English Jews urge UK action on Darfur
October 15, 2007 (LONDON) — The head of the Board of Deputies of British Jews promised Sunday to do everything he can to get the UK to act on Dafur, speaking in a panel discussion to mark the 12th anniversary of the UK Holocaust Center in Nottinghamshire.
“As I look back, I cannot tell you the shame that I feel that the words ‘Never Again’ are just words,” Henry Grunwald said. “It is entirely fitting that as we look back at what happened in Europe between 1933 and 1945, and as we mark the first 12 years of the Holocaust Center, we pledge ourselves to do all that we can to make sure that our government does more to prevent the tragedy in Darfur from getting even worse.”
After recalling his father’s death at the hands of the Nazis, and his own incarceration in the Terezin concentration camp, near Prague, Dr. Martin Stern said: “My outrage at the way I was treated loses legitimacy if I do not show the same outrage in principle to the same injustice perpetrated against anyone else. To paraphrase the Talmud, is my blood redder than that of an African?
“When we have done with words, the question remains: What can we do? I believe that nations acting together have enough power to force compliance from the government of Sudan and that each individual has some power to influence our own government. The Aegis Trust [anti-genocide campaign] plays a leading role in working on this in the UK, and Jewish students have distinguished themselves by turning out in force to make their views public,” he added.
“What’s happening in Darfur has a long history, but we never thought it would come to genocide,” said Abdul Jabar, president of the Darfur Union umbrella group for Darfuri exiles in the UK.
“This is the second time I’ve been here, and I have found that the Darfurian people are not alone,” he said. “What happened in the Holocaust was terrible. I have been shocked when I’ve gone around this memorial center. But I do feel that in this world there are still good people.
“I thank you for what has been done, and for the people who are still struggling to support us, because without you, many of our people would no longer be there in Darfur… So thank you. Thank you very much.”
(Jerusalem Post)