MASS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE GENOCIDE IN
DARFUR (WESTERN SUDAN) LAUNCHED IN LONDON.
The genocide and ethnic cleansing, which has led to
the death of thousands of Africans in Darfur and made
a million of them homeless, has been seen on
television screens across the world with total silence
from the international community. Even those who claim
all progressive labels have also ignored this
genocide. A number of African groups and individuals
in London, organised under the umbrella of Friends of
Darfur, supported by the African Liberation Support
Campaign Network (ALISC Network), have initiated an
international action of mobilisation against the
genocide in Darfur. The Muslim Youth Movement of South
Africa and the Muslim Parliament of Britain has also
condemned the atrocities in Darfur. Two demonstrations
have been organised in London on Thursday 25 June and
on Wednesday 28 July.
Over five hundred people marched from the Sudanese
Embassy to the residence of the british prime
minister (Downing Street) where the police stopped the
march with the excuse that it was disrupting the city
of London. This march was a follow up to an action
which was launched by a demonstration of over 70
people, organised under the umbrella of Friends of
Darfur, which initiated an international action
against the genocide in Darfur (Western Sudan). The
initiative called on people all over the world,
especially in Africa, to organise demonstrations at
Sudanese embassies and consulates all over the world,
and demand that the Sudanese government should stop
the genocide in Darfur; that the Sudanese government
should also ensure that the people of Darfur return
safely to their homes. This call is supported by the
African Liberation Support Campaign Network (ALISC
Network).
Over 500 people demonstrated outside the Sudanese
embassy in London on 28 July against the genocide in
Darfur. The Sudanese Embassy officials refused to take
the petition from the demonstrators but finally had to
get a messenger to collect it through the doors. On
the previous demonstration on 25 July the Embassy
received a petition from representatives of the
demonstrators
When the over 500 demonstrators got to Downing Street
the police stopped the march and allowed the
demonstration to go on with speeches opposite Downing
Street. A delegation was sent to the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office to present the petition of the
demonstrators. On 25 July, the demonstrators marched
to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and presented a
petition to the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw. They
demonstrated back and stopped over in solidarity at 10
Downing Street (home of the British Prime Minister),
where members of the Oromo
nationality of Ethiopia were demonstrating for their
rights and against national oppression. The
demonstrators also stopped at the Zimbabwe democracy
vigil and solidarised with the vigil at the Zimbabwe
High Commission. The demonstrators continued to the
Nigerian High Commission where they demonstrated and
presented a petition to the Nigerian government asking
the Nigerian government and the African Union to act
on the situation. The 70 demonstrators continued with
the demonstrations to the South African high
commission and presented a petition to be passed on to
the South African government. The demonstration
finally ended for the day at BBC Bush House (BBC World
Service). They were interviewed on BBC Focus on
Africa, Arabic, Swahilli and Hausa services.
However, the demonstration on 28 July of over 500
strong did not go beyond Downing Street. As a
compromise representatives of the Nigerian High
Commission and South Africa High Commission were
contacted by the police and they came physically to
the demonstration opposite Downing Street to be handed
the petitions to pass on to their governments. The
representative of BBC World Service was also brought
to come and receive a letter from the demonstrators.
Friends of Darfur have called on people to write to
their members of parliament and have model letters
available which people can get from Kilombo Journal
[details below]
As a follow up, the Darfur Union has called for a
march and demonstration on Friday 13 August which
starts from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at
11:00 am and will go pass the Netherlands Embassy (as
representatives of the European Union), then through
the Sudanese Embassy and then finally to the USA
Embassy, where there’ll be a rally by the Darfur Union
with the support of Friends of Darfur and the ALISC
Network. This demonstration is being preceded by a
public meeting on Wednesday 11 August which is being
supported by the London Regional Council of the
railway workers’ union – RMT. There are demonstrations
planned for U.S.A. and South Africa at Sudanese
embassies.
Issued for circulation by Kilombo Panafricanist
Journal, P.O. Box 21266, London W9 3YR
( nkexplo@yahoo.co.uk)

The genocide and ethnic cleansing, which has led to
the death of thousands of Africans in Darfur and made
a million of them homeless, has been seen on
television screens across the world with total silence
from the international community. Even those who claim
all progressive labels have also ignored this
genocide. A number of African groups and individuals
in London, organised under the umbrella of Friends of
Darfur, supported by the African Liberation Support
Campaign Network (ALISC Network), have initiated an
international action of mobilisation against the
genocide in Darfur. The Muslim Youth Movement of South
Africa and the Muslim Parliament of Britain has also
condemned the atrocities in Darfur. Two demonstrations
have been organised in London on Thursday 25 June and
on Wednesday 28 July.
Over five hundred people marched from the Sudanese
Embassy to the residence of the british prime
minister (Downing Street) where the police stopped the
march with the excuse that it was disrupting the city
of London. This march was a follow up to an action
which was launched by a demonstration of over 70
people, organised under the umbrella of Friends of
Darfur, which initiated an international action
against the genocide in Darfur (Western Sudan). The
initiative called on people all over the world,
especially in Africa, to organise demonstrations at
Sudanese embassies and consulates all over the world,
and demand that the Sudanese government should stop
the genocide in Darfur; that the Sudanese government
should also ensure that the people of Darfur return
safely to their homes. This call is supported by the
African Liberation Support Campaign Network (ALISC
Network).
Over 500 people demonstrated outside the Sudanese
embassy in London on 28 July against the genocide in
Darfur. The Sudanese Embassy officials refused to take
the petition from the demonstrators but finally had to
get a messenger to collect it through the doors. On
the previous demonstration on 25 July the Embassy
received a petition from representatives of the
demonstrators
When the over 500 demonstrators got to Downing Street
the police stopped the march and allowed the
demonstration to go on with speeches opposite Downing
Street. A delegation was sent to the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office to present the petition of the
demonstrators. On 25 July, the demonstrators marched
to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and presented a
petition to the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw. They
demonstrated back and stopped over in solidarity at 10
Downing Street (home of the British Prime Minister),
where members of the Oromo
nationality of Ethiopia were demonstrating for their
rights and against national oppression. The
demonstrators also stopped at the Zimbabwe democracy
vigil and solidarised with the vigil at the Zimbabwe
High Commission. The demonstrators continued to the
Nigerian High Commission where they demonstrated and
presented a petition to the Nigerian government asking
the Nigerian government and the African Union to act
on the situation. The 70 demonstrators continued with
the demonstrations to the South African high
commission and presented a petition to be passed on to
the South African government. The demonstration
finally ended for the day at BBC Bush House (BBC World
Service). They were interviewed on BBC Focus on
Africa, Arabic, Swahilli and Hausa services.
However, the demonstration on 28 July of over 500
strong did not go beyond Downing Street. As a
compromise representatives of the Nigerian High
Commission and South Africa High Commission were
contacted by the police and they came physically to
the demonstration opposite Downing Street to be handed
the petitions to pass on to their governments. The
representative of BBC World Service was also brought
to come and receive a letter from the demonstrators.
Friends of Darfur have called on people to write to
their members of parliament and have model letters
available which people can get from Kilombo Journal
[details below]
As a follow up, the Darfur Union has called for a
march and demonstration on Friday 13 August which
starts from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at
11:00 am and will go pass the Netherlands Embassy (as
representatives of the European Union), then through
the Sudanese Embassy and then finally to the USA
Embassy, where there’ll be a rally by the Darfur Union
with the support of Friends of Darfur and the ALISC
Network. This demonstration is being preceded by a
public meeting on Wednesday 11 August which is being
supported by the London Regional Council of the
railway workers’ union – RMT. There are demonstrations
planned for U.S.A. and South Africa at Sudanese
embassies.
Issued for circulation by Kilombo Panafricanist
Journal, P.O. Box 21266, London W9 3YR
( nkexplo@yahoo.co.uk)