North Korea Freedom Coalition reports:
Tuesday,March 30, 10 am – 12 noon there will be a Protest at the Chinese Embassy to Save North Korean Refugees (3505 International Place, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008.) The Pyongyang Musical Group is leading this event and the North Korea Freedom Coalition is joining them to protest against China’s violent treatment of North Korean refugees. The Pyongyang Musical Group is a visiting group of North Korean defectors who have been performing in the USA at churches to raise awareness of the North Korean human rights issues. Most of them escaped to freedom through China and they want to continue to raise awareness of the suffering that refugees undergo especially female refugees. This is a tremendous opportunity to meet some very courageous and brave North Korean women who are also talented musicians, as well as fellow human rights activists. If you can join us for the protest, please email me at skswm@aol.com
Additional Upcoming Events for North Korean Human Rights please share this information with others who may be able to participate:
Brussels, Belgium — April 14
Human Rights Without Frontiers has organized a special screening on Kimjongilia at the European Parliament — Brussels: April 14, 18:30: European Parliament: special screening of Kimjongiliafollowed by panel discussion with the director, N.C. Heikin, and Pierre Rigoulot, the author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang.
hosted by Human Rights Without Frontiers
location: Yehudi Menuhin Space, European Parliament
“A 12-year-old Hindu girl missing since December has not been traced by the Karachi police so far.”
“According to Roshni Research and Development Welfare Organisation (RRDWO) President Muhammad Ali, the kidnapped minor Nandini was allegedly abducted by an influential individual named Younas.”
Pakistan: 12 year-old girl Nadini abducted and missing since December 2009 (Photo: Pakistan Daily Times)
“Despite hectic efforts and meetings with Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Investigation zone West-II, and letters to the concerned authorities in Sindh, the girl has not been recovered and the accused has not been arrested though an FIR No 242/2009 has been registered against him under section 365B in Police Station Super Market Karachi.”
“It is not the only such case as dozens of similar cases are pending and awaiting justice to be dispensed to the victims and their families. It has been observed in such cases that police only provide lip service and do not seriously hunt down the criminals. In case they are arrested, they are released from the courts as the police present a weak case and no potential evidence before the courts.”
“Expressing his concerns and giving reference of the kidnapping case of a 17-year-old Hindu girl, Ali said the Asian Human Rights Commission has also expressed its serious concern that four men, who allegedly assisted on January 24, 2010 in the kidnapping and rape of the girl have been granted pre-arrest bail by a session court. Rape is a non-bail able offense in Pakistan and this is against criminal procedure and the law, he said.”
“Instead of giving justice to the victim’s family, the police later arrested the victim’s father on a false offense, and have obstructed attempts by the family to file an FIR and obtain a medical report, disclosed the RRDWP president.”
“Moreover, members of an illegal tribal court have reportedly proposed that the victim should marry her rapist and convert to Islam. Whereas, the victim has threatened public self-immolation if the perpetrators are not arrested and brought to justice by the authorities, he said.”
“‘Not arresting the rapists and rather forcing a Hindu girl, who is a rape victim, to convert to Islam and be the wife of the culprit could be double trauma for the victim. It is another form of further victimising a woman,’ said Ali.”
“He appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo moto notice of the gross human rights violations of the poor and the marginalised minorities in the Sindh province at the hands of police and lower judiciary, who are predominantly influenced by the feudal and local elite.”
“Ali said the Sindh police reportedly support perpetrators instead of victims. The organisation undertakes a project Roshni Helpline that rescues and tracks down missing children.”
“He demanded the Sindh police authorities instead of just pleasing feudal lords and political influential elite, they should give protection to the poor and the marginalised communities.”
at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Steps – Washington DC — March 28, 2010 – 2 PM to 4 PM
— check weather conditions before coming – if intermittent rain we will wait inside the Lincoln Memorial until it stops – if steady rain we will reschedule
— Public Awareness Event in Support of in Support of Racial Equality, Gender Equality, and Religious Freedom — Rejecting Hate (2 PM to 3 PM)
— Sudan and Darfur (3 PM to 4 PM)
— for more information email us at info@realcourage.org
Responsible for Equality and Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s orange ribbon campaign is to promote consistency in equality and liberty for all people of every race, gender, and religion, in the United States and the world. We also know that without a consistent commitment to equality, we cannot realize human liberty.
R.E.A.L.'s Orange Ribbon Campaign for Equality And Liberty
Yes, We Can promote racial equality and defy racial supremacism. But we must act, and we must get our message of love for our universal human rights and our fellow human beings out to the public. We need to urge them to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.
Pray for and Reach Out to Those Hearts Burdened by Hate - Ask Them to Rejoin the Consensus that Defends Human Rights, Human Equality, & Human Dignity
2. Promoting Gender Equality – Defying Misogyny. Not Just Men, But All Women Are Also Created Equal. This is why we continue to call for full Constitutional Equality for women in America. Surely, America cannot be the last place where we fight for women’s rights, it must be the first place. American women deserve Constitutional Equality – because they are worth it. That must be a national declaration, never a question.
Our support for consistent human rights in being responsible for equality and liberty always includes all women as a fundamental basis for our activism. No matter what the issue is, somewhere, somehow, women are ultimately affected.
We stand in solidarity with our sisters in American and around the world for their gender equality, freedom, and lives. Especially in the case of our oppressed sisters everywhere, we urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.
Women Still Being Stoned to Death
3. Defending Religious Freedom – Defying Religious Extremism and Totalitarian Oppression. In being responsible for equality and liberty, we also defend our universal human right to religious freedom for all. Today, many do not have such rights of religious freedom. Others live in constant fear and threat for exercising this most basic human right of freedom of conscience. We stand to speak in support of such freedoms for all.
In America, we see hatred of those with different religions too often. We are responsible for standing up for religious pluralism and freedom in America and around the world. This means rejecting those who would defile churches, mosques, synagogues, and other houses of worship. We reject those ideologies of hate and individuals who promote hatred against any religion, including those who would deny all human beings the freedom of conscience to change their religion. We reject hate groups in America such as the so-called “Westboro Baptist Church”“hate group” , as well as those whose mission is to spread hatred against and attack people of other faiths.
In America Today: Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Other Houses of Worship Attacked
UCAN reports on Pakistan mob attack: "A Christian house set ablaze"
Freedom of conscience is our commitment to equality of worship.
We stand united, responsible for such equality and liberty, in America and around the world.
Where Our Universal Human Rights Apply...
Our Cause: Equality And Liberty for All — for All Races, Genders, and Religions
These causes are all related to our common commitment, our common consensus, our shared universal human rights of equality and liberty. We share this consensus with one another. Let us use this day, this opportunity, on March 28 to help the public become aware of how much we have in common, and how the using the power behind our shared commitment to equality and liberty can change America – and can change the world.
As we urge those in America and around the world to…
Orange Ribbon for Universal Human Rights - Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
March 28 Event Logistics: Our event will be held from 2 to 4 PM on Sunday March 28, at the reflecting pool steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial (not the Lincoln Memorial steps). We are recommending that attendees take public transportation via the Washington subway to either the Foggy Bottom metro stop and walk south to the Lincoln Memorial, or the Smithsonian metro stop and walk west along the National Mall and 17th street to Lincoln Memorial (see details below).
Important note – the reflecting pool steps where our event will be located is on the east side of the 23rd street that goes between the Lincoln Memorial itself and the reflecting pool in front of it.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Steps Location for Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) Rally
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC is on the far end of the National Mall and bisects 23rd Street (see PDF of map). It can be reached from Constitution Avenue from Henry Bacon Drive and from Independence Avenue from Henry French Drive. Limited parking may be available on Independence Avenue or Madison Avenue near the National Mall, or at the Jefferson Memorial. However, parking in Washington DC is scarce, and using public transportation is strongly recommended.
DC Subway and Walking Directions
Walking from Foggy Bottom subway stop to Lincoln Memorial
— Map in walking from Foggy Bottom to Lincoln Memorial
* Exit station using main exit
* Walk approx. 7 blocks S on 23rd St NW. (stay on 23rd Street essentially until you get within visual range of Lincoln Memorial)
* Turn right on Lincoln Memorial Circle SW.
* Walk a short distance W on Lincoln Memorial Circle SW.
Walking from Smithsonian subway stop to Lincoln Memorial
* Exit station using 12TH & JEFFERSON (THE MALL) exit
* Walk approx. 2 blocks W on Jefferson Dr SW.
* Turn right on 14th St NW.
* Walk approx. 1 block N on 14th St NW.
— Map in walking from Smithsonian subway to Washington Monument (en route)
* Keep walking past Washington Monument west in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial
* Cross 17th Street going west
* Walk past National World War II Monument west in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial
* Continue to walk down Washington Mall in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial * NOTE: that our rally will be on the side of the reflecting pool nearest the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial Information Center 23rd Street, NW
202-426-6841
Lincoln Memorial is part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The memorial stands in West Potomac Park, near the convergence of numerous roads from throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In terms of placement, the memorial occupies a highly symbolic and important position as the western “bookend” of the National Mall, while the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial provides the eastern component at the foot of Capitol Hill, two miles to the east.
Car
Interstate 395 provides access to the Mall from the South. Interstate 495, New York Avenue, Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the Cabin John Parkway provide access from the North. Interstate 66, U.S. Routes 50 and 29 provide access from the West. U.S. Routes 50, 1, and 4 provide access from the East.
PublicTransportation
There are several Metro train and bus routes from the suburban areas surrounding the city. In addition to Washington, D.C. public transportation, adjacent state and commonwealth transportation authorities offer train service from area cites to the Nation’s Capital. Consult the Public Transportation link for additional details.
Parking
General visitor parking is available along Ohio Drive, SW between the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials. Bus parking is available primarily along Ohio Drive, SW near the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials and along Ohio Drive, SW in East Potomac Park. See the Maps section for a detailed understanding of these areas.
There is limited handicapped parking at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and World War II Memorials and near the Washington Monument and the Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln, Korean War Veterans, and Vietnam Veterans Memorials; otherwise, parking is extremely scarce in Washington, D.C.
We are saddened by the so-called Doha Peace Negotiations that were signed in Qatar last week between Al-Bashir of the Sudan Government and other groups. This included Dr. Khalil Ibrahim from the JEM- Justice and Equality movement and Dr. Tigani Sessi from the smaller LJM- Liberation Justice Movement.
This was a very controversial agreement that completely neglected the concerns of the majority of Darfuri people. JEM and LJM should have rejected any deal with the ICC Indicted war criminal Omar Al-Bashir. Al-Bashir’s arrest warrant was announced by the prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo on March 4, 2009.
The Darfuri people can’t accept such deals with a government that has slaughtered more than 450,000 innocent civilians in Darfur alone from 2003 to date. This is a Sudanese government that has not respected its own people or any agreement made before – from South Sudan to Darfur and Beja at the Eastern Sudan.
Peace and human rights are not mutually exclusive choices. We know that real peace begins with respecting our human rights, respecting justice, and respecting human dignity. The process for peace will begin with justice and human rights for the Darfuri people.
We strongly believe that no peace was honored before, especially when made with splintered rebel groups, and when the main core demands of the Darfuri people were not addressed.
• Both parties deliberately ignored even mentioning justice and the accountability in their negotiation agenda.
• They ignored the disarmament of the marauding Janjaweed militias, who are the allies of Al-Bashir government in Darfur.
• They failed to address the replacement of those settled in the villages of the IDP’s and refugees.
• Moreover, they failed to recognize that security and ceasefire agreements were never honored by the Al-Bashir government.
Al-Bashir took advantage of the Doha meetings and ordered his Janjaweed and Sudan Popular Defense Army-to attack the “Jabel Marra” area by airplanes and tanks with massive campaign and destroyed more than 36 villages within a week. This resulted in more than 400 causalities, and over 100,000 displaced from the whole Jabel Marra area.
Despite all of this destruction, Al-Bashir has been allowed to continue violating the Darfuri people’s human rights of free expressions, movement, assembly, and life itself. The people of Darfur are targeted inside and outside their homes and forced to register to vote for Al-Bashir even by using their food distribution cards. Otherwise, no food or aid is allowed. All kinds of Intimidation and brutal harassment are used against Al-Bashir’s opponents.
It is immoral that the whole civilized world leaders are watching this shameful scenario of “honoring the criminals” of the Sudanese government beginning with Doha peace negotiations that seek to legitimize Omar Al-Bashir, who is a man worse than Hitler and Saddam Hussein, coming to power in a fake democracy.
It is also terribly sad to see the U.S. government and the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan, General Scott Gration, giving support to Al-Bashir and his rogue NIF-National Islamic Front regime that hosted Osama Bin Laden in the Capitol Khartoum in early 1990’s for almost five years. This is the same Sudanese government that has terrorized its own people, as well as hosted international terrorists.
It is unfortunate to see the Obama administration, United Nations, African Union, Arab Leagues, European Union, and the Islamic world to come together this time to support this genocidal regime, when they never came together before to support the victims of Darfur. Where has such world unity been to restore justice and human rights in Sudan for a lasting peace? Darfur has largely been abandoned, while the Darfuri people’s human rights have been taken away. Too many have accepted a policy to “let Darfur die.”
The most shocking phenomena was that even those leaders, such as Dr. Khalil in JEM and Dr. Tigani Sessi of LJM, have shown a lack of leadership because of their power ambitions, their narrow visions of the people’s needs, and their unwillingness to prioritize human rights and justice for all of the Sudanese people. At the Doha peace negotiations, these leaders have acted in their own interests, regardless of what the ultimate results will be. Their focus has instead been their personal selfish goals wrapped by tribal circles and political Ideological agendas.
Dr. Khalil was known as a former Mujahedeen leader who fought against our own Christians in South Sudan, inspired at that time by Dr. Hassan El-Turabi. This was before he was being kicked out of power by Al-Bashir, which was the main reason for Dr. Khalil to escape Khartoum to form JEM. It is an issue of personal vindication for him, rather than Darfur cause for him. Both Al-Bashir and Dr. Khalil are old friends and Students of El-Turabi, so they are simply” two faces for one coin” of NIF/NCP.
In addition, Dr. Tigani Sessi of LJM has not been engaged in actively defending Darfur since he left Sudan over 20 years. He has not been popular even with his own FUR Tribe. He was only imposed and recommended by the Sudan government to lead a small group of the LJM at the Doha negotiations. He was engaged because he is willing to listen to the genocidal regime of Al-Bashir and could easily used to pass their agenda through him against the people of Darfur. He has not demonstrated strength and hasn’t fought with the rebels anywhere.
This peace is nothing more than a ceremony as many have said. The people of Darfur can’t afford another war, but that will be imminent. The new coalition of the National Islamic Front will turn the war against their own people of Darfur.
A “Darfur versus Darfur” war is on the horizon. The Khartoum Arab government will claim to steer clear of such a war, while they also fuel the upcoming phase of the war between the SLA- Abdulwahid faction and other possible alliances from those Darfuri rebels rejected the deal in Qatar. “Slaves against slaves” will be the Al-Bashir government’s policy of divide and rule.
The future may also see other possible wars with the same new Islamic alliances against Southern Sudan, even if the South secedes due to the referendum that is scheduled for 2011. There’s no guarantee for any lasting peace in Sudan since this NCP/NIF remains in power in the country.
History is repeating itself again In Sudan and it could be for the worst. This is especially true for
Darfur and other marginalized areas that have never enjoyed any significant representation to share power or wealth in their own country since the independence of Sudan in January 1956 from United Kingdom.
This time, the worst form of colonialism will be from fascists and fundamentalists within Sudan itself. Mr. El-Turabi will have renewed influence with Dr. Khalil’s arrival to Khartoum or Darfur. Mr. Sadiq al-Mahdi, the former Prime Minister and “Umma Party” leader that pulled out of the power in Al-Bashir’s June 1989 coup, will also have renewed influence and power. Dr. Tigani Sessi, who signed on behalf of the LJM in Doha, will be back to Khartoum. It is very sad news for major Darfuri people who will never forget what Sadiq al-Mahdi and Tigani Sessi did to them while the Umma Party was in power. The Umma Party has created the first conflict in Darfur when It favored Arab tribes in Darfur against the black African tribes, and created special militias called in that time ” Al-firs an.” “Al-firs an” is an Arabic version of the term “the Knights” in English.
Weapons were provided by Sadiq al-Mahdi to arm this “Al-Firs an” militia, which started the attacks against the black farmers while they grow their crops These weapons came from the Umma defense minister and General Fadlalla Burma Nasser, who at that time was part of the Arab tribes. The Arab Firsan militia drove their animals into the farms and started shooting anyone who blocked their animals. It was the beginning of the Darfur war era during that time in the early 1980’s .
Then the regional conflict was exacerbated by the war between Libya and Chad. Thousands of pro-Libya fighters (the so-called “Arab Gathering Forces,” “Arab Islamic Army Corps,” “Olad Salih Group”) were allowed by the Sadiq al-Mahdi government at that time to use Darfur territory to attack Chad from East. This happened while Libyan troops were attacking Chad from Libyan borders with Chad. The war between Chad and Libya was known as the “Ouzo War,” because both Libya and Chad claimed the Ouzo area belongs to its territory
After being defeated by Hussein Habry of Chad, these forces scattered in the area from Chad to Darfur and Central Africa looking for safe haven. This situation contributed to the disaster of extensive distribution of cheaply sold arms to Arab herders in the area; some Arab herders were given such weapons as free gifts as well. This helped to create the chaos in Darfur from that time, with the Umma Party playing a big role in that conflict.
When Al-Bashir came to the power by coup in 1989, he recruited these same elements, reorganized them, trained them, and paid them salaries, and provided them logistical support to use against the same black Darfuris from Massaleit, Fur, Dajo, Zagawa, Gimir Tama Bargo and other minorities.
Under Al-Bashir’s rule, the only difference was that the militia’s name of Al-Firsan was changed to “Janjaweed,” and the renamed “Janjaweed” militia began using more sophisticated weapons and trucks, in addition to horses and camels.
Most Darfuris will never forget these grievances. They will never forget how Sadiq al-Mahdi of the Umma Party humiliated them in many ways during his two terms ruling Sudan in 1964 and 1986. Mr. Mahdi never made any development in Darfur; no schools, hospitals, or even wells for water were built in Darfur. He advised Darfuris to send their children to” Koranic Khalawas” instead of schools, to prevent them from learning about science and politics, so that would not have the chance to understand their human rights or develop the ambition to demand power for Darfuris.
This is the same mentality of all Arabs of the ruling parties in Sudan. It is their ultimate policy to keep the black African Sudanese — from Darfur to South Sudan, Nuba Mountains, and the Beja of East — as illiterate and marginalized so that it will be easier for them to rule over forever.
These tactics have not changed and have only become worse with the Al-Bashir government. They are all the same: NCP, Umma, DUP, Communist, Bathists, and the rest of Arab’s current new parties. Sudan and Darfur doesn’t need more Mahadis, Turabis, Communists, or Islamists.
Let the people of Darfur and the rest of those marginalized people in Sudan have justice first, then they will decide who they will choose to govern them. Flawed peace agreements have been beginning with Abuja in 2006 with Sudan and SLA splintered factions of Arkuwi Mennawi in Doha. Such flawed peace agreements choose a version of peace that ignores justice and ignores human rights. There is no lasting peace that does not begin with justice and human rights. The only ones who benefit from such flawed peace agreements are the Sudanese genocidal government that seeks to stay longer in power to kill more people and destabilize the entire region.
The US and the United Nations along with the international community must stop the Sudan government from committing more atrocities. We need to hold them all accountable, instead of promoting them. No peace will be without justice, and the only way for long lasting peace in Sudan would be through Justice.
Chicago: N-Word, “KKK” spraypainted on Southwest Side garage
— Chicago Tribune: “Antwana Muhammad, 33, who is African-American, said her garage door has been the target of racist graffiti three or four times since she moved to the 6400 block of South Komensky Avenue in the West Lawn neighborhood about four years ago.”
