The Bogus Humanity of International Community

By Izzadine Abdul Rasoul

March 8, 2011 — The latest uprising in Libya has shifted my view concerning the international community and humanity. The word humanity according to the international community (which itself is a vague body) is a word of truth that is meant to correspond bad intentions . On March 2 the Arab League Minsters met in Egypt, and called on Muammar Gaddafi to stop attacks against Libyans. They also suspended Libya’s membership from the organization, as well as considering imposing a no-fly zone over Libya in cooperation with the African Union.

“We have to save the Libyan people and that is why we are trying to call on Government in Libya to end those attacks against the Libyan population. The situation in Libya is sorrowful and it is not correct that we accept it or live with it”, The Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said during the conference. The Arab League will not stand with folded hands while the blood of our brothers in Libyan spill, he added.

On the other hand the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshiyar Zebari, called on the ministers to stand in silence in memory of Arabs killed in protests that took place in Egypt and Tunisia, Bahrain, Yemen, and Libya. The officially announced number of people killed in Libya’s latest protests, up to the date of the Arab League meeting in Cairo was 3000 dead according to www.facenfacts.com from Paris.

Meanwhile in March 2006 the Arab League held its annual Summit in Khartoum, while the U.N. said that at least 300,000 have died in the conflict in Darfur, and more than two million displaced. Although President Bashir confessed to his brother Arabs that he killed only 10,000 in Darfur and added that the people of Darfur should feel proud of their daughters being raped by his Arab Jaali tribe. Despite of all these atrocities and the genocide committed by the Government of Sudan and its Arab Janjaweed associates, the Arab League gave full diplomatic support for the genocidal regime in Khartoum. They did not stop on that but they claimed that the problem of Darfur was manipulated and aggravated by western media. Therefore, it was not surprising at all for the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to reject the idea of no-fly zone over Darfur.

However; Bahsir continued on his genocidal plans and expelled 16 aid organizations from the country, endangering millions of people displaced in Darfur. But unfortunately no single member state of the Arab League mentioned it, even by mistake. The UN and other international bodies sufficed by condemning the regime on strongest terms. Nevertheless, the Arab League, during its meeting in Cairo, did not reject the idea of a no-fly zone option over Libya as they had rejected for Sudan, only Russia and China who have interests with Libya disapproved the idea. The idea is simply because those killed in Darfur are non Arabs. Here the Arabs implemented the Arab parable attributed to Prophet Mohamed that says; “Hold up your brother whether he is right or wrong”.

I remember a very funny case with a stranger in 1983 when draught hit sub-Saharan Africa. Darfur as a part of the region that was hit by draught and people received assistance from the international community most of which, as I well remember, was USAID. As young people we much admired the US soldiers in uniforms who were working like bees distributing food for the needy people. We were happy beyond words and wished to grow up and help people like American soldiers. While we were sitting under the tree in our villages watching and talking; an old man who was sitting close to us barged in our discussions and said “My sons the food they are giving us is a type of food that is out of date, they use it to catch fish with and instead to throwing away the remnants they create future relations with other needy nations”. If they have no future interests they will never give you bread. It’s called politics my sons, the man concluded.

In my opinion, I believe that the former President Bush who was intervening everywhere to save lives did not understand the game; the man was behaving very innocently according to his religious background that taught him to help and feed needy people who are in distress. I think that was the reason why President Bush was vulnerable to sarcastic jokes inside and outside his country America. Here I am not praising former president Bush on what he did or didn’t do, rather to convey certain attitudes. However, comparing former president Bush with current US president Barack Obama, I would say that the game of International politics for Obama is very familiar and clear.

The following are quotes of Senator Barack Obama on Wednesday, February 15, 2006. “ For more than two years now, we have been watching a rolling genocide take place in Darfur, western Sudan. Many of you I’m sure are aware of the tragedy that has been unfolding there. For those of you who are not, essentially what we have seen is a systematic targeting on the part of the Khartoum government and the Janjaweed Arab militia that have systematically uprooted, killed, murdered, pillaged, raped, Africans, driven them from their homes into enormous displaced-person camps. Refugee camps, within Sudan. It’s estimated that at least 300,000 people have been killed.
It’s known that at least 2 million people have been displaced. The administration early on in this tragedy acknowledged that this was genocide that was taking place. I think there has been broad recognition in the international community that the behavior of the Sudanese government has been scandalous. To the Administration’s credit, the United States government has probably paid more attention to this issue than some of our European allies.The few thousand African Union troops who have been placed in Darfur are primarily providing witness to some of the atrocities that are taking place there, but they don’t have clear rules of engagement, they are under-armed, under-trained
We’re going to have to provide this successor UN force with our own lift and logistic assets. We’re going to have to provide our military hardware, like transport and attack helicopters, and so forth. And, we’re going to have to really force other countries like Canada, Australia, some of the European countries that are not engaged in peace-keeping in other places, or at least are not immediately involved in major activity in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, as we are, to deliver the troops that are needed.

So, it is absolutely critical that we start focusing on this now. The situation, as bad as it is, could deteriorate further. This is something that is of interest, I think, to all of us, not just for humanitarian reasons, although when you read the accounts of women being raped when they are out collecting firewood, when you read just horrendous accounts of entire villages being decimated and children being murdered, that it just breaks your heart, and humanitarian concerns should be sufficient, but we also have a strong national security interest. If you start seeing more and more failed states, more and more displaced persons, more and more refugees, all of that becomes a breeding ground for terrorist activity, it becomes a breeding ground for disease, and it creates refugees that put pressure on our own borders. In an inner-connected world we can’t insulate ourselves from these tragedies. So, we’re going to, over time, have to develop some strategy as the world’s remaining super-power to address these issues, and Darfur is an important test case. We’ve already failed one test in Rwanda, we shouldn’t fail another.
Anyway, if you are interested in the issues related to Darfur, you can always contact my office, or get on the website. Your voice is obviously critical in this issue. I appreciate you, as always listening in. Thank you for downloading, and I will talk to you next week. Bye bye. End of Obama speech.

Despite Obama using the cause of people in Darfur to gain some of his victory votes, he seldom mentions Darfur in his formal speeches and sometimes summarizes Darfur issues in two to three. What supports my speculation is the way he appointed his friend, the retired Gen. Scott Gration, to be in charge of the Darfur desk despite Obama knowing very well that he is not competent enough to take such a sensitive problem. Instead Gration, since he took over the office of US special envoy to Sudan with his bad policies of cookies and smiles, has killed and displaced more people, and killed the cause of Darfuri people internationally as well.

In recent days, Obama has given very strong speeches on Libya and the Middle East in general. According to my personal judgment, it’s because of Arab money, nothing else. If the people of Darfur had oil like in South Sudan or any other mineral resources I am sure the speeches of Obama on Darfur would have been different.

I believe that Obama had chances to redeem the people of Darfur but instead he increased the number of deaths. The latest statistics released by the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army yesterday indicated that the numbers of people killed in Darfur from April 2008 up to 3 March 2011 reached 972 person included men, women and children. According to Nimir Abdul Mohamed Abdul Rahaman, spokesperson of Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, there were 121 rape cases in Jabal Marra in their controlled areas apart from other areas. There were 242 wounded, including 40 SLM/A soldiers.

Through the known history of the Darfur Sultanate we have learned one thing: if you fail to do good things when you have a power then you will live up bad memories. Act now Obama or let others to act. It’s not too late. Joseph was just a slave when he ruled Egypt.

The author can be reached at [email protected]