by Peter Jacob
“The Darfur issue is being fueled by 24 Jewish organizations, who are making the largest amount of noise over the issue, and using the Holocaust in their campaigning,” the Sudanese defense minister replied. (Source)
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Oh, man: have the Jews been using Zionist death balloons again?
Yes: it’s a joke.
Sorry for the off-topic post, but I’ve been meaning to ask for some time. Does anyone here know or correspond with Riverbend of “Baghdad Burning”? link It’s been months since her last post that her family was leaving Iraq and I’m hoping for news that they’re okay.
So the Sudanese minister makes this point because he thinks it will delegitimize critics of his government’s actions in Darfur. Here is the important question (which nobody has addressed): why is this point effective in the first place?
It does seem that Jewish American organizations are leading the campaign to help Save Darfur. It could be just a stereotype, or they are more effective than other groups, which also are helping. When an organization identifies itself as a religious group and then applies its muscle to an issue, shouldn’t that issue be addressed?
Now, I don’t think the Sudanese mean it as generically as I offer it. Maybe even taking it across the line a bit with their implications.
But, there is a “but” here.
Is it possible that supporters of Israel, Jews and non-Jews, are using Darfur to increase anti-Arab sentiment? Isn’t the battle their between non-Arab Africans and Arab Africans? At least, that is how it has been deciphered.
So, in my opinion, it is wrong to criticize “Jews” for spearheading or leading or participating in a significant manner in the campaign to “Save Sarfur” if in fact at the same time, everyone is doing it because they care more about making “Arabs” look bad than helping the people in need. It’s just as wrong to say, “Well, let’s help Darfur because it will make those Arabs look like crap.”
It is ridiculous to single out the Jewish people and Jewish organizations as the Sudanese minister does, but to make that the focus on the issue is also wrong.
Many Arab and Muslim groups also have joined the Campaign to Darfur, I think in part because that is the BETTER way to fight the underlying anti-Arab aspect of this conflict. Here’s a link to the complete list. Maybe the Sudanese spokesman should review it
http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/organizational_members
Maybe the Sudanese government needs some better articulators to think out their points and put a fine edge to them rather than using a bludgeon that sounds like anti-Semitism, but there is an issue here that should be debated, shouldn’t there be? Much wider than the so-called “Jewish issue” and encompass the so-called “Arab issue.”
Anyway, these are just a collection of my thoughts that cover a broader area.
Ray Hanania
http://www.hanania.com
From what I seen “Save Darfur” is a money grab. They do absolutely nothing for the people of Darfur. All I see is a political show against China. That site has no info about the actual siltation in Darfur. What exactly they are they doing to help people in Darfur? From what I read in the Sudanese blogsphere, these people are a scam.
Hey Jina, you might eb right. I don’t know. I was just pointing out that it is wrong for the Sundanese officials to single out “Jews” as leading the Save Darfur campaign when ne of the largest groups consists of Arab and Muslim American organizations, too.
My point though is that sometimes, we only care about a people when it satisfies our political agenda. Bush never cared about the people of iraq, until topplign Saddam Hussein and murdering him became his chief goal. Bush used the suffering of the people of Iraq in part to justify that war (once his lies about WMDs was apparent).
Tehre migth be some of that in the reason why many in the West are suddenly championing the Darfur tragedy. Do they really care about the people of Darfur, or, do they see it as an opportunity to use ot to embarrass a people they are in a political conflict with?
Ray Hanania
Now folks you can’t have it both ways! While there are a lot of Jews working in the Save Darfur coalition it is just ridiculous to say that they are ineffective. Do you think the average American could tell you where Darfur was say about three years ago? The answer is no. If you really believe that nothing is happening in Darfur then that is your right, but you are wrong. And the Save Darfur coalition is helping shed light upon a terrible situation. China buys a lot of oil from Sudan that funds the military and the continued killing in Darfur. Regardless of what you think advocacy be big Jewish organizations has save lives in Darfur and I am proud to have helped.
I agree with Ray’s comment on the matter. The predominant “Save Darfur” campaign is highly suspect, especially considering the paradigms that they have adopted to describe the situation. It is highly racialized, in a very American sort of way, and a way that is not organic to the people of Sudan or north Africa as a whole. The movement as a whole reeks of colonial humanitarianism. At a time when the United States is occupying Iraq, it is very strange that the most popular “cause” today has to do with… Darfur. Of course, there is something terrible happening there that must be stopped. But the Save Darfur coalition looks at these events in a total vacuum. I have a question for anybody here: where do the murderers in Sudan get their weapons from? Do you actually think there are armaments factories in Sudan? No, their weapons are purchased, probably from Europe, America, and/or Russia.
I absolutely believe that the Darfur movement in the states is very questionable, and signifies aims and trends that are well beyond simply stopping the violence in Darfur. It is not true that “everything helps,” even if there are positive effects. There are also negative ones, including the fucked up and completely inaccurate perspective on the world and its centers of power that the Save Darfur campaign promotes.
You have to wonder, in any case, if it really is simply about human rights, why all those organizations involved in the Save Darfur campaign are not also participating in the anti-war movement or in efforts to end the Israeli occupation–both of these topics which the groups involved have relevance to. Maybe it’s because Darfur is an easy topic. Who is going to come out and say, “Stop right there: I support genocide and the mass killing of civilians?” But there is indeed a strong network of people who shamelessly assert their support for apartheid in Israel and Palestine.
Are the Jews proud of what they are doing in the Congo? See http://zmagsite.zmag.org/JulAug2007/snow.html
See what the United States has done in the Congo. One of its gifts is selling weapons to both sides of the conflicts in Central Africa. See http://worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/congo.htm
Many more deaths and rapes have occurred in the Congo, yet no crocidile tears for these people. Is it because the U.S., Israel, and Europe benefit from the diamonds and other natural resources of that region that it doesn’y matter how many die?
You can not ignore what is going on in the rest of Afria and only focus on Darfur. Many of the African Union peacekeeping soldiers come from regioins in which violence is still occuring.
What the save Darfur activists fail to tell you is that the United States, Israel and other countries are already involved in Darfur. They supply the rebels with weapons, not enough to subdue the Sudanese government, just enough to creater chaos and perpetuate the violence.
Here is additional information you won’t find in the mainstream media http://allthingspass.com/journalism.php?jid=165
http://www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net/Geopolitics___Eurasia/Oil_in_Africa/oil_in_africa.html
Source: http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/05/37A28346-6F2E-481C-B824-05280CA6DE86.html
Meanwhile, Yaman tells us:
and Randall Jones has the nerve to say:
Why am I not surprised to see there is an obsession to shift the whole focus away from “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis” according to the United Nations itself; and to make blaming “the Jews” (for supposedly having a hidden agenda) integral as to whether the people of Darfur will get the help they need.
OK, so let’s cast aspersions upon the humanitarian outreach that Jews make toward suffering people because it doesn’t fit into your politics. Yeah, let’s put politics first, humanitarian outreach second. Isn’t that charming? But you guys … well … you truly care about the people of Darfur, dontcha? Beacons of humanity! Sanctifiers of Africa! Unbiased healers of suffering you are! Show us the way brothers by making sure Jews are the primary suspects.
Unfortunately, this is a far too common occurance amongst desperados who have become hardwired to see themselves in competition with the Jewish people. You both have revealed much about your mindsets and motives. To you, Jews cannot possibly be involved in humanitarian efforts unless there is an ulterior motive to screw over Arabs; and/or that Jews have no right to focus on helping anyone because we’re blamed for the plight of Palestinians (and now supposedly Congolese!). I think I got your views down.
Sad and really pathetic.
It’s obvious what you are doing, yet let’s face it, it’s really typical. You both could be PR specialists for the Sudanese govt. If “the Jews” had an ulterior motive for Darfur, they’d be demanding unilateral military intervention. But they’re not. Their focus is on nonviolent conflict resolution and humantiarian outreach. You guys are paranoid unless you think providing solar cookers to refugees and working to get China to put pressure upon Sudan’s government to stop their abuse, are insidious weapons of anti-Arab sentiment. I really feel sorry for you.
And, hey, Randall, “the Jews” (your term, so thanks for scapegoating millions of people) are doing a lot good in the Congo, which I am sure upsets you because it doesn’t fit into your compulsion to paint “the Jews” in a negative light. It’s my pleasure to dispel and debunk your cynical, unsubstantiated bigotry.
http://www.britolam.org/Index.asp?ArticleID=202&CategoryID=250
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3402378,00.html
The worst part of all this is that it took me, a Jew, to call out this obviously politically-driven smear campaign.
Yeah. Save Darfur wanted partial partnership with us to work on one of their blog campaigns… they are in desperate need of more “Arabs” to stabilize their weakening reputation.
We said no, of course, thanks to Drima who quickly pointed out their agenda and errors.
PeacefulVanguard,
The amount of aid Isreal and the United States give to Africa is crumbs compared to the amount of wealth they get out of Africa.
Ynetnews.com censors comments.
I attempted to post a comment under the article which Peter linked to
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3431281,00.html
But the website didn’t allow it to appear.
In my comment I had asked whether Israel would be taking in any Congolese refugees (since the article talks about the Sudanese refugees that were in Israel) I had also included some links to articles; the same as those in my previous comment on this website.
Maybe it’s just in the moderation queue. Certain comments at Ynet are particularly abusive so I never thought that they’d be the kind to censor. The ones at Haaretz are even worse… right-wing galore at each comment thread.
No, its censorship. A long enough time has passed. They have not posted my commnet.