Action Wednesday: Tears of the Desert

Guest post by Research and Advocacy Intern Sarah C. Martinez

Tears of the Desert

            If any of our readers are interested in learning more about Sudan before and during the genocide, I suggest this week that your call to action be more involved than usual. I would like to recommend Halima Bashir’s memoir, Tears of the Desert for further enlightenment on the motivating factors and violence in Sudan’s genocide. Halima Bashir was born and raised in Darfur and obtained her degree and became a doctor shortly before the violence broke out. She writes of being the only doctor in many villages and secretly treating the wounded at the same time as she was being forced to treat the Janjaweed. While working at a village hospital, Halima witnessed and treated 42 school girls after they were raped by the Janjaweed. For speaking of this incident to the United Nations, Halima herself was captured and raped. Memoirs such as this are extremely important in making issues such as genocide more accessible and relatable to Western audiences. Furthermore, Halima’s account of the violence in her home country serves as more concrete evidence that what is happening in Sudan is in fact genocide, and innocent women are often victims of the Janjaweed’s use of rape as a mechanism of debasement. Tears of the Desert is available for purchase at major bookstores and in the Albuquerque Library system. Following is the link to the catalog entry for the book in the Albuquerque Library System.

http://encore.cabq.gov/iii/encore/record/C%7CRb1426694%7CStears+of+the+desert%7COrightresult%7CX5?lang=eng&suite=pearl

And here is Tears of the Desert on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Tears-Desert-Memoir-Survival-Darfur/dp/0345506251

Reading Tears of the Desert was what finally convinced me to dedicate my life and studies to Peace, Conflict and Diplomacy. I hope that Halima Bashir’s story is as moving and informative for all of you who choose to read it as it was for me.

Best,

Sarah C. Martinez

Action Monday for Sudan and watching Libya

Posted by Susan

For Sudan:

We’ve posted this link before but here it is again.  If you haven’t signed this petition yet, we hope you’ll take a minute and do it now!

http://www2.americanprogress.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=125

We’re also watching Libya.  If you’d like a primer on the situation the following link has a comprehensive explanation: 

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/whats-happening-libya-explained

Keep on keeping on...

Posted by Susan

A few weeks ago I had an interesting conversation with a woman who stopped into the One Million Bones office.  She was asking about current situations around the world and we had a discussion about what’s going on now.  But then she asked this question, “What ever happened with Darfur?  Didn’t we call that a genocide?” 

In 2004, George W. Bush did declare the crisis in Darfur genocide; it was the first time a sitting American president had made a declaration regarding an ongoing conflict.  So what happened in Darfur?  Not much.  Some say nothing.  The truth is the United States did participate in the process that created the 2005 Peace Accord, which led to the referendum vote we saw in Sudan in January, and that’s something, but the Darfuri people are still suffering. 

This leads me to this: change that makes a difference is a process, and often a slow process. Unfortunately in situations where people are involved and suffering that’s heartbreaking.  It also means that we cannot give up, no matter how frustrated or disappointed we get.

This is from an email I received yesterday from Gbolahan Lawal who works for the GI Net/Save Darfur coalition:

“Just recently the US treasury met with the government of Sudan and discussed granting debt relief, which is unacceptable as long as Darfuris and innocent civilians are still being attacked. I’m sure you have also heard of the proposed cuts to the foreign aid account, which will have a negative impact on IDP’s and the Sudanese people.”

This is a link to Save Darfur’s action to protest the cutting of humanitarian aid.  Please click through and add your name to the call.  

https://secure3.convio.net/sdc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=642

Peace takes time, and vigilance.  I for one would much rather be hearing about the successes the Darfuri people have made in rebuilding their lives and society seven years on. Vigilance and continued pressure now, can help make that possible. 

Bang the Drum for Peace in Darfur

Posted by John Prendergast on Mar 15, 2011

This post co-authored with actor Don Cheadle originally appeared on the homepage of Huffington Post.

There is a moment in every global crisis where things no longer seem new and dynamic. Where hope for a solution is replaced with uncertainty, which morphs into cynicism, despair, or even indifference. Many people who were such enthusiastic supporters of building a movement to end the genocide in Darfur have gone through some of these stages, frustrated by the lack of a resolution of the crisis there.

As one of our former presidents used to say, "We feel your pain." But people are still dying in Darfur. Villages are still being bombed. Women are still being subjected to sexual assaults. Tens of thousands have been displaced in the last few months.

We got together and talked about what can be done in this video, "Bang the Drum for Darfur."

It's not over. We need you back. We need new people to raise their voices for the people of Darfur. Citizen action made a difference in helping to lay the groundwork for a peaceful referendum in Southern Sudan. It's Darfur's turn now. Much has been learned about why earlier international action in Darfur didn't work. We can apply those lessons and make a real difference. Go to www.enoughproject.org/take_action to find out how you can help.

The Satellite Sentinel Project

 

The Satellite Sentinel Project -- initiated by George Clooney -- combines satellite imagery analysis and field reports with Google's Map Maker technology to deter the resumption of war between North and South Sudan. The project provides an early warning system to deter mass atrocities by focusing world attention and generating rapid responses on human rights and human security concerns.

This project is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between Not On Our Watch, Google, the Enough Project, the United Nations UNITAR Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT), the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and Trellon, LLC.

The project works like this: Commercial satellites passing over the border of northern and southern Sudan are able to capture possible threats to civilians, observe the movement of displaced people, detect bombed and razed villages, or note other evidence of pending mass violence.

UNOSAT leads the collection and analysis of the images and collaborates with Google and Trellon to design the web platform for the public to easily access the images and reports. Harvard Humanitarian Initiative provides system-wide research and leads the collection, human rights analysis, and corroboration of on-the-ground reports that contextualizes the satellite imagery. The Enough Project contributes field reports, provides policy analysis, and, together with Not On Our Watch, puts pressure on policymakers by urging the public to act.

The Satellite Sentinel Project marks the first sustained, public effort to systematically monitor and report on potential hotspots and threats to security along a border, in near real-time (within 24-36 hours), with the aim of heading off humanitarian disaster and human rights crimes before they occur.

Not On Our Watch -- co-founded by Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, David Pressman, and Jerry Weintraub -- has provided seed money to launch the project.

 

Satellite Sentinel

 

 

The world is watching because you are watching. This is our opportunity to prevent a war, to deter genocide. Make your voice heard. Click here to take action in support of peace in Sudan.



Action Monday for Sudan

Take a few minutes this morning to help make a difference in Sudan.  The situation is critical, and worsening. 

This is one person checking up on the situation:

UN Human Rights Expert on Sudan to study post-referendum situation in South Sudan

GENEVA – The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, Mohamed Chande Othman, will visit Southern Sudan and Abyei in the transitional areas of the country, to get first-hand information on the referendum for the independence of South Sudan and post referendum issues in relation to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

During his second mission to Sudan, from 6 to 13 March 2011, Justice Othman will also discuss the situation of human rights defenders with Government officials in Khartoum. Additionally, his fact-finding mission will take him to Darfur to assess the human rights situation in the aftermath of the recent fighting in the region.

The Independent Expert will hold meetings with Government officials, civil society actors and human rights defenders, as well as representatives of the international community, including members of the diplomatic corps and UN agencies.

At the end of his eight-day mission, Justice Othman will release a press statement with his main findings, as well as his preliminary observations and recommendations.

This is a report on his findings: http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE72D0FL20110314

Here’s where you can let politicians know you want them to DO something:

http://www2.americanprogress.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=123