The Movement for Reform Judaism

A sermon given by Rabbi Maurice Michaels at South West Essex & Settlement Reform Synagogue on Shabbat Tzavim/Vayelech.

About six months ago, on the seventh day of Pesach to be exact, I spoke about a rally that was taking place in Washington to express solidarity with the people of Darfur, a region on the western edge of Sudan.  I expressed some surprise that nothing equivalent seemed to be happening in the UK and remember saying ‘watch this space’.  Well, eventually I can report that something indeed is happening here, to coincide with the anniversary of an agreement reached by the international community a year ago on its responsibility to protect civilians from atrocities such as ethnic cleansing and war crimes. 

Unfortunately, as with so many international decisions, after all the talking has concluded, implementation doesn’t necessarily follow, and certainly not quickly. Governments have been quick to call for an end to the violence, but slow to act.  UN resolutions have not been implemented and six rounds of peace talks over almost two years have failed to resolve the crisis.  As a result the situation in Darfur is deteriorating rapidly and now threatens to spiral out of control.  Aid workers are being killed, troops are being massed and civilians are being killed, all at a growing rate.  The UN recently passed a resolution calling for a UN force to be deployed but so far the Government of Sudan has said it will oppose such a force.  It has even threatened to expel the small African Union force already there.  If the AU did withdraw and with no UN force to replace it the crisis would become a catastrophe.  António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has described the situation in Sudan and Chad as “the largest and most complex humanitarian problem on the globe.”

For those not familiar with the situation there, let me quote from the Thought for the Day script I recorded Thursday evening to be broadcast Sunday morning on BBC Radio Essex.

‘Basically, this is an offensive by one African tribal group against another, whose only crime is that they are different.  Xenophobia at its basest level. This campaign of destruction and displacement, which has included stealing and killing of livestock, poisoning of wells, destruction of crops, rape and humiliation, and the systematic murder of more than 300,000 men, women and children, since the crisis began in early 2003, is calculated to ensure the loss of livelihood and means of survival, purposely forcing hundreds of thousands of people to face starvation and disease.    According to the findings of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry in January of last year Sudanese government officials and the Janjaweed - the paramilitary group apparently encouraged and supported by the Government - are responsible for ‘the killing of civilians, torture, enforced disappearances, destruction of villages, rape and other forms of sexual violence, pillaging and forced displacement throughout Darfur.’

More than three million people are directly affected and are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.  Forced from their homes, many are now living in hastily erected camps lacking adequate food, water, shelter, medical care and security, some across the border in Chad.  And even in these makeshift refugee camps, the Darfurians are not safe.  Janjaweed and other paramilitary groups continue their genocidal campaign, attacking ordinary people in the camps.  This is not one army fighting another army, not one country fighting another country, not one religion fighting another religion.  This is a deliberate attempt by the Government of a country to wipe out a substantial minority group within it.’
So what actually is happening here about this.  Tomorrow, across the world, has been designated The Day for Darfur and is designed to highlight the plight of the people in Darfur and pressure the UK government into doing more to address it. Several events will be happening throughout the day across the UK.  In the morning, there will be a demonstration outside the Sudanese Embassy in London to protest against the Governments continued opposition to UN deployment in Darfur.  In the afternoon, there will be an indoor rally at the Old Vic Theatre that will include speakers from the world of politics, film and music.  A preview of a new mobile exhibition on genocide and the responsibility to protect, with reference to Darfur as well as to past genocides including the Holocaust and Rwanda, will also be unveiled at the event.

Around lunch time I, together with several other faith leaders from the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities, will be at Downing Street reading prayers on behalf of the people of Darfur.  I don’t know whether Prime Minister Blair will be at home or not, and if he is whether he’ll agree to meet and speak with us, but that’s actually not too important.  The main purpose of the event is to bring to the attention of the wider community the terrible plight of these people who have been the victims of a deliberate campaign of terror against them by the Janjaweed militia - Janjaweed in Arabic means ‘evil men of horseback’-  acting, seemingly, with the full knowledge and support of the Government of Sudan.

So why has nothing been done earlier?  People generally are not aware of the situation.  It hasn’t been placed at the top of the agenda, either politically or by the media.  Only when ordinary people start talking about it will something be done.  And so, my prayer for tomorrow includes the following: ‘May this catastrophe bring together the peoples of the world; of all faiths and creeds and none, of all races and colours, of all nationalities; to an increased understanding that such atrocities can only flourish when the masses stand aside and allow it, when people of goodwill are divided in their approach, when there is no combined will to oppose it.’  Together we can make a difference.  This event shows that people of all faiths can work together to press for peace and that protection is a universal principle that we should all enjoy. And we must ensure that our collective voice is heard for the people of Darfur. It is essential that the international community and our government must do everything they can to stop the situation getting worse and must ensure that civilians get the protection they need.  It is clear that a new approach is needed; one that involves a strong, well-equipped U.N. peacekeeping force to supplement the African Union troops already in Darfur.  The UK Government, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has a key role in promoting a solution to the crisis. So far the UK have provided admirable leadership on the humanitarian emergency but has done too little on the diplomatic front to pressure all sides to accept a UN force.  In particular they should be putting more pressure on China and others to fall into line and push the Government of Sudan to accept a UN force.  Until Darfur comes higher up the list of priorities we’re not going to get the progress needed.  My hope is that this event, paralleled as it is in nearly fifty other places around the world, will create the awareness and the impetus necessary to bring peace to the people of Darfur.  Amen.

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