Rallies Show Americans Want Real Action on Genocide
Rallies Show Americans Want Real Action on Genocide
Our guest blogger, Tom Lantos (D-CA), is the ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee and the founding co-chairman of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.
More than ever, attention is focused on Darfur. Thousands came to rallies across the country this weekend, George Clooney has added his tremendous star power to the chorus of voices, and the White House has made pronouncements on the matter three times within two weeks. But actions speak louder than words, chants, and songs. We need to harness this surge of interest in the issue and bring the suffering in Darfur to an end.
I was asked to take a prominent part in the events of the last few days because I have been pushing for NATO involvement in civilian protection in Darfur for two years, because I have been engaged in human rights causes for several decades, and because I am a survivor of genocide.
After the Holocaust, the world declared that never again would we stand by and let genocide take place. Yet, during the past three years in Darfur, the government of Sudan and its criminal militia, the Janjaweed, have slaughtered an estimated 400,000 people because of their African identity, displaced more than two million, and driven 200,000 into refugee camps in neighboring Chad.
As the Holocaust taught us, a villainous government that persecutes its own people cannot be counted on to protect them; it must be compelled to do so.
Between now and this fall, when United Nations troops are to be deployed to assist the overmatched African Union presence in Darfur, we need to dispatch NATO forces to protect internally displaced women, children, and men.
But this is not all that needs to be done:
· Diplomacy: A peace deal between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups hangs in the balance. The United States, the European Union, and the AU must press the parties to establish and maintain lasting peace.
· Divestment: The divestment campaign must continue to ensure the government in Khartoum does not profit from its oil resources while its military and proxies carry out their atrocities. I urge all government, university, labor, religious, and civic organizations to make sure their investments are not aiding the government of Sudan.
· Congressional action: Members of the public can press Congress to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006, which will block assets and deny visas to government and Janjaweed commanders responsible for the genocide. And Congress needs to pass H. Res. 723, which proposes NATO support for the AU using ground and air assets to protect civilians, and NATO countries need to follow suit, to let the world know the Darfur genocide is an international tragedy that requires an immediate international response.
Sixty years ago, when the Holocaust unfolded, there were no rallies, there were no demonstrations, there was no legislation, there was just silence and indifference. I salute everyone who has stood up during these last few weeks and months to tell the oppressors, “We shall no longer mourn this genocide, we shall stop it.”
– Tom Lantos
[Ed. note: Take action -- sign up with SaveDarfur.org and the Genocide Intervention Network.]
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After the Holocaust, the world declared that never again would we stand by and let genocide take place. Yet, during the past three years in Darfur, the government of Sudan and its criminal militia, the Janjaweed, have slaughtered an estimated 400,000 people because of their African identity, displaced more than two million, and driven 200,000 into refugee camps in neighboring Chad.
Too bad for them that they don’t have oil. Bush would have been there instead of Iraq.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:04 pm#1 I agree.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:07 pmI agree.
Comment by squegeeboo — May 1, 2006 @ 4:07 pm
I missed your joke… Or is agreeing with me your brand of humor today? :)
May 1st, 2006 at 4:12 pm“We shall no longer mourn this genocide, we shall stop it.â€
– Tom Lantos
Amen.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:13 pmThere is no joke, if those people had resources that were useful to us, or some other large impact on our national interests we would be doing more to help them.
However, they do not, so we do not.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:13 pmHowever, they do not, so we do not.
Comment by squegeeboo — May 1, 2006 @ 4:13 pm
At least you admit your side is egocentric. And ‘honest’ crook…
May 1st, 2006 at 4:17 pmTP – Thanks for deleting I-RIGHT-I’s comment. It was sick.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:17 pmLOL the onion had a half jesting article a while back about how a guy in an African country wished his country had oil, so Bush would invade. Like I said it was half jesting.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:20 pmTP – Thanks for deleting I-RIGHT-I’s comment. It was sick.
Comment by Zookeeper — May 1, 2006 @ 4:17 pm
In this forum? He seemed so much more lucid today than normal. Oh well, Prozac must be wearing off this time of day. It’s when the Ridalyn fades too and reminds me why I don’t have any biological offspring… :)
May 1st, 2006 at 4:20 pmthe onion had a half jesting article a while back about how a guy in an African country wished his country had oil, so Bush would invade.
Comment by Krazny — May 1, 2006 @ 4:20 pm
I love The Onion. Did you see the article on ‘Intelligent Falling’ in tribute to the Kansas City Board of Education’s edict on Intelligent Design. I sent it to friends who thought it was a serious piece and started the usual rants of frustration against the extreme right.
Though this is harder to joke about. It’s a horrible situation that needed publicity. So, I guess the Revolution will be televised now. Good for George Clooney for using his celebrity for non-egocentric means.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:25 pm#9 – It wasn’t even lucid.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:25 pmRight between the Eyes forced me to learn something today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darfur_conflict
Both sides are muslim. I had never really thought of it until now, so I thought I’d check into his rant, turns out the reasoning for it was flawed.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:27 pmI didn’t see IRI’s post, I can only imagine it stated something about “negroes” and “islamoheadchoppers” killing each other, and thus we shouldn’t bother to interfere.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:28 pmSo the left is concerned about people for no selfish reasons? Why isn’t everyone? We really haven’t evolved that much as a species. When I think about it, it keeps me up at night.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:41 pm#12 to add on to my previous comment, the general civil war in the Sudan is predominatly Muslims vs. non-Muslims, however Darfur is not.
Christ, it reads like “The Life of Brian” so many acryonyms. We’re not the peoples front of Jedua, we’re the Jeduean peoples front. But I thought we were the popular front of Jedua, etc, etc..
May 1st, 2006 at 4:43 pmI didn’t see IRI’s post, I can only imagine it stated something about “negroes†and “islamoheadchoppers†killing each other, and thus we shouldn’t bother to interfere.
Comment by Krazny — May 1, 2006 @ 4:28 pm
From Squeaky Toy’s post above yours, I’m gonna have to agree with your supposition.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:45 pm#13 – You are right on the mark, Krazny.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:50 pmSorry to sound cynical but if Lantos and other members of Congress really wanted to stop the killing they would introduce a resolution that would amount to an ultimatum and declaration of war against Sudan. That would garner 10 times the publicity getting arrested at a protest march would produce. It would also require each member of congress to go on record regarding doing something that would actually have a chance of stopping the killing.
A short talk with the Sudanese leadership along the lines of , “Stop the killing by next Thursday or your capital will be a big hole in the ground.” would work wonders, especiallly if all those who are bemoaning the suffering there were publicly on the record of supporting such action. How many here actually believe that those who want the suffering to stop would actually support decisive, overwhelming military action aimed at stopping the civil war there?
May 1st, 2006 at 4:51 pmI think you have a Valid point Tom, why not start pushing resolutions through the house to actually do something, not highly publicized arrests.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:07 pmwell should I help thoes people or fly around in airforce 1 to republican fund raisers?
May 1st, 2006 at 5:13 pmThe ‘decider’ has decided to let them die.
Future Headlines:
Walmart Grand Opening in Darfur!
Walmart Looted in Darfur!
Marines sent to Darfur to protect American Interests!
May 1st, 2006 at 5:21 pmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing
OIL? Where?
Peace conferences in 2005 ended the 21 year civil war and produced an agreement under which state revenues — oil money in particular — would be shared between the government and the southern rebel groups.
Hmmmm….
LONDON (AlertNet) – The existence of big oilfields in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region has added a new twist to a bloody, two-year-old conflict, potentially turning the quest for peace into tussle over resources.
Sudan announced in April that its ABCO corporation – which is 37 percent owned by Swiss company Clivenden – had begun drilling for oil in Darfur, where preliminary studies showed there were “abundant†quantities of oil.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:27 pmCan’t trust a Bushie, nor a Halliburton, nor a Oil Men, nor a politician, nor a banker.
May 1st, 2006 at 5:36 pmHey maybe we can move to Switzerland, smoke some weed and drink coffee? And get Cheap Gas of Course.
Thank Goodness we have these ‘Businesses’ Profiting from these Wars and loss of Lives!! And thank GOODNESS the American. libruls, umm Taxpayers will Pay for the WAR DAMAGE and the Food and medicine!!
Bless your Little Hearts.
-Dick Cheney
And George
We Love $$$$ YEW America
and the Swiss Too!!
Oh and you too Darfurian Rebels.
So what is the invasion plan here?
How long will we remain?
How many troops are allowed to die before we pull out?
How many troops can be severly wounded before we should stop the whole invasion idea?
How much money is it worth to stop this (U.S Tax payer dollars)?
If we walk in and “Take out the people” committing the genocide, who do we give the government there to, who is in charge, do we help rebuild what we destroy?
If we just remove those who are being killed where do we put them (In the middle of an area that hates them as much)?
If we arm those who are being killed are we prepared for them to turn on us later?
If we send money or food, how do we ensure it gets to those that really need it and not warlords?
May 1st, 2006 at 5:53 pmIt must be hell being a “war president” who prefers killing people in Iraq over saving people in Darfur.
May 1st, 2006 at 6:03 pmI believe that the people who live in the geo-political division of the Earth known as “The United States of America†would do, and would have done, more for other people around the world if it wasn’t indoctrinated in us as children that we are “Americans†first, and not “human beings†first. (This applies to all people everywhere.) We, and the people of Sudan enduring this nightmare, are all human beings, and none of us is any better than anyone else just because of where we were born, or how wealthy our parents were, or what religion we eventually chose to practice, and especially not because of the colors of our skins. We are all human beings. And if our president would take a moment to see and understand that, then I think he would realize that we have a moral obligation to do something. I don’t pretend to know what the solutions to the current problems are, but I do know that better education and a greater acceptance of fellow human beings around the world as just that – human beings – can go a long way toward making sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again without the world doing something about it at once.
May 1st, 2006 at 6:05 pmMaybe Mr Lantos should remind us about his outrage for the Saddam’s genocide in Iraq in 1999. [content edited]
May 1st, 2006 at 6:44 pm#26 – Once again, Wayne, well said.
May 1st, 2006 at 6:45 pmthis is a no-win situation for the US, as there’s a fine line between “assisting†and “interfering†in another country’s affairs…
http://blogdebogs.blogspot.com/2006/05/darfur-catch-22.html
May 1st, 2006 at 6:49 pmThe oil industry is the primary beneficiary of Bush’s war in Iraq. Industry executives had a place at the table when Dick Cheney carved up Iraq’s oil fields for future distribution among America’s elite corporations. Freedom of Information requests have provided “edited documents from the Cheney Energy Policy group. One of these was a map showing lease areas where oil drilling was planned (in Iraq). Another consisted of a list of 40 oil companies from 30 nations who were slated to get permission to drill for oil in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. The problem for the US and Britain was that their oil companies were absent from this list of those who were to get concessions..The US and UK would thus be frozen out of what was clearly one of the greatest material prizes in world history.” (”The CFR Debates” Lawerence Shoup; Z Magazine March 2006)
May 1st, 2006 at 6:51 pm#28 Thanks, Zookeeper,
You, me and Jane. That makes three down and over six billion more to go. Looks like I’ve got some work to do.
May 1st, 2006 at 6:52 pm26,
Heya Wayne,
To me the idea sounds nice, but it will fall very short in execution. Say we could get every American to have a completely open thought process about everyone else in the world. Excellent we have began. Now what happens when an American chooses to travel to another country, gets kidnapped and held for randsome? Do we pay, or wish them well?. How do we respond to terrorist attacks against our friends or other countries? The terrorists that hate our friends country A are from our friends country B. Our friends Country B has said they want to see everyone in country A destroyed, how do we respond? Buy their compliance?
If we were all completely open and did not consider ourselves better than anyone else then we are in the same boat with those that are commiting genocide and those that are having it committed against them. Who do we side with here? either? They are both our equals and friends who we cherish as fellow earth inhabitants.
May 1st, 2006 at 6:59 pmWow, #24, where were you when George decided to invade Iraq? Too bad you didn’t have the same questions then.
May 1st, 2006 at 7:22 pm33,
Wow, #24, where were you when George decided to invade Iraq? Too bad you didn’t have the same questions then.
I did, I was part of that 25% unhappy with the way things were being handled in Iraq. I was part of that 30% that felt it was not worth fighting too (Of course then we were just sheep). I always felt that not one person over there was worth one American Soldiers life.
Approval of Bush’s Handling of Iraq (2003)75% (TODAY)37%
Percentage of Americans who Believe The Iraq War Was “Worth Fighting†(2003)70% (TODAY)41%
But I never ever said Leave after giving our word either. Amazing how so many can be part of that 70% and now say oh no it’s too tough we have to leave. How easy does anyone thing Dalfur is going to be? Are they going to roll over and let us walk in and seprate them or perhaps defend what they consider are their values? Defend their way of life?
I’m saying if you believe in getting involved over there how far are you willing to go? Lets figure that out first this time. The whole generation in this country that keeps “Friends” on top and then switches to “Everybody Loves Raymond” forgets how they felt last week. If you don’t have the stomache to accept that it’s not going to be a cake walk, quit asking us to do something.
May 1st, 2006 at 7:35 pmTundra many of us here NEVER asked Bush to go into Iraq in the first place…..
May 1st, 2006 at 8:06 pmHeya Clif,
I haven’t seen any posts by you asking us to go to Darfur either. I just see alot of posts around here and elsewhere saying the U.S has to do something, George Bush won’t do something blah blah. These same people are the same ones saying get out of Iraq now.
I’m saying if you want the U.S overthere (Which I have not seen you say) are you prepared to finish it or at least figure out how much it’s worth now.
May 1st, 2006 at 8:18 pmYeah, so I’m eagerly anticipating China and Russia allowing a UN resolution doing anything about Darfur. What? What do you mean that will never happen??? OMG, they have oil interests there? No way! No, we can’t “go it alone”, that would be… ILLEGAL! Surely, you must be joking!
Some people are in for a meeting with reality. Ring the doorbell when you get there and I will let you in. ;)
May 1st, 2006 at 8:22 pmI for one would need to actually see a plan if it was like the one that took us to Somilia or Iraq, I would say spare the natives from our “plans” but if it was a true international plan which all contributed what they could and actually lead by the UN Ngo’s(or a similar non particin group who actually want to help the people not gain political advantage) who do this year after year them it might work…
May 1st, 2006 at 8:36 pmSome people are in for a meeting with reality. Ring the doorbell when you get there and I will let you in. ;)
Comment by Seixon — May 1, 2006 @ 8:22 pm
Seixon you and reality are not even in the same time zone….
May 1st, 2006 at 8:38 pmBut most important of all keep anybody who has been involved in FEMA while Bush has been in charge as far away as possible because as bad as the situation is they could make it worse…..
May 1st, 2006 at 8:43 pmDarfur is a tragedy, but asking a killer like Bush to do anything about it is plain rediculous! Dubya is a dictator and a savage and the United States has no troops for a mission in Africa! The Europeans are the ones who are going to have to deal with the Sudan > Germans and French can handle it!
May 1st, 2006 at 8:57 pmIronicly the INTERNATIONAL situation and US prestige has greatly diminnished since Afganistain and Iraq. Had the US still had the carefully builtup international good will and support / Alliance then this situation would very likey be different.
Of course thing are different now but hey thats REALITY.
May 1st, 2006 at 9:26 pmI was at the rally. This is an important issue and one that should not have to be partisan. Let’s get help for the people suffering in Darfur—we’ll gratefully accept help from conservatives, liberals, centrists, democrats, republicans and mugwumps.
This is not a delicate, complex situation that we can waffle on…it’s simple: life or death; action or apathy. Let’s put it to our representatives — of any party — to get off their duffs and move quickly and decisively to help the African Union do the job they are valiantly trying to do…save innocent people from massacre.
May 1st, 2006 at 11:34 pmRep Lantos is a hypocrite on the Darfur issue, because at the same time he claims wanting to stop genocide in the Sudan, he is advocating war on Iran which could kill hundreds of thousands of people! This is a diversion to cover AIPAC being a blood thirsty group of killers! North Africa was once controlled by Italians, French, Germans, British, and others so they can send their troops to stop this slaughter over the control of the oil rich Darfur region! The U.S. does not have the troops for this operation!
May 1st, 2006 at 11:51 pmThere is not a drop of OIL in Rwanda, Africa, so the world allowed about a million people to be slaughtered there, but now since vast deposits of OIL has been found under the Darfur, some in the Congress like Lantos feign concern for the people? Lantos drove over a child’s foot in Washington, DC, with his car and refused to aknowledge it nor concerned either! The outrage is for the OIL > I wish it was concern for the lives of those being slaughtered, but it’s NOT!
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:09 amTop 8 arms exporters in 2004
COUNTRY, CURRENT US$, 1990 US$
1. United States, $18.5billion, $5.4bn
2. Russia, $4.6billion, $6.2bn
3. France, $4.4bn, $2.1bn
4. United Kingdom, $1.9bn, $985million
5. Germany, $900m, $1.1bn
6. Canada, $900m, $543m
7. China, $700m, $125m
8. Israel, $500m, $283m
Darfurs won’t stop until this madness stops [above]
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:39 amTundra, you have actually made an extremely good point. There has to be a better solution, and we have to think of it or a whole lot of people are going to die.
Perhaps this is a part of the solution: Cut off all aid. Private and governmental cut the bastards off, seal their borders and starve them into peace.
Sanctions have a reputation for not working, but they worked in South Africa, you just have to make sure they get applied and have some patience. It isn’t a glorious or quick way to victory, it doesn’t make as good a movie, but in the end it can have a more lasting impact.
May 2nd, 2006 at 5:12 amTom Lantos has been a human rights champion for decades, and I admire him for being out in front on the Darfur issue for so long. Now a national grassroots movement is finally gathering force, and people in it (or commenting from the margins about it) should be grateful for consistent voices like Lantos rather than spreading stories about him — such as the patently false and biased one about his views on Iran, Jay R.
As to those who oppose NATO intervention in a humanitarian crisis because it might involve U.S. participation, where are your priorities? This is not one country’s problem, it is an atrocity that calls for international action.
May 2nd, 2006 at 6:57 amAs the Holocaust taught us, a villainous government that persecutes its own people cannot be counted on to protect them; it must be compelled to do so.
And where was this Protector of America when Bush was given Unitary Powers to start War? Where were you Mr Lantos when the Lobbysists handed out money? Where? Signing bills with the Corrupt Mr Delay thats where. Some Democrat.
Mr Lantos you should be very worried, and not worried what I think, or what anyone on this Earth thinks.
Your Weighing approaches.
“When I was on the plane [from Washington], I found out that there was yet another outrageous terrorist attack on Israel, and at the same time one of our own fighting men was killed fighting the terrorists,” Lantos said afterward. “I think it’s very important that those of us in public office stand up and support the democratic state of Israel.”
[Human Rights?] Only if its Israelis.]
Lantos, whose district includes parts of San Francisco and San Mateo County, recently co-authored a resolution with House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) in support of Israel and its military INACTIONS.[The YELLOW STAR LAND]
To Hell with Israel, Lantos, Delay, and their Lazy MOSSAD, Warriors, Fight ye Chickens of Israel and Leave AMERICA Ye Serpents of Gomar!
Damn you lazy Israelis, Fight, America grows SICK of you and your WAYS. Your wars are old, and stupid, and old, and stupid, and your hate, and their hate cause you to repeat them.
No Mr Lantos Israel must do this, not me, not America, not my religion, YOURS, this is YOUR War, not mine. Screw Israel, Screw Iraq, Screw Palestine, Screw Pakistan, Iran and all you Damn FOOLS.
Religious Ideologies, thousands of years worth, and YE still have learned nothing..
Go back to your Bosnian European Qabbalist Pyramid Shamanist Edomites Lantos, take ye serpent brethren with ye.
From Hell Ye came, and from Hell Ye shall be sent back!
May 2nd, 2006 at 9:51 amcome on america get in their , its worse than sadam , or are you in iraq for other reasons
May 2nd, 2006 at 10:58 amPost 48 lol Karen > Rep. Lantos is one of the most devious members of the Democrat party in the House of Representatives > he is a stooge of the Israel lobby “AIPAC” and he is one of the most vocal proponents of war on Iran! He claims to want to stop genocide in Darfur region, of the Sudan, but at the same time he promotes war on Iran which could kill thousands or even millions if Bush uses nukes! Lantos a few years ago drove over the foot of a boy visiting DC with other children and his teacher > he refused to get out of his car to face what he did and drove off without even an apology > later the police gave him a small ticket! I hope you are getting paid to defend Lantos, because that 80+ year old man is a disgrace to the Congress!
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:14 pm( I am a Democrat and political activist and writer who has ties to several Dem Reps.)
One other comment on Lantos: he still defends the occupation of Iraq and is considered one of the most pro-war members of Congress! Ask Cindy Sheehan and Jesse Jackson about him!
May 2nd, 2006 at 12:22 pmConsider the source. A quick Google search turns up what kind of activist and writer Jay Randal is.
May 3rd, 2006 at 10:18 pmDick Durbin’s look is a classic…if this era we live in wasn’t so utterly sad and pathetic. Russert should have stopped the interview there and had Bodman leave.
November 20th, 2006 at 7:30 amwhat could u possibly be doing when you watch people die.
December 4th, 2006 at 9:57 amThis is a diversion to cover AIPAC being a blood thirsty group of killers! North Africa was once controlled by Italians, French, Germans, British, and others so they can send their troops to stop this slaughter over the control of the oil rich Darfur region!
December 8th, 2006 at 5:05 amHow is it illegal we go to war with iraq?!
December 8th, 2006 at 2:08 pm