|
|
 محمود قابيل يتحدث عن مأساة دارفور : يحتاجون أكثر للحب والدفء
|
فيما يلي نص الحوار الذي أجرته صحيفة Khaleej Times بعددها الصادر اليوم 7/3/2005 مع الممثل المصري محمود قابيل المعين من قبل اليونسيف كسفير للنوايا الحسنة لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا. تحدث فيه عن مشاهداته ومعايشته للكارثة الإنسانية التي تجري وقائعها المأساوية في دارفور. وقد قدمت الصحيفة للحوار بمقدمة موجزة عن بداية الصراع المسلح بين الحكومة ومتمردي دارفور.
‘EVERYTHING ABOUT THE DARFUR TRAGEDY IS OVERPOWERING’
The United Nations has called it the greatest humanitarian crisis since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. In the Darfur region of western Sudan, a human tragedy of unprecedented proportions has been unleashed.
The conflict, with historical roots, escalated in February 2003 when two rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) drawn from members of the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa ethnic groups, demanded an end to chronic economic marginalisation and sought power-sharing within the Arab-ruled Sudanese state.
The Sudanese government, along with its Janjaweed allies, responded to this armed and political threat by targeting the civilian populations from which the rebels were drawn. According to reports, this state-sponsored violence has killed over 300,000 so far, destroyed and burnt hundreds of villages, raped scores of women, looted food stocks, decimated livestock and other supplies essential to the civilian population.
Over two million people have been displaced from their homes, among them about 1.4 million children. Surviving civilians have fled to over 100 refugee camps that have sprung up. Their lives hang in balance, with starvation and disease dogging their footsteps. Thousands of children in tattered clothing and covered in dust wander through these camps. The crisis in Darfur has been called the starkest challenge to the world.
Meanwhile, Unicef and other organisations have launched urgent humanitarian and emergency response programmes in Darfur, to alleviate the suffering of the affected Sudanese people, majority of who are children, providing them with basic things: clean water, food, medicinal relief, schools and other items. But the crisis is of such magnitude that Unicef and other aid agencies have been able to reach only about 25 per cent of the affected children and their families in need because of a serious lack of resources. This was revealed by Mahmoud Kabil, one of Egypt’s most popular and acclaimed movie actors who, as Unicef’s Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa, returned last week from a visit to Darfur.
Appointed as Goodwill Ambassador in 2003 in recognition of his many charity works, the actor has completed previous missions for Unicef in Tunis, Jordan and Dakar. Mahmoud Kabil was in Dubai on Saturday, to create awareness about the Darfur humanitarian crisis and to appeal for aid on Unicef’s behalf. He spoke to City Times about his experiences in Darfur region.
What was the aim of your mission to Darfur and what did the mission involve?
Our basic aim is create awareness about the Darfur crisis and its appalling magnitude, and to appeal to everybody, nations, companies, non-governmental organisations and people to give help which is badly needed there to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.
Our mission involved travelling from Cairo to Khartoum, and then started out for western Darfur. We held some meetings and a Press conference there. Then we visited a refugee camp at Krinding. I saw the massive efforts the Unicef and other organisations are putting in there, to provide basic things like water, sanitation, education, medical relief. We launched Unicef’s immunisation programme.
Afterwards, we visited another camp in the southern capital of Darfur and saw the humanitarian programmes there. At this camp, which was one of the biggest, I talked to the displaced Sudanese children and saw how deeply affected they are by the wanton violence and mayhem. Later we met with some Sudanese officials including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Culture.
How was this mission different from your earlier ones?
This mission was like no other. This was a mission from a very human point of view. You know, I see poverty all around. I have seen poverty in Mumbai, in Cairo, in other places. But what I felt at Darfur was helplessness. I don’t think I’m ever going to see anything like this. The children in the camps are traumatised. Of course, now they are looking good. The nutrition is good. But what they lack is human warmth. Their biggest expectation is to just hold your hand. That’s all they seem to want. I didn’t see the violence myself but I had a glimpse of it through the children’s’ drawings. I went into a classroom and saw children drawing horsemen with guns in hands, aircrafts dropping bombs, villages burning, parents lying with daggers thrust into their bodies. And these were 5 and 6-year-old kids. It breaks your heart, believe me.
Later in the same classroom, I saw one boy drawing a flower and I thought to myself: ‘This is the healing process which has begun.’ Unicef is doing a wonderful job in Darfur — not just providing water and sanitation and education but offering the human warmth which is what those children desperately need. I keep dreaming about it.
What was the scope of the tragedy you witnessed?
It is unprecedented, something I have never seen in my life. I saw it on screen, but have never been there. But when I went there, the sight of those children was moving. You know, they surround you, try to touch you and want to hug you. I was watching the children running around and playing and there was this little girl, maybe 2 years old, and she seemed to be lost. She walked with tiny steps towards me and clutched my trouser with her small hands. I picked her up and hugged her, she rested her head on my shoulder and went to sleep. That’s all that little girl wanted: to be cuddled. So, I went around the camp with her sleeping in my arms. It was a very touching experience. It made me realise they are places in this world that need not only food, clothes, medicines, shelter but also love and affection.
What was the overpowering emotion you felt during your visit to Darfur?
Everything about the Darfur tragedy is overpowering. Basically, what the staff of Unicef and other organisations are doing there is to alleviate the pain and trauma of the children, men and women affected by the conflict. After watching them, I felt helpless. As a member of the human race, as a citizen of the planet, I felt ashamed that we couldn’t do more, because so much needs to be done. And I felt I should do much more because when you see those innocent children who are the worst victims of the conflict, they remind you of your own children, your own family. It was terrible to see that and I think if anyone went there they would feel the same. It was a tremendously valuable learning experience. It has filled me with energy to do more and, hopefully, I will go back to Darfur in September to the children and families that are still there. Meanwhile, we are going to send an appeal to all the Arab nations and the rest of the world to do all they can for the people of Darfur.
Having visited Darfur and seen first hand the horrific fallout of the Sudanese crisis,
what is your appeal to Arab nations and its people?
As a member of the Arab community, as a member of the human race, I’m appealing to all the Arab nations and their people to do something, to support the Unicef and the people of Darfur, to join the humanitarian effort, by giving money, by giving aid, in whatever form. It is desperately needed there. We should assume the responsibility of another Arab country in need. But above all, I would urge people to go and visit Darfur. Those children need attention, warmth and affection. The most important thing: they need love.
(عدل بواسطة بدري الياس on 03-07-2005, 11:08 PM)
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست