"You are slaves, Die like slaves": Darfur refugees tell of killing spree

[gottaB]

By Kim Sengupta in Nyala, Darfur

There is little left in Silaya except burnt-out huts and a row of graves in the fields beyond, the only reminders of one of the worst atrocities of the savage conflict in Darfur.

On 30 July, three weeks after the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, announced that he had reached agreement with the Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir, on ending the violence, the village came under sustained and murderous attack from government troops and their Janjaweed allies. Under a UN resolution, Sudan has until the end of the month to meet a set of conditions aimed at alleviating what the UN calls "the worst humanitarian disaster in the world".

This week, the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, the latest international dignitary to visit the country, will tell President Bashir that his failure to disarm the Janjaweed remains the most serious unfulfilled obligation of the UN terms. However, the British government is expected to agree with Mr Annan that Khartoum has made efforts to rein in the terror unleashed on African villages and established "safe" areas, even though another 35,000 refugees, fleeing fresh attacks, are threatening to cross into neighbouring Chad. About 200,000 Sudanese are already filling camps to capacity there.

The Sudanese government, some argue, should be given more time. But the people of Silaya, in south Darfur, have a far different experience of the government. More than 100 people were killed in one raid. Most of them were shot, but 32 were tied up and burned alive. Twenty-five young women and girls were taken away; the bodies of some were found later. Also discovered were the remains of many who had fled the onslaught but were pursued and slaughtered.

"You are slaves, Die like slaves": Darfur refugees tell of janjaweed killing spree....

[neverborn]

1. We need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS --- NOW!

[gottaB]

2. Dude, where's my Senator?

http://sudanproject.blogspot.com/2004/08/dude-wheres-my-senator.html

You could try writing to Obama. He has mentioned Darfur: "And when the Bush administration rightly sought the collaboration of our allies to prevent the starvation and slaughter of innocents in the Darfur region of Sudan, we were largely ignored." (Obama foreign policy address). I don't know of him making a full statement on Darfur.

Few have taken as forceful position on it as Kerry has. Let the campaign know that you agree with him.

It may still be a matter of "make my phone ring," as Steve Crenshaw notes (Genocide, what genocide?). In addition to the usual problems of citizens trying to make media pay attention to critical issues, covering Darfur presents an extra set of obstacles. Reporters have been denied access and expelled by the government, there are few amenities, transportation in the rainy season is especially difficult, and of course it is very much a war zone.

[BeHereNow]

3. Sorry, we are all tied up at the moment.

Our military is busy illegally occupying other countries-
our deficit has now entered a black hole in an undisclosed
location and most Americans have no idea where Darfur is even.
And after all, these are "brown people," so it is unlikely that
they even care about what has happened to them.
Now if these abominations had happened to the cast of
their favorite sitcom, then they might be concerned as to how
it would effect THEIR lives.
Sarcasm off-
BHN

[Yupster]

4. The militias are already crossing the borders

into Chad.

That unhappy country will be next. The US is helping them train their armed forces, but that seems hopeless. I think Libya is also trying to clean out their Sahara bases, but as long as there's a radical Islamic government in the Sudan, it seems the militias will have free reign.

One thing I think would help would be if Islamic leaders throughout the world would yell from the rooftops that slavery is no longer permitted under Islamic law. That might slow some of the outrages down.

[TahitiNut]

5. I can hear Cheney now ...

"We have other priorities." :eyes:

[demon67]

6. And what is the UN doing?

Actually, they are unable to form a consensus for action against the Sudanese government. Are we saying the US should act without UN approval -- in fact, against the wishes of the UN?

[The Magistrate]

7. Yes, Sir

Without question. Persons with the power to halt such a thing who do not act to halt it are complicit.

[ksatriyakiller]

8. fuck these arab militias, they're screwing the whole world

[Yupster]

9. It's really pretty late

The time to do something was when Manute Boll was pleading for help about eight years ago.

The south has been ravaged and whole villages emptied with the men dead and the women and children enslaved. It's almost over now.

[Stuckinthebush]

10. How?

All of our resources are tied up in Iraq.

I agree that this is the type of thing that the US military should be used for, but, alas, our military is bogged down in an unnecessary war started for no apparent reason by a piece of crap president with no understanding of how to lead.

Sorry to the world...we are busy at the moment.