At the Root of Sudan's Dilema is the Arabs' Hatred of the Africans' Dark Skin

• By: Chris Stevenson

A new opinion poll says that 98% of Africans are proud of their continent. Sudanes author/activist Kola Boof recently disclosed to me that for the most part she agreed with this: "I think they are, but it's the young people and upper-class who are being influenced by outsiders."Outsiders, hmmm. Could she be referring to the Arab ruling party? According to a report in the 7/14 Christian Science Monitor: "The Darfur pogrom is part of a historic continuum in which successive Arab governments have sought to entirely destroy Black Africans in this biracial nation" This seems to be the case whether or not the Black Africans are Muslim, or Christian, or still practice traditional ancestral African faiths. It makes no difference to the hateful Arab occupation.

Over the last two decades the Khartoum regime declared a Jihad against southern Sudan which is mostly Christian, that left over 2 million dead, and 4.5 million homeless. That was when Congress passed the Sudan Peace Act that was to punish the Islamic extremist for the massacres. It was during this period that the much publicized Sudanese enslavement began. Evidence of the Arabs contempt of Sudanese dark skin tone began in the late '70's with the planning of Lake Nuba and a dam that would destroy ancient Nubian pyramids, and water down the richest archeological site in Sudan which included the history of nilotic Blacks. Intimidation towards Sudanese citizens, Black as well as Arab sympathizers soon followed.

The first couple decades saw Sudanese rebels being led by Colonel John Garang, but Garang has been victimized by splits and defections. Garang is the founder of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA), since 1983 a principle insurgent in the Sudan war. What we have now is a race to avoid another Rwanda; a genocide facilitated by world officials sitting on their hands. In fact it wasn't easy to even convince the Bush administration to classify the Arab's brutal treatment of native Sudanese as genocide, especially while it's taking place. Secretary of State Colin Powell, and UN Secretary Kofi Annan together only amount to a genteel voice against Sudanese government corruption. We are primarily made known of this through the efforts of outspoken celebrities Rep. Charles Rangel, talk-radio host/activist Joe Madison, and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, who have staged protests, planned arrests, and hunger strikes. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why developed western nations have moved slowly to aid the Black Sudanese, the US and Euro-powers have a historically low regard for Blacks similiar to the Sudanese Arab Government that have stiffled their urgency to curtail the Arab abuses that would not exist if the victims were White or Jewish.

Other than just their existence, the Arab's resent the Black Muslim Sudanese because their brand of Islam does not share with the Arab's radical extremist Muslim views. Sorry Omar, but suicide bombings just isn't in our nature, and though Blacks can be snuckered, that 72 virgins line is just too bogus. Go ahead and sue us. Since Black Africans have exercised their own decision making, the primary concern is to use the recent Sudan agreement-which allows thousands of African troops into Darfur to monitor the Sudanese police, and any cease-fire agreement-to take matters in their own hands if the need arises, to protect the civilians against more abuse, even against UN mandates under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.

• Stevenson is a columnist for the Buffalo Criterion. Pointblank can be read at www.voiceoffreedom.com,and theBrownWatch. email comments to Stevenson at pointblankdta@yahoo.com