More death in Dafur
??? | 25.07.2006 15:56
What is particuarly telling is how the "Progressive left" is attempting to cover-up the situation in Darfur, because it detracts from their core issues. Can't have that happen, even if it means thousands dead.
On June 13, I went to the S. F. Woman's Building 3543 18th St to hear a talk entitled "Palestine, Sudan and the Myth of a 'Humanitarian' U.S. Foreign Policy".
The scheduled speakers were Jess Ghannam and Isma'il Kamal, a Sudanese student from UC Davis and co-founder of the Sudanese American Society.
Jess Ghannam repeated his usual rhetoric about the center of the neo-colonialist project being Palestine, not Iraq. Believe me, we've heard it all before.
Isma'il dismissed the popular narrative on the Sudan, claiming its a lot of media, not a lot of sociology. He claimed there wasn't a great deal of analysis going on- and there was a tremendous "hyping" of the situation (400,000 dead? 2 million in exile? This is hype?)
Interestingly enough, Isma'il claims that only the United States is using the term "genocide" to describe the situation in Darfur, clearly with the intent of stirring up emotions. He said "Genocide is Sudan's "weapons of Mass destruction"- its an excuse for intervention. He quoted a UN document that refrained from using the term "genocide"- it considered the situation a tribal war with widespread atrocities. I wondered- would a genocide by any other name leave as many dead?. He stated there were local, national, regional, and international factors that needed to be considered. As we've come to expect from any A.N.S.W.E.R. sponsored event, Israel came into the discussion here. Isma'il claims that in the 1950's and 60's, Israel tried to destabilize Egypt through the Sudan, and still provides weapons and intelligence to the southern rebels.
A large part of Isma'il's talk dealt with the motivation of US activism in the Sudan. He stated that the main groups involved were the Christian Right (Sunrise Sudan), Pro-Israel Organizations ( including the ADL, AIPAC, Hillel House), Liberals, because it was an easy feel good issue to target, and student groups. He said no Muslim groups were represented at the Washington DC rally, and that only 3 or 4 Sudanese in the US really understood the situation. He discussed the divestment from Sudan campaign- he read off the names of students leading the campaign, pausing and slowly relishing the Jewish sounding names. He implied that the divestment campaign was simply a way to divert attention from Israel's divestment campaign on campus.
The discussion, interestingly enough, hardly mentioned the suffering in Darfur or on practical ways to ameliorate the situation.
My question "10,000 dead a month. 200,000 to 400,000 dead total. 2 million in exile. Politics aside, what can we do to relieve the suffering on the ground now? Isma'il winced as I recited the figures. Clearly the scope of the atrocities in Darfur was not to be discussed. He replied "Those numbers may be exaggerated." I replied "What is your best estimate" His reply "I don't know".
This ANSWER dog and pony show is "on the road" now...Be sure to miss it at a theatre near you.
On June 13, I went to the S. F. Woman's Building 3543 18th St to hear a talk entitled "Palestine, Sudan and the Myth of a 'Humanitarian' U.S. Foreign Policy".
The scheduled speakers were Jess Ghannam and Isma'il Kamal, a Sudanese student from UC Davis and co-founder of the Sudanese American Society.
Jess Ghannam repeated his usual rhetoric about the center of the neo-colonialist project being Palestine, not Iraq. Believe me, we've heard it all before.
Isma'il dismissed the popular narrative on the Sudan, claiming its a lot of media, not a lot of sociology. He claimed there wasn't a great deal of analysis going on- and there was a tremendous "hyping" of the situation (400,000 dead? 2 million in exile? This is hype?)
Interestingly enough, Isma'il claims that only the United States is using the term "genocide" to describe the situation in Darfur, clearly with the intent of stirring up emotions. He said "Genocide is Sudan's "weapons of Mass destruction"- its an excuse for intervention. He quoted a UN document that refrained from using the term "genocide"- it considered the situation a tribal war with widespread atrocities. I wondered- would a genocide by any other name leave as many dead?. He stated there were local, national, regional, and international factors that needed to be considered. As we've come to expect from any A.N.S.W.E.R. sponsored event, Israel came into the discussion here. Isma'il claims that in the 1950's and 60's, Israel tried to destabilize Egypt through the Sudan, and still provides weapons and intelligence to the southern rebels.
A large part of Isma'il's talk dealt with the motivation of US activism in the Sudan. He stated that the main groups involved were the Christian Right (Sunrise Sudan), Pro-Israel Organizations ( including the ADL, AIPAC, Hillel House), Liberals, because it was an easy feel good issue to target, and student groups. He said no Muslim groups were represented at the Washington DC rally, and that only 3 or 4 Sudanese in the US really understood the situation. He discussed the divestment from Sudan campaign- he read off the names of students leading the campaign, pausing and slowly relishing the Jewish sounding names. He implied that the divestment campaign was simply a way to divert attention from Israel's divestment campaign on campus.
The discussion, interestingly enough, hardly mentioned the suffering in Darfur or on practical ways to ameliorate the situation.
My question "10,000 dead a month. 200,000 to 400,000 dead total. 2 million in exile. Politics aside, what can we do to relieve the suffering on the ground now? Isma'il winced as I recited the figures. Clearly the scope of the atrocities in Darfur was not to be discussed. He replied "Those numbers may be exaggerated." I replied "What is your best estimate" His reply "I don't know".
This ANSWER dog and pony show is "on the road" now...Be sure to miss it at a theatre near you.
???
