September 13, 2007

Garelnabi Abusikin, Darfuri refugee and human rights advocate

Join our chat with Garelnabi Abusikin, a Darfuri refugee and Darfuri human rights advocate. Garelnabi was also one of the speakers in Green Day's music video of their Instant Karma track and he has also collaborated with AIUSA in the Darfur Campaign.

Featured Guest: Garelnabi Abusikin

From our featured guest: "I look forward to speaking with you on Thursday, September 13 at 1 pm, but feel free to ask questions in advance."

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Question Submitted by carlos:

Garelnabi, please, let me introduce myself, my name is Carlos Torrico and I live in Argentina, my question is: how was your life and your people´s life before this genocide and which are the real facts that led your country in to this situation? A very big hug to you and your family, my brother.

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

First thing, I say thank you to Amnesty International for their support, and for their help to those who are affected by the genocide in Darfur.

Before the genocide, life in my village was just the life of those who were either shepherds or farmers. Very quiet.

It was the life of a villager, rather than city life.

Unlike the concept of the war starting in 2003, for me the war started a long time ago when I witnessed my uncle being slaughtered in front of me in 1994.

The fact that my father was one of the chief of the Zaghawa tribe, and as such he was the tribal leader for the Zaghawa. Just like other tribes Massalit, Fur and Burgo have leaders.

Growing up as the son of a chief, in daily basis we used to hear of family members being killed here and there. It never stopped, and the killer was always the Arab tribes' Janjawid or the Sudan armed forces. We had access to more information because of my family's position.

In 1999, Janjawid killed 92 men in an area Abjidad (between Jeneina and Karnoi). They were digging wells to provide water for people in those areas.

After than, in June, 1999, Janjawid killed 77 tribal men. Janjawid were getting their weapons from the government of Sudan, although the government denied it and said it was conflict between tribes.

Growing up and going to school, I suffered a lot as a member of a tribe who suffered a lot of killings of innocent people by the Janjawid.

Although the original problem in
Darfur is limited resources, like water, clashes between tribes, etc., the real problem is what happened after the rebel groups took arms. Then it escalated into what we see today. The innocent people there have nothing to do with this. But still they were killed.

Growing up, I watched, witnessed and held people who were being killed systematically. I moved from that area to Khartoum, and I was still hearing the news coming with the same intensity...of the killing, of the Darfuris in that area by the Janjawid and by the troops.
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Question Submitted by Viola:

Mr. Abusikin, Firstly, my heart and prayers are with you and with all the people of Darfur. May God continue to give you the strength you need to continue your important and difficult task. My question is; what do you think it would take to bring the genocide to an end. If there was one thing you would want everyone to know, do, say, act upon, what would it be? Thank you for your time, God Bless!

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

If you look deep into the roots of the problem in Darfur, this genocide is not going to stop unless the government of Sudan, the U.N. and the international community are deeply committed to stop what is going on. It's not about the rebel groups.

The solution to the problem will depend on deep commitment of the international community and the Sudanese government, with involvement of the people in the refugee camps. The solution the problem must address the roots of the problem. Those who are affected lost everything -- the lives of their loved ones, everything they own. Now they are hopeless and helpless in the camps.

The solution must address these issues because if the solution is just directed toward the rebel groups, they will just make agreements, go to Khartoum to get jobs, and leave the original problem as it is.
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Question Submitted by Rachel:

Do you feel that how the media is portraying the issues in Darfur (i.e. the recent film "The Devil Came on Horseback" and the BBC's "The Darfur Crisis") is an accurate representation of what is happening in Darfur? And as a Darfuri advocate, how would you suggest that other activists approach the subject with individuals who only know of Darfur from general media coverage?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

The western media is helping to spread the awareness of the genocide in Darfur, and almost about 80% of the knowledge people have comes through these media. This is helping people to become aware and develop sympathy.

But those who have been suffering for years are looking for a solution. The solution has to be the one that addresses the problems, whether it is on the political side or the economic side.
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Question Submitted by Carly:

What steps can average American citizens take to help bring an end to this conflict?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

I believe people can help us greatly by forcing their governments to take good position on the Darfur problem.

This problem cannot be solved just by conferences in Abuja, Libya, or other places. The problem is affecting ordinary people in Sudan, so people have to stand up to press both the U.S. government and the Sudanese government to solve the problem in a way that involves all the tribes in Darfur.

Besides political pressure, we need humanitarian assistance. People can help us by donating whatever they have. Like what Amnesty International is doing now, getting help for people in the camps. They can donate clothes, shoes, educational material, and money, obviously. This will at least alleviate the suffering of people in the camps.

Besides that, we want the people to pressure the U.S. government to support the ICC, to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Regarding the ICC, we have witnesses, we have people who saw and heard what happened who are willing to testify to bring justice to everyone in Darfur.
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Question Submitted by soaringeagle:

What role does land ownership and mineral rights play in the ongoing conflicts not just in your country but in all of Africa? How might conflict resolutions be found that address both land ownership and mineral rights? Are there lessons to be learned from distant regions that might be applied?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Althouth the history of the region tells us the land is called Darfur -- land of the Fur -- it was at an earlier time called Dar Massalit and another time Dar Zaghawa, and another time Dar Burgo. The land has been kept by families and handed down for generations.

The government has brought Arabs from elsewhere and settled them in areas that has belonged to the indigenous Africans for centuries.

This has to stop. They have to leave.

The original people of Darfur are now living in shanty-towns or are refugees in camps in Eastern Chad. At this very moment, the government has brought other people to live in places with fertile land and good water supplies. For the problem to be solved, these people have to go back to where they came from.

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Question Submitted by Katie-Jay:

As activists, what should I focus be right now in ending the genocide? pressure on china? rebuilding effots in Darfur? pressuring Bush on his legacy of genocide? What do you think is most effective?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Activists must pressure the Chinese government to stop supporting the Sudanese government. Sudan's government is very deceptive, and China is just looking for money. Neither government is concerned with the tragedy of the people in Darfur. That's why activists have to pressure both governments so that nobody profits from the genocide in Darfur.
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Question Submitted by Gretchen:

As simple as it may sound, would a direct donation of firewood straight to the refugee camps lower the risk for violence against women? If so, how can we do it?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Actually, rape as a tool of oppression in Darfur will not stop if you provide firewood for a simple reason. They are not just raping women outside the camps. They are invading the camps, occupying camps and raping women for 2 or 3 days.

It would be better to send solar ovens. But still, this will not stop the rapes.
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Question Submitted by Bethany:

I will be volunteering in Gulu, Uganda in January, followed by a month of volunteering in Darfur. In your opinion, what is the one piece of advice I should remember most? This will be my first trip to the region.

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

First of all, I say thank you very much for volunteering, for being willing to do what it takes to go to Uganda and Darfur.

When you go there, just listen to those who went through the calamity of the genocide. Listen to what kind of advice they can give you. If you are listening to the government of Sudan, or the government's representative, it's not true. But those who survived know the way to improve

If this person goes Iridimi camp, I will advise this person to see my family, and I would recommend that he or she will get help from my family there. You can contact Amnesty International USA for more information about how to contact my family.
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Question Submitted by Patrick:

Hating the perpetrators is an understandable reaction but I believe self defeating. Have you been able to go beyond hating them to forgiving them? If so, how did you accomplish this?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

What has happened in Darfur has affected our lives deeply. We lost loved ones, we suffered a lot. Just to survive and stay alive, every day tells a story of how much we suffer.

I cannot forgive them at this moment.

But if the perpetrators are willing to resolve the problem, and be judged by the courts -- after that, I will think about it. But they have to stand in a court of law and be judged in a court before I can think about forgiving them. At least I have to see that they are willing to change the course of what happens and show regret. Then we can think about reconciling.
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Question Submitted by Michelle:

Where do you find your strength and how do you keep hate out of your heart? Thank you

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

The strength is God given, knowing what I know, seeing what I've seen, looking at killers who killed my family yesterday, are killing them today, and definitely will kill them tomorrow too.

But I really want justice. Justice will help me push hate away from my heart.
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Question Submitted by Phil Gueli:

Do charitable efforts anger marauding forces?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

I believe Janjawids hate to see aid workers and organizations coming in to help people survive, because they want them dead. When someone helps us to stay alive, they get very angry. Besides this, they don't want witnesses to see what they are doing. These humanitarian workers are often our witnesses for judgment day.
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Question Submitted by Andrea:

Will you explain how you ended up on the Green Day video and what the experience meant to you? Also, how much fun did you have working with those guys? PEACE

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Yes, he was very happy when he saw it. It was one way to at least make awareness more popular among westerners.

I am willing to particpate in any event that will help to create more awareness of the problem in Darfur.
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Question Submitted by megali:

Can the Darfur problem be solved by the same way of the south of sudan?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Although the problem looks similar the southern Sudan problem, there are some differences.

The killing in Darfur isn't just the government killing us. There are Janjawid in the middle. Even if there is an agreement, and the government and the rebel groups agreed to stop, the Janjawid will continue killing us no matter what.

But if the international community came in with power,the same solution that applied to the south could be applied to Darfur.

The comprehensive peace agreement, which addresses the problem of the marginalized in the whole of Sudan, it could work. It just needs genuine effort.
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Question Submitted by William:

Sayyid Garelnabi Abusikin, What language or languages are spoken and written in Darfur?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

In Darfur, we have a lot of tribal languages -- about 120 different languages.

Unfortunately, when the Arabs came to Darfur, they brought their spoken and written languages and forced us, through the school system, to speak and write the Arab language. We were not allowed to speak our language in school, let alone write them. So, everyone in Darfur can speak and write Arabic. They can speak their tribal language, but none of them are written.

Next October, we have a function on this, so people can figure a way of writing the Darfuri languages.
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Question Submitted by sheryl:

Are you trying to bring your family in the refugee camp here to America? If so, what step in the process are you??

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Although I am willing to bring my mother, my sister, my brothers here to America, what is keeping me away from doing that at this time is not just my mother.

I have a lot of friends who are being killed, and their mothers and sisters are in refugee camps. If I just became selfish and brought my family here, that will not make me feel good. That's why, at this time, I would rather leave them there with the other families.
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Question Submitted by Gloria:

I just logged in and see that you have answered some very good questions. I would just like to say that I have a deep hearted connection to the people of Sudan since I first saw a small news clip on a Sudanese woman who was raped. This was aired a few years ago. Then I saw the documentary The Lost Boys of Sudan, which also changed my life. I will continue to pray, write letters to our president and congress, donate money to organizations which provide aid and raise awareness, educate others, and then pray even more. I am truly sorry for what has happened to your people and I hope to bring peace to the beautiful people in Darfur very soon.

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Thank you. We are here for people like you who can help us to alleviate the suffering of the people in the camps...not only in Darfur but everywhere in the world.

I have a little advice. If you want to donate, she needs to donate to those organizations that can actually deliver things to those in the camps. An organization like our organization, the Darfur Human Rights Organization of the USA. Organizations that know Darfur.

I am going there on September 23, and I will show to those who donated where their clothes and money went.
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Question Submitted by Cecilia:

Do you think that the U.N. and world leaders are committed to put an end to this situation?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Both the U.N. and developed countries have the power and the means to stop the genocide right now, today, if they are committed.

But those who sell arms and those who get oil are not ready to commit to any peace at this moment. That's why the killing continues.
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Question Submitted by Michelle:

As a witness to so much tribulation, was it hard for you to retain your faith?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

After going through all these difficult times, and coming to America, leaving my beloved country, and in fact, my people are either in refugee camps in Chad or IDP camps in Darfur. We were uprooted, and we have nothing except what the world can afford to help us with. But still, our belief didn't change, and I believe I can give help to the people in the camps from here.

When we have the means to resolve the problem in Darfur and give justice to those who were killed and who suffered, we can think about faith at that time.

But now, it is time to get help.
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Question Submitted by Nancy Bruni:

This question is from 5th graders from Public School 11 in New York: Are you and your family safe? What can we, 10 and 11 year olds learn from your experience and how can we help?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Thank you for those kids who are willing to help. Kids of your age in the camps in Darfur are lucky to be alive, because when the villages were bombed, they just ran and ran across the border to stay alive.

They have no schools, they hardly have shelter or food to eat. You can help by collecting some relief items for us like clothes, shoes, school supplies, and money, so that people like me who are willing to bring things to the refugee camps can deliver these things to those who are suffering in the camps.
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Question Submitted by Sarah:

Have you thought about writing a memoir about your experiences as a refugee?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

First of all, I say thank you for the question. I am willing to give permission to someone to write about my experience. I'm willing to offer all the necessary information for that, including my photos from here or back home.

The foremost thing I want to happen is to help the generations to come to benefit from what happened to me in my life, especially if it will be beneficial to socity.

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Question Submitted by Maria:

Where do you currently live, and are you able to keep in touch with your mother and siblings?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

No. But I know where they are. Every month, I get some information. I have some friends who contact me every now and then. I give a message, they deliver it to my family, and they bring back an answer for me. Now they know I am coming.
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Question Submitted by Courtney:

Hello. Thank you for offering your thoughts and time. I have been active in writing my congress people to take action in Darfur. And my thoughts and prayers go to the people of Darfur. My overwhelming concern is for the children left orphaned in this crisis. Can you share what is happening to those children, and how can I make the most direct impact in helping?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

On this trip, I am going to see the orphans. They are the majority of the refugees in the camps. About 65% of the people in each camp are children who never saw a father but saw a lot of times their mothers and sisters being raped repeatedly.

They are hopeless,helpless. They have no future that they can see. That's why I am going there. I will find out what these kids need and get some help to these kids.
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Question Submitted by john:

How would you describe the way the Chad officials are treating the refugees from Darfur?

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Thank you very much to the government of Chad, especially President Idris Deby, who went to the camps I'll be visiting. At the time, Omar Bashir never went to a camp to visit.

I would say the government of Chad has to be commended for the good job they have done for the refugees, although every now and then some people complain. The government of Chad is helping and hosting the refugees and helping the rebel groups get under one umbrella so the political problem can be solved.
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Question Submitted by Janelle:

Do you think that an american war machine, such as the one used to liberate Iraq, would truly help in Darfur? I think that if the U.S. must go to war to feed it's munitions monster, then it should be to fight the Janjaweed, for example, perhaps eradicating those who would practice genocide on the defenseless.

Garelnabi Abusikin answers:

Definitely we do not encourage the U.S. to go to war, which means the killing of our enemies there. That would mean more killings.

We want peace. Peace cannot come with a gun. Peace needs to be negotiated, and at this time, we just want the U.S. to pressure China to pressure the government of Sudan to accept the solution we have in hand right now and commit itself to peace and justice in all of Sudan.

In closing, I want to say thank you so much to Amnesty International USA, for the leadership of Larry Cox, and to the people here who have helped us. We are not going to forget what Amnesty International is doing to bring peace and human rights to every citizen of this world.

Thank you.


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