Congress Set to Declare Darfur Region a Zone of Genocide

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

http://allafrica.com/stories/200407140643.html

>snip
Calling the present humanitarian crisis in Sudan's western region of Darfur an irrefutable example of genocide, Senator Sam Brownback (Republican of Kansas) said July 13 that the Senate would immediately introduce a resolution condemning the Sudanese government and calling for international intervention.

"This resolution will require the United Nations and the international community to take decisive action. Sudan will be put on notice. It will become a pariah among nations," Brownback told a news conference.

He noted that the United States had given Khartoum the opportunity two weeks ago to take immediate action to disarm the Arab "Jingaweit" militias and provide security and protection to thousands of displaced persons, while allowing unrestricted access on the ground by NGOs and foreign aid relief workers. "As of today, nothing has changed. The two weeks are up," Brownback said.

The lawmaker added that the government of Sudan continues to deny that there is any form of ethnic cleansing going on in Darfur, even though reliable sources in that region continue to claim otherwise. "Refugees are harassed; foreign aid workers are still being denied access to critical areas. While the world debates what should be done, people in Darfur die," he said.
>snip

[G_j]

1. good news

its about time! Its awfully late, according to Charles Rangel (recently arrested in an effort to draw attention to this) they are in a race against time with the rainy season approaching.

[gottaB]

3. "Heavy rains swamp camps"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3896049.stm

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. Man - what's next?

[ronabop]

2. About fucking time. n/t

[porphyrian]

5. They didn't want to move too fast...

...not while brown-skinned people were killing each other. I wonder how fast they would've moved if Sudan had been a white Christian nation? Now I see why Republicans in Congress thought banning gay marriage was more important than this...

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. And more important than the international AIDS conference

funny - I thought AIDS was important to Shrub?

[G_j]

7. it is

when there is $$$$ to be made


http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/071504J.shtml

France Accuses U.S. of AIDS Blackmail
By Sarah Boseley
The Guardian U.K.

Wednesday 14 July 2004

America was yesterday accused by France of blackmailing developing countries into giving up their right to produce cheap drugs for Aids victims.

In a move that may strain already tense relations between the two countries, the French president, Jacques Chirac, said there existed a real problem of favourable trade deals being dangled before poor nations in return for those countries halting production of life-saving generic drugs.

These cheap drugs compete with identical but more expensive patented varieties made by the world's largest pharmaceutical companies.

"Making certain countries drop these measures in the framework of bilateral trade negotiations would be tantamount to blackmail, since what is the point of starting treatment without any guarantee of having quality and affordable drugs in the long term?" Mr Chirac wrote in a statement that was read to the International Aids conference in Bangkok yesterday.

..more..

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

9. Damn straight!

Its that same old story!

[G_j]

8. Oxfam needs help

http://www.oxfamamerica.org/art1716.html

Crisis in Sudan
Oxfam is expanding its presence in Sudan and Chad, constructing thousands of latrines and providing clean drinking water and washing facilities for more than 200,000 people.

Donate Now to Oxfam's Sudan Crisis Relief Fund!
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/art1716.html

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Oxfam is a great group.

We donate every year.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Rwanda redux.

Again, the USA is dragging it's feet when action is really called for.

Just as Clinton sabotaged the efforts to stop the genocide in Rwanda and the Congo, Bush is doing exactly the same thing.

But, we'd rather invade and subjugate a country that poses no threat to us, than actually do something for people in desperate need.

[G_j]

12. how many times can we say "never again!"? n/t