Never Again

Israellycool reader Seraphya is one of the organizers of the Save Darfur Rally in Israel, scheduled for Monday November 20th.

PRESS RELEASE
Save Darfur Rally at 8pm on November 20 at Kikar Zion, Jerusalem
Organized by HAeD (Hatzilu et Amei Darfur – Save the Nations of Darfur).

The current humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan erupted in February 2003.  In response to rebel attacks on military installations, the government of Sudan, using proxy Arab militias, started a campaign of genocide. The actions of these militias (called the Janjaweed), coupled with air attacks by the Sudanese Army, have resulted in the deaths of half a million people, including children and infants.  Over 3 million Sudanese have been forced to flee their homes and have been subjected to gang rapes, the burning of their homes and religious buildings, and other atrocities (which occur even in the purported shelter of refugee camps). 

Currently there is an African Union ‚Äúpeacekeeping‚Äù force, which has no official authority to protect civilians and which lacks the resources to render any meaningful form of assistance. The non-governmental organizations attempting to operate in Sudan are forced to submit to impossible bureaucratic requirements by the Khartoum government, which is perpetuating the genocide.  News outlets are prevented from reporting on the situation, and journalists who try to publicize the full extent of the horrors are being arrested.  In a similar vein, the United Nations envoy to Sudan was forced to leave the country because the Khartoum government disapproved of the factual accounts being disseminated through his personal web log. The U.S. congress has labelled Darfur a genocide, but the UN has proven reluctant to use its full power to put a real force on the ground to protect civilians, and the UN security council is refusing to act.

HaED was established earlier this year by a group of Yeshiva and Midrasha students from Chutz L’Aretz with the aims of:
1)    Raising awareness in Israel about the current genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
2)    Emphasizing the role of Jews, just 60 years after the Holocaust, in preventing genocide.
3)    Encouraging activism and the adoption of the official goals of www.savedarfur.org , which are:
I. Push for the immediate deployment of the already-authorized UN peacekeeping force.
II. Strengthen the understaffed African Union force already in Darfur until the UN force can be deployed.
III. Implement a fair and lasting Peace Agreement.
IV. Increase humanitarian aid and ensure access for delivery.

This rally, held in both Hebrew and English, which will take place on November 20, 2006 at 8:00 PM in Kikar Zion, Jerusalem, is intended to raise consciousness about the Darfur genocide in the state of Israel and to highlight that it is the responsibility of the Jewish people and the world at large to ensure that all possible measures are enacted to prevent genocide. No genocide may be countenanced, no government may be allowed to slaughter those citizens it is charged to protect, and no one may remain silent in the face of such a tragedy.

Contact details:

Seraphya Berrin
Ph: +972525988286
Email: [email protected]

Arielle Perlow
Ph: +972525346257
Email: [email protected]

Yedidya Schwartz
Ph:+972523383925
Email: [email protected]

Rachel  Kupferman
Ph: +9725690133
Email: [email protected]