Comments on: 141 days and counting http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/ In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:02:59 +0000 hourly 1 By: Sally http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7705 Sally Tue, 31 May 2005 16:54:42 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7705 A couple of days ago, I heard an interview with a guy from an NGO that's working in Darfur. The interviewer asked him why the American people were ignoring the issue, and he said that was the wrong way to look at it. He said that what was remarkable was that a grass-roots, largely campus-based movement had actually made a difference. Because of grass-roots pressure, the American government has been forced to acknowledge it. It's the only reason Colin Powell called it a genocide. It's the reason that the U.S. has funded relief programs. I think it's easy to look at the failure of the movement to solve the problem and assume that the movement isn't working. But it is working, and we shouldn't get discouraged. A couple of days ago, I heard an interview with a guy from an NGO that’s working in Darfur. The interviewer asked him why the American people were ignoring the issue, and he said that was the wrong way to look at it. He said that what was remarkable was that a grass-roots, largely campus-based movement had actually made a difference. Because of grass-roots pressure, the American government has been forced to acknowledge it. It’s the only reason Colin Powell called it a genocide. It’s the reason that the U.S. has funded relief programs. I think it’s easy to look at the failure of the movement to solve the problem and assume that the movement isn’t working. But it is working, and we shouldn’t get discouraged.

]]> By: yami http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7703 yami Tue, 31 May 2005 16:12:58 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7703 There's also an ongoing <a href="http://www.sudandivestment.com/" rel="nofollow">divestment campaign</a>. Legislation has been introduced in a number of states to get public employee retirement funds away from companies doing business with the Sudanese government, and there's an active divestment campaign at Harvard as well. There’s also an ongoing divestment campaign. Legislation has been introduced in a number of states to get public employee retirement funds away from companies doing business with the Sudanese government, and there’s an active divestment campaign at Harvard as well.

]]> By: News from Around the World http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7701 News from Around the World Tue, 31 May 2005 16:08:54 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7701 <strong>141 days and counting</strong> Which floor is that on again:... 141 days and counting

Which floor is that on again:…

]]> By: Anna in Cairo http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7696 Anna in Cairo Tue, 31 May 2005 10:07:51 +0000 http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/05/31/141-days-and-counting/#comment-7696 Hi Jill, According to the latest news posted at the website you have cited, there are two hopeful things happening as of May 27. Note that the US has pledged some money to help fund peacekeeping forces. I hope these efforts will bear fruit. But I have to say that it is quite normal for African conflicts to pass below American radar and Darfur is by no means the only such conflict that has gone largely unnoticed by those who could help prevent tragedy. May 27, 2005 - Donors pledge nearly $300 million for Darfur force Reuters Donors have pledged nearly $300 million to fund a bigger African Union (AU) force to help end fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region, AU officials said on Friday. They said Canada gave the biggest contribution of $133 million, followed by the United States with $50 million and Britain with $12 million. Smaller donations will come from other countries. The AU had requested $466 million to more than triple its force to about 7,900 troops. - Zoellick to visit Sudan ReliefWeb Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick will visit Sudan to work to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, advance effective implementation of the North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and promote a political reconciliation in Darfur. He will meet with one of the forward-deployed African Union units in Darfur and talk with tribal leaders at a camp of internally displaced persons. His visit will follow up on the U.S. pledge made at the May 26 donors' conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to support expansion of the African Union force in Darfur, particularly through NATO. Hi Jill,

According to the latest news posted at the website you have cited, there are two hopeful things happening as of May 27. Note that the US has pledged some money to help fund peacekeeping forces. I hope these efforts will bear fruit. But I have to say that it is quite normal for African conflicts to pass below American radar and Darfur is by no means the only such conflict that has gone largely unnoticed by those who could help prevent tragedy.

May 27, 2005 – Donors pledge nearly $300 million for Darfur force
Reuters
Donors have pledged nearly $300 million to fund a bigger African Union (AU) force to help end fighting in Sudan’s western Darfur region, AU officials said on Friday. They said Canada gave the biggest contribution of $133 million, followed by the United States with $50 million and Britain with $12 million. Smaller donations will come from other countries. The AU had requested $466 million to more than triple its force to about 7,900 troops.

- Zoellick to visit Sudan
ReliefWeb
Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick will visit Sudan to work to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, advance effective implementation of the North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and promote a political reconciliation in Darfur. He will meet with one of the forward-deployed African Union units in Darfur and talk with tribal leaders at a camp of internally displaced persons. His visit will follow up on the U.S. pledge made at the May 26 donors’ conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to support expansion of the African Union force in Darfur, particularly through NATO.

]]>