Washington, DC — George Clooney, President of United to End Genocide and former Congressman Tom Andrews, Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA), Al Green (D-TX), Jim Moran (D-VA) and John Olver (D-MA), Martin Luther King III, NAACP President Ben Jealous, Enough Project Co-Founder John Prendergast, and other human rights and faith leaders were arrested today for civil disobedience outside of the Sudanese Embassy while protesting the escalating humanitarian emergency in Sudan that threatens the lives of 500,000 people.
These leaders demanded that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir immediately end the blockade that is preventing food and humanitarian aid from reaching the people of Sudan's Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile regions. Bashir's forces created the dire food shortage in the region--predicted by USAID to reach near-famine levels this month--by bombing fields and preventing villagers from planting crops in July and August last year.
After speaking on the steps of the embassy to hundreds of activists, members of Congress and activist leaders were asked by police to leave the scene. When the protest continued, officers arrested those who would not comply. Additional participants arrested in the civil disobedience included Nick Clooney, Jewish Council for Public Affairs President Rabbi Steve Gutow, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism Director Rabbi David Saperstein, Jewish World Watch Executive Director Fred Kramer, and American Jewish World Service Associate Director of Policy Ian Schwab.
Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail, a Nuban leader from South Kordofan, Sudan addressed the crowd at the embassy, along with Darfuri activist and United to End Genocide Director of Global Partnerships Niemat Ahmadi, and Sudanese activist for Darfur and Enough Project Senior Advisor Omer Ismail. Dr. Richard Land, President of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and TransAfrica Forum President Nicole Lee also spoke.
"We are protesting to make sure the Sudanese government knows that the world is watching," states Congressman Jim McGovern. "The United States Congress is watching. And we will be back again and again until they stop using food as a weapon; stop slaughtering innocent men, women and children; and stop spitting in the face of the world community."
John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project, says: "George Clooney and I just returned from the Nuba Mountains, where the Sudan government regularly bombs civilians and blocks humanitarian aid to the war-torn regions along the border with South Sudan. It is urgent that the Khartoum government allow aid access. More broadly, the window is now open for a comprehensive political settlement on all the issues that divide Sudan and South Sudan, and the U.S. is playing an important role in supporting that effort."
"It is unacceptable and inexcusable that Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir--an internationally criminal wanted for war crimes and genocide--is getting away with bombing, starving and displacing hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Sudan's Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile State," says United to End Genocide President Tom Andrews. "We need to hear the outrage from President Obama and see robust international leadership. The United States should immediately do everything in its power to get food to the region before people starve and increase sanctions on Bashir and his forces."
"We should not allow the tragedy of Darfur to be repeated. Hundreds of thousands of people died before the international community and United States took action. The question for the people in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile is will the U.S. government act now, or will the response be too little, too late," states United to End Genocide Director of Global Partnerships Niemat Ahmadi who is originally from Darfur, Sudan.
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GEORGE CLOONEY AND HIS AMERICAN FREINDS DONT KNOW WHAT IS GOING IN AFRICA THEY NED TO GET THINGS RIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES FIRST BEFORE THEY START MEDDLING IN AFRICAN AFFAIRS. THEY MIGHT MEAN WELL BUT THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOIUNG AT THIS POINT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO GEORGE IS THAT THE SOUT SUDANESE ARE NOT LOOKING TO HIM AS THIS GOD THEY THOUGHT HE WAS EARLIER WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND PARTICIPATION IN AFRICA THEY ARE LEARNING MUCH MORE AND ADAPTING TO MODERNITY COMMING OUT OF SO MUCH WAR. THERE IS RELATIVE PEACE IN S.SUDAN AND THE PEACE INTIATIE SARE PRODUCING MORE THAN A LITTLE. WE DO NOT WANT ALL THIS HYPE. THERE IS ENOUGH GENOCIDE OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THE WEST PARTICULARLYTHE UNITED STATES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT EVEN THE EUROPEANS THEIR SENTENSING GUIDE LINES ARE HUMANE WHEN YOU LISTEN TO AMERICANS THEY ALONMG WITH THEIRN PARANOIA THAT THEY SPREAD AROUND THE WOLRD THE YOUTHS IN AMEWRICA ARE BEING DESTROYUED EMOTIONALY THEY ARE BEING SCARIFICED TO GO TO PRISONS WHERE BUGGERY IS ENCOURAGED WHERE THEY RAPE EACH OTHER AND GIRLS ARE ENMCOURAGED T HAVE FEAMLE PARTNERS THESE ARE THE MADNESSES THAT IS BEING PERPETRATE IN THE US. CHILDREN BEING SENT TO PRISON FOR 40 YEARS WHEN NO ONE HAS DIED NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED FOR HAVING A GUN THEY DO NOT MANUFACTURE. WE MUST NOT LOOK OR LISTEN TO WHAT THESE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINALS ARE SAYING SPEAKING ABOUT THE WEST. ITS NICE THAT THESE MISINFORMED BLACK AMERICANS ARE O OUT OF TOUCH THEY THINK THEIR WON CHILDREN BE SCARIFISED IN AMERICAN PRISONS IS OK!!. SO THEY WANT TO TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO AFRICA WHERE THEY ALSO HAVE HIS WRONG CONCEPT. AFRICA MUST BE DEVELOPED BY THE AFRICANS FOR ONE REASON THE WAY IT HAS SYFFERED SO MUCH RAPE AND PLUNDER THE EXTORTIONS THE MISEDUCATION THE MISRULALL THESE THINSG HAVE MULTIPLIED EXPONEHNTIALLY BY THE WEST INTENTIONALLY.THEIR PATRONAGE WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTED IF THEY HELPED WITH THE NATION BUILDING PROCES WE WANT MORE NEGINEERS WHO ARE GOING TO BUILD HOUSING SCHEMES ROADS HOSPITALS PIPLINES RAILWAYS THES ERE WHAT SOUTH SUDAN IS INETERSTED INTODAY. THEY DO NOT WANT YOU TO FEEL SORRY FOR THEM THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN WARS. AFRICA DOES NOT NEED PITTY AND CRIES OF DIPAIR THESE ARE THE THINSG THE WEST LIKE TO DO TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES . IF THEY CAN NOT PRODUCE MONEYTARILY OR BENIFICIALLY THEN KEEP THE PITY TO THEMSLVES. WE HAVE ABIG AU . CONTARARY TO WHAT THE WEST WANTS THE WORLD TO BELIEV THE AFRICAN UNION IS NOT A JOKE OR A FOLLY IT IS MAYBE NOT AS STRONG YET BUT IT IS AVERY POWERFUL ORGANISATION ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. THE PRESIDENT OF SUDAN IS DOING WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF HIM BY THE AFRICAN UNION SO WHAT WE DONT WANT IS THIS KONY STYLE IMPRESSIONIST THING THAT WESTERN PLAYERS WHO COME TO FRICA GET UP TO. THY NEED TO PETITION WASHINGTON FOR SENDING SO MANY WEAPNS TO TH CONTINENT TO CREATE ALL THESE SOCIAL CONFLICTS. HOWEVER THAT IS NOT NECESSARY AFRICANS ARE GETTING HOLD OF THEIR OWN DESTINY. NO MEN OR PEOPLE CAN SHAPE MANS DESTINY MAN MUST SHAPE HIS OWN DESTINY. WHEN WE HAVE THE PROVISIONS OF THE" ALMIGHTY GOD" ON SIDE THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN NOT BE DONE. WHAT IS NOT BEING SAID IS THAT THESE P[EOPLE OF THE NILE AND THE AREAS AREVERY ANCIENT PEOPLE THEY ARE THOSE WHO BUILT THE PYRAMIDS!!!! BET YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT ONE!!!!!
Thank you to all the folks standing up for those who can not stand up for themselves. Having met Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail a few weeks ago, I can safely say that I am with the Sudan people. He is a great man and the people of Sudan need Us to help them.
It is time we all stand for doing the "Right Thing." It is time for the world to stop turning a blind eye to this kind of horror. Thank you George Clooney and the rest of you good people.
A1nabob
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John 7:53-8:11 in the Authorized Version: … 8:7 …….(JESUS peace be upon him) lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. … Then he concluded 8:11 ……. Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. ------ And if I am allowed to translate the saying” who’s house is made of glass ..he has no right to throw stones upon other’s “. Or “The camel don’t see the curve of his neck” So please pretended humane Jewish groups--- where are you when several humanitarian aids ships were bombed in the middle of the Mediterranean sea so as not to reach the needed victims blocked in side GAZA--- As for J Clooney should at least wait for Mr. president Obama (who generously and bravely apologized)to resolve the going on crisis in Afghanistan , a “wise” one to burn the Holy Koran and a “mad” one targets innocent armless children and women for no sin unless …. Enough project should say ENOUGH to the 15 Years U.S. economic sanctions against 34 million Sudanese citizens within whom those in South Kordofan AND Blue Nile states. . The quotation can be read as this : Enough Project should protest not only” the escalating humanitarian emergency” but the whole basic service and spare parts in Sudan that threatens the lives of (not only 500,000 people but 34,000,000.), …Those leaders (should) demand that “US President Obama” immediately end the (economic) blockade that is preventing development and technical aid from reaching the people of Sudan….(US) forces created the dire food shortage in the region--predicted by USAID to reach near-famine levels ……by bombing (AL-SHIFA Pharmacological Factory) and preventing villagers from (Mechanically)planting crops in last 15 years..