Genocide Watch: Sanction Threats Dropped; Violence Continues

Last week, in a display of multilaterism at its very worst, Western nations capitulated and agreed to drop the threats of sanctions against Sudan. It is now expected that the long awaited draft text authorising a joint AU-UN peacekeeping mission will be finalised.

The sanctions threat was withdrawn after China and African Council members, most notably South Africa, refused to support the text.

I wonder if our South African diplomats ever stop to consider the irony of their tough stance against the threat of sanctions. I would direct them to Nelson Mandela’s words about self reflection.

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

Meanwhile, as justice continues to be denied, attacks on aid convoys are increasing.

CAIRO, Egypt - A dramatic increase in attacks on aid convoys in Darfur is hampering the world's largest humanitarian operation, and some 170,000 people are now out of reach of food aid because of the violence, the United Nations' World Food Programme said Wednesday. Nine food convoys have been ambushed by gunmen across the war-torn region of western Sudan over the last two weeks alone, the WFP said in a statement. The U.N. food agency condemned the "dramatic escalation in attacks on humanitarian staff and food convoys." It said the violence was endangering the WFP's ability to deliver assistance to millions of hungry people. "WFP was not able to reach 170,000 people in June, a sizable increase from the lowest point last March when 60,000 could not be reached," the WFP said.

Comments

[Hard Rain]

In an interview with a Saudi newspaper, the defense minister of Sudan was asked, “Are the Jews behind the Darfur conflict?”

“The Darfur issue is being fuelled 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.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3431281,00.html

[The Blacklisted Dictator]

I wonder what Prof Adam Habib's position is regarding South Africa's
refusal to support sanctions in respect of Sudan. Doesn't he want South
Africa at The UN to ally itself more closely with China and Russia ? I
mention this because Prof Habib is punted on The FXI website as a
suitable candidate
for The SABC's board.

[Mike]

ha ha. Anthony I am sadly not surprised. If memory serves me correctly he was denied entry to the US.Am I right?

[The Blacklisted Dictator]

Mike,
Yes... Prof Habib was denied entry to the States...a badge of honour
to be worn at The SABC's board meetings?
It makes me wonder whether Prof Habib's views on the direction of South
Africa's foreign policy would be much different from Snuki Zikalala's.
I get the impression that Prof Habib has recently been influential in
setting the agenda for South Africa's dismal performance on The UN's
security council. How ironic that The FXI is now punting his SABC board
nomination!

[Hard Rain]

Into the arms of strangers...?

"Egyptian soldiers killed four Sudanese refugees near the Egypt-Israel border overnight Wednesday in full view of IDF troops, a shaken-sounding IDF soldier said in an interview with Channel 10, Thursday evening.

According to the soldier, female IDF troops operating night vision devices identified several refugees approaching the border in an attempt to infiltrate Israel and alerted other soldiers who arrived after a few minutes in an army jeep.

However, Egyptian troops who also discovered the refugees, fired upon them, immediately killing two and wounding a third. A fourth refugee ran towards the fence and an IDF soldier stretched out his hands, trying to help him cross.

At that point, the soldier recalled, two Egyptian soldiers arrived and started pulling at the refugee's legs...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1186066367980&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

These refugees were trying to get into the only place they knew would offer them a chance to make their lives better, and they were dragged out of the arms of the people trying to save them and slowly beaten to death, while the IDF could only watch.

I'm guessing this won't even make it into an AP report.

[Mike]

Hard rain,

What a story! I see that the IDF have footage of the whole thing.

[Hillel]

I feel like I'm flogging a dead camel ...

but can you just imagine the cover this would have received (both from "human rights organisations" and from "unbiased" journalists and news stations) had IDF troops lynched 2 Sudanese/Darfurian/Palestinian refugees and murdered another 3.

One can also, naturally, assume that the calls for military tribunals and courts martial will be as vehement as they were w.r.t. Abu Ghraib.

Sad. Very, very, sad.

[Steve]

Thanks for the link HardRain. This isnt the first time that the Egyptians have shot Sudanese refugees.

So so sad.

[Gary]

Hillel wrote: "but can you just imagine the cover this would have received (both from "human rights organisations" and from "unbiased" journalists and news stations) had IDF troops lynched 2 Sudanese/Darfurian/Palestinian refugees and murdered another 3".

Hell, here in SA we'd have mass marches in every city.
And loud calls for SA to ct ties with Israel et al, if not to send troops to fight alongside the Arabs.
And the UN would have called an emergency session.