Yemen Urges Arab Nations to Thwart US Efforts In Sudan
In order to stand by the Sudanese people.
As if the over one million people “living” in the desert of Sudan aren’t Sudanese citizens who were driven from their homes and into the baren desert by the government sponsered Janjaweed. They are mostly women and children because a lot of the men are dead. As if it was not brotherly Muslims who are being denied food, water and medicine and who are being murdered and raped as they daily starve to death. The tactic of the systematic rape of women and children as a tool of war is among the most repugnant aspects of the crisis in Darfur. Some villages have been bombed from the air, others scorched with fire from the ground.
Some analysts frame the conflict as a land conflict between herders and farmers, others as between Wahabbi Islamists and Sufis, or Arabs and blacks. Regardless of the reasons, the government of Sudan is engaged is a mass murder of its own citizens. And the government of Yemen supports it right to do so based on its soverignty.
SANAA’A-Head of Political Office at the General People’s Congress Abdullah Ahmed Ghanim said UN resolution 1706 contradicts the interest of the Sudanese people and the peace agreement signed by the government and Darfur armed movements in Abuja.
He affirmed the UN resolution would affect the sovereignty of Sudan more than maintain peace in Darfur.
Speaking to the Sudan News Agency( SUNA) Ghanim said, “We strongly stand by the choice of the Sudanese people as declared by President Omar al-Bashir and his government. We urge the Arab national forces and peace-loving forces to stand by the Sudanse people to overcome such hard circumstances and thwart the attempts of international forces, namely the US, to intervene in the affairs of this country and dominate the interests of its people.”
Ghanim further noted that this “American project publicized by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice aims to protect Israel, no more, no less”
He urged Arab states to stand united and take responsibility of what is happening in Sudan, Palestine and Iraq.
And the Yemeni government consistently labels it as an “internal problem” not requiring international intervention.
FM: Darfur crisis is Sudanese internal affair
CAIRO, Aug. 20(Saba) - The Ministerial Committee for following the developments in the Sudanese region of Darfur held here on Sunday a meeting in theArab Lague headquarters to discuss the latest developments in the region.During the meeting, Minister of Expatriates and Foreign Affairs Abu Bak ral-Qirbi stressed on Yemen’s stance that calls to tackle Darfur crisis according to the Sudanese peace agreement and the resolutions of Khartoum Summit-2006.
Al-Qirbi re-emphasized that what is happening in Darfur is a Sudanese internal matter and does not need deployment of UN forces, indicating to the importance of discussing the issue of financing the peace keeping force of the African Union.
The Minister called for adopting the proposal of the Sudanese government in this regard and supporting it.
The US plan if I understand it correctly calls for the deployment of UN peace keepers to ring the refugee camps to protect the people from attacks. The small, underfunded and badly trained African Union troops have been unable to perform the task. China has the oil contracts and has been blocking Security Council efforts.
The “over a million” displaced human beings in Darfur does not count the several hundred thousand people that have fled to Chad nor the 400,000 persons already dead. So here we have nearly two million Muslims currently in severe distress, near death. In the US, its a big issue with people from all backgrounds engaged in weekly demonstrations, multiple organizations, websites and petitions and other popular outcry pushing and demanding the US government to do something before all two million are dead. But it really doesn’t evoke much passion and sympathy in the Muslim world or Europe, both of which have been selectively vocal in other instances on the issues of civilian casualties, the right of return and the starvation of children. Its unfortunate there is so little consensus wiith over a million lives at stake.
Sima Samar, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, said that following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January 2005, Sudan had embarked on a difficult path of peace building, reconciliation and reconstruction.
Since the formation of the Government of National Unity, the people had seen little change in their everyday life – the emergency laws were still in place in Darfur and the East and were also applied in Khartoum, people were arbitrarily arrested and held incommunicado by security forces; torture, ill-treatment and killings of civilians continued. Discrimination and marginalization of certain groups continued and basic rights such as access to food, shelter, health and education were not guaranteed.
The right to life continued to be violated, in particular in Darfur. The perpetrators were government forces, militia and armed groups such as rebel factions and Chadian opposition. Rape and sexual violence against women continued, in particular in Darfur.
“The right to life continued to be violated” is UN speak for murder. While we are on the subject, iAbolish is starting to organize its Darfar Walk 2007:
Recently, iAbolish Associate Simon Deng had the opportunity to go on a fact-finding mission to Sudan, where he encountered the utter devastation in which the people of his homeland live. As the situation worsens in Darfur, refugees flee to already overpopulated regions of Southern Sudan. The situation is so dire that children eat dirt and twigs, just to put something in their painfully hungry stomachs. Your direct action is needed now more than ever.
Last week’s rally in New York City put much-needed pressure on our international leaders to take a stand on Sudan and Darfur; but the truth is, we need something larger, more expansive and long-ranging. This is it. iAbolish and the Sudan Freedom Walk 2006 committee are pleased to announce the launch of the Sudan Freedom Walk 2007! The money we raise will go directly to Sudan: it will free slaves, provide them with survival kits, and bring food, clothing, medical care and shelter to the many thousands of displaced people in Sudan.
Last spring, we received several emails from volunteers around the country who wanted to contribute to the walk, but weren’t sure how. If you were one of these people, your opportunity has now arrived: bring Simon Deng to YOUR community as an official leg of the Sudan Freedom Walk 2007. You can get started by responding to this message to request a proposal form and volunteer packet.
