Misguided activists' rally at UN in NYC Sep 17 calling for UN force in Darfur is organised by Savedarfur.org

Aug 3 2006 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Local coalition will travel to U.N. in support of Darfur:

The Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition will travel to New York City Sept. 17 to march and rally at the United Nations as the General Assembly meets. It will gather with other advocates to call on world leaders to deploy a U.N. force to Darfur to end the genocide. The event is being organized by the national Save Darfur campaign.

Annan's plans for UN peacekeeping force in Darfur is a totally lost case

Here is a copy of comment posted by a reader of the Scotsman's 2 Aug 2006 report on Annan's plans for massive UN peacekeeping force in Darfur:

1. Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD, Dar-Es-Salaam Tanzania 2 Aug 2006
I am sorry for mR. Annan. This is a totaly a lost case.
He may as well use his energy somewhere else.

I agree. Pushing for UN force in Darfur has been a waste of precious time, bolstered the rebels and unfairly tarnished and pulled down the fledgling African Union. All of the energy and effort expended over the past two years on pushing for a UN force in Darfur could have been spent on boosting the African Union peacekeepers in Darfur. Calling for a UN force in Darfur is not only dangerous, it risks aid not reaching those most in need, aid workers being dismissed from the country and gives the rebels what they have been calling and patiently waiting for all along: UN troops onside. Peacekeepers living and working in dangerous and difficult conditions without enough of the right equipment - and their hands tied behind their backs - ought to be helped and encouraged, not dismissed, denigrated and demoralised. Stop pandering to the rebels! AMIS peacekeepers are doing a great job and deserve our help, admiration and praise.

"AMERICA STOP"



June 25, 2006 photo: A Sudanese youth holds a banner reading in Arabic, "AMERICA STOP", during a rally in front of the parliament building in Khartoum, to protest against UN plans to deploy peacekeepers in Darfur. The UN's bid to gain backing for its Darfur peacekeeping plan suffered a fresh blow when Khartoum accused the world body of providing cover for a rebel leader who rejects a recent peace deal. (AFP/Isam al-Hag) See full report and more photos at Sudan Watch 22 July 2006.

Drima, The Sudanese Thinker on SaveDarfur.org pushing for UN Troops

As usual, I agree with Drima at The Sudanese Thinker. In the comments at his blog entry SaveDarfur.org Pushing For UN Troops he writes:

"The problem is that UN troops coming in will mean full scale war and it will turn Darfur into another Iraq. I also wonder which side the UN troops will take if they do come in. We can make something happen but it's gonna shed a lot of blood more than is already shedding."

Drima is the only likeminded blogger I've ever found. Drima is a young Sudanese chap studying in Malaysia. I am a white English born woman, living in England with no vested interest in Africa, politics, activism or commerce. Just interested in how the media handles and portrays complex situations like the Sudan, how such things come about and the reasons for man's inhumanity to man. Truth seeking and having an outlet in which to moan when I get a knee jerk reaction to propaganda and people easily influenced by propaganda. Well meaning Americans need to do more reading and thinking to know what they are really doing when they march and rally for war.

See Aug 3, 2006 Blogging Drima, The Sudanese Thinker at the UN: Where are the educated political parties that should be governing Sudan?