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GEORGE CLOONEY, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARRESTED AT ANCA CO-SPONSORED PROTEST
asbarez
Friday, March 16th, 2012
George Clooney being arrested during Sudan protest (Photo by Cliff Owen/AP)
WASHINGTON-Actor George Clooney, his father, as well as four members of
Congress were among those arrested Friday at a protest in front of the
Sudanese Embassy organized by United to End Genocide and co-sponsored
by the Armenian National Committee of America, among others.
Also arrested for civil disobedience were representatives Jim McGovern
(D-Mass.), James Moran (D-Va.), Tom Andrews, President of United
to End Genocide and John Prendergast of the Enough Project and the
president of the NAACP, Ben Jealous. Also participating in the protest
were Martin Luther King III and representatives John Olver (D-Mass.)
and Al Green (D-Texas).
"We were pleased by the broad public awareness generated by George
Clooney and all of the participants in today's protest, which we were
proud to cosponsor with United to End Genocide", said ANCA Government
Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian. "As Americans of Armenian heritage,
who continue to bear witness to the dangerous precedent set by Turkey's
still unpunished crimes of genocide and exile against the Armenian
nation, we look forward to helping to translate today's energy into
concrete action by the U.S. and the international community to stop the
killing, punish the perpetrators and serve justice for the victims."
Nahapetian led a group of Armenian-Americans who joined the more
than 100 activists to protest the Sudanese government's continued
blockade of humanitarian aid to the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile,
where half a million residents are on the brink of starvation.
The ANCA was a co-sponsor of the protest, along with Jewish World
Watch, Amnesty International, the NAACP, STAND and a slew of other
national organizations. Since July of last year, the ANCA has worked
with members of the International Association of Genocide Scholars and
United to End Genocide to raise alarm bells regarding the Sudanese
Government's attacks against the civilians of the Nuba mountains -
urging Congress to take immediate action to stop the killing.
The Sudanese Armed Forces are conducting a campaign of indiscriminate
bombing against civilians of the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile,
causing wide-spread destruction. This combined with the blockade
of humanitarian aid has created an urgent humanitarian crisis in
the region.
The protest began earlier in the morning with a rally at Sheridan
Circle and then moved to the Sudanese Embassy, where Clooney, who
testified earlier this week before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, discussed his recent trip to the Nuba Mountains.
Clooney praised the activism of the local Nuba Mountain residents
who are calling for the immediate arrest of Sudanese president Omar
al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war
crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Darfur.
Rep. McGovern has introduced legislation that calls on increasing
sanctions on Sudan and engaging countries that have influence on Sudan,
among them Turkey. The ANCA will be launching an online action campaign
to secure Congressional support for the resolution.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
asbarez
Friday, March 16th, 2012
George Clooney being arrested during Sudan protest (Photo by Cliff Owen/AP)
WASHINGTON-Actor George Clooney, his father, as well as four members of
Congress were among those arrested Friday at a protest in front of the
Sudanese Embassy organized by United to End Genocide and co-sponsored
by the Armenian National Committee of America, among others.
Also arrested for civil disobedience were representatives Jim McGovern
(D-Mass.), James Moran (D-Va.), Tom Andrews, President of United
to End Genocide and John Prendergast of the Enough Project and the
president of the NAACP, Ben Jealous. Also participating in the protest
were Martin Luther King III and representatives John Olver (D-Mass.)
and Al Green (D-Texas).
"We were pleased by the broad public awareness generated by George
Clooney and all of the participants in today's protest, which we were
proud to cosponsor with United to End Genocide", said ANCA Government
Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian. "As Americans of Armenian heritage,
who continue to bear witness to the dangerous precedent set by Turkey's
still unpunished crimes of genocide and exile against the Armenian
nation, we look forward to helping to translate today's energy into
concrete action by the U.S. and the international community to stop the
killing, punish the perpetrators and serve justice for the victims."
Nahapetian led a group of Armenian-Americans who joined the more
than 100 activists to protest the Sudanese government's continued
blockade of humanitarian aid to the Nuba Mountains and the Blue Nile,
where half a million residents are on the brink of starvation.
The ANCA was a co-sponsor of the protest, along with Jewish World
Watch, Amnesty International, the NAACP, STAND and a slew of other
national organizations. Since July of last year, the ANCA has worked
with members of the International Association of Genocide Scholars and
United to End Genocide to raise alarm bells regarding the Sudanese
Government's attacks against the civilians of the Nuba mountains -
urging Congress to take immediate action to stop the killing.
The Sudanese Armed Forces are conducting a campaign of indiscriminate
bombing against civilians of the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile,
causing wide-spread destruction. This combined with the blockade
of humanitarian aid has created an urgent humanitarian crisis in
the region.
The protest began earlier in the morning with a rally at Sheridan
Circle and then moved to the Sudanese Embassy, where Clooney, who
testified earlier this week before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, discussed his recent trip to the Nuba Mountains.
Clooney praised the activism of the local Nuba Mountain residents
who are calling for the immediate arrest of Sudanese president Omar
al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war
crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Darfur.
Rep. McGovern has introduced legislation that calls on increasing
sanctions on Sudan and engaging countries that have influence on Sudan,
among them Turkey. The ANCA will be launching an online action campaign
to secure Congressional support for the resolution.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress