: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 late brother said "But, you are doing more. Your murals are still there in the hospital rooms making the children smile." And, so too, your work with the refugees and the seeds you have planted in the minds of those who have viewed your videos all remain and grow. Let's talk soon. I've got some ideas I want to talk to you about. Welcome home! ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:49:11 PST Good op/ed this morning: Darfur's Chaos Spreads A rebellion in neighboring Chad benefits Sudan's dictator. Thursday, February 7, 2008; A20 N'DJAMENA, the capital of Chad, is hundreds of miles from Darfur. But the violence in Chad over the past few days is closely linked to the Sudanese government's bloody campaign to subdue Darfur. Some of Darfur's rebels enjoy sanctuary in eastern Chad as well as other support from the government of President Idriss D¿by. Meanwhile, Chadian rebel groups are clients of President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan. Their assault on N'djamena, which began Saturday, left civilians dead and sent thousands of refugees streaming into nearby Cameroon. Widening the regional conflict by taking it to the streets of a neighboring country certainly serves Mr. Bashir's interests in punishing a regional enemy -- and diverting international attention from Darfur. The rebel strike happened as a U.N. peacekeeping force is struggling to get on the ground in Darfur; deployment of a French-led European Union force to protect refugees in eastern Chad, which Mr. Bashir opposes, was suspended as a result. For the time being, it appears that Mr. D¿by has quelled the attack with the help of France, which maintains 1,900 troops and a squadron of fighter planes in Chad. President Nicolas Sarkozy engineered a U.N. Security Council resolution supporting Mr. D¿by and alluded to possible military intervention to save him. "If France must do its duty, it will do so," Mr. Sarkozy said. Paris's stance in this oil-rich former colony, however, is not a case study in foreign policy idealism. Mr. D¿by is a dictator; one reason he is vulnerable to revolt is that he has governed in the narrow interests of his own ethnic group, the Zagawa. Among his recent initiatives was to renege on his promise to the World Bank to dedicate almost 90 percent of oil pipeline revenue to fighting poverty. Yet Mr. D¿by also has enjoyed good relations with the Bush administration, which has trained and equipped members of his presidential guard to fight Islamist terrorists based in North Africa. Given the Chadian rebels' links to Sudan, the United States and France probably have little choice but to help prevent them from seizing power in Chad. A rebel victory would bring on only more refugee outflows, an inevitable counterattack and a spiraling war that could engulf all of north-central Africa. There can be no blank check for Chad's ruler, however. Both Washington and Paris need to push him to end corruption and human rights abuses. The World Bank cut off funding to Chad after its grab for oil money; the flow of dollars was restored in return for new Chadian promises to aid the poor, and those must be kept. Human rights monitors report that members of the civilian opposition in N'djamena have been rounded up amid the fighting -- portending a possible repeat of the torture and executions that occurred during a 2006 rebel offensive. At a minimum, Mr. D¿by must prevent that, if he wants to retain his deservedly tenuous hold on international sympathy. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:50:32 PST Going off line for the next 10 days. Promise to return to ned.com and the Sudan thread. Getting Humanity United folks to join in on the discussion (not just lurk). Be well everyone. Ubuntu and Aloha, ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:13:14 PST Good article. Great to hear the HU folks will be joining in, and enjoy your 10 days off line. ---- :Author: Meron Moroz :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:34:07 PST Welcome home Gabriel!!! **: )** ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:24:05 PST Thank you all, I followed with great interest and am so happy that people got out safely and so quickly. One useful source for information for those who follow blogs is `No Longer at Ease`_. One of the writers there Abduraham is an analyst for Aljazeera. His posts are crisp and often include a YouTube link to Aljazeera English language programming (also there is an interview with Obama's grandmother in Arabic). Quick straight up news, but from a perspective not quite the same as Western outlets. .. _`No Longer at Ease`: http://civilexpression.blogspot.com/ ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:28:39 PST :Modified: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:29:06 PST Jon - just rec'd this...maybe you did too...not sure if it was sent to the Globe for Darfur mailing list. ----- For immediate release February 8, 2008 Operation EUFOR CHAD/CAR On 28 January 2008, the European Union (EU) decided to commence preparations for the deployment of the EU Force in eastern Chad and north-Eastern Central African Republic (EUFOR CHAD/CAR) also known as the (EUFOR TCHAD/RCA). The deployment of EUFOR CHAD/CAR comes within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). It is meant to improve the security situation in these regions and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the refugees from Darfur and the displaced persons in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR. By this decision the EU is “ … stepping up its longstanding action in support of efforts to tackle the crisis in Darfur as part of a regional approach to that crisis.” The representatives of Darfur civil society organisations and activists who met in a two-day conference held in Brussels, Belgium, on 2nd and 3rd February 2008 highly appreciate the effort of the EU member states to help end instability in these regions and ultimately put a halt to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. This bold decision sets a good example for other nations to follow suit. Early deployment of EUFOR CHAD/CAR would help avoid a major humanitarian catastrophe of large scale in the sub-region reminiscent of the Rwanda genocide of 1994 particularly after involvement of Sudan’s intelligence in cross border activities through its allied rebel forces in Chad and CAR as well as the Janjaweed militia groups. We, the undersigned, call upon the EU member states to accelerate the deployment of EUFOR CHAD/CAR and help provide the urgently needed security to more 250,000 refugees from Darfur in eastern Chad. It is estimated that eastern Chad is also host to at least 150,000 Chadian internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are in dire need for protection from the Janjaweed attacks. The situation in Chad has deteriorated manifold in recent weeks with the increase of banditry and the Khartoum-supported Chadian rebel activities including the recent attack against the capital N’djamena. Low intensity rebellion is wreaking havoc in north CAR. It is estimated that up to 200,000 CAR nationals live as IDPs in their own country and that about 100,000 others are refugees in Cameroon, Chad and Sudan. Signed: Darfur Organisation for Culture and Documentation (Belgium) Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre (Switzerland) Darfur Call (The Netherlands) Darfur Association (The Netherlands) Darfur Association (Belgium) Darfur Association (Switzerland) Darfur Association (France) Darfur Association (Italy) Darfur Association (Scandinavia) Darfur Association (Germany) Address: Spaarndammerstraat 602, 1013 TH Amsterdam, (The Netherlands) E-mail: darfurcall@gmail.com, Webpage: www.darfurcall.org, Tel: 0031 6 42 33 00 58 Fax: 0031 6 40 80 57 97 ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:18:58 PST Jon and John - it's fantastic to see you over here. Yay! And Esther - thanks for the recent articles and memos ... I'll read them again for real detail tomorrow. (and it is SO fabulous to have you here again in full swing - we've missed you very much!) ---- :Author: Katie-Jay Scott :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:26:12 PST Greetings Everyone! I have been reading through the past few weeks of your action here at ned.com and in the world. I am so grateful for this community. I know that SGN really began with all of you, and now I am privelaged to be part of the family. Thank you for all of you support during i-ACT and that last few days of (as Rachel, Gabriel's sister called it) we-ACT. Thank you for everthing. KTJ ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:58:36 PST Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. Katie-Jay, all for one, and one for all. Welcome home, you guys did an incredible job. Gabriel & Katie-Jay, hmmmm...perhaps a `Camp Darfur on Salt Spring Island during their Saturday Market on May 17th`_ might be in order? If you’ve got the date open, we can look to see how that might be scheduled in. We'd need to check with the Sat Market people. .. _`Camp Darfur on Salt Spring Island during their Saturday Market on May 17th` : http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/117/ ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:28:25 PST Below are the notes on Chad from the Save Darfur Coalition community leader's meeting last weekend. These notes do not represent the Save Darfur Coalition's policy or plans but just the notes from a focus group. During the weekend, we provided updates on the i-Act team and took time each day for a moment of silence to remember the team, Ashis and the people from Chad and Darfur. ----- Dear All, Several people have requested the notes from the Chad group last weekend. I have pasted the talking points and the draft letter that we wrote up in that session below. However, I also wanted to add that there is yet little consensus among the policy/advocacy community what to call for, so many people are being cautious. Even calling for the immediate deployment of EUFOR is not a given, as 1. EUFOR, because of its heavily-French composition, is seen as partial to the Chadian government 2. for that reason, the rebels have threatened to attack it and 3. we are essentially calling for the insertion of a force of 3,400, intended as a peacekeeping force, into a hostile, open-fire situation. So it's not a no-brainer ask. I recommend that people read Alex de Waal's excellent analysis of the situation: http://www.ssrc.org/blog/2008/02/04/making-sense-of-chad/ With all that said, here's what the group came up with. I strongly urge you to do your own fact checking before using the letter! Best to everyone, Karen TALKING POINTS 1. Sudan has armed/funded the rebels now destabilizing Chad 2. Sudanese government must be held accountable 3. Need protection for Darfurian refugees and Chadian civilians (in Chad) 4. This is part of Sudan's plan to 'finish' genocide in Darfur by diverting international attention and creating regional chaos and instability 5. Opp'y for China to take a lead role in the SC and finally put pressure on Sudan 6. Main rebel leader [Mahamat Nour Abdelkarim] is a Janjaweed leader - a cousin of Musa Hilal 7. The situation represents a threat to regional stability, therefore Chapter VII of the UN Charter should be invoked and the UN Security Council should respond immediately 8. UN pulled out its troops at the beginning of Rwanda when UN troops were attacked and killed, and the resulting vacuum of authority allowed the genocidaires to sweep through the population unimpeded. EUFOR/UNAMID must be deployed with sufficient resources and the mandate to use force if necessary to protect the local population. [clarify this point-are we drawing analogy with the prevention of EUFOR/UNAMID?] The UN Security Council should immediately do the following: 1. Immediately ensure the full deployment of UNAMID to protect civilians in Darfur, discussing the possibility of that force having Chapter VII authority to use force against the Sudanese Armed Forces and its proxy, the Janjaweed militias (dicey, I know) 2. Work with the European Union to ensure that EUFOR is deployed immediately 3. Threaten Sudan with military force under Chapter VII of the United Nations' Charter for threatening regional peace and security??? 4. Impose targeted sanctions on key members of the Sudanese government 5. Immediately implement all sanctions imposed in past UN resolutions related to the Darfur crisis What groups should do: Immediately call on President Bush to condemn situation, push for UNAMID deployment and push for sanctions Interfaith efforts GI Net should put it on their talking points (1-800-GENOCIDE) Ask the Candidates THE LETTER We condemn the recent events in Chad and call on the United Nations to invoke its Chapter VII authority to prevent further chaos and deterioration. It is clear that the recent rebel activities which threaten to destabilize the Chadian Government, including this weekend's attacks on the capital, have been directly encouraged by the Sudanese Government. The government of Sudan's support reaches beyond political rhetoric; it has supplied the Chadian rebels with weapons and materiel, and the supplied by the Sudanese government. The chief rebel leading the charge into Ndjamena, Mahamat Nour Abdelkarim, is a member of the Janjaweed and has been implicated in attacks on Darfur. [Include some background on his previous attacks on the capital, and on Sudan's backing of the rebels who put Deby in power, to show pattern of consistent state-sponsored interference in Chad?] Sudan's President, Omar al-Bashir, left the African Union summit to return to Khartoum [upon hearing of the rebel advance?], and has been encouraging celebrations amongst Sudanese at the news of President Deby's potential ouster. For years we have watched as the Sudanese Government has flouted United Nations Resolutions and arms embargoes, obstructed the deployment of peacekeeping forces and ignored the international community's empty threats on Darfur. This has led to the world's largest humanitarian emergency [is it technically larger than DRC?] with 2.8 million people displaced and dependent upon the international community for assistance, including nearly 300,000 refugees in Chad. Now, Sudan's direct involvement in the rebel movement in Chad is threatening regional security. Sudan must be held accountable for its actions. The United Nations Security Council must: 1. Immediately ensure the full deployment of UNAMID to protect civilians in Darfur, and consider granting Chapter VII authority to use force against the Sudanese Armed Forces and its proxy, the Janjaweed militias (dicey, I know) 2. Work with the European Union to ensure that EUFOR is deployed immediately 3. In addition to deploying UNAMID, consider using military force under Chapter VII of the United Nations' Charter, in response to Sudan posing a threat to regional peace and security 4. Impose targeted sanctions on key members of the Sudanese government 5. Immediately implement all sanctions imposed in past UN resolutions related to the Darfur crisis By refusing to allow access to journalists and human rights groups and expelling humanitarian groups that speak out against the government's actions in Darfur, the Government of Sudan has effectively blocked the ability of the international community to monitor the situation in Darfur, thereby allowing the Government of Sudan to continue its plan to eradicate the non-Arab Darfurian population with impunity. By destabilizing neighboring Chad and causing the delay of EUFOR, Sudan is attempting to create a total blackout on the crisis in Darfur. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:57:51 PST Looks like the Save Darfur Coalition is asking people to write to newspapers about Chad/Sudan. http://www.savedarfur.org/blog/entries/spilling_into_chad/ ---- :Author: Meron Moroz :Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:49:25 PST *From the SGN website blogs:* **From the families: “Thank you!!”** Posted by Rachel on February 8th, 2008 **Thank You For Your Presence** We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the beautiful people who worked determinedly to help ensure that our beloved Gabriel, KTJ, Jeremiah and Joshua could make it back home safely. On Saturday, February 2, Javi received a call from his brother Gabriel, a few minutes after surviving the gun battle in the hotel. Gabe’s last words before his phone went dead were: “it’s starting to get dark…I don’t know if we’ll make it out if we’re still here when night falls.” Their last few days in Chad were some of the scariest days our families have ever lived. Those days also had the potential of being as dark as a night in Chad. However, whatever darkness existed was overpowered by the Light of your presence. You brought us hope and strength with every strategic action you took up to make sure their evacuation became a top priority for the authorities involved. Every phone call to the Embassy, State Department and Congress; every call to the media; every entry on the blog; every e-mail to coordinate the next plan of action, conveyed a prevailing sense of hope and strength. Most important of all, it was all your prayers and positive thoughts, or more appropriately said, your love that served as our companion as we journeyed the fearful terrain of uncertainty. The most common message entered on the blog was “we are with you”. Your presence is the greatest gift we could ever receive. For this we will carry you in our hearts forever. Sincerely, Families of KTJ, Gabriel, Joshua and Jeremiah. ---- :Author: ashis brahma :Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:50:44 PST Dear Brothers and Sisters I have just been back for some nights out of Chad. It has been a hectic time. I can say I surely felt the power of prayers and positive energy sent to the Meridien. Nobody got hurt and that is just amazing. Thank you all for th eefforts you have done to get us out of harms ways. And a big thank you to the French! It is great to read how much love, energy and time has been poured into us. See some of you soon during my tour of the USA from 25 february untill APril 25 namaskar ashis ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 07:26:53 PST Really good to hear you are well and safe Ashis. If you find yourself in New England, it would be a delight to be your host for an hour, a day, an overnight - whatever fits your schedule. ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:08:24 PST Could someone explain this quote from the NYT today for me: Making matters worse, the rebel group that had controlled the part of Darfur under attack, the Justice and Equality Movement, warned the new United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force not to enter the area. If the rebels don't want the help of, or will not work with the UN, what does that say about their motives and role in this and how it effects the standard rallying cry in the US for more peace keepers? Is this reporting right? ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:27:52 PST :Modified: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:28:30 PST I'm not sure what it means, but I have heard that Darfurians do not trust the African Union as it is made up of African troops that are considered pawns of the Govt. of Sudan. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:34:50 PST http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080211/ap_on_go_co/obit_lantos Congressman Lantos, a great advocate for Sudan, has passed away. Gabriel - do you remember when he showed up unannounced for our rally last MLK Day at the Sudanese Embassy and gave such a moving speech? Perhaps you could post it online if you still have it. He was an amazing man. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:43:14 PST Sad news. Gabriel may have a better copy, but here's one version... .. raw :: html ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:51:51 PST Two music videos about Darfur, the first one is much more *uplifting* than the other. Both are well done. .. raw :: html Living Darfur (Official Music Video) .. raw :: html The Official Darfur Music Video ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:02:58 PST Thanks Mark! ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:56:12 PST Steven Spielberg just withdrew from his artistic advisor role for the Olympics in China citing their support of the government of Sudan and, thus, the atrocities of Darfur. Way to go, Steven! ---- :Author: Scott Murdoch :Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:59:35 PST I just read the Spielberg story...interestingly, I found it in Google News under the 'Sports' section...go figure. Today's Voice of America story titled "Activists, Olympic Athletes Pressure China Over Darfur Conflict" was also nice to read...the more attention/pressure the better. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:00:44 PST Great news. I wonder if he will feel compelled or driven to take even more *action* in the other direction now that he bowed out. Would be nice to see him act as artistic advisor and oversee some Darfur Mini-Film Competition instead. ---- :Author: Allison Coyne Carroll :Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:59:32 PST Now THAT'S a great idea! Anyone have a great connection? Mark Grimes said: Great news. I wonder if he will feel compelled or driven to take even more *action* in the other direction now that he bowed out. Would be nice to see him act as artistic advisor and oversee some Darfur Mini-Film Competition instead. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:36:13 PST :Modified: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:36:47 PST Long shot *six degree thing,* I've got someone who tends to "know everyone" who might have a contact inside the Shoah Foundation...that might work, or at least be a start. *edit: spelling* ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:11:39 PST interesting to hear the reaction of chinese citizens on the street - they seem kind of ticked and don't give the move much weight, meanwhile the government has been silent on the matter... ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:02:14 PST There is a very interesting article in the Wall Street journal today. The article is about sanctions on Iran, but it has made be think a little about sanctions in places like Sudan, especially due to the relationship with China. In short, the article says that the sanctions against Iran are having negative unintended consequences. China is taking our place in commerce as they want the oil so there is more of a substitution than an elimination of trade. It also says that trade with the west is continuing but in the black market which is making it harder to trace and thus easier to use as a source of funding for terrorism. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:37:51 PST BBC article: `Bush defends US record on Darfur`_ Full BBC interview `Bush interview on BBC`_ .. _`Bush interview on BBC` : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7245670.stm .. _`Bush defends US record on Darfur` : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7245002.stm ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:29:46 PST .. image:: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/1.23.12030385231/get/Milton%20Glaser%20Darfur%20Poster.jpg This poster was created by Milton Glaser in 2006 to bring awareness to the genocide in Darfur. From this month's Adobe magazine: "Given the glut of disturbing images from Sudan, Glaser hoped to penetrate the immunity of the audience by speaking a language that is human rather than ethnic." From "Talent for Good: 7 Posters That Provoke" in the current `Adobe Magazine`_ .. _`Adobe Magazine`: http://direct.adobe.com/v?xJPHcTvEPTJWWlJJ ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:10:06 PST The film, Darfur Now, just won the NAACP's Image Award! ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 12:38:24 PST A few days ago on a Yahoo group which is predominately African American, this article: `Fighting in Chad fueled by imperialist maneuvers`_ got posted. It's from the leftist group PSL, but I know that the government of Sudan has a long running PR campaign to influence African Americans. We all need a frame to understand complicated situations. It's particularly hard as an American to take an interest in Africa. One odd thing is as soon as you learn something then other Americans think you're an expert on "Africa." But Africa is a huge continent and as all of you know the more you learn the more we understand how little we know. I have a blog that hardly anyone reads but it's listed in some African aggreagtors. African sometimes blanche at my American "know it all" attitudes. I know I don't know it all, but understand I come across that way. Uzodinma Iweala caused a lot of heat last summer with his Washington Post op-ed `Stop Trying To 'Save' Africa`_. It is a real challenge to discuss Darfur and the Government of Sudan with other Americans. The recent coup attempt in Chad is an excellent example of why. The PSL article ends with this sentence: Self-determination without imperialist intervention is a pre-condition for the people of Chad and Sudan to lift themselves from underdevelopment and poverty, the legacy of centuries of colonial plunder. My head begins to spin as I try to imagine how to talk about China's role in Sudan with other Americans. Surely competition for resources is an important point to address. And I wonder how people operating from a socialist-left frame view the complication of China in Sudan? I'm interested in the sorts of frames the activists here find useful in discussing and researching the Sudan. .. _`Fighting in Chad fueled by imperialist maneuvers`: http://www.pslweb.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr004=lor04yatb1.app7b&page=NewsArticle&id=8129&news_iv_ctrl=1261 .. _`Stop Trying To 'Save' Africa`: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/13/AR2007071301714.html ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:20:01 PST Chris Blattman wrote a piece today `Suicidal donkeys: Indian peacekeepers in Sudan raise the alarm, but is anyone listening?`_ Genocide in Darfur. A collapsing peace agreement between north and south. A Ugandan rebel force roving and killing at will in southern Sudan. In the midst of these tragedies, a lone voice cries out: What about the donkeys? As I read the piece a great weight of sadness fell upon me. I've not mastered the habit of attending to sadness while also moving to ameliorate the suffering. Some constructive movement is an urgent necessity. .. _`Suicidal donkeys: Indian peacekeepers in Sudan raise the alarm, but is anyone listening?`: http://chrisblattman.blogspot.com/2008/02/suicidal-donkeys-indian-peacekeepers-in.html ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:43:25 PST Africa Action recently provided the following report on Africa - pretty gloomy but might be of some interest. http://africaaction.org/resources/page.php?op=read&documentid=2759&type=18®ions=32 ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:32:45 PST Esther - **thank you** for posting the link to the Africa Action report. I've just skim read it (given its length and the list of must-dos on my desk right now!!) and it's VERY interesting. I am in a very different place these days as to what I regard as gloomy. Part of it is about my own personal (almost) pathological belief in the power of honesty (regardless of the attendant discomfort sometimes in play) and part of it has been watching and participating in that type of honesty being delivered and honoured at a National level - as I posted to the thread, `SORRY - Apology to the Stolen Generations of Australia.`_ The truth is sometimes very uncomfortable and confronting - and the Africa Action report is certainly that. **But** the truth is the truth. Facts are facts. The statistics on the militarization of Africa within the report are very confronting but IMO, invaluable with regards grass-roots activists' information base when lobbying and campaigning Governments. And long shadows are cast when the courage to deal openly and honestly with unpleasant realities is not mustered. This sort of analysis seems gloomy - I really agree (!!!) - but if it isn't highlighted, broadly published/circulated and addressed/discussed and then factored into future discussions and policy planning, I can't see how real progress can be made. So - with that as my frame of reference - I think the report is great. It names the "elephants in the room" and gives a lot of food for thought and dialogue. (Hey - how was **that** for a "reframe"?? :) .. _`SORRY - Apology to the Stolen Generations of Australia.`: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/news/139/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:35:18 PST John Powers said: Chris Blattman wrote a piece today `Suicidal donkeys: Indian peacekeepers in Sudan raise the alarm, but is anyone listening?`_ Genocide in Darfur. A collapsing peace agreement between north and south. A Ugandan rebel force roving and killing at will in southern Sudan. In the midst of these tragedies, a lone voice cries out: What about the donkeys? As I read the piece a great weight of sadness fell upon me. I've not mastered the habit of attending to sadness while also moving to ameliorate the suffering. Some constructive movement is an urgent necessity. John - thank you for that link!! And does anyone truly master the attendant sadness of all of this? You are in good company, my friend. **:)** .. _`Suicidal donkeys: Indian peacekeepers in Sudan raise the alarm, but is anyone listening?`: http://chrisblattman.blogspot.com/2008/02/suicidal-donkeys-indian-peacekeepers-in.html ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:36:59 PST A note on the suicidal donkey's: I'm not much of a animal guy, I love my cats and I once had a dog named Sheila. But a neighbor is is a great horsewoman. From her and also my relatives who have working animals, I know that the relationship with animals requires understanding and trust. The suicidal donkeys drove home in a powerful way the abandonment of trust and decency people in the Sudan face. Ethan Zuckerman has an important piece today `Steve Bloomfield breaks new ground in Somalia reporting`_. Zuckerman begins the piece: There’s fierce competition for the title of the “worst crisis in Africa”. But later makes an essential point, of great importance to an American like me: I’m obsessed with the situation in Somalia not because of the humanitarian dimension - obviously, there are half a dozen crises in sub-Saharan Africa that demand more international attention and aid, and I’d prefer to avoid the argument about which is most important or most undercovered. I’m obsessed because I fear that Somalia is how America will fight wars in the future, if its citizens don’t demand we stop fighting this way. The American proclamation of "The Global War on Terror" has resulted in fundamental shifts, but which are largely left undiscussed and unnoticed. I'm very concerned about current crises in Africa. But I'm also disturbed about counterproductive and ill-conceived actions to combat terrorism by my government. I'm perplexed by the political context which provides an extraordinarily narrow course of acceptable debate on the subject. I particularly appreciate Esther pointing to news and documents and her sensitivity to the political dilemma people here in the USA face as we try to make a difference. .. _`Steve Bloomfield breaks new ground in Somalia reporting`: http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2008/02/18/steve-bloomfield-breaks-new-ground-in-somalia-reporting/ ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:46:07 PST Just hit the wires... **Bush Calls for Action on Darfur** Associated Press Word Count: 870 KIGALI, Rwanda -- President Bush urged all nations Tuesday to step up efforts to end genocidal killing in Darfur, while pledging new U.S. funds to help train and equip African peacekeepers to the region. Mr. Bush, who was in Rwanda as part of a five-nation tour of Africa, also said the U.S. would use sanctions or other pressure to help resolve the conflict in Sudan's western region, and that he has been frustrated by a lack of willingness on the part of some other countries to do the same. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:11:27 PST Last night I had the opportunity to see the play, "In Darfur", by Winter Miller. It's extraordinary...and heartbreaking. We have some great books and films on Darfur but what this play does is emotionally place you in the middle of what it means to be a refugee, an aid worker (doctor) and a journalist in Darfur. As we are searching for new ways to keep people engaged in Darfur and to attract more people to the movement in order to end the genocide, this play may be one of the answers. One idea might be if STAND chapters across the nation (world?) would team up with their drama departments to present the play in their schools and communities. Perhaps the students from Stanford (where I saw it), could present it at some of the Regional STAND Conferences that are going on around the nation. Another idea might be to include the play as a component of Camp Darfur. The possibilities are endless, I suppose. Tonight is the final night at Stanford. The Stanford Drama Department and STAMP present: In Darfur Written by Winter Miller Directed by Alex Mallory Feb 21-23, 8pm Prosser Studio (enter at the back of the main auditorium - it is a small theatre so go early if you plan to attend.) $5 at the door Produced in collaboration with STAND@STANFORD. I have the director's contact information if anyone is interested in contacting her about possibly having the Stanford group perform in your area. They are really good. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:15:03 PST One last thing - I think an important part of putting on the play would be to provide the audience with a way to get involved. After seeing it, you certainly want to do something to help. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:38:45 PST Esther, perhaps they would let you do a "curtain talk" and speak to the audience after the cast takes a bow. If so, and if you would like to print up some flyers, Ned would be happy to pay for the printing, and the audience could be invited into Ned to participate. I worked as marketing director for live theater *back when*, so may be able to explore someplace in Portland it could be done. How many cast members are in the play? ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:59:31 PST Mark - thanks! The STAND Stanford chapter hosted a discussion afterwards. There were 7 members of the cast. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:17:25 PST OK, I've helped toured a two and four person live show before (Woza Albert and Greek), both had little in the way of sets and were fluid to manage with 2-4 people. Perhaps if I can talk to the director, I can find out more about the likelyhood of touring, and explore some possibilites in Portland. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:22:12 PST If you are talking theater, you may want to put the cultureproject.org in your back pocket for future east coast collaborations. they are great, politically astute, and energized. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:28:01 PST Esther, I'd love to talk to the playwright and read the play. It may be incredibly powerful to have high school groups mount the play. Having these kids read those words, memorize those words, and then deliver them to their friends, family, community could be hugely powerful and profoundly real. Can you PM me with the contact info? Thanks! ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:25:31 PST :Modified: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:27:35 PST Thanks Mark, Lars and Cynthia! FYI...Mark Hanis is on the advisory committee for the play so he might be another good person to consult. hanis at genocideintervention.net ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:28:19 PST Esther - that's such a great idea. Is this what you've been working on recently for April or is there more? Please don't forget to PM me with any flyers so I can send them to "the boys"!! **:)** ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:17:32 PST Gayle - thanks. For April, we are getting ready for the Olympic Torch Relay in San Francisco -- the torch's only stop in North America. We are hoping activists from around the country will travel to San Francisco and line the relay route so that China sees that we are serious about them using their influence to stop the genocide. The Save Darfur Coalition will have a page up soon on their website with registration and other information. I'll post a link here when it is available. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:54:36 PST How about line a mile (the humanity mile) of the route with camp darfur and refugees with "ask me about darfur" t-shirts a la the one's mark grimes had printed by the local youth group in portland...? Also, is "serious" the right frame at this point (4 years on) or "furious"? Thanks for the info! ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:44:05 PST Furious works for me but not sure it makes a difference to China...however I hear they want to be taken seriously. The idea is to line the route with activists wearing Darfur t-shirts (preferably green) holding signs with a message that China will hear. We're told China will hear us best if there are massive numbers of people drawing attention to them...and that will also probably get the media's attention -- if there is no way to ignore us. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:16:30 PST Yes, sounds like you are shooting for a two-fer: - Influence on the media - Influence on China Massive amounts of green shirts will have an impact. Can it be augmented? The Camps seem to be a way to establish a compelling visual "hook" that also tells a story. What I don't understand is how more images of what has become standard western protest fare is going to make the Chinese government bat an eyelash? Why is this going to be seen as serious? Is there a way to: - Boycott the games - Create visuals that expose the inhospital foreign policies of the Chinese government? I can imagine, for example, the Olympic rings dripping in blood. Or masses of rings being used as a noose/shackle to bind five refugee-actors together. There is always the embarrassment strategy: what moves might embarrass the government, or more importantly mobilize *their* public (from what I can tell, the Chinese public doesn't generally think the games should be used as a tool for politics. In other words, the Olympic "spirit" is supposed to be about suspending political differences in favor of "good will.") Now, I can completely see how suspending politics is not the same as suspending attention to human rights. But that isn't a view that I assume is shared. What about a ned channel video protest that seeks to get literally thousands of chinese voices to protest at the same time? Just throwing out some ideas, because I am not certain the Chinese government takes American protesters very seriously. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:36:37 PST ** Perfect! Just let me know and I'll get onto it as promised. ** **That** is a good idea!! Although you won't get much activity coming out of China through youtube ..... only Chinese voices living outside of China. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:46:19 PST That's okay - what if the expat commununity could do something for a week with money it would normally flow into the country...? ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:49:12 PST >>I can imagine, for example, the Olympic rings dripping in blood. Or masses of rings being used as a noose/shackle to bind five refugee-actors together.<< **Genocide Olympics Graphic Design Contest** Let anyone and everyone design images that are free for anyone to use, then a run off and voting of images, and the winner gets...to travel anywhere in the world...exept the Olympics...during the Olympic games themselves. Push the content thru design web sites and ad agencies (and groups like the Adbusters and Billboard Liberation Front), have a somewhat interesting prize...and pull the cord to let it go live. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:02:54 PST All of that sounds brilliant. There's just one thing I'll point out in terms of the expat Chinese community. Anyone who thinks the Government of China has changed it's stripes (other than for show) in **any** real way regarding behind-the-scenes "pay-back" might be a little too optimistic. Expat Chinese really do need to be quite careful about what they do and say if they have close family still in China. And the memory of the Chinese Government is long!! I **still** cannot go to China legally..... can't get a visa - all because I wrote too many letters in 1990. (following the student massacre of 1989) That's a long story but the effect lingers to this day. (fortunately I'm not all that bothered by crossing borders illegally!) ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:09:17 PST I think that is a good caution, Gayle. And ultimately if the gang in SF wanted to go the route to involve the ex-pat Chinese it would be there individual choice to take it as far as they want. All the effort could do is encourage. Like the resistance movements in Europe during WWII I suppose... Wherever the screws are, turn them. Perhaps the flip side is that the long shadow of the government's memory could exercise a chilling effect on ex-pat activism.... An area I know nothing. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:35:39 PST :Modified: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:40:45 PST This is what we've been told about the Chinese govt: 1) they could care less about Darfur 2) the Govt. of China is interested primarily in their own survival as communism is becoming obsolete 3) to survive they are providing their people with peace, prosperity and power 4) the Olympics is a step in that direction -- hosting the Olympics for developing countries, especially, is a sign to the world that they have arrived 5) they don't want to take over the world (they have enough land and people) but they do want the world to recognize what they already know about themselves -- that they are superior to everyone else 6) they may be willing to help with Darfur because they can actually do something that doesn't require a change internally So given their pyschology, the idea is that we appeal to their desire to be acknowledged as world leaders...and give them the opportunity to prove that they are world leaders by intervening in Darfur. If the world demonstrates that Darfur is a big deal then it provides more of an opportunity for China to shine by intervening. If no one seems to care - why bother. One way to show China that the world cares is having lots and lots of people attend the torch relay in San Francisco on April 9th. "Big" shows importance in their minds, I guess. By the way, you can pretty much count on someone from China reading this site as they are hacking into everyone's email that has anything to do with this. *edit - formatting* ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:42:47 PST **Esther wrote:** *By the way, you can pretty much count on someone from China reading this site as they are hacking into everyone's email that has anything to do with this.* Yep!!! I thought about that (for about a milli-second!) before I pushed save on the post I made about Chinese Expats! On everything else you wrote above - **agreed!!!** ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 22:50:31 PST It might be interesting if someone did an article on China hacking into websites and personal emails in order to protect their Olympic image -- doesn't quite jive with the ideals of the Olympics. ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:18:05 PST Just for general interest - China had a total of 39 visits to Ned in the last month === ========== ============ ========== ============ # City time on site page views % new visits === ========== ============ ========== ============ 8 Taijin 3:45 5.5 12.5% 4 Guangzhou 1:02 2.5 100% 4 Suzhou :21 2.25 100% 3 Beijing 5.67 3.48 100% 2 Shanghai 3:42 1.5 100% === ========== ============ ========== ============ Doesn't look like much. But they could be hacking through Phitsanulok Thailand that had === =========== ============ ========== ============ # City time on site page views % new visits === =========== ============ ========== ============ 162 Phitsanulok 26:15 19.94 4.94% === =========== ============ ========== ============ I haven't been able to figure out the Phitsanulok connection here from the very beginning. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:18:27 PST Howard French wrote from Africa for The New York Times. His book `A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa`_ is on my must read list. He now lives in China. I was very interested by points raised in his recent piece for The International Herald Tribune `How Bush's Africa visit trumps China's foray`_. Most of the time I fret about American policy in Africa, and French certainly is capable of deep criticism of it. But in this article he tries to make a point about the difference between American and Chinese policy; short version American policy (at it's best) seeks to strengthen civil society and Chinese policy seeks to enable governments: As things stand, the United States, with its emphasis on good government, democracy and rights has positioned itself to be the friend of African peoples, while China positions itself as a friend of African governments. Where the Clinton administration often favored African strongmen, Bush's visit tilts policy in favor of cleanliness and democracy. Because of its diplomatic competition with Taiwan, and its thirst for resources, China's African embrace, meanwhile, is indiscriminate. Make no mistake, by building roads, railways and universities, not to mention its industrial investments, China may potentially have a dramatic impact on people's lives across the continent. The problem with its position, which is tied up with long-held notions of noninterference in internal affairs, is that China has little or nothing to say about corruption, about human rights abuses, or the lack of democracy that has been as important as any other factor in holding Africa back. French at his blog links to an article by Ken Kamoche `China has a role to play in a divided Africa`_. Kamoche writes: If China could stop hiding behind the so-called non-interference principle, and exercise a little more of its clout with Myanmar and Sudan, its credibility would be substantially enhanced. This is where concerns about China’s ability to handle criticism become important. The imminent Beijing Olympics have already generated a fair bit of controversy with the inevitable linking of sports to politics, something China rejects. Yet, as far as I know, China was among the nations that boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Iran and China, citing “political reasons”. On that occasion, China seemed untroubled by the link between politics and sports. China should not be surprised if critics now link the Beijing games to China’s policy on Darfur. In both cases, the political issues touch on the much-vaunted national sovereignty and reflect a widely shared revulsion at the widespread abuse of human rights. The Africa Policy 2008 which Ester linked packs a punch. It's so important for Americans to find ways to influence American policy. And a key area of disconnect is between the better angels of our nature which support civil society and human rights, and the evil path of "embracing the dark side" our dear leader has embarked upon with the "War on Terror." Unless people demand more transparency and accountability in American dealings on the continent, this evil path--remember Mister Cheney has stated this as American policy--will cause death and suffering on a monstrous scale. Of course we know that the American Government actively scans Web sites and monitors correspondence of its citizens and people all over the world to inflate the already bloated and faulty enemies lists maintained. .. _`A Continent for the Taking: The Tragedy and Hope of Africa`: http://www.amazon.com/Continent-Taking-Tragedy-Hope-Africa/dp/1400030277/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204009807&sr=8-1 .. _`How Bush's Africa visit trumps China's foray`: http://iht.com/articles/2008/02/21/asia/letter.php?page=1 .. _`China has a role to play in a divided Africa`: http://www.howardwfrench.com/archives/2008/02/24/_china_has_to_play_a_role_in_divided_africa/ ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:45:44 PST John - thanks for posting the link. I really don't have much time (it's 11pm here) and I don't want to get too political because this thread is about staying focused and unified on the **real** problem of an ongoing genocide .... but I just don't agree with French's spin. In fact I think the article is illogical at best. Its comparing apples with saucepans and conveniently leaves out a few "minor" details. Like the fact that President Good Governance and Decency just happened to use the G word 4 years ago and **still** it continues. Surely the R2P (right to protect) fits into the decency "action plan" thing he was waxing lyrical about in Tanzania. At least the Chinese are consistent!! They don't talk about human rights, don't give a toss about them - end of story. (sort of a glass houses and flying bricks incompatibility thing) But they DO care about their reputation internationally which is a fairly recent development - and one which had/has the potential to be manipulated due to the upcoming Olympics. Once the Olympics has passed, it will be business as usual. Leverage opportunity lost. I've just gone hunting on youtube and found the footage of **John Prendergast speaking to the Congressional Hearing on Darfur and the Olympics in June 2007**. It is a bit devastating to watch given the UN resolution passed later that year and still we don't have appropriate man-power on the ground (and the Chad situation has only complicated that reality occuring) but it is still a great overview of the ability and potential to apply pressure and the likely result. (based on past efforts) Oh - just note that JP is speaking rapid-fire for a reason; the hearing had very tight time limits for each speaker. (His was the opening address of the hearing) .. raw :: html ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:04:38 PST Esther, a diplomat friend told me one thing he thought was vital in understanding China. He said that China has a deep "mind your own business about our affairs" philosophy. They extend this philosophy out to all others they deal with, saying that China will not interfere with the internal affairs of any country. Thus, even if China's government completely agreed that the genocide was wrong, that view would in no way influence what they are willing to do because it would violate their primary rule of not interfering with internal affairs. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:47:56 PST :Modified: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:01:21 PST I very much appreciate the John Prendergast video. One of the points made was that China, France and the USA all have envoys to Sudan and all parties, with various interests, want an end to the conflict. This provides a golden diplomatic opportunity. `GI-Net's`_ 4-part framework for US policy includes: Lobby China. Last fall there was a `debate`_ between John Pendergast and Alex de Waal at Newsweek. The debate points to ways in which rhetoric is important. Just in terms of tone, Pendergast and de Wahl's debate demonstrates that strong feelings can lead to hostility between natural allies. Such underlying complexity, I think, makes it difficult for many in the American public to align with activism towards conflict resolution in Sudan. Gayle and I may disagree about French's article, but certainly we don't disagree that there is much in American policy towards Sudan and more broadly across the continent which is inconsistent. French's previous IHT article was `Whether at home or abroad, China is silent on matters of democracy`_. He writes: Chad itself is a mess today, not because it lacks growth, which Beijing sees as a cure for every ill, but because it lacks social justice and any democratic way of sharing the spoils of its booming oil income. This leads to incessant warlordism, not development, with the coup d'état institutionalized as the only way of changing leaders. As China emerges as a leading player in the resource-rich Third World, one awaits its constructive thinking on places like Chad and Sudan. Instead, one mostly hears silence. Activist can affect things from the margins. I apologize if I've taken the conversation off-focus and introduced divisive politics here. What I had meant to do is be responsive to the discussion of how to use the "opportunity" of the Olympics to encourage constructive movement in Darfur, especially vis a vis China's role. (Don't hesitate to PM me to tell me when I'm not being constructive. I hope everyone realizes that I hold you all in high esteem.) Prendergast makes the point that cooperation among the envoys of France, China and the USA is key to a diplomatic breakthrough. One area of inconsistency in American policy in Sudan is our military and intelligence cooperation with the government of Sudan in the administration's War on Terror. French in the article Gayle so disagrees with points to this conflict of interest and suggests that, at least in some broad and general way as regards the continent of Africa, president Bush's trip represents a shift towards of policies towards "emphasis on good government, democracy and rights." Regarding why China is silent in his previous piece he explains: Why is it so hard for China to move beyond the idea that economic growth and noninterference are the be-all and end-all of foreign policy? That is because they are also the last word in its domestic policy. The lack of democratic content in China's foreign policy is closely linked to the lack of democracy in domestic politics. Lars wrote: The idea is to line the route with activists wearing Darfur t-shirts (preferably green) holding signs with a message that China will hear. Boycott the games Create visuals that expose the inhospitable foreign policies of the Chinese government? A movement for boycott might provide some leverage. But I agree with the expressions of urgency about the situation and imagine that the time involved in building support for a boycott has a long time horizon; and it is questionable if it could gain traction in the first place. That the "threat" or perception of American public sentiment in favor of boycotting the games provides leverage is another question. My feeling is that it is more important to build support for the US government to lobby China for cooperation among the three states as Prendergast urges and GI-Net encourages. It seems that such messages in this direction, in contrast to blood dripping from the Olympic Rings, could be more effective. French notes that when he went to search the Internet for news stories about China and Chad his browser went blank. It seems worthwhile to keep in mind that Chinese people often have little information about their national policies in Sudan. It isn't simply that the Chinese don't care what American protesters think, but rather they don't have the means to know the story. I want my government to pursue policies in Africa which emphasize "good government, democracy and rights." I think that's the right emphasis here and abroad. Clearly there are many Chinese people, just like here in the States, and in Africa decrying state corruption and violations of human rights. We are allied across boundaries. How then do we craft messages which unite us in purpose? How do we find ways to get to "yes" engaging France, the USA, and China with the Government in Sudan to begin to make progress? [edit: spelling Alex de Waal] .. _`GI-Net's`: http://www.genocideintervention.net/ .. _`debate`: http://www.newsweek.com/id/69004/page/1 .. _`Whether at home or abroad, China is silent on matters of democracy`: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/07/asia/letter.php?page=1 ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:04:26 PST John wrote: My feeling is that it is more important to build support for the US government to lobby China for cooperation among the three states as Prendergast urges and GI-Net encourages. China holds quite a bit of our foreign debt. US companies are dependent on them for the production of competitive goods. We need their foreign investment. What leverage could we have? China speaks economics. Our inconsistent moral bluster at the senior levels won't do much. Sadly, Steven Spielberg's sober withdraw could induce little more than wry chuckles. The games will be less spectacular for it. I am at a loss for the getting to yes bit. China is a global super power. It needs resources. They are playing hard ball market dominance in so many areas, what is a squeaky wheel of conscience going to say that will move Chinese, when they are beginning to savor their entrance onto the world's cultural stage? the lights are about to go up. san francisco has a huge china town. lots of college students. tons of money. all-star athletes. it is America's bridge to Asia... there is now a note being played; a tension hanging in the air... what can be done with it? ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:23:54 PST I think in part what China and Chinese people want with the Olympics is recognition that they are an important power. As Prendergast points out the conflict in Sudan and Chad is something that's in their interest to go away. If we could convey messages that encourage Chinese cooperation in Sudan; if we can convey that such cooperation burnishes the Chinese as major world players in the eyes of the West, those seem compatible with their hopes for the World Games. None of the three international powers, France, USA, nor China, are pure, but cooperation is possible and desirable. ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:44:16 PST I think Lars is right, and Ill add North Korea to his argument. They keep NK on a leash for us and keeping NK from spreading or using nukes is a major priority for the US. This all reminds me of the debates between the soviet "experts" in the 80's, and we all know most of them ended up looking silly with their forecasts. In my opinion it is a mistake to rely on China to accomplish our goals in the Sudan. ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:00:19 PST :Modified: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:02:31 PST BEIJING — China said Tuesday that it would resume a human rights dialogue with the United States, in a move that appeared to be aimed at countering criticism from activists ahead of the Olympic Games here in August. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice won agreement to restart the talks after discussions with Chinese officials here on Tuesday on the second leg of a three-nation tour that began in South Korea and will end in Japan on Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/world/asia/27china.html?ref=todayspaper Notice that later in the article Rice makes sure to put in a statement in about North Korea. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:53:54 PST Lars asks in re the April Olympic torch in SF: there is now a note being played; a tension hanging in the air... what can be done with it? My opinion is that attempts to embarrass the Chinese or to pour blood on the Olympic Rings will not contribute to positive results regarding the Chinese relationship with the Government of Sudan. I recognize that my opinion isn't shared widely. There are three quite recent articles up regarding China at Sudan Tribune: `China provides more humanitarian aid to Darfur`_ `Envoy demands former Darfur rebels to protect Chinese peacekeepers`_ `‘Don’t invest in Darfur blood’ senior Sudanese official tells China`_ Dilemmas of China's non-interference stance are being drawn with their active engagement in Sudan. Clearly activists outside Sudan want to stand with the oppressed people, so Minni Minawi's warnings to the Chinese envoy Liu Guijin is of particular note. `Justin Lin`_ was recently named as chief economist at The World Bank. I guess I don't really see the situation as using leverage to force power over the Chinese. Certainly I agree with others in this thread that activists don't wield such power. That thought never entered my mind, so it seems strange to imagine that absent such power over that there is nothing activist can do. What are the possibilities? .. _`China provides more humanitarian aid to Darfur`: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article26144 .. _`Envoy demands former Darfur rebels to protect Chinese peacekeepers`: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article26150 .. _`‘Don’t invest in Darfur blood’ senior Sudanese official tells China`: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article26160 .. _`Justin Lin`: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Yifu_Lin ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:36:58 PST Probably everyone here knows about Mia Farrow's `genocide Olympics`_ but thought it relevant to link to the initiative to contact Olympic sponsors. Earlier I mentioned the debate between Prendergast and de Waal. I don't imagine that my opinions are necessarily right--in fact I'm sure most of my opinions are at least partly wrong. But in a general way my opinions are more towards the de Waal camp of things. It's often hard for people to make sense of the often passionate arguments among activists around the Darfur issue. `de Waal's blog`_ while clearly taking sides in such arguments also models ways that the conduct of them can be civil and constructive. LOL, that's my opinion of course, but I'm sure others would strenuously disagree. In any case recent posts there about China and Darfur may be of interest. .. _`genocide Olympics`: http://www.miafarrow.org/what_you_can_do.html .. _`de Waal's blog`: http://www.ssrc.org/blog/category/darfur/ ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:44:26 PST You like to begin with values perhaps, John. I tend to like to begin with images. Either way, I suspect we are shooting for the same outcome, which is to find a way to evince greater support from China to effect a change in Sudan's brutal interior affairs. I think the question you pose is the same: there's an opportunity. What can we do? ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:04:38 PST I think I agree with John, If I understand him right, in that I don't think there is anything we can do that has much of a chance of changing China's policies. Ill go even further, and say if we push it too far it could be a net negative. But, like with sanctions, there is the argument that even if you think it will not work, public outcry against China may be good for another reason, namely that it will be another vehicle for raising awareness and activism in the US. ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:50:58 PST John wrote: public outcry against China may be good for another reason, namely that it will be another vehicle for raising awareness and activism in the US. I agree, and I think my frame is slightly wider, which is that the Olympics in particular - combined with the fact that they are in China - provide an opportunity for the public to protest that, while slaughter happens, billions are spent on sports games. Its a protest spotlight the *global* situation of insufficient attention to humanitarian aims. China's situation is a flashpoint and a symptom, not a root cause itself in my opinion. ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:50:05 PST Today I talked with a woman who runs one of Atlanta's best theaters. They are mounting "In Darfur" next month. Going to work to get them a sellout crowd, some readings from the play at local high schools, etc. At least one night will be a benefit for GI-Net. ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:15:07 PST :Modified: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:15:41 PST Nick Kristof really steps it up in a new ed on S Sudan: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/opinion/28kristof.html?ref=todayspaper It has the usual polite but never seems to work suggestion: We can work with the international community to raise the costs to President Bashir of defying his treaty obligations. But then he goes into areas I have not seen before: We can warn Sudan that if it starts a new war, we will supply anti-aircraft weapons to the south to make it harder for the north to resume bombing hospitals, churches and schools. I think its about time that options like this were on the table. While I doubt the US will do a Reagan in Libia (bomb the Sudan gvt leaders) which we know worked once, this kind of threat seems to me to have a lot more likelihood of working than sanctions or more UN meetings. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:52:52 PST Some initial info for the April 9th Olympic Torch Relay: http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/china_sfevent/ Please sign up - it would be great to have you and all your friends and family join us! ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:56:53 PST CONFERENCE PROGRAM **Sudanese Peace Agreements: Progress and Challenges** Fordham University Law School Amphitheater, 140 West 62nd Street, New York, NY (near Lincoln Center in Manhattan) April 16th, 2008 From 8:45am - 4pm Welcoming Remarks: (08:45am -9:00) Keynote Address: The CPA and the Making of New Sudan (09-10:00am) Dr. Francis Deng, UN Secretary General Special Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, New York Coffee break 10-10:10am Panel 1: Assessing the CPA and DPA's Progress (10:15 -11:55) Dr. Ruth Iyob, University of Missouri - ST. Louis Dr. Suliman Baldo, Director, Africa Program, International Center for Transitional Justice, New York Dr. Akec Khoc, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Sudan to the United Nations Lunch (12:-1) Panel 2: Opportunities for an Effective Regional and International Response (1:15-2:55) Mr. John Prendergast, Co-Founder of Enough Project, Washington DC . Dr. Ali Dinar, African Studies Center , University of Pennsylvania Dr. Aaron Tesfaye, William Paterson University, New Jersey Panel 3: Charting a Way Ahead: (final discussion panel of all the speakers) (3:00-4:00) Concluding Remarks Sponsored by the Dept. of African & African American Studies and the Dean's Office at LC and RH. For more information, please contact Dr. Amir Idris, at idris@fordham. edu, or call (212) 636-6180. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:10:28 PST Hopefully as the Darfur movement is maturing, we are beginning to recognize the importance of focusing on the entire country rather than just one region...not only the challenges but also the amazing opportunities for the Sudanese people as provided by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. -------- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/opinion/28kristof.html?ref=opinion "Those who focused on Sudan’s atrocities in Darfur, myself included, may have inadvertently removed the spotlight from South Sudan. Without easing the outrage over Darfur — where the bloodshed has been particularly appalling lately — we must broaden the focus to include the threat to the south." ---------- Sudan Peace and Democracy Watch http://www.enoughproject.org/sudanwatch ---- :Author: Samuel Ngotho :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:46:44 PST Peace deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:01:45 PST :Modified: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:04:50 PST SULEIA, Sudan — The janjaweed are back. Lynsey Addario for The New York Times They came to this dusty town in the Darfur region of Sudan on horses and camels on market day. Almost everybody was in the bustling square. At the first clatter of automatic gunfire, everyone ran. The militiamen laid waste to the town — burning huts, pillaging shops, carrying off any loot they could find and shooting anyone who stood in their way, residents said. Asha Abdullah Abakar, wizened and twice widowed, described how she hid in a hut, praying it would not be set on fire. “I have never been so afraid,” she said. More... `Scorched-Earth Strategy Returns to Darfur`_ .. _`Scorched-Earth Strategy Returns to Darfur` : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/world/africa/02darfur.html?_r=1&ex=1362114000&en=f8a8256175091297&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin *edit: fixed link, thnx Linda* ---- :Author: Nikki Serapio :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:20:46 PST Thanks for posting this important article, Mark. Hopefully the Darfur movement can work together to really ramp up the pressure on Khartoum. One to-do item is getting the White House to help introduce a meaningful UNSC sanctions resolution targeting the GoS' senior leaders -- this point has been brought up again and again by ENOUGH (among others) over the last year. -N ----- Mark Grimes said: SULEIA, Sudan — The janjaweed are back. Lynsey Addario for The New York Times They came to this dusty town in the Darfur region of Sudan on horses and camels on market day. Almost everybody was in the bustling square. At the first clatter of automatic gunfire, everyone ran. The militiamen laid waste to the town — burning huts, pillaging shops, carrying off any loot they could find and shooting anyone who stood in their way, residents said. Asha Abdullah Abakar, wizened and twice widowed, described how she hid in a hut, praying it would not be set on fire. “I have never been so afraid,” she said. More... `Scorched-Earth Strategy Returns to Darfur`_ .. _`Scorched-Earth Strategy Returns to Darfur` : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/world/africa/02darfur.html?_r=1&ex=1362114000&en=f8a8256175091297&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin *edit: fixed link, thnx Linda* ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:42:28 PST Thanks for that link Mark - lots has been written lately about the worsening situation in op-ed format so it is great to read a tight reportage of both the specific and overall dynamic. During JP and Don Cheadle's colleage speaking tour last year, John was asked by one of the students how he remains hopeful with regards Darfur and Sudan. He was very quick to point out two things: * All of the African nations who were in utter chaos only a few short years ago but are now experiencing the early stages of stability, repatriation and rebuilding. In that historic knowledge lies the great hope and reality for Sudan and Chad. * The path to a safe and prosperous Sudan might still include one more round/phase of full-on brutality against the people of the region by the GoS as it attempts to hold on to power through force. It is in that event that the grass-roots movement across the globe cannot lose heart or conviction. It is exactly what happened in Cambodia, East Timor and Kosovo. May the Darfuris find the strength to hold on again. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:44:11 PST Esther - I've started to pass the April link on widely down here and particularly to those who used to live/work in the States. Hopefully it bears fruit. (pardon the pun!!!) **:D** ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:35:42 PST Thanks Gayle! ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:15:11 PST On Wednesday I'm meeting with the director of the theater that is putting on "In Darfur" here in Atlanta next month. Mark Hanis is going to come down here for the benefit and hopefully to speak on some of the campuses around town. Going to see if I can have him speak at the Carter Center. Most of the people I worked with there are gone since they've cut back on their conflict resolution work (why, I wonder?). So many universities here. A neighbor of mine has been working with the Sudanese here in Atlanta for years. She stopped by tonight to say if I ever needed any help she'd be glad to volunteer. Perfect timing, yes?!? ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:42:42 PST :Modified: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:49:29 PST Gayle wrote: All of the African nations who were in utter chaos only a few short years ago but are now experiencing the early stages of stability, repatriation and rebuilding. In that historic knowledge lies the great hope and reality for Sudan and Chad. I'd like to see that list, Gayle. I don't get it. At the same time, there needs to be some regional factoring. The "spill over" from Rwanda into Zaire has been devastating. Likewise the destabilization in Liberia continues to have deep effects in the Cote d'Ivoire. Somalia sputters. Just about no one talks about the potential for conflict in Southern Senegal. All of these countries are key to regional stability. The thing about most of Africa right now, best I can tell, is that conflict is like drought: it can come out of no where and last a long time. The underlying structural reasons for the drought remain intact. So, we can say Sierra Leone is on the path toward peace and democracy - and yet the root cause of the conflict, which is over resources and exacerbated by identity politics, remains there and could rear again. These nations need to be included in the international community in ways that create the opportunity that reduces conflict. Employment. Education. Trade. etc. The International Crisis Group reports that: 12 actual or potential conflict situations around the world deteriorated in February. The situation deteriorated in Cameroon, Chad, DR Congo, Ethiopia/Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. The situation improved in Kenya though it remains as a Conflict Risk Alerts. Uganda is listed as a Conflict Resolution Opportunity. That's 2/3 of the world's conflicts on the continent. It is important to balance all of our hope and optimism and love for our friends and family and the continent with... with what I don't know. We need policy commitments backed by... more than celebrities and conferences and all of the trappings of the last 5 decades of decision-making. How do we bring the continent into full inclusion into world markets, decision-making... so that there is a real future for *all* of its people, and not one constrained by conflict, disease, corruption, poverty. we need more people like Ray going over there and building stuff - and doing it in partnership so that the assets become locally owned and operated and the knowledge, resources, and relationships continue to grow... [falls off soap box...] ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:02:27 PST It's so interesting to me how the discussions here at Ned overlap. Lutalo Patrick started a thread in LiA USA on `Agriculture in Uganda`_. His mention of "large-scale agriculture" caught my attention as it did Linda's. Land tenure is a complicated subject, but so important. The crisis in Kenya, of course has roots in land tenure. And in many ways the problems in Kenya relating to the colonial ideas of land are present in Sudan. This week at the `Making Sense of Darfur`_ blog they'll be discussing land using a paper `The Land Question: Sudan’s Peace Nemesis`_ (PDF) as a starting point. I highly recommend the paper at least, and I suspect the conversation on the blog this week will be worthwhile. .. _`Agriculture in Uganda`: http://www.ned.com/group/lia-usa/news/13/ .. _`Making Sense of Darfur`: http://www.ssrc.org/blog/2008/03/02/land-power-and-peace-in-sudan/ .. _`The Land Question: Sudan’s Peace Nemesis`: http://www.odi.org.uk/hpg/papers/wplandsudan.pdf ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:20:34 PST John - thanks for the links! Lars - what you wrote made me wonder how often Africans are at the tables where big decisions are made -- tables where you would expect Europeans, Americans, Asians, etc. I'm not explaining this well, but hopefully you understand. I'm wondering if one way to change the equation is to invite them to participate in the discussion -- whether it has to do with politics, economics, education, health care, etc. Perhaps they are there already (and sorry I can't better articulate the "there".) ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 01:41:07 PST Lars Hasselblad Torres said: Gayle wrote: All of the African nations who were in utter chaos only a few short years ago but are now experiencing the early stages of stability, repatriation and rebuilding. In that historic knowledge lies the great hope and reality for Sudan and Chad. I'd like to see that list, Gayle. I don't get it.... Actually Gayle wrote that **JP said** - to a bunch of students asking how he remains Africa-hopeful - the bit above!!!! Two things from me .....firstly **mea culpa** - I should have wrapped more context around the quote as it related directly to me reading the NYTimes piece that Mark posted and the unfolding new wave of brutality by proxy the GoS is infamous for. He was speaking in relation to the book he and Cheadle had written, activism and specifically, its relation to genocide and crimes against humanity. So it was in **that** context he mentioned Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Uganda as being more stable and starting to recover. Sorry - I don't know what else to write.... this is the Crisis in Sudan thread and I was thinking and reading in terms of slaughter, rape and scorched earth policies. Before I logged in, I looked at 2 different youtube videos of JP and Cheadle (to find the quote) and it wasn't in those so I'll check some of the longer ones on google video over the coming days and try and find it. (or email and just ask him) On everything else you wrote - particularly about super-heroes like Ray and Jackie - no disagreement here! Cheers, Gayle **:)** ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:11:14 PST Thanks for the context Gayle. Few African countries have the resources to deploy scorched earth policies, but sadly the slaughter and rape is too familiar and persistent... Foreign weapons, internal affairs. Crazy. The nations that finance development seem content to focus on long-term views: 15-25 year development programs on 99 year loans. What is needed are massive shorter term programs to create jobs, educate young people. I'd like to see some folks dare to offer guys with guns some good jobs with housing, a garden and free schooling for their children and see how much the lead they still pump... When I picked up the paper yesterday at the general store and saw that 'scorched earth' anger i felt this wave of anger. fuck, i thought. on the one hand i do not want to be consuming huge resources traveling about; i'd rather pump what i can directly into programs. on the hand, i can completely understand that crave for action - that need to be on the ground... all those children? all those AIDS orphans? all those jobs that aren't being created today? I don't know where the "hope" comes from - its a beautifully human mystery. I know where the anger lies... ---- :Author: Cynthia Gentry :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:18:14 PST Lars Hasselblad Torres said: I don't know where the "hope" comes from - its a beautifully human mystery. I know where the anger lies... I'm at a loss for words. Fortunately, you are not. Thanks. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:33:53 PST Well, sometimes my hope wears so thin and fragile that it only remains because I know that without it, I'll be left only with anger - and I've met too many Holocaust survivors, Cambodians and East Timorese to ever believe I have the right to let go of hope when they didn't .....even when mine becomes utterly thread-bare. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:13:55 PST Last night I had the opportunity to hear Jan Egeland, the former UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Former UN Emergency Relief Chief. He has a new book - A Billin Lives, an Eyewitness Report from The Frontiers of Humanity. Below are excerpts from the prologue: "This book is an eyewitness account from many years of travel and work in the disaster and war zones of our time. Both in the field and the world's capitals, I have met the best and worst among us. I have confronted warlords, mass murderers, and tyrants, but I have met many more peacemakers, relief workers, and human rights activists who risk their lives at humanity's first line of defense. I am convinced that for the majority of people, the world is getting better. There is more peace, more people are fed and educated, and fewer are forced to become refugees than a generation ago - in spite of the halfhearted investment of rich and powerful nations. [skipped a few paragraphs] A billion lives are at stake at humanity's first lines. This is the number of fellow human beings without drinking water, daily food, or even a dollar a day to survive on. [paragraph skipped] On the following pages I offer a firshand report from communities and crisis areas where much is still at stake and more needs to be done. I am not in any operational position in the United Nations and can reflect now on what I saw and what I learned. The most important thing I learned is that our generation has the resources, technology, and institutions to end the massive suffering that is taking place on our watch. It is a question of will." ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:09:01 PST Egeland goes on to write: "The anger builds when I see, time and again, how in our age it is more dangerous to be a woman or a child in these battlefields than an armed, adult male soldier." ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:31:22 PST Hi! I'm trying to get caught up on the posts. The past few weeks my family's been busy helping Catholic Charities with the two Darfuri families they are sponsoring. The families arrived through a U.N. program after the past three years spent in Krisan Camp, Ghana. My son, Jeffrey, is on the staff of the University of Texas San Antonio's (UTSA) newspaper, "The Independent." On one of our visits with one of these families, Jeff asked if they wanted to be interviewed for a newspaper article to tell their story of how they came to the U.S. This is the first interview which gives their account of their family's ordeal with Sudanese military troops and the Janjaweed, their dangerous journey to Ghana, three years in a refugee camp, their arrival in San Antonio, and hopes for the future. Click here: The Independent UTSA http://media.www.theindependentutsa.com/media/storage/paper1093/news/2008/02/18/Features/Darfur.Refugees.In.San.Antonio-3201008.shtml All of the school-age children have recently started school, the parents are taking ESL classes, and they will be securing jobs as soon as their Social Security numbers are processed. They have all faced many changes and learned a great deal in these first few weeks in the U.S. With immense gratitude, they repeatedly tell those of us who are assisting them that it is best to take things "shweyyah shweyyah," little by little . . . step by step. We all must take time to absorb what we are learning from one another. Salaam ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:20:23 PST From tomorrow's New York Times... `China Defends Darfur Role`_ By JIM YARDLEY Published: March 8, 2008 BEIJING — China has expressed “grave concerns” to the Sudanese government about the violence in western Darfur and is actively working to resolve delays in establishing an international peacekeeping force, China’s special envoy to Darfur said Friday. The envoy, Liu Guijin, who recently returned from his fourth visit to Sudan, offered a detailed defense of China’s role in Darfur at a news conference at the Foreign Ministry here and repeated Beijing’s stance that activists are wrong to link Darfur to the Beijing Olympics in August. He also expressed surprise at the film director Steven Spielberg’s public withdrawal as artistic director of the Beijing Olympics last month. Mr. Liu said the relationship had effectively ended months earlier. In recent weeks, violence in western Darfur has escalated as the Sudanese Army and its janjaweed militia allies have attacked rebel groups, a conflict that has created a new wave of refugees flowing into neighboring Chad. `....more`_ .. _`....more` : ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:51:27 PST :Modified: Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:53:10 PST I was on a call this morning where Isaac from the Save Darfur Coalition did a nice job of outlining the current asks of China (found on the various national Darfur movement websites): Asked of China: - provide transport helicopters - support multi-lateral sanctions - suspend military support to GOS (selling arms) - work in coordination with US, France, Britain to help secure a peace agreement China will be off the hook when we see: - unfettered access for humanitarian aid - full deployment of UNAMID - the GOS fully cooperating in the implementation of the CPA ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:37:34 PST :Modified: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:38:22 PST The Olympic Torch Relay in San Francisco on April 9th is a once in a lifetime opportunity to pressure China on Darfur. If you are planning to attend (we hope you all will), please register at www.darfursf.org. If you are not able to attend, please consider contacting everyone you know that lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and ask them to come in your place. Thanks! ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:38:51 PST Clooney puts pressure on Olympic sponsor http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080311/ap_en_mo/people_clooney ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:39:50 PST South Sudan official meets with Humanity United group http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article26367 ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:50:17 PST Gabe, Katie-J and the `Stop Genocide Now`_ gang held a Camp Darfur in Hawaii soon after their return from the "unwanted excitement" in N'Djamena. (his words not mine! :) John Prendergast (`Enough Project`_) flew in for the Hawaii Run for Darfur and the video (below) is from the latest edition (Issue 5) of `i-actzine 2008`_. Both Katie-J and Gabriel have written update posts regarding the situation on the ground in for this edition. **Camp Darfur - with JP - in Hawaii** ________________________________ .. raw :: html .. _`Stop Genocide Now`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/ .. _`i-actzine 2008`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/iact/iactzine/issue5 .. _`Enough Project`: http://www.enoughproject.org/ ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:24:53 PST Good news in Sudan! http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/BusinessTravel/popup?id=4484023 Also be sure to watch the video. ABC News will have coverage of Sudan over the next 10 days or so. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:00:15 PST In the National Geographic isa remarkable article `Lost in the Sahel`_ by Paul Salopek. It's hard to read longer articles online. While this article is long it is compact in its telling a complex story. I don't know enough. When I try talking with others about Darfur, my ignorance becomes so evident. Paul Salopek's story is wonderful for sharing a context, for example the history of the tsetse fly, in the context of the place, people and trouble. This piece is worth pointing to. .. _`Lost in the Sahel`: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/04/sahel/paul-salopek-text/1 ---- :Author: John Berger :Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:22:04 PST Here is another voice for getting more aggressive than just hoping the blue helmets will do the job. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/opinion/25helprin.html?ref=todayspaper Every inch of the 600 miles of barren territory between Khartoum and the killing grounds is an opportunity for a reprieve commanded by American air power — with not a boot on the ground. The Sudanese military in Darfur can be trapped there without sustenance, to wither or retreat as the bulk of Sudanese forces are kept out. And the janjaweed can be denied tangible support merely by severing the few extenuated routes of supply. The first requirement of a cordon sanitaire, however, would be to cut all air links, which would require carrier-based air strikes to destroy the Sudanese air force’s 51 combat aircraft, 25 transports, and 44 helicopters (all figures from the International Institute for Strategic Studies); its fuel, munitions and maintenance facilities; and the few runways capable of supporting heavy transports and fighters. Were Chad to approve a small expeditionary force of America’s A-10 tactical-air-support planes, which it probably would, just a few of these could closely suppress remnant Sudanese armor and check any force of the janjaweed militia sufficiently concentrated to overcome local means of self-defense. Moreover, none of this would prove necessary were the United States willing to go further and threaten or accomplish the destruction of the Sudanese regime’s means to power over a country that has been pulled apart centrifugally by multiple secessions. One needn’t be squeamish about such a proposition. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:54:42 PST **"Creating a Peace to Keep in Darfur."** _____________________________________________ A Joint Report by the `ENOUGH Project`_ and the `Save Darfur Coalition.`_ **Thursday March 27th 2008** Authors: John Prendergast and Jerry Fowler. [with contributions from Omer Ismail, Colin Thomas-Jensen, Amjad Atallah, Amir Osman and Gayle Smith.] ______________________________________________ Ending the catastrophe in Darfur requires international protection for civilians, a peace agreement that resolves the underlying political issues, and accountability for human rights abuses. Complete humanitarian access must also be assured. To achieve any of these goals, there must be meaningful consequences for individuals who impede efforts at protection, peacemaking, and humanitarian access. The deployment of an international civilian protection force, authorized last July by the UN Security Council, is moving ahead fitfully in the face of constant obstruction by the Sudanese government (and gross inattention by the Security Council to the pressing needs of the mission). While full and effective deployment of that force is necessary to save lives, it ultimately will prove insufficient unless it is accompanied by a viable peace process. Unfortunately, the current peace process is in shambles. **This paper** outlines the urgent steps that must be taken to create a peace to keep in Darfur.[1 [1]] ENOUGH and the Save Darfur Coalition have identified these steps through our field work, our consultations with key actors, and our own experience with peace processes in Sudan and elsewhere.[2 [2]] In particular, we draw on the model used to negotiate the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the decades-long war in southern Sudan. ___________________________________________________ **Appoint a single, empowered mediator.** One strong lead mediator must replace the dual AU and UN special envoys—Salim Ahmed Salim for the African Union and Jan Eliasson for the United Nations—who jointly and uneasily lead the process now. A single mediator is necessary, because a diffusion of responsibility leads inevitably to a diffusion of effectiveness. The single mediator should have substantial negotiation experience, particularly in Africa, and preferably in Sudan. The mediator must be fully empowered to drive the process and must be supported by a full-time team with expertise in all of the relevant issues under negotiation. The efforts of such a single, empowered mediator were crucial to the success of the negotiations that resulted in the CPA. ________________________________________________________ **Support the mediator with coordinated international leverage.** But no mediator, however skilled, will succeed in isolation. For example, the CPA’s Kenyan mediator was backed by a “troika” of countries—the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway—that had influence over the parties that the mediator did not have.[3 [3]] The manner in which the Troika’s coordinated leverage supported the mediation to end the conflict in southern Sudan provides a general blueprint for success in Darfur. Indeed, real leverage has been glaringly absent since the beginning of the Darfur crisis. A coordinated international effort to back up the mediator with clear and focused incentives for and pressures on all key actors is essential to give peace a chance. ENOUGH, the Save Darfur Coalition, and the Genocide Intervention Network have proposed a “Quartet” of the countries that have the most external leverage: China, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Each of these countries has particular, limited leverage in Sudan. But combined, their leverage and influence can be decisive. The Quartet should consult closely with—and in some cases apply pressure to—regional states with interests in Darfur and Sudan, including Egypt, Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Saudi Arabia, and work with key AU states, such as South Africa. Effective diplomacy cannot be bought on the cheap. A serious effort to address the Darfur catastrophe requires each of the Quartet countries to dedicate full-time staff in the region to continuously engage the warring parties and regional states while supporting the work of the lead mediator. In the case of the United States, President Bush’s Special Envoy, Richard Williamson, should have two full-time deputies working the Darfur and CPA issues as well as a field-based team with personnel in Khartoum, Chad, and Juba. Additionally, the French government, working closely with China and the United States, should invest more through the European Union in diplomatic efforts to resolve the political crisis in Chad.[4 [4]] The mediator and Quartet must also include the proxy war between Sudan and Chad in their approach. Even a well-resourced Quartet effort is unlikely to succeed if it sets up a peace process divorced from a commitment to peace enforcement. Throughout the five years that this conflict has raged on, virtually no multilateral costs have been imposed on the individuals most responsible for violence targeting civilians or for obstructing humanitarian relief efforts. The UN Security Council—driven by the Quartet, each of whom is a permanent member—must impose consequences in the form of targeted sanctions on key individuals, a comprehensive arms embargo, and additional support to the International Criminal Court. Quite simply, those who are most responsible for the crisis, including top officials in the Sudanese government, must bear a cost for promoting destruction and obstruction—a cost that outweighs the benefits they have been enjoying. No peace process can succeed that is isolated from the urgency of protecting civilians and ensuring humanitarian access. _____________________________________________________ **Address the Darfur conflict in its local and national contexts.** A successful peace agreement must effectively address the local and national contexts of the conflict. In particular, the Darfur conflict cannot be resolved without resolving the vital issues of wealth and power distribution in Sudan. **Local Darfur context.** After multiple failed peace efforts and meandering consultations, the issues at stake in Darfur are fairly well understood. Any final agreement will have to address the following:[5 [5]] * A substantial sum for individual compensation to be paid by the government * International monitoring of a cessation of all forms of state support for the janjaweed militia structure * International monitoring and support for encampment of all forces in Darfur (government, rebel, and militia) * Administrative arrangements for Darfur * Power sharing for Darfurian constituencies[6 [6]] * A comprehensive plan to address the humanitarian, livelihoods, environmental, and development challenges that Darfur will face in the aftermath of the conflict The lead envoy should jump-start the process by producing a comprehensive draft agreement that addresses these core issues. But the draft will only help move the process forward if it is—and is seen to be—reflective of the needs and interests of stakeholders, rather than a third party position. The draft should therefore be circulated to key constituencies for peace, including traditional leaders and community leaders in camps for internally displaced persons and refugees, Darfurian civil society groups, women’s organizations, political parties, and diaspora organizations such as the Darfur Leaders Network.[7 [7]] Broadening the peace process is essential to creating a sense of ownership among Darfurians. There will be contentious debates over the specifics of the wealth, power, development, and security arrangements of any robust agreement, so the mediator must establish a formal process—involving envoys from the Quartet as well—to solicit regular feedback from key stakeholders. In particular, it is essential that meaningful input in the negotiation process be decoupled from merely having guns. The previous practice of giving seats at the table to almost any combatant has had the perverse effect of encouraging the factionalization of armed groups and giving armed groups a greater say in determining the future of Darfur than their unarmed counterparts. Moreover, as support for a draft agreement expands, the mediator and the Quartet in cooperation with the civilian protection force must be ready to act decisively to isolate spoilers. Various rebel factions have refused to participate in previous peace processes for different reasons at different times. One overarching concern stems from the realization that any negotiation is skewed by the much greater negotiation experience and capacity possessed by the Sudanese government. This concern is amplified by the rebels’ keen awareness that the government has mastered the techniques of divide and conquer, accentuating mistrust that already exists among different rebel leaders. Naturally, the personal ambitions of individual rebel leaders also have played a role. The mediator and Quartet can address these problems in several ways. First, they should make clear that they are committed to a fair outcome, broadly supported in Darfur. Second, any final agreement must include international guarantees that the Quartet and other international actors are committed to fulfilling. Third, a vigorous process of consultation with Darfurian civil society will limit the ability of individual rebel leaders to put their personal ambitions ahead of a broadly acceptable agreement; as such, individual leaders will abstain from the process at their political peril. (As mentioned above, the mediator and Quartet must be prepared to isolate spoilers.) And finally, members of the Quartet can help facilitate capacity building to enhance the ability of Darfurians to negotiate with the central government.[8 [8]] Very soon there will have to be agreement to confidence-building measures that demonstrate a baseline of good faith, especially on the part of the government. One such measure may be a ceasefire. A recent rebel offensive and renewed attacks against civilians by the Sudanese military and allied militia demonstrate that neither side feels any incentive to stop fighting right now. Newly energized diplomacy by an empowered mediator and the Quartet, however, may make an early ceasefire more realistic. **National Sudan context.** If it is to be sustained, any peace agreement for Darfur must also serve as a component of a comprehensive approach to a lasting peace in Sudan. The ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has consistently taken advantage of the international community’s inability to focus on Sudan as a whole. As the international community was mesmerized in 2003 by the possibility of ending the war in southern Sudan, the NCP took the opportunity to carry out its scorched earth campaign of human destruction in Darfur. After the signing of the CPA in January 2005, the NCP saw that the international focus shifted to its crimes against humanity in Darfur, accompanied by haphazard efforts to address that crisis. Not surprisingly, Khartoum took the opportunity to undermine implementation of the CPA, a key component of which is the democratic transformation of all Sudan.[9 [9]] The lead mediator and the Quartet must, therefore, include implementation of the CPA in their mandate. Moreover, adjustments to the CPA will inevitably be necessary to ensure equitable access of Darfurians and all Sudanese to national power and wealth, which for far too long have been controlled by a minority elite (and, under the NCP regime, controlled by a minority of that minority). __________________________________________________ **Conclusion** To date, international actors, including the United States, China, France, and the United Nations, have sought more to manage the Darfur crisis piecemeal rather than solve it completely. Now is the time to appoint an empowered mediator and support that mediator with an international Quartet of powers that have leverage and interests in Sudan. The mediator and Quartet must simultaneously protect humanitarian access, push for full and effective deployment of the UN-AU civilian protection force authorized last July, and vigorously pursue a viable peace process. That peace process must address both the local and national issues that underlie the conflict, ensuring that resolution of the conflict in Darfur complements full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the conflict in southern Sudan and that provides a blueprint for the democratic transformation of the entire country. The problems of Darfur cannot be solved without solving the problems of Sudan and vice-versa. The time has come, finally, to get it right in Sudan. The long-suffering Sudanese people deserve as much. ______________________________________________________ **NOTE:** For citation details and the original report post, `go to this link - at Enough Project report section.`_ .. _`Enough Project`: http://www.enoughproject.org/ .. _`Save Darfur Coalition.`: http://www.savedarfur.org/ .. _`go to this link - at Enough Project report section.`: http://www.enoughproject.org/reports/creatingpeacedarfur ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:51:29 PDT Hi, Just catching up to this thread... Wow, Olympic torch came and went - what a bizarre experience - wasn't expecting the pro-China protestors waving red flags in our faces. Nor was I expecting the silly hiding of the torch and the "fake" torches going in different directions. Nor was I expecting that our government would allow Chinese para-military forces in our country to protect the torch. Insanity all around. ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:53:28 PDT Thanks you all for posting Enough! reports here. Have you all signed up for Gabriel and Stop Genocide Now's fast for Darfur? www.stopgenocidenow.org/fast ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:40:46 PDT Hi Pam - there are quite a number of Ned members on the list at `100 Day fast for Darfur @ stopgenocidenow`_ which is very cool - particularly for the World Food Program (WFP) who will benefit from fast pledges to further their work in the region. There is still loads of time to go as the fast run through to July. If you are interested as an individual or in putting a "Team" together, email your dates/details/pledge to fast@stopgenocidenow.org Actually, even though Meron is still in Swaziland with Ray and Jackie, "Team Australia's" gang of 10 is putting out a challenge to "Team Canada"...... **:)** (....and a big hello to Team Ireland's superwoman, Ms. Megy!! :) .. _`100 Day fast for Darfur @ stopgenocidenow`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/fast ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 03:11:04 PDT **New Fast@stopgenocidenow update!!** Thanks to the super cool Ms. Nowakowski, there is now a Team Thailand participating. Yay!! If anyone wants to sponsor any of us (rather than actually fasting), just PM and we can work something out. **:)** ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:38:06 PDT Good Luck today (19th April) to Linda and Pam - both fasting for Darfur and the WFP. Take it easy! ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:48:49 PDT :Modified: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:52:35 PDT Thanks, Gayle. Today here in Thailand, it is approaching lunch; a lunch I will forgo today to stand with beautiful Leila. She lives in refugee camp Gaga, in Eastern Chad. She and thousands of children continue to know of no other life outside of a camp. They live off of the aid that reaches them, and now even that is in great risk. At times it is reduced, and at times it cannot reach them. They are counting on you to help. My fast today was sponsored by my son, Andrew Nowakowski for $25. This money is being donated to **Friends of the World Food Program**. If you would like to be next week's sponsor, please contact me! .. image :: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2206/2395071634_7628d48cf2.jpg?v=0 **EDIT** added **WFP** reference and the begging :-) ---- :Author: Moses Kariuki :Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:00:51 PDT I will be fasting tomorrow after i was sponsored by STAND University of Idaho. It also happens to be my birth day and i will enjoy doing it for Darfur. ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:58:45 PDT Happy Birthday, Moses! Since I will be done fasting, I will have some birthday cake for you! Or....maybe it would be more in the spirit of things if I **DIDN'T** have birthday cake in support of you! ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:51:22 PDT **Happy Birthday Moses!!!!** __________________________ Yay for STAND Idaho and Yay for you and your big heart! ---- :Author: Moses Kariuki :Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:18:00 PDT Thanks Linda and Gayle !!.I am done with the fasting..while i was doing it i thought about my past birthdays and i remembered that the two previous birthdays i was in Sudan. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:13:21 PDT It is my turn to `Fast for Darfur`_ - today it is in solidarity with **Amouna** who lives in Camp Kounoungou, in Eastern Chad. I am sponsored today by the perfect fairy god-kid, Miss Ailish - for $25 - with sponsorship donations going to **Friends of the World Food Program.** (details on the Stop Genocide Now website) Fellow faster for today are Belou, Cory and Ashley. .. image :: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/549850/6.14.12088476146/get/amouna.jpg .. _`Fast for Darfur`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/fast ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:27:20 PDT Side-Bar about Miss Leila (photo above posted by Linda): I never get tired of looking at Leila!!! That kid has got a sparkle in her soul that is utterly luminous. I don't know how many kids Amouna has. The look on her stunningly beautiful face is heart-breaking - I can almost feel the weight she carries everyday. When will this nightmare end??? ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:18:40 PDT **From the Stop Genocide Now website - a copy of my post about yesterday's fast.** ______________________________________________________ I fasted yesterday - Tuesday 22nd April - in solidarity with Amouna and it was a strange sort of day. First - the honest admission!! It is no secret that I’ve never been a fan of the use of a Fast as a means of drawing attention to an injustice - in fact in the past, I have actively discouraged people from “replicating a problem” in order to highlight it. When I received the original email from Gabe/sgn, I was a little torn regarding what to do but figured if ever there was going to be an exception for me, this was it. I’ve had to go without food on a number of occasions when working in some parts of Asia but it was never more than 24 - 36 hours before something substantial and nutritious was again available so I started the day believing that there probably wouldn’t be any surprises. (even the anticipated thumping caffeine withdrawal headache arrived at around 4pm as expected) What I HADN’T considered was the emotional impact of fasting - in solidarity with one particular woman - would have on me throughout yesterday. I literally could not get Amouna’a face out of my head all day - the focus was so powerfully and profoundly different than just fasting “for a cause”……..to the point where there were quite a few tears shed at different moments throughout the day. When midnight arrived and I gratefully sat down with a cup of tea and a fresh, crisp apple from the fruit bowl, I was so excruitiatingly aware that it was 3pm in the afternoon in the Camp where Amouna lives and she was more than likely hungry and uncertain…….as she was the day before and will be again tomorrow. I don’t know what else to write - in many ways, it was a much harder day than I thought it would be and for being surprised by that, I am a bit ashamed - and deeply grateful for the increased awareness. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:34:56 PDT Olympic Torch in Australia - no mention of Darfur. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080424/ap_on_re_au_an/olympic_torch ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:53:12 PDT The torch relay in Australia has just finished and was televised all morning - with repeated mention of both Darfur and Tibet by commentators. (on radio here as well) That written, there was no large presence of Darfur-specific protestors up in Canberra and expected numbers of Tibet-related protestors were vastly overstated. The AFP (Australian Federal Police) had the Capital in lock-down - and the blue tracksuit wearing Chinese para-military officers side-lined - to prevent a repeat of events from the three previous torch relay sites. ---- :Author: Esther Sprague :Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:37:13 PDT Protesters disrupt Seoul torch relay http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/27/oly.torch.relay/index.html Quotes from the article... "a large number of Chinese students have attended. In Bangkok, Thailand, students told CNN the Chinese Embassy there provided their transportation and gave them shirts to wear." ------- "South Korea is no stranger to demonstrations. Police have successfully handled large crowds, such as recent protests against the country signing a free trade agreement with the United States. After Seoul was granted the 1988 Games, massive pro-democracy demonstrations broke out, prompting the then-military government to enact sweeping reforms. Among them was the decision to hold direct presidential elections." ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:59:22 PDT In Thailand foreigners were warned that if they protested the torch relay they would be deported. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:24:28 PDT **Fast for Darfur @ stopgenocidenow.org** _______________________________________ Tuesday April 28th was Day 23 of the `Fast for Darfur`_ and it was my turn again. I fasted in spirit and partnership with Nell Okie from Connetticut, MA - in solidarity with the beautiful little Sahadia and all the tiny displaced ones of Darfur. (Nell also fasted in honour of the brilliant and courageous Dith Pran who recently passed away.) Day 23: April 28, 2008 Gabe and KTJ met young Sahadia in refugee camp Djabal, in Eastern Chad during the January 2008 i-ACT. (Some might remember the soccer game they had with the kids - Sahadia's brother Oumhar was on the kids team that whipped Gabe's butt!!!) She and her family have been eating the grain that is distributed by the World Food Program and very little else. **Sahadia's orange hair is a sign of malnutrition.** With all that they have suffered in the past - and will continue to in the future - Sahadia, her brothers, and her mother received Gabe and Katie-J as family and were happy to offer them some time under the shade they created from sticks. .. _`Fast for Darfur`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/fast .. image :: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/549850/8.52.12095001528/get/Sahadia.jpg ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 02 May 2008 06:13:18 PDT Editorial correction of above post!!! This is a bit belated but I have received an email from Gabriel **"Beckham"** Stauring that states he (and Katie-J) did **not** get their "butts kicked" in a soccer game against the little kids of Camp Djabal but rather tied with one game each. All I can say is, "Yes Dear!!" with lots of **:)** ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 04:44:21 PDT **Soccer Star Oumar** _____________________ 10PM in Melbourne. Today was/is `Fast Day for Darfur`_ for me again and it has been a really special one for a few reasons; mainly because of the little bloke Gabe has linked us in solidarity with. As you can read in the above posts, **Oumar** is little Sahadia's big brother. The paragraphs below in italics are from today's post by `Gabriel`_ on the `Stop Genocide Now`_ website............... *Juan Carlos, Gayle and Anya will be fasting together (Tuesday, May 6), on Day 30 of the 100 Day Fast for Darfur. You will be fasting in solidarity with Oumar.* *We met Oumar at refugee camp Djabal, in Eastern Chad. Gayle, I'm sure you remember Oumar. He was the leader of "the other" football team, the one that lost the first game against us but then came back to beat us on the second.* *We had a great time with him, and we got to meet his family. Oumar's father died of illness in the camp, so Oumer is the man in the family. Sometimes, there is violence in the area where Djabal camp is, so humanitarian services have to stop. Recently, the World Food Program has announced that it was being forced (because of a general food crisis and low donation) to cut rations to 1200 calories for refugees. That's the kind of reality that Oumar and millions have to live. They still receive us with open arms and offer us tea and food.* Apart from Gabe's clear (and now publicly revealed) need to seek help over this ongoing soccer scorecard thing **:)** - what made today special is that (in addition to Anya in Portland, OR) I fasted with Juan Carlos (JC) who is Gabe's younger brother. I can't explain the feeling as well as I'd like to but it just felt like **"family"**..........family here, in LA, in Portland and in Eastern Chad. And I had a few "angry" tears throughout the day about members of "our family" going hungry, fearful and uncertain for a 5th year in a row......... Might leave it at that for today! .. image :: http://www.ned.com/group/community-general/file/549850/6.72.12100707726/get/oumar.jpg .. _`Gabriel`: http://www.ned.com/user/u607865414/ .. _`Fast Day for Darfur`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/fast .. _`Stop Genocide Now`: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org ---- :Author: Gabriel Stauring :Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 12:16:34 PDT Gayle: :) Soccer thing...well, we did win one of those games, even if was just kids on the other team; they were good, and they were many! Gayle, thank you for everything, my good friend. Oumar is a very serious boy. His did not smile too much. And, he is so, so thin. So many of the children in the camps are. Now, their rations will be cut even more. I'm angry with you, Gayle. ---- :Author: chris macrae :Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 14:54:16 PDT I am very ignorant about the whole series of steps needed for everyone to do the right thing- is there a listing anywhere so if china did the right thing and told the government of sudan, no more trade with you until Darfur is fixed, what would be the next right action, and the next and so on ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 18:11:22 PDT Last night in the midst of a windy post with lots of links in it I accidentally closed the window. That's a good clue to me that I had gone on too long. So I think I'll try some links and less commentary. The BBC reported `yesterday`_ about a column of Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) fighters moving to Khartoum. Today's `follow-up`_ ledes with "Sudan `drives Darfur Rebels back." What struck me about the reports is how complicated the situation is. Earlier in the week I had resisted posting a `position paper`_ by Julia Spiegel and John Prendergast from the Enough! Project about Northern Uganda and the LRA and not directly relevant to these threads. It's always a judgment call about how to fit the pieces of the regional conflict together. In response to Chris' wondering about a list of "the right things to do," The obvious point is that opinions differ. Alex de Waal's `Prospects for Peace and Democracy in Sudan: April 2008`_ provides a very useful overview of the various regional issues in play in Sudan. Ester had helpfully earlier posted a like to Africa Action's `Africa Policy Outlook 2008`_ (PDF). What ties together these links is the importance of the 2009 Sudan elections. I'm no expert, and like Chris feel ignorant about the policy moves because they are quite complicated. Obama has been a strong supporter of a UN Force. Something in favor of such a position is that it seems clear. But I'm not so sure at all--my personal opinion--that such a position is clearly right. My temperament is rather not well-disposed to behind the scenes diplomacy, as I much prefer more openness. But it does seem clear to me that there are so many players and issues in play that diplomacy is absolutely necessary. In any case the debate between John Prendergast and Alex de Waal is useful in understanding some fundamental differences about the "right things to do." .. _`yesterday`: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7394033.stm .. _`follow-up`: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7395248.stm .. _`position paper`: http://www.enoughproject.org/reports/uganda_lra .. _`Prospects for Peace and Democracy in Sudan: April 2008`: http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/darfur/2008/04/17/prospects-for-peace-and-democracy-in-sudan-april-2008/ .. _`Africa Policy Outlook 2008`: http://www.africaaction.org/resources/docs/AfricaPolicyOutlook20082.pdf ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 05:16:01 PDT :Modified: Mon, 12 May 2008 05:17:06 PDT Though a bit tangential, I wanted to share this interesting commentary in the UK's Guardian shared by the International Crisis Group. In the midst of any human crisis, natural disasters will continue to add their own - and the situation in Burma seems to bear that point up. Anyway, since the "Responsibility to Protect" doctrine is very much about Darfur, and their are implications for its transportation, I wanted to share the following. I'm interested in what you think. ----- .. line-block:: "Facing Up to Our Responsibilities" Gareth Evans in The Guardian 12 May 2008 The Guardian If the intransigence of the Burmese generals continues, it is a very real issue whether in the name of humanity some international action should be taken against their will – like military air drops, or supplies being landed from ships offshore – to get aid to the huge numbers who desperately need it right now, in the inaccessible coastal area in particular. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner opened up a hornet’s nest when he argued last Thursday, as others are now doing, that this is a proper case for coercive intervention under the "responsibility to protect" principle unanimously endorsed by 150 heads of state and government at the 2005 UN World Summit. His proposal that the Security Council pass a resolution which "authorizes the delivery and imposes this on the Burmese government" met with immediate rejection not only from China and Russia, who are always sensitive about external intervention into internal affairs, but from many other quarters as well. It generated concern from the UK and others, including senior UN officials, that such an "incendiary" approach would be wholly counterproductive in winning any still-possible cooperation from the generals. It also provoked the argument from humanitarian relief agencies – who know what they are talking about – that simply as a practical matter any effort to drop supplies without an effective supporting relief on the ground would be hopelessly inefficient, and maybe even dangerous with the prospect of misuse of medical supplies. These are strong arguments, and they weigh heavily in the policy balance. But as the days go by, with relief efforts impossibly hindered, only a trickle of the government’s own aid getting through, and the prospect of an enormously greater death toll looming acutely within just a few more days, they are sounding less compelling, and at least need revisiting. My own initial concern, and it remains a serious one, with Bernard Kouchner’s invocation of the "responsibility to protect" was that, while wholly understandable as a political rallying cry – and God knows the world needs them in these situations – it had the potential to dramatically undercut international support for another great cause, to which he among others is also passionately committed, that of ending mass atrocity crimes once and for all. The point about "the responsibility to protect" as it was originally conceived, and eventually embraced at the World Summit – as I well know, as one of the original architects of the doctrine, having co-chaired the international commission that gave it birth – is that it is not about human security generally, or protecting people from the impact of natural disasters, or the ravages of HIV-AIDS or anything of that kind. Rather, "R2P" is about protecting vulnerable populations from "genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" in ways that we have all too miserably often failed to do in the past, That is the language of the 2005 UN General Assembly resolution, and Security Council resolutions that have followed it, and it is only in that context that the question should even arise of coercively intervening in a country against the express will of its government. And even then, the responsibility to protect norm allows the use of military force only with Security Council endorsement, and only as a last resort, after prevention has failed, when it is clear that no less extreme form of reaction could possibly halt or avert the harm in question, that the response is proportional to that harm, and that on balance more good than damage will be done by the intervention. If it comes to be thought that "R2P", and in particular the sharp military end of the doctrine, is capable of being invoked in anything other than a context of mass atrocity crimes, then such consensus as there is in favour of the new norm will simply evaporate in the global South. And that means that when the next case of genocide or ethnic cleansing comes along we will be back to the same old depressing arguments about the primacy of sovereignty that led us into the horrors of inaction in Rwanda and Srebrenica in the 1990s. But here’s the rub. If what the generals are now doing, in effectively denying relief to hundreds of thousands of people at real and immediate risk of death, can itself be characterised as a crime against humanity, then the responsibility to protect principle does indeed cut in. The Canadian-sponsored commission report that initiated the R2P concept in fact anticipated just this situation, in identifying one possible case for the application of military force as "overwhelming natural or environmental catastrophes, where the state concerned is either unwilling or unable to cope, or call for assistance, and significant loss of life is occurring or threatened". The UN resolution does not pick up this specific language, but it does refer to "crimes against humanity", and the definition of such crimes (in the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court, as well as in customary international law) embraces, along with widespread or systematic murder, torture, persecution and the like, "Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health". There is, as always, lots for the lawyers to argue about in all of this, not least on the question of intent. And there will be lots for the Security Council to quarrel about as to whether air drops and the like are justified, legally, morally and practically. But when a government default is as grave as the course on which the Burmese generals now seem to be set, there is at least a prima facie case to answer for their intransigence being a crime against humanity – of a kind which would attract the responsibility to protect principle. And that bears thinking about, fast, both by the Security Council, and the generals. Gareth Evans is President, International Crisis Group; Co-Chair, International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty; Member, UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Committee on the Prevention of Genocide. The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation covering some 60 crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 06:20:58 PDT Oh Bless you Lars - I was just about to do a cut and paste and voila - tis already done! Regarding my .02 on the piece - well what can I write?? (given my very well-known bias when it comes to Gareth) The man has probably one of the greatest minds on the planet and at the age of 63 (and after stellar careers as a Queen's Counsel and then in Australian Politics followed by the past 10 years with Crisis group) isn't slowing down in any way, shape or form. As always, his piece is balanced, considered, plain-speaking and - as a former Australian Foreign Minister - carries a bit of extra clout in the part where he "clouts" the French Foreign Minister!! I think he makes an extremely valid point about protecting the conditions surrounding R2P - and his natural progression from that initial point......in other words, don't mess with the R2P conditions but rather, call what is happening in Burma what it is - a deliberate crime against humanity via the oldest chestnut in the despot book....primacy of sovereignty. So - I think he has managed to do what few others can in the space of an extended op-ed piece - cut through the BS like a laser, reject any reactive either/or arguments and offer up "the and" in the form of a challenge .... not only to those with the international power to get fulsome aid relief into Burma quickly but also full protection for those in Darfur and Chad whilst a political solution is hammered out. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 06:30:02 PDT Chris, I saw your post yesterday and wasn't sure what to write given the current situation in Khartoum and the disintergration of diplomatic dialogue between GoS and N'Djamena. The next steps????? Given the fragility in the North of Sudan, the instability in Chad and Al Bashir's statement yesterday about "the right to retaliate" against Chad - who knows. It all just seems like the latest in a long line of (Khartoum created) obstacles to a full protection force moving in. As has been the case for years now, "the next right step" is usually completely derailed by GoS in some form or another. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 20:57:23 PDT Gayle wrote: So - I think he has managed to do what few others can in the space of an extended op-ed piece - cut through the BS like a laser, reject any reactive either/or arguments and offer up "the and" in the form of a challenge .... not only to those with the international power to get fulsome aid relief into Burma quickly but also full protection for those in Darfur and Chad whilst a political solution is hammered out. From an `Address`_ by Gareth Evans, President, International Crisis Group, to Human Rights Law Resource Centre, Melbourne, 13 August 2007 and Community Legal Centres and Lawyers for Human Rights, Sydney, 28 August 2007: It remains a particularly common misperception to think of R2P as involving only military intervention. Overwhelmingly, the action it requires is preventive — building state capacity, remedying grievances, ensuring the rule of law and the like. If prevention fails, R2P situations do then require reactive measures, but it is only in the last resort –and when a whole series of other prudential criteria are satisfied, as discussed in a moment — that these should involve non-consensual military force: persuasion and coercion can take many forms short of this, including political pressure, diplomatic isolation, economic sanctions and legal threats (including prosecution in the new International Criminal Court). In Darfur, for example, the fact that cooler judgment has, in my view correctly so far, militated against coercive military intervention (in particular because of the destructive impact this would have on the huge humanitarian relief effort in the west, and on the very fragile north-south peace compact) does not mean that this is a case of 'R2P failure' — *it just means that the international responsibility to protect the people of Darfur against the incapacity or ill-will of the Sudan government has to take other forms*, including the application of sustained diplomatic, economic and legal pressure to change the cost-benefit balance of the regime’s calculations. [Emphasis mine] Desmond Tutu and Aryeh Neir address the issue of R2P in `Protecting Zimbabwe`_. They urge caution about military intervention in that conflict. I know that I'm an minority in this thread--perhaps the only one--not advocating coercive military intervention in Darfur. I'm of the opinion that the situation as as Gareth Evans read it nearly a year ago still demands the application of "other forms" rather than coercive military intervention. I'd be curious to know what Evan's present views are. I do not share with Gayle the recent `The Guardian`_ piece really provides evidence of a change in Evan's thinking about Darfur. .. _`Address`: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5036&l=1 .. _`Protecting Zimbabwe`: http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/tutu3/English .. _`The Guardian`: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/gareth_evans/2008/05/facing_up_to_our_responsbilities.html ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:09:55 PDT Hi John, I'm not sure how to deconstruct the post you've written - truly. Regarding the timing of the address in Melbourne by Evans (August 2007) and the corresponding statements - well, I can't see why you would think his position has changed at all. R2P can take many forms (the hard-core end of the scale being coercive military action) and at the time, the UN resolutions were put in play for an agreed expansion to the existing AU contingent already on the ground in the region. (and internationally acknowledged as grossly ineffective due to such small numbers....only 7000) Regarding MY comments about the Guardian piece, the point was simple: the notion of "R2P" has been bandied around over the past few days (not the least of which by the French Foreign Minister) as a direct result of the world's despair over the situation in Burma. Evans rightly (in my view) made plain the legal responsibilities of the charter and the conditions under which is can (and should) be enacted and then expanded to suggest that - in the absence of free passage by aid agencies into Burma under such dire circumstances - it is not unreasonable to suggest the Junta guilty of a deliberate "crime against humanity". (one of the conditions of enactment of the R2P) Must dash - in the middle of work and then to a meeting until late. Cheers, Gayle ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:51:09 PDT Thank you Gayle for your response. I most certainly agree that in his The Guardian piece Evans does do what you say in regard to Myanmar. That is very important. It remains to be seen how the Security Council will act. China can indeed play an important role in this crisis. But my point was to note that from what I know of Evan's position on Darfur, it does not seem to be that R2P means a protection force in Dafur and Chad as you say. ---- :Author: Liam Cullen :Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 04:44:56 PDT Regarding my .02 on the piece - well what can I write?? (given my very well-known bias when it comes to Gareth) The man has probably one of the greatest minds on the planet and at the age of 63 (and after stellar careers as a Queen's Counsel and then in Australian Politics followed by the past 10 years with Crisis group) isn't slowing down in any way, shape or form. Yes but he can't be fully trusted as over his career a number of well documented lies show. He also lied to parliament, lied to his party and lied to his family in order to maintain a secret relationship over an extended period of time which involved seducing the leader of a minority party. Gareth was always much better as a commentator that a real life participant. ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 05:26:43 PDT :Modified: Tue, 13 May 2008 05:30:26 PDT **Hi John,** I'll have to get back to you tomorrow once I re-read your posts with fresh eyes because there is confusion between us somewhere I think but I can't put my finger on it - it's 10:45PM here and I started work at 7am, worked through until 7pm and then went straight to a Labor Party branch meeting and have only just arrived home AND it is "Fast for Darfur Day" for me again today so I haven't eaten SO I bet that has more than a bit to do with any confusion!!!!! **:)** **Liam** - your notion that *"Gareth was always much better as a commentator than a real life participant"* bears no resemblance to my knowledge and resulting admiration for the man's **PROFESSIONAL** career. So - difference of opinion it is I guess. ** ---- :Author: Linda Nowakowski :Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 07:11:50 PDT All of this talk confuses me....because it leads me to thinking things that aren't what I claim to think. I truely, deep down object to governments interferring - like the US going into Iraq (most recently). But there are governments that make the scum of the earth look good. The regime in Myanmar and the Sudanese governments both qualify there. How does "Go to the corner and stay there until you can act like a civilized person!" scale up? How do we send governments to time-out? Can we make them wear dunce's caps? ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 09:52:53 PDT :Modified: Tue, 13 May 2008 09:56:12 PDT i think the fundamental problem linda, and this is my non policy wonk speaking, from no experience, is this: "nonviolent" means take time. humanitarian crises don't typically have time for fretting. so, in the week after a major natural disaster, that's your window to get port-to-mouth logistics in place before malaria, diarhea, whatever set it. when it comes to genocide-complacent governments, you're in a similar place: very little time to waste before the toll mounts. i think anyone willing to write off strong military intervention is willing to write off some number of lives, until the "weight" of international "pressure" comes to bear (1 year, 2 years, 10 years later...). the reason south africa isn't a good example for comparison purposes is that it was an unusual (and therefore relatively easy) case: - the government had adopted policies that both contravened international standards (ie they were racist) - the government needed international cooperation to grow its economy aka succeed - changes to policy were the rational way forward, and the government knew process would be everything in the case of darfur (and most other rogue-ish) governments is that they deny everything, and there is at best a dim paper trail. so application of international policy threats, instruments, etc are going to be great big time-wasters. which is exactly what gives these governments scope of action. well-organized militaries tend to be efficient: they operate best when acting within a policy framework that sets a clear mandate, and the resources are in place to secure that mandate. of course, this will seem glib and pie in the sky. even the best laid plans encounter resistance. what we see in chechnya today is but the tailings of a 200 year caucuses legacy. etc etc. but i think my point is, reliance on policy instruments to allay humanitarian crises that occur within rogue governments (narrowly defined as flouting international conventions) is self-defeating. rogue governments have little interest in rising in the esteem of international "western-styled" governments and, increasingly, there is counter-aid to be had in the face of sanctions, etc. ---- :Author: Mark Grimes :Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:07:31 PDT http://ourpledge.org/ Darfur Genocide and Anti-Genocide Advocacy and just launched over the last few days... http://ourpledge.com/ Anheuser Busch pledge for operational efficiency and quality standards Wow, quite a difference between .org and .com ---- :Author: Liam Cullen :Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 00:59:03 PDT Well you know when it comes to culpability at law it's measured to varying degrees... but as the premise was put by Gayle I think, the act of doing nothing can still be a crime.. and so agree with Lars para 4. There is a time for strong action, to intervene and cut through the crap. A government that does not govern and show good stewardship of its people to the degree we are seeing here should get a firm elbow in the ribs and failing that a good kick in the balls. So speaketh an Irishman who knows well enough that sometimes you've got to make a fist to make a difference. ---- :Author: John Powers :Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 15:36:58 PDT I'm sorry if I'm causing confusion. I don't mean to be, but will freely admit feeling confused about the issue of coercive military intervention. Let me try to explain some of my confusion. But first let me say that I hold all of you in high esteem. I believe that people of goodwill can disagree, and I certainly am open to persuasion. When I read about the Jem column heading to Khartoum my heart sank. Both Gayle and Linda have reported the solidarity with those displaced during their fasts. That empathy is a very good thing. Sometimes I'm afraid that my feelings of empathy are not altogether helpful, at least I find those feelings confusing. For example when I read about Jem my heart sank and I literally felt a sharp pain. I know that this is the hunger gap period as people plant new crops. It is so important that food be produced now. And my feeling was that the renewed hostilities between Chad and Sudan would condemn many of the hundreds of thousand Sudanese in Chad to severe famine. My sense of geography isn't very good, but I sort of drew a map on a scrap of paper. I began with Uganda, then Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic, DRC, Tanzania Rwanda and Burundi, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia. My heart sank again because of all the calamities, and how so many of them are interrelated. The American electoral process is such and extended thing. And the lame duck status of the current administration weighs heavily as far as policy in the region goes. In Iraq the intensified air war conducted primarily against civilian targets has been hardly reported about "the surge." The most recent bombardment of Sadr City is particularly vexing given the ghetto walls we've erected. This is besides the point of Darfur, but very much to the point about R2P. A premise, shared by Gareth Evans and the ICG is that the American conduct in Iraq cannot be called into question because the result of the withdrawal of American troops would result in more violence. It's hard for me to fathom that. Our policy has been to arm various factions in Iraq, quite in contradiction to the objectives of counterinsurgency. Our policy surely must be to empower insurgent groups to prevent the consolidation of a Shia dominated government in Iraq. Our de facto plan is to incite violence. And then that violence provides the moral grounds for our continued occupation. In Sudan there are already many armed groups. Who will occupy Sudan? Will the occupation follow a similar logic as Iraq of empowering these groups against one another? To what end? Quite common in American thinking is the notion there is no problem that violence can't solve. And this thinking is warmly coupled with heartfelt moral superiority. But it seems hardly likely that Americans will commit troops for an occupation of Sudan. Our policies in the region are so tied to systemic racism and religious bigotry. Look at the American conduct against Somalia. Is this the sort of conduct that will benefit the situation in Darfur? Should Ethiopian forces with American firepower occupy Sudan? It seems obvious to me the answer is no. Yet the common thread among activist for Darfur is a call for coercive military action. I am not a pacifist, but the screams for blood still run a chill down my spine. It looks as though the Jem action was not sanctioned by Chad nor supported by other armed groups. It seems possible that the Darkar Group lead by Libya could shore up the peace agreement between Sudan and Chad. This seems a responsible policy to support. The half million Sudanese in Chad are dependent on humanitarian assistance. The logistics are already daunting. Chad has only 13 miles of paved roads. The situation with Kony and the LRA is also relevant to the situation in Sudan. The North-South peace is fragile and the continued existence of LRA fighters destabilizes both the Sudanese frontier with Uganda, but also the Central African Republic. The government of Sudan manipulated LRA forces in the past. With the situation with Chad it seems quite conceivable that they would once again find the LRA useful in their hold on power both vis a vis Southern Sudan and Chad. I respect Gareth Evans very much. But my respect for politicians is always somewhat tempered by the necessary concessions to facts on the ground. Activist play such an important role in pulling the political process and the politicians along towards more justice. I believe that R2P is a policy for the 21st Century. But the gross violations of International Law by my government in Iraq without accountability stands as a genuine impediment to sensible adoption. Among Dafur activist it's common to hear "Genocide Olympics!" But look at the membership of the UN Security Council. Nobody's hands are clean. Yet the imperative for international morality is real. China, France, Russia, UK, and the USA are all permanent members of the UN Security Council. In order for R2P to be a principle that can lead to effective actions all these states must be engaged. It is vital that there be control systems in place and as we go forward into this uncertain century, surely the need will only increase. Identifying actions which will ameliorate the dire situation in Sudan is important. I admit confusion. Gayle uses the term "protection force" and it seems obvious that "peace keeping forces" in a region with so little peace indeed are not the right force protection. But it seems to me that "protection force," especially an Internationally constituted protection force is an invention still in the planning stage. The situation in Darfur and Chad demands immediate attention. The situation is bleak, but there are options. My disquiet and confusion comes from all of the calls for coercive military action. Too much of the talk seems very akin to the repartee reported among Cheney, Powell, Rice, Ashcroft, General Myers and others as they coreographed torture routines under the commission of president Bush. There was much macho posturing as they played oneupmanship of what they would if they were torturing in person. Good Lord! Surely there is a lesson of how certainty of ones moral superiority can lead people astray. I have no love for al Bashir, but violent fantasies seem wasted effort. Is coercive military action against the government of Sudan our only idea as activists; or the idea that occupies so much ground it freezes every other option out? What else can we do? ---- :Author: Nikki Serapio :Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 23:38:56 PDT Yes, that's quite a difference, Mark. :) My bad for not registering the .com domain. Hope everyone is doing well! -N --- Mark Grimes said: http://ourpledge.org/ Darfur Genocide and Anti-Genocide Advocacy and just launched over the last few days... http://ourpledge.com/ Anheuser Busch pledge for operational efficiency and quality standards Wow, quite a difference between .org and .com ---- :Author: Lars Hasselblad Torres :Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 05:23:54 PDT :Modified: Fri, 16 May 2008 05:31:17 PDT john, that is a very thoughtful and personal response. the only bit i can add is that your filter of "moral superiority" is one both "sides" likely play, while few on either in fact would rejoice in such a claim. for either work, that of pushing the diplomatic and activist envelope and the other of direct, armed intervention, both require less of the bravado and sportsmanship that our media age require and more of the quiet, diligent, painful work that anticipates loss. i personally don't see the present whitehouse gang as the very best of either the thought or action behind strict `interventionist`_ lines - and certainly not emblematic of the intent of the doctrine. perhaps Kosovo offers a better example for comparison purposes. Of course, depending on where you stand and the outcome of your rhetorical strategy, Iraq may be exactly where you want to keep the focus. and at the same time, force is rarely deployed without mounted efforts to bring economic and human relief along with the arms. finally, there is a strong case to be made that the doctrine of arming local opposition forces as first and second wave should be rethought. this is part of the modern dilemma: - forging lasting political coalitions within a power vacuum - stabilization and security post intervention having arms flowing into the region in the hands of allies that may or may not last is a tremendous liability, and the principal reason there are so many low- to high- intensity conflicts around the world today. i am beginning to see greater need for neutral multinational forces (ie no investment in the political outcome) to neutralize aggressive regimes and maintain and on the ground presence while the tools of reconstruction are developed. all a hell of a lot harder done that said, without a doubt. .. _`interventionist`: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2065549,00.html ---- :Author: Lisa Goldner :Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:04:10 PDT Hi! Just wanted to remind everyone to please post messages of support at SGN for them to pass along to the refugees. Hopefully, i-ACT 5 will find safe passage to at least one camp this week. This feels too much like the end of i-ACT 4. Let's pray the team's next reports are more positive. Peace, Lisa ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:28:26 PDT Hey Lisa - unfortunately that was not to be the case again, hey. Hope you and "Team Goldner" are all doing well. Gayle xoxox ---- :Author: Gayle Rogers :Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:46:34 PDT **ICC warrants - good or bad for peace in Sudan/Darfur???** __________________________________________________ It is still only a few hours since news broke that Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the international prosecutor, will seek an arrest warrant for Sudan's President, Omar al-Bashir from ICC judges in the Hague on Monday and already the online news sites are ablaze with commentary and opinions that suggest such a move could be devastating for the peace process in the region. **(just "google news" icc/al bashir and you'll get the latest - Times-online has a goodie as does the Washington Post)** I do not know how things could get much worse than they already are but the one thing I believe deeply is that **lasting peace** will NEVER occur without **justice** being served. If advance diplomatic fears exist regarding the probabilitiy of Al-Bashir retaliating against the issue of an arrest warrant then isn't it time for the mandated international force to get in there and protect rather than calls being made to defer the warrant issue for 12 months??? ---- :Author: Pam O :Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:46:04 PDT iAct - Gabriel and KTJ back in Chad - at Darfur border http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/iact/iact6/day4 Mia Farrow and the Nobel Women's Initiative joined them yesterday. Very impressive. ---- :Author: Nikki Serapio :Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:31:48 PDT Hmmm...I hope this is the most current Sudan thread. Please let me know if it isn't. Thought you'd all like to read this Huffington Post piece by Darfur activist Susan Morgan, in case you haven't already. It's a great Op-Ed. I certainly hope that it pushes the presidential campaigns to mention Darfur more. (Crossing my fingers that Darfur is discussed at length during tomorrow's foreign policy debate [assuming that the the debate actually happens].) "Neither Candidate Has Done Enough To Help Darfur Victims" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-morgan/neither-candidate-has-don_b_128598.html -- Nikki -- http://www.OurPledge.org ----