The Sudanese military attacked the Kalma camp for displaced persons in South Darfur this week, gunning down civilians armed (according to the UN) mostly with “sticks, knives and spears.” The attack left more than 30 people dead. The UN denounced the attack as “excessive, disproportionate force.” But there’s another word for it – criminal.
Which makes it all the more unbelievable that a number of governments are considering UN Security Council action to suspend the International Criminal Court’s Darfur investigation, on the ground that accusing the Sudanese president of crimes impedes progress toward peace. What progress? What peace?
Sources tell us that some members of the Security Council seem eager to cut a deal and have suggested some terms to Khartoum. I hope before doing anything further, they will go to Kalma and ask the relatives of those murdered this week what they think of putting justice on hold.
Nearly 70 members of Team Darfur competed in the recently completed 2008 Olympic Games. Team Darfur members won 17 medals and competed honorably on the field. While International Olympic Committee rules prevented them from making open statements about their support for the people of Darfur, Team Darfur athletes in Beijing and at home did what they could to ensure Darfur was a part of the 2008 Olympic dream.
Just days after announcing at a press conference in Istanbul that Sudan was beginning to undertake new efforts to bring peace to Darfur - including holding talks with opposition groups - there are newsreports that government forces killed at least 27 in an attack on Kalma camp in Nyala, South Darfur. The camp is home to 80,000 internally displaced persons - the largest in Darfur. The United Nations reported during their noon briefing today that they are “gravely concerned” about the reports of the attack, and UNAMID has sent police and military patrols to the camp to investigate the attack.
Jerry Fowler, president of the Save Darfur Coalition, recently returned from Tanzania where he attended a workshop on re-energizing the Darfur peace process. He recorded the following video at the conference:
Stay tuned for more reports from the conference and to hear from Darfuri civil society leaders.
I am currently visiting the Darfur region for the tenth time since 2004.
On this trip, I will once again listen to people tell me their stories and again they will plead for protection. Yet again I will promise them that I will tell the world what has happened to them.
Just one day after Save Darfur named Lopez Lomong its August Darfur Hero and Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek’s visa was revoked by China, U.S. Olympic team captains selected Lopez as the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremonies. Lomong - who spent 10 years in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing South Sudan - will compete in the 1500 meter run and gained U.S. citizenship just 13 months ago.
“The American flag means everything in my life — everything that describes me, coming from another country and going through all of the stages that I have to become a U.S. citizen. This is another amazing step for me in celebrating being an American. Seeing my fellow Americans coming behind me [in the opening ceremony] and supporting me will be a great honor — the highest honor. It’s just a happy day. I don’t even have the words to describe how happy I am.”
Posted on behalf of Congressman Jim McGovern (MA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.
As millions of people around the world get ready to tune in and watch the Olympics in Beijing, they are probably unaware that their TVs likely share a common trait with the weapons used to kill up to 400,000 people in Darfur: they bear the stamp “Made in China.”
Joey Cheek, 2006 Olympic gold medalist and co-founder of Team Darfur, has been denied entry to China for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Joey, who has also contributed to this blog, had been granted an entry visa to attend the games and support Team Darfur, an international coalition of Olympic athletes helping to raise awareness about the Darfur genocide. Last night, however, the Chinese government revoked the visa.
A Chinese official informed Cheek that it was not necessary to give a reason for revoking his visa less than 24 hours before he was scheduled to fly from Washington to Beijing.
I am saddened not to be able to attend the Games. The Olympic Games represent something powerful: that people can come together from around the world and do things that no one thought were possible. However, the denial of my visa is a part of a systemic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur.
My name is Joey Cheek and I am the president and co-founder of Team Darfur. Team Darfur is an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
I am so pleased and grateful that the Save Darfur Coalition is honoring one of Team Darfur’s most inspiring members, Lopez Lomong. Lopez will compete for the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing this summer. As a Sudanese refugee, Lopez provides a unique perspective on the crisis in Darfur and frequently speaks out about the need to raise awareness about the genocide because “a lot of people here don’t know what was going on in Sudan and I need to send a message as an athlete from Sudan.”
My name is Joey Cheek and I am the president and co-founder of