South Sudan working with Japan on New Oil Pipeline
According to an article in the Sudan Tribune, Japan and specifically the Toyota Corporation will work with South Sudan to construct and oil pipeline through Kenya. If the project comes to fruition, it would radically alter the dynamic in play now. Sudan faces sanctions and numerous other limits to its income. Transit fees collected from South Sudan for oil shipped through its pipeline to Port Sudan constitute a major source of income that among other things allows the government to pay its security forces and purchase weaponry.
The simple fact is that the more that oil flows through Port Sudan, the more blood will flow in South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur.
Fighting, as Sudan does, is expensive and the oil revenue is essential to maintaining the fight. Of course, building the new pipeline will take years, not weeks or months, and the suffering in the Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile, and Darfur will continue.
Meanwhile, the more that Sudan works with Iran with Iran providing the Khartoum Regime both income and weaponry, the more that other nations will be willing to work with the rebel groups and to support South Sudan in its disputes with the north. With every attempt to subdue the Sudanese Revolutionary Forces that fails and results in both the death of soldiers fighting only for a paycheck and in the capture of additional military assets to be used by the SRF against the state, the situation worsens for Sudan. With every child who dies of starvation in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, the more well motivated and committed rebel troops there will be fighting against the Khartoum Regime. The strategic situation for Sudan is not a good one now and if the oil pipeline is actually developed through Kenya, it may prove to be the coup de grace against the Khartoum Regime.
All of this is yet far off, however. There is much work to do now to save innocents lives threatened by the hands of the genocidaires in Sudan.
Interview with Mukesh Kapila
My interview with Mukesh Kapila on “Understanding the World” is now both on Youtube and Podcast. Dr. Kapila talked about the situation in Sudan and the history of the genocides perpetrated by the Sudanese government against the people of Sudan over the past decades. Dr. Kapila is a leading authority on genocide and perhaps the leading authority on the Sudanese genocides. He is well worth listening to. Below is the Youtube recording of the program which lasts about an hour. Dr. Kapila is on for about 50 minutes of the show. At the bottom of this posting you will find the audio only podcast link.
The podcast of the interview may be found by clicking on this link.
When the Nazis Met with the State Department in Washington
The Obama administration is preparing to welcome a senior Sudanese delegation to the United States for some rare highest-level diplomacy between the countries.
State Department spokeswoman Hilary Renner says Sudanese presidential adviser Nafie Ali Nafie and other officials have accepted an invitation to Washington for a “candid discussion on the conflicts and humanitarian crises within Sudan.”
- The Seleka rebel (Islamist) takeover of CAR,
- Mali rebels relaxing in Darfur and ongoing conflict in Mali against the French,
- The potential of thousands of militants fleeing Syria for other opportunities to fight if the situation there gets out of hand,
- Weak new Islamist regimes (Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, CAR) across the north of Africa,
- Unrest in Jonglei province of South Sudan,
- Ongoing rebel action against the Sudanese government in Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile,
- Ongoing Sudanese Armed Forces activities against the rebels and against civilians in rebel held areas,
- Major financial crises in both Sudan and South Sudan,
- The recent International Monetary Fund IMF pressure brought to bear on both Sudan and South Sudan to pay off the massive debt owed, and
- Ongoing peace talks between Sudan and South Sudan,
- Talks which center around achieving both prosperity and peace through the transfer of oil through a single largely indefensible pipeline that any number of groups would have an interest to put out of operation.
Wonderful Interview with Carl Wilkens
A wonderful interview with a real hero. Carl Wilkens helped to save the lives of hundreds of children in Rwanda during the genocide that took place there and now travels the world helping to educate against genocide. During this interview he was inspirational. Listen, learn, and be inspired to act!
This video is excellent for use by students and teachers as it contains no graphic footage or descriptions but nonetheless does a superb job of explaining what genocide is like as well as dealing with “the other” in our communities and our lives. I hope that activists, students, and teachers will find it helpful.
Carl Wilkens will be joining us in Des Moines on April 20. He is speaking at the Temple 5101 Grand Ave that night at 7:30 pm.
Massacre in Jonglei, South Sudan
The Sudan Tribune reports that at least five UN peacekeepers from India, two United Nations Mission in South Sudan UNMISS staff members, and five civilians were killed on Tuesday in Jonglei, near the Gumuruk settlement in Pibor County. UNMISS has warned recently about deteriorating conditions in Jonglei. Rebels have been fighting the government in the area for the past two years, since 2010, when David Yauyau lost the election to become a member of parliament. The article notes that:
UNMISS’s patrols also aim to protect the many humanitarian aid convoys that operate in Jonglei to provide assistance those affected by the fighting between the rebels and the South Sudanese army (SPLA), which has been carrying out a disarmament campaign in the area for over a year.
Meanwhile the rebels deny involvement and blame the government.
Join us to hear Carl Wilkens
Carl Wilkens will join Rabbi Kaufman and Mark Finkelstein live on Understanding the World tomorrow morning, April 11, 2013. The show airs beginning at 8:30 am Central and runs until 9:30 am. You may listen in live or join in the chat room on the internet at www.12Talk2.com or see the recording on Youtube at www.youtube.com/12talk2net .
Carl Wilkens will be speaking in Des Moines at Temple B’nai Jeshurun on April 20 at 7:30 pm admission is free of charge.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Bridget Conley-Zilkic – Project Director
“The 1994 genocide in Rwanda illustrated the absolute worst in humanity — not only in how it was perpetrated, but also in how the people of Rwanda were abandoned by the world. Against this horrible history, the brave and honorable decision of Carl Wilkens to stay and help stands out as a glimmer of hope for everyone, then and now.” B. Conley-Zilkic
About Carl Wilkens-
As a humanitarian aid worker, Carl Wilkens moved his young family to Rwanda in the spring of 1990. When the genocide was launched in April 1994, Carl refused to leave, even when urged to do so by close friends, his church and the United States government. Thousands of expatriates evacuated and the United Nations pulled out most of its troops. Carl was the only American to remain in the country. Venturing out each day into streets crackling with mortars and gunfire, he worked his way through roadblocks of angry, bloodstained soldiers and civilians armed with machetes and assault rifles in order to bring food, water and medicine to groups of orphans trapped around the city. His actions saved the lives of hundreds.
Carl returned to the United States in 1996. After being featured in the 2004 PBS Frontline documentary, “Ghosts of Rwanda”, about the Rwanda genocide, he began to receive letters, phone calls and offers from teachers around the country to come and share his experiences with students.
In January 2008, with no end in sight to the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Carl decided quit his job and dedicate himself full time to accepting these invitations. He and his wife Teresa have since formed an educational nonprofit, World Outside My Shoes, to facilitate this important work.
Iran, Al Qaeda, and Why Sudan Matters to American Security
When I talk to most people about events in Sudan, the response is all too often simply, “Those poor people.” Those who are able to do something about the situation in Sudan spend their time working on fixing symptoms. The response to “Those poor people” is most often consideration of sending them humanitarian aid, knowing full well that they will need more of it later. What happens when “Those poor people” are being abused and oppressed by people who not only wish to do harm to the United States and its interests, but have the ability do so? What happens when the oppressor can threaten severe harm to our allies and to our way of life? The response becomes “I’m interested.”
Starting in 1992 and ending in 1996, Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden were based in Sudan. They had been invited by Hassan al Turabi, the Islamist leader, in the aftermath of a coup led by Omar al Bashir. Al Qaeda established training camps and grew in strength. The world knows the results of the failure to stop Al Qaeda then. Sudan’s troubles came to America’s cities. Moreover, when we left Sudan alone, Bashir oversaw the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocents during the next decade, “those poor people,” first in Darfur and then in the Nuba Mountains.
Pleas of “never again” fall on deaf ears. Yes, we send humanitarian aid where and when we can, but as Samantha Power, in speaking about Bosnia, noted:
No U.S. president has ever made genocide prevention a priority, and no U.S. president has ever suffered politically for his indifference to its occurrence. It is thus no coincidence that genocide rages on.
Today, Iran supports the Sudanese government financially in exchange for the ability to operate from Sudanese soil and to manufacture weaponry there so as to ease transport to Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Syria and Hizballah. Great efforts are now being made to halt weapons smuggling through the Sinai into Gaza, but weapons are freely flowing elsewhere, destabilizing the region.
Iran is seeking to station medium and long range missiles in Sudan that could be used to strike Israel. These weapons could just as easily be fired to the east towards Saudi Arabia instead of towards Israel in the north. They could also be fired by Al Qaeda affiliated militant groups instead of Iranian troops. Either way, this could be a game changer, not only for Israel but for the region.
Policy makers are so focused on the threat by Iran in the Persian Gulf that they ignore the fact that the Gulf of Aden and the entire area to the south of the Suez Canal could just as easily, if not more easily, be shut down by attacks from Sudan. How many ships attacked while attempting to cross through the Suez Canal would lead to a reduction or halt of shipping? What would happen to oil prices if the Suez Canal were shut down? How would that affect the US economy? Anyone listening now?
Meanwhile rebels from Mali have been fleeing to Darfur for refuge.
We are not paying enough attention to the threats posed by the situation in Sudan including Iranian involvement and a long history of welcoming militants who hate America including Al Qaeda. The terror incubator remains open for business and business is unfortunately booming.
Screening of Across the Frontlines at Drake University Today
Join us as we screen the movie, Across the Frontlines, and have a panel discussion including members of the Sudanese community.
Today, February 16th 3 pm at Drake University, Cartwright Hall, room 213.
http://www.drake.edu/visit/map/
Cartwright Hall is the Drake Law School, #10 on the map.
Thank you. The Help Nuba Coalition, Drake Law School International Law Society, Des Moines Chapter of the Iowa United Nations Association, and United Sudanese and South Sudanese Communities. For additional information, contact helpnuba@gmail.com www.helpnuba.net
Sudan Emergency Action Summit
Sudan Emergency Action Summit 2013
March 10 – 11, 2013
George Mason University, Washington D.C. (Arlington Campus)
Join Act for Sudan and 300 of the leading activists from around the country for an energizing and educational event.
Register Now*
Download Summit Flyer (PDF)
Summit Highlights
Notable Speakers:
- Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Former Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court
- Ambassador Princeton Lyman, Former US Special Envoy to Sudan
- John Prendergast, Co-founder of Enough Project
- Minni Minnawi and other SRF leaders
- Mukesh Kapila (@MukeshKapila), Former UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sudan
- Rich Williamson, Former US Special Envoy to Sudan
- Samuel Totten, Gregory Stanton, and other genocide scholars
- Paul Slovic, Department of Psychology at University of Oregon
- Ken Isaacs, Vice President of Programs for Samaritan’s Purse
- Carl Wilkens, Witness to the Rwandan Genocide and Director of World Outside My Shoes
- Suleiman Baldo, International Center for Transitional Justice
- Nasredeen Abdulbari, Lawyer and lecturer on international law and human rights
- P.J. Crowley, Fellow at The George Washington University Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs
- Josh Rogin, Staff writer at Foreign Policy
- Greta Van Susteren, Fox News Channel host of prime-time news and interview program (expected)
Prominent Sudanese Activists Leading Breakout Sessions:
- Ibrahim T. Ahmed, Co-founder and Executive Director, Beja Organization for Human Rights and Development
- Niemat Ahmadi, President, Darfur Women Action Group
- Hawa Abdallah Mohammed Salih, U.S. Department of State 2012 International Women of Courage Award Winner
- Abdalmageed Haroun, Chairperson, Human Rights & Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND)
- Jimmy Mulla, Founder and President, Voices for Sudan
- Mohamed Suleiman, President, San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition
- Bahar Arabie, CEO, Unite For Darfur
- Gogadi Amoga, Chair, Sudanese Marginalized Forum-USA
- Khalid Gerais, Human Rights Activist and Representative of Nubia Project
- Daowd Salih, Board President, Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy
Plenary Speakers and Panels
- Lessons from 10 years of Sudan policy
- The Future for Sudan
- Perspectives on Sudan Media Coverage
- Policy and Action – Changing US Government Policy
- Insights from International Leadership
- Genocide Scholars: Intervention and Prevention
Workshop Topics
- Lobbying 101
- Leveraging Multi-Media Projects
- Upholding Responsibility to Protect When States Fail
- Arresting Bashir
- Advocating for Human Rights in Sudan
- Making bones for the One Million Bones event on the Mall in June
Monday Afternoon Group Activity
- Lobby on Capitol Hill
Registration
Early Bird Registration Donation of $60 ends February 15, 2013!
Register Now*
*You don’t have to be affiliated with Act for Sudan to attend!
*After February 15, registration will be $75
*Act for Sudan has arranged for special hotel pricing of $99/night. Once you have submitted your registration and payment you will receive information on booking the special hotel rate. Book soon to ensure you get the special rate.
Registration Donation Waiver
We understand that travel to DC can be cost prohibitive, and hope to reach as wide and as inclusive an audience with this conference as possible. To that end, we have a limited amount of fee waivers or other travel assistance available.
Apply Here
An Update on Sudan
There have been a number of developments over the past couple of months that should be of concern and interest to those who care about events in Sudan.
First, the Sudan Revolutionary Forces, working with the National Consensus Forces, created the New Dawn Charter. The New Dawn Charter is a document that declares the intentions of the SRF and NCF to work together to build a western style government with freedoms and liberties, including separation of church and state, in the aftermath of the fall of the Khartoum Regime. While it would be reasonable to assume that every party involved does not necessarily support all of the details of the New Dawn Charter, some of the parties being Communist, Baathist, or religiously oriented, the crux of the document is that the parties involved will work together to create a stable and healthy Sudan should the regime fall. This is a hopeful occurrence. Gibriel Ibrahim Mohamed, the Chairperson of the Justice and Equality Movement, wrote a good editorial explaining the purpose of the Charter which may be found here.
Second, fighting along the Sudan – South Sudan border continues and the two nations do not appear to be able to move forward in settling their disputes. Every week, there are villages bombed and civilians killed by Sudan’s armed forces.
Third, the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile is deteriorating. What aid was able to be brought in prior to onset of the rainy season is rapidly diminishing. Food, clean water, and medicine are all in extremely short supply.
Fourth, there is a strengthening relationship between Sudan, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Hizballah and Hamas that is being developed by the Iranian government. Iran had already been manufacturing weapons in Khartoum for Hizballah and Hamas to use against Israel, but now seeks to use Sudan as a base of operations in the Red Sea as such. We may see a significantly increased Iranian military presence in Port Sudan in the coming months.
Fifth, there seems to be little or no political will to enforce sanctions against the government of Sudan. Germany recently held a conference promoting investment in Sudan. More importantly, the United States has been pressuring South Sudan to restart the flow of oil, which provide a significant income stream and undermine the affect of sanctions. This certainly is also aimed at helping the South Sudanese economy, but it will help Sudan as well.
