|
« Cosby Whacks Time Magazine Writer |
Main
| Fighting Filth »
Anti-Slavery Group to Confront Annan at Harvard - Over Sudan Horrors
June 08, 2004
iAbolish will confront U.N. head Kofi Annan over inaction on slavery, massive forced dislocations, and genocide by Sudan's Arab Muslim regime. A protest rally is planned for tomorrow, a day in advance of Annan's commencement speech at Harvard University. And there will be leafleting before his speech Thursday. If you are anywhere near Boston, attend the Wednesday rally at 6 p.m., Cambridge Common outside Harvard Yard. If not, at least tune in to iAbolish and their crucial fight against worldwide modern-day slavery (links above and below). iAbolish has the full Rosenblog stamp of approval. They must, because I rarely print a press release here. From iAbolish. June 8, 2004 Kofi Annan Protested At Harvard Commencement for Inaction on Sudan Genocide Anti-Slavery Activists, African Survivors, Join Black Clergy --Demand End to Racist Attacks on Africans, and “Free the Slaves!” BOSTON – Kofi Annan is coming to Harvard on Thursday to receive an honorary degree, but will be met with a human rights protest over his inaction on genocide in Sudan. (Ed. note: iAbolish activists will be distributing leaflets then, but due to permitting issues, the actual rally is Wednesday June 9, as noted above and below). “Mr. Annan's inaction is anything but honorable,” said Rev. Dr. Gloria White Hammond, co-founder of relief organization My Sister’s Keeper, and a director of the American Anti-Slavery Group. “The Secretary-General has failed to stand up to the Arab-dominated Government of Sudan in its murderous campaign of ethnic cleansing.” The rally, which will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday (June 9) at the Cambridge Common outside Harvard Yard, will feature an array of activists, including Rev. Walter Fauntroy, founder of the Congressional Black Caucus and a former aide to Martin Luther King, Jr.; escaped slave Francis Bok; Suliman Giddo of the Darfur Peace and Development Organization; and Kwathi Ajawin of the North America Fashoda Association. The Sudanese government has for years been leading a campaign of genocide against Sudan’s minority African population. Despite participating in a peace process to end Sudan’s civil/religious war, the Khartoum regime is currently destroying the Shilluk Kingdom in Southern Sudan, holding thousands of South Sudanese Christians and animists in slavery, and launching devastating raids against African Muslims in the Western Sudanese region of Darfur. 30,000 have been murdered in Darfur in the past few months alone, and over one million made refugees. As many as 1 million people may die by the end of 2004 as a result of Khartoum’s policy of forced starvation. “Annan stood by in Rwanda in 1994, he stood by in Sebrenica in 1995, but we will not let him stand by today in Sudan,” noted Dr. Charles Jacobs, President of the Anti-Slavery Group. “It’s ‘Kofi’s choice’ – be a bystander to genocide or take action to save lives.” “This pattern of ineptitude and practice of inaction is a disgrace for the UN,” Hammond stated. “The UN is an organization born from the ashes of the Holocaust to ensure that ‘never again’ would the international community tolerate genocide.” For more info: Jeffrey Hipp, jh@iabolish.com, 617-426-8161. ADDITIONAL LINKS, provided by Rosenblog: iAbolish.com's Darfur page, with news links. An outstanding, in-depth Knight-Ridder piece on the latest in Sudan. It exposes the human dimension and socio-political backstory to today's scorched-earth campaign of genocide, displacement and sexual slavery. My first and second Seattle Times guest op-eds on Sudan. (Free registration may be required). An April Rosenblog post on a skittish U.N. sidestepping the current atrocities in western Sudan. An early May Rosenblog post highlighting the U.N.'s damning report on atrocities in Darfur, western Sudan. But documentation must lead to action. The U.N.'s feeble actions on behalf of Africa's oppressed are also covered in this Rosenblog post: "UN Fiddles, America Yawns as Congo Smolders." Posted by Matt Rosenberg at June 8, 2004 10:00 AM Trackback Pings TrackBack URL for this entry: Comments:
Bill O'Reilly had one of the organizers for this protest on his show late last week. It was the first time I had seen this topic discussed in the mainstream media and just a few days after I noted it on my site. The situation in the Sudan, along with Nigeria prove how corrupt and useless the United Nations has become. The U.N. spends approximately 75% of their time trying to demonize Israel for defending themselves, yet ignore attrocites committed by Arabs. Annan's had three genocide's happen on his watch and now he gets an Honorary degree. Whatever happened to accountability? Posted by: Jeff at June 8, 2004 10:59 AMSo, Colin Powell has felt the power of the Rosenblog? Post a comment
|
|
| Site design by Mystic Sludge Design© | |