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December 19, 2006

Comments

MinorRipper

Great post, thanks. Don't know if you've seen these three short videos from Iraq yet or not, but both show the US Military engaging in some very dubious actions. I have them up on my site at www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com

Kristin Shewfelt

Your post is so disturbing but so important, so I thank you for keeping a caring community informed.

I am but little informed on the genocidal conflict in Chad/Darfur. Where can I go for more reliable information? Where is the leadership in the moderate Arab community to condemn what is happening? What are the entrenched vested interests that most likely benefit from the ongoing violence? How can private citizens most make a difference?

Best,

Kristin Shewfelt

Jill

Kristin,
Those are some really super comments and great questions. I think you are right on about the obligation of the social justice community to keep informed of the situation and to assert ongoing pressure so that the atrocities can be ended. I want to pass on a few websites where you can find reliable information on what is currently happening with the conflict:
* International Crisis Group (http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3060&l=1)
* Human Rights Watch (http://www.hrw.org/doc/?t=africa)
* International Refugee Committee (http://www.theirc.org/)

Jill

Also, I think you might be interested in links to some statements condemning the violence in Darfur which includes Arab signatories. (See: http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/2006/pr0917.shtml) as well as http://www.bahrainrights.org/node/465 and http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-headlines/markup/msg03030.html)
I know that the Arab League has come under criticism for not outright condemning the situation in Darfur. Instead, the group has tried to play a mediating role (See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/08/AR2006100800668.html). It would be good for this and some other groups to take a stronger stance on Darfur, but at the same time, the non-Arab international community really does need to put forth better diplomatic efforts to show Arab countries that Western disapproval of what is happening in Darfur is not a guise under which we are really trying to uproot the Arab government of Sudan. This is a common perception among some Arab groups and a lot more diplomatic effort could be put forth by the community to convince them that this is not the western world's intention.

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