"Arab, Muslim silence on Darfur conflict is deafening"

Fatema Abdul Rasul

The Daily Star
(Lebanon)
April 10, 2006

For the entire Muslim and Arab world to remain silent when thousands of
people in Darfur continue to be killed is shameful and hypocritical.

On March 28, 2006, the Arab League – an organization of Arab states that
comes together to discuss regional issues – held its annual summit in
Khartoum but failed to effectively address the crisis in Darfur.

Earlier in March, the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council had
extended its mission in Darfur until September 30th and the League has
decided to financially support the AU mission from October onwards.

Considering the urgency of the situation in the region, the response of the
Arab League is inadequate. The money is needed now. "This is medicine after
death," said Baba Gana Kingibe, the head of the AU mission in Sudan. "We
need the assistance now in order to be able to resolve the crisis."

The Holy Qur’an clearly states: "O ye who believe! Remain steadfast for
Allah, bearing witness to justice. Do not allow your hatred for others make
you swerve to wrongdoing and turn you away from justice. Be just; that is
closer to true piety." (5:8)

Yet, the Arab and Muslim world has failed to condemn the violence in Darfur
or assist any efforts by the international community to protect the innocent
civilians – most of whom are Muslim. Arab and Muslim leaders have never
hesitated to condemn the killing of innocent civilians in Iraq or the
Palestinian territories. Yet, none of them have spoken out against
Khartoum’s policies in Darfur even though the number of Darfurians killed
surpasses those in the other two conflicts.

During the past two and a half years, over 400,000 people have been killed
in Darfur while more than two million people have been uprooted from their
homes. The Sudanese-backed Janjaweed militia has routinely raided villages,
executed adult males, raped adult women and girl children, burned homes and
crops, stolen livestock, and kidnapped children into slavery.

Although United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has declared the
situation in Darfur as the world’s worst current humanitarian crisis, the
international response to Darfur so far has been half-hearted. Currently,
the African Union (AU) has about 7,700 personnel deployed in the region but
lacks a robust mandate and adequate resources to protect civilians. This has
lead to an escalation of violence and deterioration of the situation in the
region.

Recognizing the need for an urgent solution to the crisis, President Bush
along with other world leaders recently agreed that a UN peacekeeping force
should replace the fledgling AU mission in order to stop the killings in
Darfur. However, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Libyan leader Muammar
Gaddafi strongly rejected this proposal hindering efforts to solve the
crisis.

Even oil-rich countries in the Persian Gulf have barely reached into their
deep pockets. Saudi Arabia has contributed about $3 million while Qatar and
the United Arab Emirates combined have contributed less than $1 million to
the crisis in Darfur. In contrast, Canada has pledged more aid than all the
Arab countries put together.

In fact, the Arab League has consistently supported the Sudanese government.
For example, in 2004, the Arab League rejected sanctions and international
military involvement regarding Darfur.

The Arab League’s indifference over the crisis in Darfur makes it appear
that any country can commit gross violations of human rights and still go
about business as usual.

However, the international community disagrees. Last September, more than
150 heads of state – including several Arab and Muslim leaders – gathered at
the United Nations for an historic summit and endorsed a principle known as
the “Responsibility to Protect.”

This principle states that no nation can hide behind the veil of sovereignty
while it conducts or permits crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes,
and ethnic cleansing. It also implies that other countries cannot turn a
blind eye when these events occur beyond their borders just because it does
not suit their narrowly-defined national interests.

The need to end the crisis in Darfur is a golden opportunity for the
international community to mobilize around this principle.

Organizations such as the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic
Conferences (OIC) should embrace this initiative instead of obstructing
action at the United Nations. In addition, Arab and Muslim leaders should
constructively engage in the peace talks between rebel movements in Darfur
and the Sudanese government.

For instance, appointing a high-level Arab or Muslim envoy would send
Khartoum a clear signal that the Arab and Muslim world is committed to end
the violence. This individual should be empowered to meet with all parties,
from tribal leaders in Darfur to the heads of strategically important
governments.

If Arab and Muslim leaders want to prove to the international community that
they are truly committed to respect for human rights, justice and
accountability, it is imperative for them to stand up against the genocide
in Darfur.

Fatema Abdul Rasul was an Edward Rawson Fellow for the Peace & Security
Program at Citizens for Global Solutions from 2005-2006.