These current numbers are dwarfed by the millions of Black Sudanese who have been enslaved and killed by the Arab nucleus in the North - also delegated to other Arabcentric factions in the West and East.

If Islam was allowed to take hold in the rest of Sudan would the situation be different today? There is no way to tell especially, in light of the fact that Darfur is Islamic - the stark differences between the Janjaweed and Darfurians are race and economic class.

Islam was prevented from spreading to the south of Sudan by the Egyptian-British Condominium. This led to the North-South war that went on for decades. I bring up this fact wondering whether racially movitated mechanisms developed during the Jihad in the South did not establish themselves and whose vestiges bled into the Darfur conflict. Then again, slavery is based on a concept of the other, which has been part of life in Sudan for thousands of years.

The ever expanding desert on the Arab areas of Sudan has become one of the motivations for incursions and coopting of Darfurian land. This may be framed as a Jihad nevertheless, the causes are economic.

Al Qaeda has said that any effort by the UN to try and stem the genocide in Darfur would signify a war on Islam - asking Mujahideen to embark. The government of Sudan has also taken this line to contend UN intervention.

As far as those trying to exculpate or minimize atrocities by Israel and others by presenting Sudan as the tell all, it is absurd. What does the one have to do with the other. The old adage "two wrongs don't make a right" comes to mind here and is appropos.

There is work to be done and lots of it people. As humans we are lacking and only have ourselves to blame for the outrages captivating the globe.

Fatima: Behind the scenes , the US has been behind the factions that wanted to separate from sudan (Previous Garang was financed and educated by the US ) the 5 rebels groups are not all Pro Khatoum, 3 of them are West financed and the US does not want peace in sudan so they have a foot in there (OIL ) they could have gone to Congo or Rwanda to settle the ongoing slaughter and civil war for a change but no , they want sudan so they can have a share in the oil industry .

. "Only a handful of this community debating the largest of crimes? Heck, total comments are a fraction of the number willing to discuss a silly piece of art. Go figure."

This is a bit perplexing to sort out intellectually however, it makes 'sense' on human heuristic dynamics. Apparently, most people find the inherent contradictions in the case presented by this thread uncomfortable on various levels. Therefore, shy away from discussing the matter.

Does this represent some sort of moral cowardice? It is difficult to ascertain - there could be extreme outrage yet doesn't rise to active expression. Nevertheless, in the long view of this struggle for a better world availing such mental mechanisms must remain. I like to think of it [ such moments of in/decision - socio-politically motivated] as the point that humanity has been able to maintain at this juncture of evolution.

. "Now, if these 250,000 Muslims were killed by Zionists -- can you imagine what the reaction would have been?" "Remember the reaction to Qa'na. Why aren't you marching in the street and screaming bloody murder now?"

Very good questions. The stark difference seems to be the cosmopolitan nature of Libnan society and that relation to global media outlets. Libnan was able to make a better case for itself to the international community whereas, Darfur or for that matter the Zoroastrians and Christians of southern Sudan are not able to do so. (Various languages, religions/ peoples - also a large number of Libnani in the diaspora agitating propaganda)

Moreover, the West cares about all things Israeli because of the Judeo-Christian linkages and the large Jewish diaspora. After all, Israel for all intent and purposes is a western entity. These factors among other help in focusing on all things Israel - including the sources of enmity to Israel.

. "If you value each life equally, then your resources should go towards stopping those killing the most individuals, and that would mean putting an end to lighter skinned racist Muslim Arabs killing darker skinned Muslims."

I assume you uphold western political concepts dear - wherein formal equality guaranteed by the state is but a starting point, which demands further individual and group impetus to come to fruition. Ostensibly, this dynamic is involved in prioritizing human rights. We in the west as elsewhere are unfortunately, bound the old adage, "the squeaky hinge gets the oil." Since in our western worldview - at least based on the readily available information on Darfur - the conflict in Darfur although at a critical stage with genocidal connotations is removed from our reality. The situation in Darfur is heuristically out of focus, not just for Muslims in the west, but for all in the west.

It's not that we don't value each life equally it is more about unequal access and framing leading to tiers. Wherefore, as social beings sobs are in order because we're all SOBs to information. (DOBs?) Or should I say daughters and sons of information - past, present and future?

Safiya: There is no way 177, 000 to 255, 000 fur could have died in 2 years. The Fur fled to refugee camps in Sudan or in to Chad, and with a few exceptions, notably the rebels themselves, escaped.

The information world is controlled by the western media and westernn NGOs who simply minimize the real genocides such as the ones in Rwanda, Congo, Liberia, Uganda and Sierre Leone where Christians HAVE slaughtered each other when not hacking off each other's limbs, ears and heads or raping women and children. On the other hand a civil war between two sudanese muslims groups is trumped up as genocide. Where are the mass graves? Where are the pictures of the thousands dead in Darfur in this era of digital cameras?
Where are the pictures of the thousands WOUNDED, LIMBLESS, BLIND in Darfur?

There are barely any! WHAT A SHAM!

We would be immensely, blessed by our own designs or through providence if things were simply binary and represented a dichotomy of good and evil. No, I'm not surprised one bit about the response of Jewry in the Diaspora and Israel proper to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Is it interesting? I guess it could be seen as such if religion were a material motivation or part of the decision making process. Nevertheless, it is a humane step and the world is better off for it.

For better or worse, I've always contented that Israel does not have an existential problem - in light of of military, economic and geo-political realities. It seems to me that at a certain level there is "fear mongering" in Israeli society.which instructs on the notion of an Israel under siege.

Who will suffer most when a peace treaty finally, arrives? Will it be the settlers who go to the occupied territories at the behest of patriotic and religious hymns and slogans or the elite who frame the conflict in Temples, Think-Tanks and Towers of Government?

The point here is that there is a cross-section of classes in Israel - wherein the continuation of hostilities benefits some more than others. It would seem that a similar dynamic is at play in the Occupied Territories.

The average people who just want to live their lives taking care of their children fall prey to a culture of hate and war - in which they find themselves trapped and must pray to the elite structure for guidance and protection.

Let us not remain the slaves of history -- the bonds that bind us are much stronger than those ephemeral links that keep us apart. The true enemies of humanity [majority] are disease, ignorance and exclusion.

That being said, what is to be done to counteract this super structure? Is violence a moral and amenable weapon?

How do we define violence - do we constrict the definition to bombs, bullets and dead babies? What about structural and institutional forms of violence that kill at relatively slower pace, e.g., encroachment, but may end up killing more?

It is nonsense to suggest that the death, destruction, and all the suffering of the Darfurian people is imaginary or that Zionists are using it as propaganda ... To suggest that this is some sort of a U.S.-Israel conspiracy is ludicrous and insane,"

Ya'but | 09.15.06 - 8:40 pm | #

Absolutely - agreed.

The world of politics and human relations is often murky with fringes of grey strewn with shadows. In that world it would not surprise me if there were overlapping motivations for keeping the pressure on Karthoum.

In a similar vein, the statements made by Bashir government about covert designs to destabilize Karthoum are plausible on some level, but do not represent the entire set of reasons. We must accept half-truths and learn to understand them and work to expose them for what they are.

I guess asking where were these voices for peace and anti genocide a few years back when southern Sudan was battling with Karthoum for freedom might tell us something? But it won't tell us everything. Many of the groups in the south were armed by the west while Gaddafy and others in the area funneled arms to Karthoum.

The fact that both sides are Muslims makes the situation a lot more compelling than when it was Christian vs Muslims on important conceptual levels of framing the issues in our collective conscience.

Where's my brother? I guess my brother is busy shaking off the cobwebs trying to remember that Black Africans were summarily, enslaved by the Berber-Arab clans that invaded the North, which was revitalized when all of Africa fell except for Ethiopia - with the help of the Portuguese of all people.

Africans were familiar with Arab slavery as its victims a thousand years before they became well informed with European slavery in their midst. Although, the Roman Empire does offer a rare and limited exception.

The question however, is do we throw away the baby with the bathwater? The view that proposes that Islam in and of itself is a dangerous and evil institution are themselves the intolerant haters who need to rein in their bile. Those looking for perfection and utopian concepts of justice, truth and freedom should just buy or write fiction. The socio-politico-religio circumstances that have existed and will stand must necessarily, involve conditions that are not ideal. As one of my favorite bumper stickers caption, "stop bitching and start a revolution!"

Edic one G Edic on Egg e noc ID e

Genocide

Is there some Islamic Fatwa with which

Witch hunts boo hoo who Black Coon

A reformation fundamental yet mental switch

Bombs, stunt slew grunt shrew goon

Genocide

Islamic or Arab beside

The genie uses the bottle for a molitov cocktail

Germane genome, nom de plume patricide

a certain innate gene for homicide

Ya'but: This painting reminds of the 255,000 darker skinned Muslims massacred by their lighter skinned Arab brethren in Darfur.

The sun is setting in Darfur, and the painting reminds me that Muslims around the world are willing to sit in the dark as the light of 255,000 lives and more are extinguished in the saltwater sea with nary a salty tear shed.

The painting reminds me that on the other side of a sunset and death, there is a sunrise and life, but the key to paradise does not belong to the Shahid that extinguishes life, but to those that tend to a faintly flickering flame in a dying mans eyes and bring him back to life in the world of the here and now.

This painting reminds me that the world doesn't need any more Angry Arabs. The world needs more Active Arabs that don't waste their energy blaming others, but take responsibility for themselves, and make a positive contribution to peace, amongst their own, and across all mankind.

Molly: It is sad that people are not paying enough attention to Darfur. Orbitz even said George Clooney was annoying. I guess Muslims are afraid that the west will use it as another attempt to demonize them and ignore Palestine.

Anonymouse: The UN... I dunno. Keep all the 'big' countries out of it - America, Britain, France, China, etc.

Are there no neutral countries who'll help fix Sudan up without demanding something from them? I'd suggest Canada, but with Stephen Harper in power, I don't think so...

Some articles on Darfur: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/mar2006/sudn-m10.shtml

http://www.workers.org/2006/world/sudan-0914/

So if destabilization was such a fear, then why is the Bashir government kicking out the small AU forces?

Doesn't it make some sense for Khartoum to work toward a beefed up force of non-alligned nations in order to render a UN force moot?

Oribitz: "So if destabilization was such a fear, then why is the Bashir government kicking out the small AU forces?"

The Bashir government is probably trying to preempt the Americans. The AU force ends its stay soon and have stated they will be substituted by an international force.

"Doesn't it make some sense for Khartoum to work toward a beefed up force of non-alligned nations in order to render a UN force moot?"

Possibly. But it has to be within a package peace deal between all waring factions. The important factor here is the Sudanese government will not agree to any deal that will lead to its sovereignty lost in the region. The American backed intervention has every intent to split the country and impose US backed stooges in the West as it has done in the South.

I was reading a bit about the history of Sudan and the role of Darfur within that legacy recently, for a piece I wanted to post.

The rift between Khartoum and Darfur go back hundreds if not thousands of years, both politically and socio-economically. It would seem that these longstanding differences must have outweighed their commom bond in Islam.

Nevertheless, since the 70s Karthoum has been arming the Janjaweed militias and using them as an auxillary force. [Bear in mind that privat and clan militias have always played an important role as protection for slave and routes in Sudan]Militias have become what the industrial militatry complex is to the US and Israel -- this has a become a major economic sector in the society, which has taken a life of its own.

A quarter of million Darfurian are dead, that is harsh. I have a problem dealing with that awful reality. Even if it means destabilizing a sovereign nation to alleviate this atrocity - I am willing to accept this intervention.

However, I wrestle with the possibility that Sudan could become parcels of small states as being proposed for Iraq. It seems there is a plan to break up nation states into smaller demarcations so that they will not be able to challenge economic and political designs from the exterior. This is quite alarming.

Still, people are dying, almost 3 million have lost their homes to violence and are now homeless. This is a grave situation. Maybe it's best to stop the killing fields now and deal with the break up of Sudan at a later date.

prop: and to think that while all this violence between muslims is going on, Saudi Arabia is more concerned about giving money to established universities ie..Harvard and Georgetown university, instead of sending it to poor muslim regions that need it. I can assure you, Harvard with its billion dollar endowment, doesn't need the money, but hey, who listens to the little people.
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, a saudi prince has given both Georgetown and Harvard $20 million each in 2006. All in the name of promoting Islam.

once again, I'm ashamed to be human and that pig is looking better by the minute.