This comes from CAIR:
(WASHINGTON, DC, 4/30/2006) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today questioned why no representatives of major American Muslim groups are listed as speakers at the Save Darfur Coalition "Rally to Stop Genocide" this afternoon in Washington, D.C.
CAIR and other American Muslim groups, including the Islamic Society of North America, the Islamic Circle of North America, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, are members of the coalition. But no representative from these, or any Muslim coalition member, is listed on the latest rally program. (Several Muslims will speak, but they do not represent Islamic groups that are coalition members.)
The Washington Post reported that rally organizers "rushed this week to invite two Darfurians to address the rally after Sudanese immigrants objected that the original list of speakers included eight Western Christians, seven Jews, four politicians and assorted celebrities -- but no Muslims and no one from Darfur."
Earlier this month, after noticing the lack of Muslim speakers on the program, CAIR wrote to rally organizers asking to have a representative speak at the rally. The Save Darfur Coalition never replied to CAIR's letter, despite the fact that the Washington-based Islamic civil liberties group is an original signatory of the coalition's founding "
"It is unfortunate that the Save Darfur Coalition chose not to list any mainstream American Muslim groups in the rally program," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "This disturbing omission calls into question the coalition's true agenda at the rally."
Awad said rally participants would have benefited from hearing American Muslim leaders offer support for those suffering in Darfur and in neighboring areas. He added that CAIR recently renewed its call to end the violence and suffering in Darfur, and asked American Muslims to contact their elected representatives to urge government action.
Awad also said that all too often, the conflict in Darfur is portrayed in racial and religious terms, with "Arabs" killing "black Africans." He cited a recent article, "5 Truths About Darfur," in which the Washington Post's East Africa Bureau Chief Emily Wax pointed out that: "1 Nearly everyone is Muslim, 2 Everyone is black, 3 It's all about politics, 4 This conflict is international, and 5 The 'genocide' label made it worse."
CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 32 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding."
Monday, May 01, 2006
Why No Muslim Groups to Speak at Darfur Rally
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20 comments:
As a Palestinian, I am deeply sympathetic to those in Darfur. The government's use of the janjiweed to supress Darfur's uprising was fatally stupid and morally wrong.
Sudan should be a country for all of its citizens (as should Israel).
That said, I feel very excluded by the movement to help Darfur. It is tarred by anti-Arab undertones, and has been used by pro-Israel groups to distract from Israel's similar crimes. I can;t help but be turned off by the clear pro-Israel bias on this issue.
After all, they are protesting what another country already opposed to the US is doing. What about America and its allies? Take care of your backyard first.
I think the Bush administration shoudl send aid to the AU to give them the means and political confidence to really intervene. yet the save darfur people want a Clintonesque "humanitarian intervention". more bombing to save people. They know it is another way to kill Arabs
Well in this case you can rightfully blame all the Jews. They are after all making up the largest bloc of participants at the rally on Sunday.
I recommend you stay away and yap to each other about how cheated you feel and how bruised your egos are. Blame the Jews - go ahead. We expect you to - it's the only thing you're any good at.
"As a Palestinian" you spend 90% of your time and effort excusing your utter lack of morality and prefer instead, as always, to blame the Jews.
Wow that's a shocker. Let me check to see if water is still wet.
First, I wanted to mention that James Zogby (Arab American Institute)did speak at the rally. I don't know if he is Muslim- but just wanted to mention him.
Second, to the two "anonymous" stone-casters- if you feel so strongly, have the balls to put your names on it.
Third, while Will's comment did seem a bit slanted, I fully agree with what he said about the AU. I think that that's exactly what should be done here. Otherwise, we run the risk of just another un-wanted US presence. Not to mention, having this resolved by the AU would be in the best interest of all involved.
Lady J,
I sound slanted because for years I worked on divestment from Israel -- a country the US aids and abets in its dispossession of the Palestinians. The fiercest opponents of this movements took the tactic of divestment and are aiming it at Sudan, which makes me feel it is very cynical.
This is not to say everyone involved in this protest has that agenda, just that many do. I found the protest in DC very cynical.
Instead of empowering Africa and African countries as the US should (say by diverting the billions it gives Israel annually to Africa) -- the protestors call for more US military intervention against another country populated by Arabs.
Of all these huge civil wars in Africa -- in Uganda, Sierra Leone and the Congo (which is the bloodiest war since WWII), the aim is on Sudan. How about strengthening the African Union's ability and force to deal with such conflicts. That is much more of a solution than is calling for US direct involvement.
The cynical use of this cause is no more apparent than in the way they paint the conflict as being between Arabs and blacks. Sudanese Arabs for the most part of phenotypically African (which is itself diverse). This is an ethnic division, not a racial one. And the main issue is the politics of power and control, not inequitable rights.
Also, who calls for divestment from one of the most impoverished, destitute countries in the world. Sudan was the site of three decades of civil war, near anarchy. With an unresponsive government and a non-existing judiciary, what is the point of divestment? I am not against it, I just think it is irrelevant.
I am slanted against pro-Israeli types using the suffering of Darfur to spread anti-Arab hate and to detract from their support for Israel. Unlike them on Palestine, I recognize the injustice of refugees and displacement as universal -- they have a blind spot when the victims are Arabs. And that hypocrisy in such a alrge chunk of the movement excludes us.
Also, Zogby is not Muslim. But I'm glad he spoke. To those in the Sudan movement with good intentions, keep doing it.
BTW, where were the "___ Temple, New York" signs at the immigration protest a few weeks ago? Why the need to identify as Jews at the Sudan protest. but not the immigration one?
Will
Yes yes blame the Jews. Your job is done for the day. You can go home how, problem solved.
If Jews don't help or they do it doesn't matter, they're eeeeeevulllll of course of course.
The reason people in the Sudan die is because the Arab world and all the people in it have precisely that point of view.
LadyJbird is that your given first name or last name? I was just wondering because your website didn't indicate. I mean as long as you're comoplaining about anonymous.
OK darling just call me Anonymous J. Smith IV. OK?
I don't understand why pointing out this is in part a muslim issue in a country that is at least partially a muslim country so bad. Doesn't it more or less frame the issue. I mean I can understand your revulsion there are no Jews to throw rocks at but you have take your victims as you find them.
I don't understand why pointing out this is in part a muslim issue in a country that is at least partially a muslim country so bad. Doesn't it more or less frame the issue. I mean I can understand your revulsion there are no Jews to throw rocks at but you have take your victims as you find them.
It is bad when you mislead people into thinking that the victims are christian when in fact they are muslim too, and mislead people into thinking that the perps are Arabs when the are also black, then you use it to promote clash of civilizations baloney.
Anyway, it is fairly clear that if Arabs want to stop the Darfur issue from being exploited by antimuslim elements, that they will have to get involved in the Save Darfur Coalition as CAIR has wisely done.
Will said: "Sudan should be a country for all of its citizens (as should Israel)."
Considering this post is one of the few that had nothing to do with Israel, I'd consider the above statement just more proof of your OCD.
Hey LadyJBird honey, (is your address in the phonebook under that name?), I didn't post either anonymous message, but I wholeheartedly agreed with them, so if you need some stonecasting Jew to take out your mispent agression, you can take it up with me. That's Bar Yus Fulonya, and I suspect its useful on you as well.
OCD? How about people who spam this board with crimes that muslims have committed on every other post no matter what it is? Like a post a Bill Clinton is a really topical point to post something about an Arab guilty of child abuse. And of coarse this implies the writers of this site to be equally guilty. What would you think if someone posted crimes of Jews to every post on a Jewish board no matter how little it had to do with the topic?
As for this post having nothing to do with Israel. When Israeli apologist stop bringing up Darfur to justify what is happening to the Palestinians, maybe that would be accurate.
I also understand why the people who run this board don't bother to censor it. It makes right wing zionists look insane.
Bottomline. Dafur - Sudan, largely Muslim nation. I don't like the word genocide since it's like the word 'nigger' it's meant to stop conversation so we'll call it a war. Ok a war in a muslim nation against a predominately nonmuslim population.
And the response here is that Arabs should essentially do nothing because it plays into the hands of the zionists.
OK - you should emmigrate Mexico with legal drugs because you need to either get ON or OFF them.
And pointing out arab atrocities is just what like to call a 'target rich environment'. We don't make the news, we just report it.
r' it's meant to stop conversation so we'll call it a war. Ok a war in a muslim nation against a predominately nonmuslim population.
accept as I already pointed out the victims are not predominantly non muslim, and the socalled Arabs are also black, which the Washington Post article also pointed out. Both the victims and the perps are black muslims, not that the truth means anything or that you care about it.
BTW, haredi man in Israel killed his baby over a week ago, any responce?
The Paleos afraid that the Sudanese will take the title of
"Supreme refugees" from them.
Being a Paleo refugee is a lucrative enterprise, so competition is bad for business.
I'm sorry Dameocrat, did you utter something important, because I sure missed it? Like I need to spend my time worrying about what some Eurabian spouts, there is a reason we call it the 'old country' afterall.
Congrats, you found a bad thing a Joo did (talk about your OCD). OMG, you mean we're part human after all?
Hopeless flamer, no logic what so ever just double standards and hate.
You don't know me, so don't assume you know if or what I hate, playa. I just don't value your opinion whatsoever, but you don't have to take it personally.
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