for his brother: They should call UN office in Ndjamena, French Embassy, try US, not sure if India has an embassy in Ndjamena, if they do not he should call the Indian embassy in Addis Ababa which probably provides regional coverag Could someone post those phone numbers here? Sorry, I couldn't be more creative - p ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:59:40 PST There's some interesting commentary here about the events unfolding in Chad from somewhat military-minded people located around the world: `Chad: rebel attack before the arrival of European Forces`_ (found this site from its links to the SGN Chad YouTube video) .. _`Chad: rebel attack before the arrival of European Forces` : http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=128001 ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:11:48 PST Latest update... they are still in Gabon... flight out got delayed... hoping for only an 8 hr delay. G says there are lots of mosquitos. It is 88 degrees with 30 chance of rain ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:38:23 PST Contact info (as requested by Pam O) I believe the telephone prefix for Chad is 011 235 (from Canada/US prefix is 011 235, UK: 00 44 235). The N'Djamena city code is 51. So the first number below, from Canada, would be dialed as 011 235 51 625 09 81. UN - `This document`_ from the UN OCHA (I found it through the OCHA Sudan web site, `http://ochaonline.un.org/sudan/ContactDirectory/tabid/2997/Default.aspx`_) dated July 2007 has a list of UN and NGO contacts in Chad, many in N'Djamena, including nat'l dir (tel. 625 09 81), ONG, UN OCHA, UNDSS, UNDP. France - from `http://www.expatries.diplomatie.gouv.fr/default.aspx?SID=12291&DYN_VIEW=DETAIL&PAYS=TCHAD`_ "Ambassades et consulats français à l'étranger TCHAD N'djamena | Ambassade Ambassadeur : son exc. M. Bruno FOUCHER Adresse : Rue du lieutenant Franjoux - BP 431 - N'Djaména Tél: [235] 52 25 75 (ou 76) Fax : [235] 52 28 55 / 52 44 38 (section consulaire) Internet : http://www.ambafrance-td.org Courriel : amba.france@intnet.td" US Embassy - from `http://ndjamena.usembassy.gov`_ : "The U.S. Embassy is temporarily unable to receive phone calls. American citizens in Chad who would like assistance departing the country should contact the Department of State immediately at -202-501-4444 . Anyone wishing to inform us of American citizens in Chad or to obtain up-to-date information on security conditions should call 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from overseas." .. _`This document`: http://ochaonline.un.org/OchaLinkClick.aspx?link=ocha&docid=1059284 .. _`http://ochaonline.un.org/sudan/ContactDirectory/tabid/2997/Default.aspx`: http://ochaonline.un.org/sudan/ContactDirectory/tabid/2997/Default.aspx .. _`http://ndjamena.usembassy.gov`: http://ndjamena.usembassy.gov .. _`http://www.expatries.diplomatie.gouv.fr/default.aspx?SID=12291&DYN_VIEW=DETAIL&PAYS=TCHAD`: http://www.expatries.diplomatie.gouv.fr/default.aspx?SID=12291&DYN_VIEW=DETAIL&PAYS=TCHAD ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:48:06 PST We need to work on the bigger picture for Sudan/Chad - more soon.. on calls... ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:07:24 PST :Modified: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:19:37 PST Continuing the above info, I was unable to locate contact info for an **Indian diplomatic mission** in Chad - perhaps as suggested it's handled by the mission in Addis, or perhaps another of these? Ethiopia: .. line-block:: Embassy of India Kabena (Aware District), [next to Bel Air HoTeleTelephone] W-13, K-15, H.No. 224, Post Box No. 528, Addis Ababa Telephone: 00-251-1-552100/556610 Fax: 00-251-1-552521 Email: indembassy@TeleTelephoneecom.net.et Libya: .. line-block:: Embassy of India 16-18, Shara Mahmoud Shaltot, Garden City, PO Box 3150, Tripoli, Libya Telephone: 00-218-21-4441835 Fax: 00-218-21-3337560 Email: indembrip@hotmail.com Nigeria: .. line-block:: High Commission of India 8-A, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria Telephone: 00-234-1-2627680, 2615909 Fax: 00-234-1-2612660 Email: hclag@hyperia.com Web : www.hicomindlagos.com High Commission of India, (Branch Office) Plot No. 684 (A&B), Agdez Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse-II Abuja, Nigeria Telephone: 00-234-9-5236099 Fax: 00-234-9-5236088 Email: hicomindabj@linkserve.com [Edited by Jon A. - added info for Ethiopia] ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:46:08 PST Thanks Jon!! Under the iAct videos, on comments, there is a list of people looking for friends and family. The US says all Americans are accounted for. The ones who are there want to be there. Let's pray this is true. ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:20:43 PST That's very good news - thanks! I join you in praying that all are safe. I've been busy tracking information on the crisis in DR Congo, but I will start to sniff around for grassroots efforts to respond to the Chadian situation. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:31:05 PST .. raw :: html Getting to Safety in N'Djamena, Chad Part 2 ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:32:56 PST .. raw :: html Getting to Safety in N'Djamena, Chad Part 3 ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:44:23 PST .. raw :: html Nicholas Kristof: "Why Care about Darfur?" ---- :Author: Nitin Mishra :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:51:24 PST Thanks Jon and Pam! My brother safely made it out of there. People staying with him in the hotel lost almost everything to a rebel raid. Those guys took everything away except a mattress in which my bother was hiding money and other costly stuff. He told me about the hotel owner who despite loosing everything to the rebels helped all the guests in escaping from the hotel to the Airport amid all that madness.I thought these things used to happen in movies. Anyways my brother gave him 500 Euros. I guess that was too little for what that guy had done for those 25 people. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:07:59 PST :Modified: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:10:00 PST Thank you so much for the update - so glad he made it safely away - it sounds so terrible. Very generous and brave of your brother and very heroic of the hotel owner. He was clever to hide things in the mattress. Let's hope peace comes soon for everyone in the region. On another good note, Gabriel and team and Dr. Ashis Brahma made it safely to Paris. Gabriel emailed me and shower and bed were the highlights. Hopefully they will be on a plane in about an hour - pray for no flight delays - and then 11 or so hrs to Los Angeles where the family awaits to give them hugs and take away his passport. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:21:30 PST >>give them hugs<< I bet. >>and take away his passport<< I'll really bet. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:48:37 PST Hi all, Gabriel, Katie-J, Jeremiah, and Joshua are arriving tonight at LAX. iAct sent out an email with details - Gabriel wants to have a press event upon landing to raise awareness about the emergencies in Darfur and Chad. I am worried about their need to heal and rest. It is a testament to Gabriel's heart and his passion to alleviate suffering that despite everything they have been through, he wants to use his experience to help the hundreds of thousands of people who are suffering in Sudan and Chad. ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:35:54 PST Agreed Pam - these iACT folks are mighty impressive! Arresting video footage - I really hear and understand their concern for their Chadian associates, and the refugees in eastern Chad. I'm glad the team made it out , and that Nitin's brother and Dr. Brahma are all safe too. The question now is - what to do about the situation for Chadians, and for the region. So far, most of the appeals I've been seeing are from material and emergency aid organs such as MSF. If someone has insight on political work that could be initiated, I for one would welcome any pointers anyone can provide. We'll hopefully also hear from the iACT folks when they're back safe and well-rested. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:16:19 PST Jon - at the Save Darfur Coalition meeting this past weekend, a group worked on ideas for Chad. I'll check in to see if I can get the notes and a sense of what SDC might be planning. Do you work with a specific organization? ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:17:07 PST Do you know if the media has been contacted for their arrival -- is there a plan? ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:04:40 PST Hi Esther - no affiliation specific to Chad - just a small charity with a few projects related to Africa (Kenya, at this stage), a recent trip to the WSF in Nairobi (Jan 07), and a powerful desire to honour these amazing iACT folks by doing what I can. I'm a supporter of initiatives such as UK-based `Globe for Darfur`_, and local ones I'm aware of here in Toronto, like the student Darfur awareness group on the campus where I work. I responded to a GI-Net survey recently, and just received a pointer to `this page`_, which talks about linking activism on Darfur to the larger region. I'd be indebted to you for any more info you could send me way, on actions I can take, especially online ones. .. _`Globe for Darfur`: http://www.globefordarfur.org .. _`this page`: http://www.genocideintervention.net/network/newsletter/2008/02/05 ---- :Author: Jon Alexander :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:24:31 PST Below is some background info I've dug up on the **UN and AU response to the immediate crisis in Chad**. I plan to keep an eye peeled for grassroots initiatives/channels open to us activists (e.g. letter campaigns, net-based actions). .. sidebar:: Map A PDF-format `Map of Chad`_ from the UN-DPKO Cartography Section, showing the locations listed below. (NB to **Gayle Rogers** - re your `post of 23 Jan 07`_: this map also locates **Goz Beida**). *Summary* of `item of 5 Feb from UN News service`_, headlined **"UN’s top rights chief urges protection of civilians in war-torn Chad"** Louise Arbour, **UN High Commissioner for Human Rts** today called on both sides to protect those caught in the crossfire. Arbour issued a `statement`_ in Geneva expressing “deep concerns regarding the military escalation in Chad in recent days and the threat this represents for civilians.” UN Sec-Gen'l Ban-Ki Moon "pledged that the UN “will do its utmost to help resolve the crisis,” and voiced support for an `African Union initiative`_ to try to engage both the Government and the armed opposition groups to find a durable solution to the crisis." UN Secur Council "reaffirmed its full support for `MINURCAT`_, the UN mission to Chad and the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) that was authorized by the Council last year to try to protect vulnerable civilians in both countries and to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance. Up to 20,000 refugees from Chad crossed the Cameroon border since Saturday, when fighting engulfed N'Djamena", (source - UNHCR). UNHCR is preparing airlift to Cameroon: - 90 tonnes of relief supplies, including: plastic sheeting, jerry cans, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen sets and plastic rolls – enough for 14,000 refugees - working to find better accommodations for the est. 6-7,000 refugees staying at a transit centre who are exposed to elements and have been building bonfires at night for warmth. **Eastern Chad** - UNHCR and partners continue to care for hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced people UNHCR yesterday evacuated 25 non-essential staff from its main field operations base at Abeché following reports of bombing and attacks near Adre, east of Abeché near border with Sudan’s Darfur region. While Abeché is “calm but tense,” further to the north, in Guereda, a series of armed attacks on UNHCR and other aid agencies last week forced an evacuation of most staff. The agency spokesperson reported another bandit attack on Mile refugee camp near Guereda yesterday by armed men who fired weapons and stole the sixth vehicle in a week. No injuries reported. **UNHCR** - has 12 large refugee camps in eastern Chad with approx. 240,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur - is involved in providing help to some of the 180,000 Chadians who have been displaced internally by earlier unrest **Southern Chad** - has camps with 50,000 refugees from the Central African Republic (CAR) I'll try to post further info as I locate it. .. _`item of 5 Feb from UN News service`: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=25510 .. _`statement`: http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/3E77833C2EFD3D56C12573E60031B9A2?opendocument .. _`African Union initiative`: http://appablog.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/chad-and-kenya-african-union .. _`MINURCAT`: http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minurcat .. _`here`: http://www.wec-int.org/chad/images/Chad_pol.jpg .. _`Map of Chad`: http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/chad.pdf .. _`post of 23 Jan 07`: /group/community-general/news/114/19/ ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:08:54 PST Esther - there will be media at the airport greeting Gabriel and team. Gabriel wanted to take the opportunity to raise awareness. I am sure we will be seeing coverage tomorrow. I would check the LA Times besides the major networks and online sources. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:41:32 PST Gabriel is home! ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:27:26 PST Very good news! ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:19:27 PST It's wonderful news. And as of 1 hour ago, EVERYONE I know who was in N'D is now either home in the US, UK or in Europe or (in the case of two) staying in Yaounde (Cameroon) for the time being by choice. Phew! With the extra international exposure for SGN - and Gabe's full-on willingness to work that for all it's worth - I guess it's down to work for those left in this nightmare. There were a few ideas bounced around with Gabe and KTJ whilst they were in Chad but before the Coup occured - I'm sure he has even more thoughts for new action brewed over these past days stuck in waiting. Today it just feels like there is so much to be grateful for, so much to feel angst-ridden about and so much to do..... all at once. ---- :Author: Gabriel Stauring :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:43:44 PST Hello friends, I have been reading all of this with tears in my eyes. Most of you have been friends and people I admire for the years since I started to act for Darfur, and to read about your caring and support is humbling and motivating and makes me feel so warm inside. I am immensely grateful. I slept for a couple of hours, but I'm now completely awake. I can't really say that it's because of being on "Chad time," since I was just not going by "Chad time" while in Chad the last few days. It is great to be back with familia, and you are all a part of it. Talk to you all soon. Sending many hugs and so much love, g ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:59:57 PST back at ya baby - with a big, fat teary **:)** ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 07:50:08 PST Gabriel - Welcome home!! I've gotten in the habit of visiting your website every morning just to see if there is new news and your iAct Rhythm and Hope logo popped an idea into my head - not that you need any more ideas, I'm sure....and you need to rest, of course, so perhaps just think on this a bit. :) While in DC, I met with some amazing young Sudanese adults that are planning a Hope for Sudan Concert in August (probably the 9th.) The purpose of the concert initially was to mobilize the Sudanese youth in the Diaspora to advocate for Darfur and the CPA. They would love it if we can help them branch out and reach the wider Darfur community. Their website (which is under construction) is www.hopeconcert.org. Currently it says the concert will be in Baltimore but they have decided to move it to DC - perhaps the national mall is free... :) I'm wondering if Macy Gray would want to be part of this? They have some really good Sudanese musicians lined up but would love to have some bigger name artists -- musicians, poets, comedians. Perhaps we could also set-up Camp Darfur if the event is outside...and consider ways to incorporate iAct. So - something to think about. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:53:49 PST :Modified: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:55:01 PST Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel! Thank goodness. It always takes me two days to come down off of an adrenalin rush, so take it easy. Besides, rumor has it KTJ's mom has grounded you anyway. Lie around, cuddle with your children and wife, feed and heal that amazing heart of yours that gives you the strength to do all that you do and to inspire all those you inspire. Years ago I was frustrated by my work painting murals in an inner-city hospital. I belittled it and said I needed to do more. My dear l