Author name: Gregor

17. april 2012 – CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION IN SUDAN!(tekst v Angleščini)

Novice /

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION IN SUDAN!

On the brink of a new war between South Sudan and Sudan, please consider:

Nowhere on the planet is the humanitarian crisis worse than on the border between what is left of old Sudan and the new South Sudan. Nowhere on Earth is the ruling dictatorial regime accused of more crimes against humanity, including genocide – and nowhere have the indigenous people that are being exterminated preserved a more harmonious, more primeval and symbiotically with nature living culture than in the area between the largest sand desert, the Sahara, and the largest swamp regions in the world. Nowhere do the global powers engage in a more concealed fight for control of natural resources over the backs of cheaper slaves. Nowhere have the mainstream media along with independent reporters, including UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs, more betrayed their mission. Nowhere does humanity shut its eyes to the truth stronger than in the Sudanese provinces with mainly African populations that after the declaration of independence of South Sudan on July 9th last year remained north of the non-agreed border, in what remains of Old Sudan. Nowhere does the international community forfeit more than on the sacrificial altar of 2012 in Blue Nile, the Nuba Mountains, Abyei and Darfur.

These facts and my 20 visits to the area since 1979 are the reason that, together with friends and supporters in Sudan, Europe and America, I initiated the action of connecting victims to perpetrators of violence, using the cheapest video cameras available and satellite modems to transfer recordings to the Web.

Please see our 95 min documentary film on Eyes and Ears of God – Video Surveillence of Sudan on www.YouTube/user/TomoKriznar

Since we finished film two months ago we succide to atract some attention to Nuba Mountains – but not at all to the province of Blue Nile. Please, please – can you help?

BLUE NILE

On December 3 last year, in the air – flying back to Europe, I wrotte: Most of the population of southern Blue Nile province have left their villages since war started there in September 2010. Victims are now scattered in the bush near their homes and fields, or accross the border in Upper Nile in South Sudan. There are no refugee camps for them, except in Ethiopia. Mainly women, children and the elderly constantly fear bombardmens, during the day and especially by night , from Russian-sold Antonov planes.

Sudan was once the largest and most prosperous African state. After oil was discovered in 1979, the country erupted in Africa’s longest and most cruel civil war, between 1983 and 2005, with two million dead and five million displaced. The war ended with a peace agreement in 2005 that entitled the South to hold a referendum in 2011 on whether to stay within Sudan or separate. However, the rebel enclaves of Nuba mountains and Blue Nile just across the old colonial border in the Arab-dominated North were not given this opportunity.

In December 2010, the Sudanese president Omar Hassan al Bashir announced that in case of separation of South Sudan, there will be »no tolerance of any ethnic and religious differences« and that arabisation and sharia law will be imposed. The international community already saw the fullfilment of these promises in the Nuba Mountains in June last year, and before that also in Abeyi in May. Although informed members of the international community expected a new war in all border areas, UN agencies and even most NGOs have no presence in Blue Nile or in neighboring countries ( except in Ethiopia) to help the most unfortunate people on Earth.

In November, I filmed proofs on the ground that the rare media reports about bombardments in Blue Nile and accros the border in neighbouring Upper Nile are all true, and not lies, as claimed by the Government of Sudan. Because of these bombardments, which go on day and night, people are too scared to plant for the next harvest, and there is growing danger of approaching hunger. The UN has not yet come even to investigate, but if they will hurry, they will still find peaces of bones of eleven people killed when a bomb hit the market in the vilage of Bela Tom on November 7th. This bombardment was the same sort of war crime as the ones in Kurchi, Nuba Mountains in June, but this time we activists did not succeed in making it front page news, because the events were not recorded. There was no one there to photograph, no cameras and satellite Internet conections, and no local volunteers to document and send proofs to the international community. This is what we aim to change with the newly established Slovenian humanitarian organisation H.O.P.E. which supplied cameras, laptops and satellite Internet modems, and trained 20 volunteers to do the work of absent international journalists and document further atrocities. Their photographs and videos can help this worst humanitarian crisis enter the awareness of sensitive people around the world.

Respected champions of human rights everywhere on Earth – this is my call to you. Nowhere on the planet are indigenious people more terrorised and sistematicaly exterminated from their ancient lands as in Blue Nile. The enemies of Ingassana, Udjuk, Komoganza, Bertie and many other islamised tribes still maintain the traditional slave hunter culture, accused of major crimes againsts humanity, including genocide. And yet there are no media, no NGOs or activists there with the new refugees that flow daily, completely let down by the whole international community (prof. Eric Reeves is a great exception ). Even in the greatest concentration of refugees, in Dor, near Bunch in South Sudan, where access is quite easy, the people have nothing else than trees under which they camp with their families, kids, elders. No UNHCR plastic sheets, no tents, no blankets, very litle food and only 3 water pumps, with 3 -4 hours waiting time! Yes, UNHCR is registering refugees, a big white World Food Program tent is there in Dor, but frustrated officials told me they have grains for only 3.000 people, and there are already more than 40.000. Yes, Médecins Sans Frontières is in Dor, working with patients in an empty UNHCR tent, and Samaritan Purse is starting to suport the local hospital, but dr. Atar had to operate there last week with no operating table, using only small overhead lights.

Of course, a no-fly zone must be imposed to protect civilians from bombardment. But political institutions are impotent and clinically dead, and the UN will take much too long to respond, leaving only NGOs to act and justify the reason for their existence. Please join us, or do whatever you can to help us, but please do not forget the people of Blue Nile, South Kordofan, Abyei and Darfur. Here, the whole of humanity is put on test: will interest in cheap oil from South Sudan, with its logic of fantastic profits and comfort for the few, prevail over compassion for the most innocent people on Earth?

*******************************************************

I wrote the above report in December last year, and nothing has since changed for the better in Blue Nile and the refugee camps across the border in South Sudan. No no-fly zone has been established, and no humanitarian corridor into Blue Nile has been negotiated by the UN. There is still no open political action by the UN or other international community bodies. No NGO has entered the region to help, and no reporters have visited Blue Nile. Refugees are still on the run from the Government of Sudan, Russian Antonovs and Chinese Migs. No starlight has penetrated »the hearth of darkness«, as it did when Nicholas Christof, John Pendergast and George Clooney visited the Nuba Mountains.

The documentary »Eyes and Ears of God – Video Surveillence of Sudan« by Maja Weiss and Tomo Križnar was released in January, and had a world premiere at the Cinema for Peace, Berlin film festival, in February. It is now being shown in cinemas, and can be seen on YouTube. The response to the film has been positive, with people reacting and contributing small donations. We, the civil initiative in the Fondation of Tomo Križnar and the humanitarian organisation HOPE will be able to deliver more cameras, computers and satellite modems into Blue Nile, Nuba Mountains, Abyei and Darfur.

I am now calling on you – still sensitive human beings – to click on my YouTube channel www.YouTube/user/TomoKriznar and see the full-length documentary or the short trailers for »Eyes and Ears of God – Video Surveillence of Sudan«. Then, please give me some coments about what you could do to stop this suffering of the most innocent indigenous people on Earth.

Thank you in advance. Tomo Križnar, Ljubljana, April 15 2012

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15. julij 2011 – Sporočilo za javnost

Novice /

Sporočilo za javnost

Odcepitev Južnega Sudana in razglasitev neodvisnosti nove 193. članice OZN so zadnji teden pokrivali vsi mediji in podprle praktično vse svetovne politične elite. Hkrati pa so – kot da so se za to dogovorili – skoraj vsi ignorirali usodo afriških ljudstev, ki so ostala v severnem Sudanu. Torej severno od nezadostno definirane meje v mirovnem sporazumu iz leta 2006, koder prevladujejo domačini prepričani v svojo arabsko identiteto.

»Če se bo jug odcepil, do etičnih in verskih manjšin v Sudanu ne bo nobene milosti.« je že januarja pred referendumom izsiljeval sudanski predsednik Omar Hassan al Bashir.

Diktator, ki je prevzel oblast pred dvaindvajsetimi leti z vojaškim udarom in ga Mednarodno sodišče za zločine proti človeštvu z obtožnico, da je zaradi iztrebljanja afriških staroselcev v Darfurju kriv med drugim tudi genocida, značilno impotentno ne more spraviti v Haag, je jasno celemu svetu napovedal, kaj se bo zgodilo petinpetdesetim afriškim plemenom v Nubskih gorah, kot tudi afriškim ljudstvom v provinci Modri Nil, Abyei in Darfurju.

Tuji mirovni posredniki, ki so leta 2002 pod ameriško taktirko spravili legendarnega vodjo Nubov za pravico ostati Nuba – komandanta SPLA (Sudan People Liberation Army) Abdel Aziza in predstavnike sudanskega diktatorja za pogajalsko mizo v Švici, so vsa leta dobro vedeli, da politično niso nič rešili. Premirje med borci za osnovne človekove pravice in potomci lovcev na sužnje v osrednjem Sudanu je koristilo predvsem kot vzorec za veliko pomembnejšo pacifikacijo »divjakov SPLA na jugu Sudana«, ki so se prvi uprli totalni marginalizaciji in iztrebljanju. Politično ni bilo nič rešeno zato, ker so Nube v Nubskih gorah v provinci Južni Kordofan in podobna staroselska ljudstva v provinci Modri Nil, njihovo plodno puhlico in vodo – tuji plačanci in vojni dobičkarji po mukotrpnih pogajanjih leta 2006 s tako imenovanim Comprehensive Peace Agreement-om ponovno zamešetarili v sužnje in prodali severu – v zameno za z nafto bolj namočeno provinco Abyei.

Večina tistih, ki so se prejšnjo soboto šopirili na slavnostni tribuni in ploskali generalnemu sekretarju OZN Ki Moonu, govornikom iz ZDA, EU, AU in Kitajske in tudi samemu sudanskemu diktatorju – ki je prišel spustiti sudansko zastavo in gledati, kako se dviga enaka, a z rdečo zvezdo – so vsa ta leta od sklenjenega mirovnega sporazuma vedeli, da bo vojna v Nubskih gorah in drugod ob meji ponovno izbruhnila tudi zaradi redkih nas, ki nam je zaradi nekega čudnega razloga mar do najbolj nedolžnih in najbolj čudovitih skupnosti, ki se upirajo sprejeti moderno življenje in vztrajajo v starih vrednotah sožitja z vsem kar je, kar naprej na vse načine protestirali in opozarjali.

V Evropski Uniji so mi svetovali previdnost. Govorili so mi, da »moramo malo potrpeti«.

»Zdaj je najprej važno odcepiti jug, šele potem bomo pa še druge dele Sudana…«

Odkrito, brez sramu, kot da je kolateralna škoda, ki pri politiki »tam, kjer se kregata dva, tretji dobiček ima« nastaja – nekaj popolnoma sprejemljivega.

Samo v Nubskih gorah je v napadih sudanske vojske umrlo v petih tednih po izbruhu vojne 6. junija več kot šest tisoč ljudi. Nihče ne ve, koliko je razseljenih, komandant Abdel Aziz ocenjuje, da je zbežalo z domov vsaj pol milijona od dveh milijonov prebivalcev Južnega Kordofana.

Našel sem jih v votlinah po gorah, brez vsake pomoči mednarodne skupnosti, izpostavljene vsakodnevnem bombardiranju iz ruskih Antonov-ov in kitajskih MiG-ov.

Ampak žrtve tokrat ne umirajo tiho. S pomočjo kamer in satelitskega interneta s katerimi smo jih opremili, vsak dan razstavljajo na najbolj grozljive načine pobite raztreščene otroke, žene, mame, starce, …

Od 13. junija do 4. julija sem za projekt, ki smo mu v Nubskih gorah dali ime »Oči in Ušesa«, vsak dan zbiral posnetke, ki so jih z vseh strani prinašali člani naših enajstih timov, ki z več kot 80 kamerami dokumentirajo vojne zločine in prek treh modemov, ki jih je pretihotapil v gore Klemen Mihelič, ustanovitelj humanitarne organizacije HOPE, pošiljal v svet.

Odzvali so se vsi največji svetovni oblikovalci percepcij in poslali najbolj znana imena z bojišč v Afganistanu, Iraku, Libiji. Vsem smo v Nubskih gorah do 9. julija, ko smo vsi ušli na parado v Jubo, pomagali spoznati, da v ustaljeni podobi evforičnega novega Južnega Sudana nekaj ne štima.

Sudanska vojska ubija civiliste, jih preganja z njihove zemlje – a to se zdaj dogaja na severni meji in njihovi soborci iz 21-letne državljanske vojne, ki je vzela 2 milijona življenj, so to sprejeli – so drug za drugim poročali.

Če za svoje ljudi ne skrbe Afričani sami, zakaj bi morali mi.

Vsi so skušali skriti dejstvo, da osvobodilno gibanje SPLA ni začelo leta 1983 iz želje po neodvisnosti, ampak iz upora sužnjev proti svojim tradicionalnim gospodarjem. Večina vprašanih v južnem Sudanu na vprašanje “kaj se je zgodilo z ustanoviteljem in vodjo SPLA?” ni odgovorilo, da je umrl v letalski nesreči, ampak, da so ga ubili Američani in Evropejci, zato ker je nasprotoval odcepitvi in se zavzemal za človekove pravice za vse in nov enotni demokratični Sudan. Nihče od slavnih novinarskih imen se ni spustil globje in analiziral, zakaj SPLA na jugu ne pomaga žrtvovanim junaškim soborcem v Nubskih gorah in Plavem Nilu, kaj šele, zakaj se ne zavzamejo za Afričane v Darfurju, ki jih sudanska vojska in milice še naprej redno bombardira in pobijajo, čeprav naj bi po v Abuji (Nigerija) leta 2006 podpisanem mirovnem sporazumu tam vojne sploh ne bi smelo biti.

Niso objavili naših posnetkov, ki smo jih poslali zastonj, ampak so Time, New York Times, Guardian, Independent … poslali svoje profesionalne novinarje, ki so preleteli pol sveta in zapravili še pa še denarja, da so posneli arhetipske imidže otrok z muhami v očeh tokrat v votlinah, ranjence v bolnicah in zanikrne bajte. Namesto, da bi nam namesto letalskih kart, hotelov in visokih zavarovanj raje kupili kamere, računalnike in prenosne satelitske internetne modeme ali vsaj pokrili stroške prenašanja slik. Da bi lahko domorodni fotografi in poročevalci še bolj razvili mrežo in ujeli vanjo vsako nesrečno žrtev vsak hip in kjerkoli v gorah.

Opravičili so se, da so svoje poslali, ker mora biti pod vsako objavljeno sliko podpisan profesionalni fotograf, ne pa neki tim Oči in Ušesa. Tako baje zaradi verodostojnosti, da ne bi slike prirejali v propagandne namene.

Celo Ali Žardin v slovenski Sobotni prilogi Dela je zavrnil objavo deklice, ki v dveh kosih objema svojo prav tako razkosano mamico.

Množice sploh niste obveščene, kako zgleda na tleh, vsak dan. Medtem sudanski predsednik Omar Bashir vsak dan naroča nova bombardiranja.

Najbolj nedolžni domačini ne morejo zasaditi. Čez mesec ali dva bo zmanjkalo zalog. Priča sem bil, da ljudje, ki se skrivajo po vrhovih gora brez vsake zaščite (Varnostni svet je prejšni dan enoglasno izglasoval umik svojih sil. Zadnje nevladne humanitarne organizacije so zato, ker so predvidevale vojno, umaknile svoje bele ljudi že pred mesecem. Sudanska oblast je prepovedala vsak dostop, vsako humanitarno pomoč, in medije (v Kadugliju so pretepli in pregnali novinarje Al Jazeere).

Do danes Evropa in Amerika nista dvignila glasu v zaščito staroselcev. S tem sta vsemu pravičnemu svetu pokazali, da jima v resnici ni mar za spoštovanje osnovnih človekovih pravic, ampak da se za dvolično igro, tako kot že vso zgodovino, ponovno skrivajo dobičkarski interesi…

Medtem sudanska vojska in plačane milice ubijajo naprej. Obkoljenim in obleganim domačinom, ki ne morejo nikamor pobegniti so najboljši prijatelji skale in kače v votlinah. Posnetki so jim edino upanje, da se boste vi, ki ste še občutljivi, zganili. V času digitalnih kamer in satelitskih internetnih modemov informacije niso več privilegij velikih mainstream medijev – ampak si jih lahko privošči civilna družba. Tudi če svetovne elite, ki obvladujejo upravljanje percepcij množic preko etabčiranih main stream medijev, še naprej v sramoto vsega človeštva žrtvujejo, se ljudje vsepovsod po planetu lahko ob posnetkih prepričamo o lažeh vlade v Khartumu in zanikanju sodelovanja vlad na vseh straneh sveta na tem velikem ljudožerskem pikniku, se lahko mimo njih odzovemo klicem na pomoč.

Prosim, prosim.

Dva milijona jih je – nobena skupnost na planetu ni bolj ogrožena. Nobena družba nima bolj brezsrčnih sovražnikov.

Maščevanje elit na severu, ki so izgubile to, kar so smatrale za svoje, je strašno. Maščevanje arabskih gospodarjev vojn za prvo zmago korporacij s sedeži v zahodnem svetu, ki so jo po porazih v Afganistanu in Iraku dosegle kar tako in brez vojne, skozi nevladne humanitarne organizacije in misionarska središča, grozi, da bo dokončalo načrt popolnega iztrebljanja domorodnih ljudi iz zadnje vojne 1985 – 2006, ki smo jo uspeli ustaviti s premirjem v Švici. Še nikoli v svoji zgodovini se Nube niso soočali z večjo nevarnostjo. Še nikoli prej niso nad njih z neba vrgli pekla. Še nikoli prej niso bili lovci na sužnje opremljeni z MiGi. Ampak tudi nubski bojevniki nikoli prej niso bili tako dobro opremljeni z zaplenjenim orožjem.

Tam, kjer se borita slona – trava nastrada, pravi afriški pregovor.

Najbolj trpijo in umirajo civilisti.

Veliki stroj ne rabi več sužnjev – ampak samo še olje za mazanje in pogon.

Je to v kolektivnem nezavednem ljudi v industrijskem svetu skriti vzrok, zakaj smo tako tiho?

Razumem, da ne veste, ker vas main stream mediji ne obveščajo – ampak izvolite pogledati na www.hope.si in www.TomoKriznar.com to kar pošiljajo žrtve z žrtvenika same. Na teh straneh najdete tudi račune za donacije za kamere in satelitski internet.

Hvala!

Tomo Križnar

Kairo – Rim, 15. julij 2011

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2. julij 2011 – Klic na pomoč za Nube

Novice /

Klic na pomoč za Nube

To everyone still interested

Kauda, Sunday, 3. July 2011

Less than one week before independency celebrations will start in Juba – African people, who are caught in besieged Nuba Mountains on north side of the new border between the newest, 193. world country called now South Sudan, and that which remains of old Sudan – are preparing for long bloody war.

Every day closer to dramatic date 9. July I feel more tension, fear and anger in the SPLA liberated lands commanded by respected-by-all Abdel Aziz al Hilo.

Dictator of Sudan accused of four major crimes against humanity by International Criminal Court – Omar Hassan al Bashir – declared on referendum days in January, that in case of separation there will be no mercy for African ethnic groups left in the North Sudan.

More and more locals are disappearing. Men are sending their children and wives up in caves in the mountains and joining SPLA units all over the place. Chinese made MiG 25 and Russian Antonovs are howling and shooting day by day and giving us all their iron in the blood stream. It is not easy to walk around so heavy. You can not work much. You can not do much. You feel death is so close.

Anyone I talk to feels betrayed by their co-fighters for basic human rights in South Sudan from Africa’s longest war, as well as by the whole modern world talking so much about respect and democracy.

I wrote two books and produced two documentary films about this most sensitive, most fair, most honest people on the planet, who are still living in closest contact with nature. I have been trying to present their culture and special qualities to broader public since 1979. Now I feel I did not succeed. Last night I got such awful feeling that everything was to no avail. While the world does not want to even watch – the enemies of this superior tribal societies, the traditional slave hunters in the north are taking over the rich land, the water, the sky, …

Yes, the sky. Whoever has the air, has the control of this mountains, this mountain fortresses which protect its people since primordial time and give them security, terraced fields (where they cultivate their staple food sorghum), water, no white ants (who eat everything wooden), cooler and healthier atmosphere … and shelter. The local indigenous people believe that this land is somewhat like paradise. Here, if anywhere on Earth, I found people living in simbiotic relationship with animals, plants, minerals and each other.

Of course most of us remember Nuba from famous books by Leni Riefenstahl. But there is more to show and tell. This people are not only olympic gods, they are the most kind, never whining, never complaining guys I discovered anywhere anytime in my constant travels.

Now they should be complaining, more than Darfurians, but they are not.

They are just humbly preparing for the last big fight, after whole world betrayed them because of higher geostrategic economical interests.

The grand design of northern elites is to exterminate »savages« from good, well-watered cotton soil, so useful for mechanised farming and of course: from the only oil-producing province that will remain in North Sudan after the South separates – South Kordofan …

They will fight, yes. They will never give up. They have nowhere else to go.

The saddest thing is that so many will die, killed by the elite in Khartoum, who are already accused of four main crimes against humanity, genocide included.

Together with their innocent and friendly children they will be killed and exterminated by ignorance, arrogance, hypocrisy … and cannibalism of the brave new world.

Resettlement from the first war may take over. Other people from the north may use this fertile land and water resources for mechanised agriculture and industrialised farming. Old Grand Design may win.

They still count on us.

But day by day less and less.

Poems reading teacher yesterday in an interview said: “Maybe Obama will help us. Maybe. We have nowhere to go.”

The pressure is building each day closer to July 9. After this date, regime in the capital Khartoum will start implementing their policy of Sharia law, no tolerance for ethnic diversities, “Ein land, ein folk, ein führer”. This is why Nuba started fighting for their right to be Nuba in 1980s together with African tribes in the South. It is more than just battle to protect the land, water, … It is battle to protect the best of human values. It is battle for the best of humanity.

“The counterinsurgency fought by the Government of Sudan against the rebels of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the Nuba Mountains of central Sudan during the early 1990s was not only exceptionally violent, but also aimed at depopulating the area of civilians. Not only did the government aim to defeat the SPLA forces but they also intended a wholesale transformation of Nuba society in such a way that its prior identity was destroyed. The campaign was genocidal in intent and at one point, appeared to be on the brink of success …”

 

“The war was notable for attacks on civilian targets with forced displacement, rape and killing. The principal instruments of counterinsurgency included locally-recruited militia, the regular army and the air force, under the overall coordination of Military Intelligence …”

 

“The early period of the war was marked by militia massacres and extra-judicial executions by military intelligence. In a mixture of reprisals and counter-insurgency, some of it pre-emptive, a coalition of military officers and local militia commanders escalated violence against the Nuba. The first step was the arming of local Arab tribes by the government, initially as a panicked response to an SPLA attack in the region in 1985, and in 1989 they were formalized into the ‘Popular Defence Forces’. The militias committed the worst massacres of the war, driven not only by orders from their paramilitary command, but also by their own search for cattle, loot and cheap labor …”

“Death squads targeted community leaders in rural areas, while intellectuals in the towns were rounded up by Military Intelligence and ‘disappeared’. The rationale was explained by Khalid Abdel Karim al Husseini, formerly head of the security in the Office of the Governor of Kordofan (and younger brother of the governor), until he left Sudan and sought asylum in Europe in 1993. He said that the government was ‘taking the intellectuals, taking the professionals, to ensure that the Nuba were so primitive that they couldn’t speak for themselves’.”

All of this – all of it – is again evident in the conduct of counter-insurgency war: the extra-judicial executions; the targeting of intellectuals and indeed all Nuba; the arming of Arab militias and the Popular Defense Forces (PDF), the latter now entirely Arabic; the depopulating of the Nuba Mountains; the campaign to deny food and humanitarian assistance. And as the Small Arms Survey makes clear in its report on arms in South Kordofan (“Armed Entities in South Kordofan”, June 2011), the Khartoum-allied militia groups are extremely heavily armed and supplied – this in addition to the growing SAF military presence from Dilling to Kadugli.

They cannot win against highly sophisticated guns developed for mass destruction.

They have been capable of surviving in the last war with traditional enemy – but they may not succeed this time. Traditional slave hunters have too many friends now with too many guns. Who are stronger day by day. And friends of Nuba, rare friends who understand them and respect them are day by day just talking and talking and are day by day weaker.

But it is still not too late to help this superior humanity to survive. We have less then a week to close the sky »from where – instead of good as before – the evil is coming« as said one of the Nuba teachers yesterday.

One week to impose NO FLY ZONE!

This is what they are asking us and what they need from us. The rest they will do by themselves.

Please spread the images below, ask your friends to save innocent beautiful people on the border between new country of South Sudan and what remains in the North.

See interview with their leader – whom everyone I spoke to respect and trust – Abdel Aziz al Hilu – to understand how it all started.

There are more than two and half million of them. Some half million of them are now displaced on the top of mountains and in the caves among granite rocks. Rocks, trees are their best friends now. Even snakes with whom they share the caves.

Please join campaign to protect the best of humanity exposed to the worst of humanity – now.

Tomo Križnar, with the mothers and children who should not be here anymore

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29. junij 2011 – Poročilo in slike iz bolnice

Novice /

Poročilo in prizori iz bolnice, 29. junij 2011

Quiet today. Only one disturbance by MiG. Bombs hit dry river bed near Kauda. Farmers immidiately disappeared from fields and went up in the mountains among great granite blocks. Villages empty, markets empty, no vegetables, no fruit – only a couple of lemons.

Is this first peaceful day a result of negotiated frame of a peace agreement yesterday in Addis Ababa?

“Nobody over here is expressing any trust in negotiations with government.”

“We do not trust them after all they have done to us. They are just using another trick now – to exterminate us from our land.”

“There will be no changes in Sudan until this government goes!”

Oil in this country of oil is already a problem. Generators are running less and less time. Cars are more and more rarely moving around.

Feeling we are entering life under siege from the last war 1986 – 2001.

Everybody over here fears hunger.

See my documentaries “Nuba, pure people” and “Nuba, voices from the other side” (2000 and 2001)

Below some photos of the victims in hospital who survived bombardment on Kurchi last Sunday. They said they have been just fetching water from the bore hole. And enjoying market day. When …

I feel privileged to meet foreigner, who did not obey and leave his patients when everybody was leaving. It is still time to go. “But I know I will regret if I leave …” he said.

Tomo Kriznar, Gidel, Nubske gore

29. junij 2011 – Poročilo in slike iz bolnice Read More »

28. junij 2011 – Ženske z demonstracijami zahtevajo odhod neefektivne misije združenih narodov – UNMIS

Novice /

Ženske z demonstracijami zahtevajo odhod neefektivne misije združenih narodov - UNMIS

Women, children and old people demonstrated in front of UNMIS camp in Kauda demanding departure of mostly Egiptian soldiers contingent from their besieged and day-by-day bombarded land because UNMIS is not doing anything to protect their families.

»We do not trust you!« expressed women speakers one after another in front of heavy armoured Egiptian and chines men under blue helmets.

»Talodi, Buram, Um Dorein, Sardiba, Kowalib … you never come to see killed victims. What are you reporting at all and to whom?«

»You are spying for Omar Bashir and Mohamad Haroun. You must go with them to ICC …«

UNMIS first refused demonstrators to enter, demanding only one speaker. The crowd pushed to join her, but soldiers pushed the door back. Crowd then breaked the lock. For a few moments situation was very intense, men in uniforms loaded guns and started armoured vehicle. Then Nuba women with children in their hands got quite angry. After that everybody was allowed to enter UNMIS compound and express emotions freely.

After about an hour demonstrators peacefully left to go home, leaving behind papers with slogans: »Go Egiptians, we do not need you!« »Antonovs and MiGs = Death for children!« »Let me go to my school!« among others.

One hour later Antonov bomber appeared in the sky. It crossed the sky causing a great panic, that this is now revenge for what they had done this morning. At the moment we are still waiting the return of the bomber and if it attacks we will report where the bombs exploded. And send photos and footage of new deaths among the most innocent people on the Earth…

Tomo Križnar, in the hole with children, 28. junij 2011

28. junij 2011 – Ženske z demonstracijami zahtevajo odhod neefektivne misije združenih narodov – UNMIS Read More »

27. junij 2011 – Poboji otrok in ostalih civilistov v kraju Kurchi, Nubske gore, 26. junij 2011

Novice /

Killings of children and other civilians in Kurchi, Nuba mountains

It is not true what UNMIS is saying, that yesterday on June 26, 2011 »there was no activities in Nuba«. Now we got pictures and footage of our team two operating in Kurchi area, that only in Kurchi yesterday on June 26, 2011 Antonov killed 16 people. Please find attached photos.

In addition here is report from GED Hospital in Luere:

Children wounded: three, aged three years, one eight months. All brought from bombardment in Kurchi yesterday on 26. June 2011.

Elders: five women and eight men wounded in the same event.

Twelve died in Kurchi in bombardment immediately and four in the aftermath. According to one of the casualties by the name Kachi: She was at home and went to get water in the borehole. She heard sound of the bomb coming. She could not understand what it meant. Then she tried to lie down on the ground and she was injured in three parts of her body. In the head, in the hand and in the bottom. They removed woman things from her body during the operation in GeD hospital.

We are so late with this report because the only motorbike in our team broke down. No mobile phone since beginning of the war on June 6. Internet connections are not working this morning. We are lucky to have portable satellite internet modem near …

I DID NOT SEE UNMIS ON ANY OF LOCATIONS AFTER BOMBARDMENT IN NUBA. ALL NUBA ARE SURE THAT UNMIS (FULL OF EGIPTIANS, WHICH ARE HISTORICALLY SYMPATHIZING WITH NORTH SUDAN) IS COOPERATING WITH GOS, WHO IS SENDING BOMBS ON THEM. “WHY DO YOU INSIST ON THEIR PRESENCE?« »WHY INTERNATIONAL DONORS DO NOT RATHER GIVE THAT MONEY FOR VIDEO CONTROL OF NUBA MOUNTAINS CALLED EYES AND EARS …”.

Please, we need cameras, laptops, modems … and motorcycles … We can do the difference for the first time in the history of »the hearth of darkness«, but we need your support…

For the time: Tomo Križnar, June 27. 2011

27. junij 2011 – Poboji otrok in ostalih civilistov v kraju Kurchi, Nubske gore, 26. junij 2011 Read More »

26. junij 2011 – Poročilo iz Nubskih gora

Novice /

POROČILO IZ NUBSKIH GORA - četrtek, 13. januar 2011

Dober mesec po izidu moje zadnje knjige Nafta in voda sem točno tam kjer se knjiga začne. Med Nubami v Nubskih gorah sredi Sudana. Med črnimi ljudmi več kot petdeset afriških plemen, ki naseljujejo granitne gore med največjo puščavo na zemlji in največjimi močvirji na Nilu – tristo kilometrov severno nad mejo, ki so jo na zemljevidu zarisali kolonialni Britanci. Mejo med tako imenovanim »arabskim muslimanskim severom Sudana« in takoimenovanim »afriškim animističnim in krščanskim jugom Sudana«. Sem torej na arabski strani meje med afriškimi plemeni, ki so jih mednarodni mešetarji z mirom v mirovnem sporazumu CPA (Comprehensive peace agreement)v Neiwashi po enaidvajsetletni vojni, ki je vzela dva milijona žrtev in prepodila z najbolj skromnih domov nadaljnih pet milijonov, po odcepitvi in osamosvojitvi in pridobitvi neodvisnosti na referendumu, ki poteka te dni na Jugu, prepustili Arabcem v zameno za nafto v provinci Abyei na sami meji in vodo najdaljše reke na planetu onkraj v največjih močvirjih na Zemlji.

Ponoči sem se s svojimi nubskimi pomočniki vrnil z prvega marša čez gore in zdaj si po enem tednu poslušanja ljudi s katerimi se začne Nafta in voda – sedem let po zadnjem obisku leta v 2003 in nadaljuje z izbruhom vojne in največje humanitarne katastrofe na zahodu v provinci Darfur – že upam reči, da se vsi moji najhujši strahovi uresničujejo.

Mednarodnim naftnim korporacijam s sedeži v ZDA, Evropi in Kitajski je po desetletjih hujskanja, vojn in vsiljenega miru končno uspelo Arabcem v Sudanu in Arabski ligi ukrasti pol z nafto prepojenega Sudana. Po porazih v Iraku, Afganistanu in Pakistanu, je to prva zmaga, ki našim gospodarjem z naravnimi viri na zahodu obljublja vrnitev optimizma, konec apatije naših množic in nadaljevanje gospostva z drugačnimi sredstvi kot neposredna vojaška konfrontacija z tako imenovanim terorizmom. Napake za napako, ki so jih počeli bušisti, so pozabljene. Pred nami je nova era v kateri ne bodo igrali glavne vloge vojaški lobiji ampak varnostnoobveščevalne službe. Zgodovina, ki se te dni dogaja na voliščih dokazuje, da so za dosego istih ciljev bolj kot neposredna vojaška mašinerija – učinkovito investiranje v »perception menagement« dotičnih množic ki žive na geostrateških lokacijah.

Čuti se boljše kot občutki krivde ob posnetkih tisočev, stotisočev pobitih otrok, mater, nedolžnih in ostale koleteralne škode na drugih krizni žariščih koder se lomijo tektonske plošče interesov.

Ampak tako se čuti dokler se ne zaveš da koleteralna škoda ostaja tudi v novi eri.

Da kolateralna škoda ostaja se zavedam zato ker živim med njo.

Tile Nube po jaslicah nad ločnico med svetom, ki smo ga uspeli iztrgati nazaj Arabcem z onkraj Rdečega morja in tem svetom, ki smo ga prepustili maščevanju zdaj popolnoma razbesnjenih sudanskih gospodarjev sužnjev, so novi mrliči nove kolateralne škode. Skupaj z afriškimi plemeni v Ingassana gričevju na meji z Etiopijo. In seveda dvesto afriških plemen na planotah in gorah Darfurja.

Pa tudi arabska nomadska pastirska plemena na približno isti geografski višini točno na meji v provinci Abyei. Torej sploh ni važno etično poreklo žrtev. Važen je plen in izplen.

Tile skromni kmetje in pastirji, ki jim niti krščanska niti muslimanska niti animistična vera ne dovoljuje graditi Babilonske stolpe, leteti na luno in razvijati orožje za masovno ubijanje, in že stoletja in tisočletja iščejo sožitje z rastlinskim, živalskim in človeškim svetom Kreacije, so ljudje proti katerim se zdaj obrača vsa desetletja delovanja ameriških in evropskih tajnih služb na jugu Sudana, kopičen neskončni bes arabskih plemen, ki administrirajo v Kartumu in par kilometrskemu pasu zelenja ob doljnem toku Nila.

Poglejte si slike.

Kaj niso isti, kot so tisti na slikah iz leta 2003 v knjigi Nafta in voda, ko sem jih zapustil ker so transaminaze istega raka dosegle Darfur.

Ne niso isti. Leta 2002 in 2003, ko smo aktivisti kot po nekem čudežu v Nubske gore uspeli spraviti mirovnike iz Amerike, Evrope, Avstralije, Kanade in Nove Zelandije, ki so bili za razliko od nas neprofesionalcev dobro plačani, je bilo v zraku tako upanje. Prestavnik ameriške voske v okviru JMC (Joint military commsion) nam je ob vsakem obisku govoril, da je John Danforth, posebni bušev odposlanec za Sudan, vrli protestanski pastor z juga ZDA, uspel prepričati Kongres in tudi Pentagon, da je»problem Sudana« mogoče rešiti«. Ne samo s podpiranjem afriških upornikov SPLA (Sudan people liberation army) na jugu Sudana in metanjem iz letal pomoči civilnemu prebivalstvu na jugu, ampak z mirom, ki ga je mogoče doseči v osrednjem Sudanu, v Nubskih gorah, in nato razširiti s prisotnostjo opazovalcev miru in hkratno skrbno izbrano razvojno pomočjo, od katere bodo imeli nekaj vsi domačini, na jug Sudana in tudi naprej po celi Afriki in celem tretjem svetu.

Mir, ki so ga pripravljeni skleniti uporniki SPLA v Nubskih gorahsredi Sudana. Mir, ki ga je bil pripravljen sprejeti, da bi ohranil Sudan skupaj za Sudance tudi legendarni komandant SPLA John Garang.

Mir, ki ga je podpisal takratni komandant SPLA Abdel Azis s sudanskimi arabskimi oblastmi na Nilu je obveljal in veljal vsa ta leta in velja še tudi ta trenutek.

»Delam vse da bi ohranil mir. In hkrati se pripravljam na vojno.« mi je zaupal v soboto.

Nihče na jugu Sudana in v Nubskih gorah, ki sem ga vprašal kaj se je zgodilo Johnu Garangu ni odgovoril, da je umrl v nesreči letala v Ugandi. Vsi so takoj ustrelili, da ga je ubila Amerika. »Ni ubogal!« Na začetku upora leta 1983 v Boru na jugu, ko je odpeljal v grmovje prve somišljenike je karizmatični lider upora sužnjev proti nekdanjim lovcem z ameriškim doktoratom ubogal, ko pa se je opil moči, ki jo je bil nenadoma deležen v vojaški pomoči in množicah, ki so jih v cerkvah iz slame rekrutirali krščanski misionarji, pa se ni več boril za odcepitev Juga, ampak za to da bi ves Sudan ne upravljal nihče drug kot Sudanci. Sudan v katerem nihče ne bo suženj. Sudan, ki bo spoštoval človekove pravice in demkratična načela. Sudan kot si ga je zamišljaj tudi Yousif Kuwa, najbolj spoštovani in podobno kot Tomas Sankara ali Patric Lumumba od nubskih množic ljubljeni komandant SPLA, ki je leta 1988 začel v Nubskih gorah z uporom proti Arabcem v Kartumu kot reakcijo na njihov poskus poenotiti Sudan z razglasitvijo šariatskega prava po celi deželi in arabizacijo po načelu Ein Land, ein Folk, ein Fuhrer.

Na obrazih domačinov po tržnicah s cenenimi kitajskimi izdelki, na edini cesti, ki jo je zgradilo kitajsko podjetje, pod edinim elektičnim vodom, ki so ga potegnili Kiajci, je nesigurnost in strah pred maščevanjem, ki ga zdaj kujejo ponižani Arabci Nubam, Ingassanom, Darfurcem in tistim na nedoločeni meji v Abyei. In grenkoba ker so jih Dinke, Šiluki, Nueri in drugi soborci SPLA iz drugih afriških plemen na afriških plemen na jugu Sudana pozabili podobno kot Američani in Evropejci prepustili skupnemu sovražniku.

Bo kitajski pragmatizem uspel preprečiti vojno?

Se bodo kitajski inženirji in ekonomisti v kavbojkah in majicah in teniskah zavzeli za poslednje črne Indijance na obrobju hitro rastočega Osrednjega cesarstva?

Pobiti miličniki v provinci Abyei so rodom iz Nubskih gora in komaj končali milićniško šolo v Kartumu.

Navsezgodaj zjutraj nas je nenavadno nizko preletel vladni bombnik. Ruski Antonov. Brez prižganih luči …

Pravkar so mi ljudje prišli povedati, da so opazili, da se v Kadugli, največji kraj in tudi sem v Kaudo zliva nenavadno veliko Arabcev. Način kako se gibljejo in nastopajo jim sploh ni všeč.

Tomo Križnar, Nubske gore, 13. januar 2011

26. junij 2011 – Poročilo iz Nubskih gora Read More »

23. junij 2011 – Intervju z Abdel Aziz Adam Al Hilujem – komandantom SPLA v Nubskih gorah (v angleščini)

Novice /

Interview with Abdel Aziz Adam Al Hilu, commander of SPLA in Nuba mountains, South Kordofan, and former deputy governer

18. June 2011

1. Details of defections from SAF/PDF etc. to SPLA. How big? How significant?

It is over one thousand from SAF, who join SPLA in many areas like Kadugli, Kauda, Buram, because they discovered that SAF is not genuine and they do not respect agreements. And that is not just to agress SPLA. So that is what happened during this fifteen days.

2. Any SOLID info about the mass grave reported to be in Kadugli?

Hundred of people has been extra-judiary killed and executed. Many people lost their lives in Kadugli. But I can’t tell about this mass graves. They just forced people who were displaced to come back and bury the dead. And some of them escaped and came to tell that there are many many bodies inside Kadugli town and that they forced people to bury this bodies.

3. Who is running the war? In Nuba, Ahmad Haroun or Ahmad Khamis? In Khartoum, Omar al Bashir or SAF?

All of them. It is Omar Bashir who has ordered and who has declared the war in Khartoum. And who has ordered to disarm SPLA and attack SPLA in Nuba Mountains. And Ahmed Haroun and Ahmed Khamis also who have ordered recently to execute the war on behalf of Khartoum. And they are doing it now.

4. What is the difference between this war and the last? (I imagine greater air power is a factor …)

This is one factor. But most importand factor is that in 1985 we have been all civilians. We did not have any military training, we did not have guns. But this time we have thousand and thousand of arms, armed revolutionaries and this is why the reaction to Khartoum agression was very strong and as you have seen we manage to eliberate over sicksty garnisons and outposts within ten days of war. So this is the difference. And also in terms of political conscioussnes.
During 1985 the mayority of our people were not aware of the courses of the war. But this time the whole state interacted with SPLA and they have learned the genuine corse of the vision.

This second war majority of people found out that SPLA is fighting for genuine cause, fighting for freedom and justice, fighting for equality, fighting for their benefits. And this is why there are many soldiers who have rebelt against SAF and they join SPLA. Also we reach accros tribal devide and the message, SPLA message reached the Arabs, Arab groups in the state. Like the Hawasma, the Myseria, the Kavahla and so on. This is why they did not fight against SPLA this time. Only few elements. Majority discovered that SPLA is fighting for their future, for their rights. So this is the difference between this war and the one before. On top of all this many people discovered the nature of NCP, their wrong policies, their wrong program. So there is big difference between last and this war now.

5. At what point exactly did you decide war was inevitable?

After president Bashir declared war on us in April 27 2011 I took his words seriously. And when the speakers of NCP requested to disarm SPLA forces who are present north of 1956 border by June 1. On top also chief of general stuff of Sudan armed forces general Esmad brought the letter directly to general Jamis Hos, the chief of the staff of SPLA asking him to withdraw SPLA forces in the two areas south of 1.1.1956 border. On top the comander of the SAF Division 14 in Kadugli Major general Bashir al Bakhi wrote us a letter that after June 1. “I am going to disarm any SPLA who is staying in the state. And that is going to abaide by the spirit only of CPA but not the tay and provisions.” So it was open declaration of war. So when they bring more tanks, and more heavy guns and more provisions after I was that sure that they are going to abduct and this is why I ordered all the SPLA troops to take defensive positions and wait for attack. Then on the June 6. they have actually attacked our positions.

6. What support from Juba?

Actualy Juba is a different country now. Southern Sudan people have voted for Indpendence and we are part of the North. We are not part of the South. So there is no relations because we disangage, we start disangagement with SPLA leadership and we are working now as an independent party and army in the North. So there is no any relationship aspecialy on the military site and there is no support from them.

7. What coordination with the Dinka Ngok?

Dinka Ngok have different orientation and different agenda. Yes, they are part of Southern Kordofan, but they have special status and they have different course, and they have different agreement. And we have nothing to do with them.

8. Do you have a role in this war for JEM and co.?

No, no, we do not know this people. And they are very far. And they are staying there in Darfur. So there is no relationship between us and JEM movement. In fact they are now negotiating a peace agreement with government of Sudan in Doha.

9. What is Khartoum’s Grand Design? The oilfields? One Sudan? Revenge?

Actually Khartoum design is very clear. They are interested in natural resources. South Kordofan is very rich. It is the only state in Northern Sudan, that is producing oil. It is also very rich with other minerals like uranium and others. On top is an agricultural state. We have also livestock. So Khartoum is interested in natural resources and they do not care about the people. Khartoum is also planning to establish totalitarian regime and they do not want to tolerate any other one. Just one party system. This is way they are targeting SPLA members. They killed many many people just because they voted for SPLM. SPLM leaders and secretaries where arested, tortured, and we do not know for many where they are now. This is monolitic party.

10. What do you want from the international community?

Let’s extend the interim period beyond July 9. Let’s extend the mandate of UN to help for protection of civilians. And organise reliable negotiations between SPLA and GoS in order to implement the CPA.

11. Can Mbeki and African Union do anything? Do you trust Mbeki?

Yes, I do trust Mbeki. He is doing his best. We want to give him a chance.

12. Surely talk of chemical weapons/dirty bombs is nonsense?

This are just rumors. I can’t believe that NCP will go to this extend.

13. How can we contact you from outside?

I am now not in Kadugli, so I doubt you can get me on e-mail.

23. junij 2011 – Intervju z Abdel Aziz Adam Al Hilujem – komandantom SPLA v Nubskih gorah (v angleščini) Read More »

23. junij 2011 – Tomo poroča: Nov napad na Kaudo

Novice /

New attack on Kauda

Antonov in the sky at about 16.00. We ran as always to the first dry river bed. As every day I filmed mothers who forgot to take their children, men looking intensly in the sky … Machine went and then returned. We hear typical sssshhhhhhh … and then booommm, booommm ….

So close we knew immidiately that they targeted our compound.

Seven bombs, seven injured, some kids, some men, I do not know exactly … and one woman … pregnant woman … in nine months of pregnancy … killed.

About hundred meters from the kitchen where I was writting, happy that this will be the first day without bombs.

They call me to see and film parts of human flesh hanging on the tree. Boys collecting pieces of brain, intestines, hair, skin into plastic bag. Then carrying up the hill from where the great cry is still echoing.

Women of all ages cry, scream, throw themselves on floor. I want to enter closed door, but the men do not allow. The husband takes me by hand, pushes the women gently away and pulls me inside humble hut. There she was, wrapped in white cotton, sunk in blood. With no head, just some wonderfully knitten Tira style haircut …

Everybody wants to speak to camera. I can’t rush to write a report.

“See? Now you know! Will you tell to the world?”

“NCP are saying there is no war in South Kordofan. See – this is continuation of campaign from the first war. Their plan is to exterminate us. Will international community do something… ?”

It was half an hour ago since I came back to computer and modem. Now from all sides teams are coming with pictures and footage from today’s attacks. We do not know how many were killed. I have to stop to prepare stuff to send you now.

We need more modems, more laptops, more cameras, more trained people … We need your cooperation! It doesn’t matter who and where you are. We need to wake up everyone of still sensitive people all over, that this most innocent people, known to be the most gentle, honest kind on planet … are facing genocide again. Come on champions of human rights, join together against the criminal gang supported by oil hunters from east, west, north and south… Without you all knowing what is happening here, the most primitive agression will win. Support Nuba with cameras and satelite internet portable modems – so you will see what the evil forces are trying to hide. Come on people, it is the year 2011 … and we are all on test …

Tomo Križnar, Kauda, Wednesday, June 22 2011

23. junij 2011 – Tomo poroča: Nov napad na Kaudo Read More »

22. junij 2011 -Tomovo sporočilo za javnost (v angleščini)

Novice /

Message for public

The sistem of photo and video ground monitoring rebel areas of Nuba Mountains has started this morning. Eleven highly motivated men divided into five teams hastly left Kauda to go to the front lines in Kadugli, Kurchi, Talodi, Western Jebels, Heiban and Delami equipped with ten mini video cameras, ten common “turist” cameras, four laptops and two mobile internet satellite modems, all organised by slovenian humanitarian organisation HOPE.

They are competing who will send more competent pictures and footage of the new war which started on June 6 in – to the outside world completly sealed off and besieged – South Kordofan.

The aim of project called by the founding members “The Eyes and Ears” is to enable international community to see what is going on. And to give proof that Omar Bashir, president of Sudan and Mohamad Haruon, governer of the province, both accused by International court in Haag to be guilty of four main crimes against humanity, genocide included, are lying: claiming that in province populated mostly by indigenous Africans, – who supposed to remain after separation of South Sudan on July 9 with their traditional enemy, although they fought in previous war side by side with southener SPLA, – that there is no war in South Kordofan.

In the last weeks more than 50 towns have been bombed, by the words of SPLA commander Abdel Aziz half million people have been displaced, nobody knows yet how many civilians killed. All international humanitarian agencies left the area. Main battle between Sudan army forces and SPLA rebels is fought in Kadugli – a capital where by the words of escaped Nuba intelectuals, who claimed to be haunted house by house and killed even in front of UN compound – breathing is unberable due to rotten corpses lying everywhere.

Tomo Križnar

22. junij 2011

22. junij 2011 -Tomovo sporočilo za javnost (v angleščini) Read More »