In the next few days, our friend Gabriel will be heading back to the refugee camps of Darfur. Please keep him and all the members of his team in your prayers. I’m working with our people, so that our fund-raising effort via the famine can have a component that will benefit the growing refugee problem.

Along with your prayers, remember the special needs of the people of Darfur. I just received this note from Gabriel and want to share it with all of you – asking that you forward it to your friends and contacts. Thanks.
-fv

From: Gabriel Stauring [mailto:…]
Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 11:36 PM
To: …
Subject: LA and Darfur Hello LA friends. What a week! Although it was joyful to hear about the envoy, all we hear out of Darfur is desperation and despair. First, check out Fr V. going all out at our rally! http://tinyurl.com/cphez4

But, sobering news out of Darfur. Our friend, Mohamed Yahya, asked us to help him spread the following notes, which he gathered from communication with his sources inside of Darfur:

• In camps in Western Darfur such as Al- Geniena, Riyadh, Abuzaid, Kerdang and Dorti the refugee’s lives are in grave danger at this moment. Riyadh and Abuzaid were attacked by the government and the janjaweed the day after the arrest warrant was issued in retaliation for cheering and celebrating upon news of the ICC’s decision. More than 15 lives were lost and 300 homes burnt that day with all survivors driven out of the camps with no place to go.

• Thousands are fleeing to the Chad border with anywhere from 30,000 to 4 million more refugees expected to follow. All have been met by the Sudanese government guarding the borders, intent on forced starvation in the Darfur desert.

• After Al-bashir expelled NGOs, the Sudanese government and the janjaweed immediately took over the camps including food stores, medical clinics and water resources. Not only is there a critical lack of water, food and medical attention but there is no milk for the babies. To add to the horror the refugees must stand by and watch their usual rations of food, medicine and shelter sold to the traders in the market. They must starve and fall ill as they watch their lives being sold for the money it is impossible for them to earn.

• Many refugees in many different camps in Western, Southern and Northern Darfur are reporting the same atrocities. El- fashir camps are being hit especially hard with lack of water the greatest current threat. Families as large as 7 get only one small plastic container of water. Each person gets less than 2 liters a day to drink with no water left over for hygiene purposes such as cleaning or showering not to mention the forced choice to quench ones thirst or cook life sustaining food. The projections for 2 weeks from now are far worse.

• In South Darfur camps such as Kalma and Domaya disease is already rampant and spreading every day. Meningitis, cholera and diarrhea have infected hundreds already with more on the way. Doctors have left and the few remaining who are treating entire camps are leaving any day. The disaster has already started

• When asked what the refugees want us to do to help they replied:

“We need water, food, shelter and medicine.”

“We need peace keepers as quickly as possible from America and Europe to protect us.”

“We need America to send International police to arrest Al-bashir and others before they kill us.”

“Every one of them said. ’We will die, we will all die very soon. We are starving, thirsty and sick; Al-bashir will not need bullets to kill us if this situation continues for more than 2 weeks. Please, do something for us, ask Americans, ask President Obama, ask the United Nations.”

-They pleaded in broken native languages, making me cry. They allowed me to feel their desperation and need for help. I just couldn’t hold my tears back when I asked one man to describe the situation and he replied “Saab, Saab, Saab Khalis Khalis….” Then he went silent because words could not describe the pain. Instead he said what would roughly translate into English,” The situation is very, very difficult…. No one could possibly imagine.”

###

—
Stop Genocide Now
i-ACT (interactive-activism)
(310) 415-2863
gabriel@stopgenocidenow.org

JOIN the anti-genocide grassroots movement: http://www.stopgenocidenow.org

We’re in front of the Federal Building right now. I couldn’t resist the temptation to connect. There’s like 100s of Wi-Fi connections that came up on my screen. Its connection city!

But … the grim reality keeps hitting us in the face. We’re holding up signs. Susan, Suzie and the sisters Tzoler and Sevana – they’re on the street, facing the cars, with signs that say “Honk for Darfur” “Act Now” “Stop Genocide” … the signs are like the Genocide – you only notice them if you look for them. Otherwise – like most people, you drive by the reality.

We’re at the corner of Wilshire & Veteran, so every minute or so, when the light turns red, a group of cars stop in front of this and the reaction of the people, runs the gamut. Some give thumbs-up accented with their horn honks. Others will be polite and smile. Most don’t have the time and others still have perfected the art of -don’t look/don’t get involved. Sevana went up to one of the cars with a flier – and they wouldn’t even look her way. I figured it out – its the ignorance-is-bliss tactic – you know, if you don’t know about it, then you aren’t responsible.

In the next few weeks millions of people will be exiled, slaughtered, butchered, uprooted, raped… how many different ways can we say it? will be victims of Genocide.

We’re on the sidewalk – asking for some attention. Asking that people wake up and help. I’m here for the same reasons I said before – I can’t forget what happened to the Armenians 100 years ago. I’m not going to participate in the same mistake and turn my head to this tragedy, now unfolding.

Thanks for the free wi-fi connection!

Today was the 50th Anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

Tibetans and their supporters throughout the world held protests and prayer vigils to mark the half-century point of living in exile- His Holiness the Dalai Lama being the most notable of the exile group.

As an Armenian Church, we lit a small candle on our altar as a reminder of our vigilance against injustice. We relate to a people living outside their country. The Armenian diaspora is a state created because of the occupation of our sacred and ancestral lands. Five decades or five centuries, its a question of staying strong, committed and ever-vigilant to the cause.

The plight of the Tibetans is one I understand all too well.

Rallies were held in cities in North America, Europe and Asia today. According to a VOA report, (http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-03-10-voa56.cfm) “Several lawmakers joined a march to the Chinese embassy in Australia’s capital, Canberra, to demand more freedom for Tibet. Police arrested four people who broke through fencing around a designated protest site.

Buddhist monks in Japan prayed for peace in Tibet, while Czech Environment MinisterMartin Bursik hoisted a Tibetan flag outside his office. The Czech Republic holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Robert Wood repeated the U.S. government’s callfor a substantive dialogue between the Chinese government and representatives of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

…
Actor Richard Gere, a supporter of Tibet hugs House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the International Campaign for Tibet reception on Capitol Hill, 09 Mar 2009 On Monday, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told lawmakers gathered for a commemoration of the uprising that the human rights situation in Tibet deteriorated over the past year.

China’s foreign ministry urged U.S. lawmakers Tuesday not to pass the resolution, saying it opposes any country interfering in its internal affairs.

In Nepal, hundreds of Tibetans held a mass prayer at a monastery near the capital, Kathmandu. Some shouted pro-Tibet slogans and scuffled with Nepalese police who were deployed at the site to prevent anti-China protests.

Taiwan’s main opposition party organized a pro-Tibet rally in the southern city of Kaohsiung, where it controls the local government. Pro-Tibet activists also held a candlelight vigil in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, in memory of Tibetans killed by Chinese security forces.“

It is refreshing to see the world come together to rally against and protest injustice. It is remarkable that Pelosi is seen here as an advocate for Tibetan rights when she so easily reneged last year on her promises concerning Armenian Genocide recognition. She’s a reminder for me that in the end its all politics.

Still, for me, a grandson of Genocide survivors, having to explain to my children that the vast majority of our lands are occupied, and that truth is merely a bargaining chip for politicians en route to their material security, I find comfort in lighting this small candle and standing in solidarity with the Tibetans on this day. Fifty years is just a small bit of time and yet a life-time.

I pray for the Dalai Lama, and I know that the plight of the suffering are always in his prayers.

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama