UK CALL FOR A "NO FLY" ZONE OVER DARFUR

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2 responses to “UK CALL FOR A "NO FLY" ZONE OVER DARFUR”

1. 

   Ingrid

   16th June 2004

   Gavin, thanks for blogging about the Sudan. I think it’s such a brilliant suggestion by Michael Howard, I have left a comment over at Clive Soley’s blog with a copy over at Tom Watson’s. I should have been asleep two hours ago – and here I am quarter to one in the morning. So to save time, I am copying the comment here. If you too can help – in anyway you can with ideas or whatever, it would be warmly appreciated.

   Clive, Sorry I’ve not managed to comment earlier on your interesting posts. I’ve been busy these past seven weeks blogging almost daily about the Sudan crisis. I have faxed a letter to my MP Oliver Letwin requesting him to sign the EDMs on Sudan. I see your signature is already there 🙂 Because time is of the essence, I am using your blog to draw your attention – and your readers – to the two posts, copied below, and ask you please to do everything you can to see that our government follows through on the brilliant suggestion by Michael Howard – as a matter of the utmost urgency. Thank you. PS I am going over to Tom Watson’s now and copying this comment in his blog too.

   Here is a copy of my post today at http://meandophelia.blogspot.com

   UK CALL FOR A “NO FLY” ZONE OVER DARFUR
   To prevent civilian bombings in region

   June 15 Scotsman report by Gethin Chamberlain, on the Sudan-Chad border:

   “Refugees claim hundreds killed by Sudanese government attacks in Darfur.

   Survivors claim men, women and children have been slaughtered.

   Reports from people coming out of Sudan suggest that those who have taken refuge in camps inside Darfur are dying in their hundreds.

   Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, yesterday told MPs he would weigh up the merits of international patrols above Darfur, modelled on the air-exclusion zones once imposed on northern and southern Iraq.

   The suggestion was raised by Michael Howard, the Conservative Party leader, in a Commons debate over last week’s G8 leaders’ summit in the US.

   “Should not the UN Security Council enforce a no-fly zone and consult with those states with the capability to do so?” Mr Howard asked.

   “I’ll certainly look into the issue,” Mr Blair replied.

   The British government is now considering pressing for a United Nations-imposed “no-fly” zone over Darfur, to stop the Sudanese government bombing civilians in the shattered province.”
   – – –

   Also, here is a copy of June 15, 2004 post at Sudan: Passion of the Present blog out of Harvard
   http://passionofthepresent.org

   No fly zone for Darfur?

   One thing that the US and the UK could do immediately would be to impose a no fly zone on Darfur. This would stop the government of Sudan from bombing villages in conjunction with the local death squads–as has been documented to have been perpetrated as recently as a few days ago.

   A no fly zone was suggested to Tony Blair by one of the conservative opposition leaders in public questioning yesterday, as reported by The Scotsman.

   Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell take note–such an intervention could be accomplished quickly, with little cost or loss of American life. After a few enforcement actions, the zone might be maintained mainly by radar monitoring–with little active intervention.

2. 

   Tom Pravda

   20th July 2004

   Dear Gavin,

   I came across your blog while looking for information about activism on Darfur in the UK and Ireland.

   I’ve also seen Ingrid Jones’ blog and have written her a note similar to the one below. The more people we have blogging about Darfur the better.

   I thought you, personally, might be interested in a new website we’ve set up on the “genocide” in Darfur. If you like what the site’s trying to do, I was hoping you might post something about it and/or link to it from your blog. It’s rather US focused at the moment (though we’ve had signups from the UK and Israel) but we’re hoping to make it a global thing.

   It’s http://www.darfurgenocide.org

   And we’ve got daily-updated news feeds and links to all the best press coverage, NGO reports and governmental statements etc.
   http://www.darfurgenocide.org/info.htm

   There’s also links to slide shows and video footage:
   http://www.darfurgenocide.org/video.htm

   People can sign international petitions calling on the international community to launch a humanitarian interevention, or mandate the International Criminal Court to investigate those responsible for the genocide:
   http://www.darfurgenocide.org/action.htm

   People can also sign up to organize events, raise money etc. in their town/city, http://www.darfurgenocide.org/localprotest.htm
   People can donate to provide humanitarian aid or support advocacy efforts. http://www.darfurgenocide.org/donate.htm

   I hope you’ll take a few moments to look through it, perhaps get involved in some way, and consider either posting a comment about it, or providing a link (or both).

   Best wishes,
   Tom Pravda

   Res Publica
   http://www.therespublica.org
   http://www.darfurgenocide.org