[Peace-discuss] Re: News notes, for the AWARE meeting 2007-06-03

[Scott Edwards]

Carl:

I don't deny that there are a number of Jewish organizations, and other 
religious groups, invloved in the SDC. But to go from there to identify it 
as an Israeli lobby is a major major distortion, and sort of insulting to 
the people who came together for the purest of intentions, and who continue 
to fight for justice with the purest of intentions.

Also, and not likely the first time, but the Jersulem Post article is just 
wrong. For instance, not only is it wrong that the NAACP isn't involved--but 
***they are on the board of directors***.

(see: http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/board_of_directors)

And, of course, in responding to these characterizations in the past I've 
identified about 20 Muslim/Arab groups also a part of the SDC

(see: http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/organizational_members).

And of course, not only are many of the victims of the atrocities in Darfur 
Muslim--but they also identify as Arabs. This isn't an ethnic or religious 
conflict. Rather, as other perpertrators in the world have done and continue 
to do, the government inflames tension, violence, mistrust, group 
boundaries, and facilitates and perpertrates violence for its own political 
gain.

There is plenty of room to talk about policy options, Carl. I have resisted 
more than a couple policy choices by the SDC. But to attack the motivations 
of people because they are Jewish or whatever is the same sort of stoking of 
passions that I just identified. I know these people, work with them on 
occasion, and break bread with them. They are not lobbyists for anything 
that I am not, and I am not a lobbyist for anything but a world where all 
states respect inalienable human rights. That includes the USG, the GoS, or 
any state for that matter.

best,
scott


*****************
Scott Edwards
Country Specialist for Sudan
Amnesty International, US






>From: "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu>
>To: Scott Edwards <scottisimo at hotmail.com>
>CC: peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Re: News notes, for the AWARE meeting 
>2007-06-03
>Date: Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:05:12 -0500
>
>Scott Edwards wrote:
>>
>>"the Save Darfur Coalition, an Israeli lobby front group active in the 
>>US."
>>
>>Are you kidding? I'm sure you're just joking, but I wanted to be sure. 
>>This is the type of baseless rhetoric I'd expect from the administration, 
>>so I figure you're being tongue-in-cheek. If so, hilarious! If not, you 
>>are chasing ghosts in the dark, my friend.
>
>The source of the Coalition is hardly in doubt.  The following is from the 
>Apr. 27, 2006, internet edition of The Jerusalem Post, the conservative 
>Israeli paper:
>
>"...the coalition, which has presented itself as 'an alliance of over 130 
>diverse faith-based, humanitarian, and human rights organization' was 
>actually begun exclusively as an initiative of the American Jewish 
>community. And even now, days before the rally, that coalition is heavily 
>weighted with a politically and religiously diverse collection of local and 
>national Jewish groups ... the Jewish Community Relations Council, a 
>national organization with local branches that coordinate communal activity 
>all over America, has put on a massive effort to bus people to Washington 
>... Besides the Jewish origins and character of the rally - a fact the 
>organizers consistently played down in conversations with The Jerusalem 
>Post - the other striking aspect of the coalition is the noted absence of 
>major African-American groups like the NAACP or the larger Africa lobby 
>groups like Africa Action ... The coalition's roots go back to the spring 
>of 2004 following a genocide alert, the first ever of its kind, issued by 
>the United States Holocaust Museum. An emergency meeting was coordinated by 
>the American Jewish World Service, an organization that serves as a kind of 
>Jewish Peace Corps as well as an advocacy group for a variety of 
>humanitarian and human rights issues...
>
>"The fact that the aggressors in Darfur are Arab Muslims - though it should 
>be said that the victims are also mostly Muslim - and are supported by a 
>regime in Khartoum that is backed by the Arab League has made some people 
>question the true motives of some of the Jewish organizations involved in 
>the rally."
>
>	--CGE

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