Casper said...
Maybe your right or maybe your wrong?
Actor Don Cheadle has a new mission in life: raising awareness about the atrocities being carried out in what the United Nations says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
Cheadle traveled throughout western Sudan's Darfur region in 2005, and the trip left him a changed man, so much so it was difficult to come back to "my comfortable life and take stock in all the privileges ... and do nothing," he said.
accra said...
Don Cheadle would probably feel that same shock if he drives through some parts of any large city in Africa. Take your pick Lagos, Nairobi, Coutonu etc. etc.The poverty and suffering can be mind boggling. Or perhaps a visit to the main teaching hospital in any of these cities, where new mothers sleep on the floor with their babies. No electricity for surgery.... the list goes on and on...
It doesn't take Darfur to know that there is poverty and suffering in many countries of Africa.
INTELLECTUALLY COURAGEOUS THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
I'm not sure that what is happening in Darfur is worse than what happened in Rwanda, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and what is currently happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and many other other parts of Africa.One cannot overlook two important variables in this whole Darfur/West/Media equation, that is oil and Islam.
It would be foolish to think that these two factors have not had any impact on the media coverage and in some cases propoganda coming out of Darfur.
16 comments:
Don Cheadle is behaving as the usual spoiled American who's shocked that the rest of the world doesn't have running water and big screen tv's. It's a shame he's not putting his shock to better use than advancing a political agenda that will only heap more destruction upon Darfur.
II
It's a shame he's not putting his shock to better use than advancing a political agenda that will only heap more destruction upon Darfur.
Can you please show just cause for your position. Mr. Cheadle unlike most on this board has spent a significant amount of time in the southern region of Africa... If you knew the man. Since 2004 when he was filming Hotel Rwanda (about Rwandan Genocide) he has been very involved in African political issues. Please don't follow the leader on this one. Sheep not allowed!
DV, I like my avatar, is that the word?
Casper, I don't think the debate is about Don Cheadle's knowledge or lack thereof.
As someone who lives in Africa and works in a development related field, I see poverty and suffering almost on a daily basis. I'm not sure that what is happening in Darfur is worse than what happened in Rwanda, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and what is currently happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and many other other parts of Africa.
One cannot overlook two important variables in this whole Darfur/West/Media equation, that is oil and Islam.
It would be foolish to think that these two factors have not had any impact on the media coverage and in some cases propoganda coming out of Darfur.
Casper -
Accra pretty much summed it up. Cheadle is letting himself be a pawn of the "Save Darfur" movement, which has nothing to helping Africans. I thought you didn't like pawns.
That should have said "nothing to do with..."
accra & II
I don't like pawns... But are each of you suggesting that a man can not make a choice of which noble cause he wishes to provide his name, energy and time against? that's silly! Oh because there are other countries in need he shouldn't choose one of them to focus on is not a logical argument. Secondly, how do you know that he is not contributing his time and name to the other causes?. You don't!... is the answer and before you cast stones you should explain what are you each doing to assist the causes in the Congo,etc. ...
Now let's talk about oil.
Top Oil Reserves African Countries:
1 Libya 40,000,000,000 barrels
2 Nigeria 36,000,000,000 barrels
3 Angolo 25,000,000,000 barrels
4 Algiers 12,460,000,000barrels
5 Egypt 2,700,000,000 barrels
5 Gabon 1,921,000,000 barrels
6 Tunisia 1,700,000,000 barrels
7 Congo Democratic Republic 1,600,000,000 barrels
8 Sudan 1,538,000,000 barrels
Sudan is #34 in the world with 1,538,000,000 barrels in confirmed oil reserves. The U.S. is #14 with 22,450,000,000 barrels in confirmed oil reserves.
#11 Mexico 33,310,000,000 barrels So why not just invade Mexico??? or Aliens for Oil?
No Sheep Allowed!
II
One cannot overlook two important variables in this whole Darfur/West/Media equation, that is oil and Islam.
Tunisia is a mostly as a % Muslim nation and has greater oil reserves than Sudan. Same for Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Libya... So there goes your theory!
Don Cheadle Stands Up for Human Rights
Actor Don Cheadle is more recognizable than ever after his Oscar-nominated role in "Hotel Rwanda," which chronicles the 1994 genocide in Rwanda that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people and created a refugee crisis affecting more than 3 million others. Cheadle played Paul Rusesabagina, a character who proves that one man can truly make a difference. Taking his character's example to heart, Cheadle partners with Amnesty International to raise awareness about the horrific reality of genocide in Africa.
http://www.celebrityvalues.com/don_cheadle.html
Casper, you are answering arguments that haven't been made.
Mr Casper, my theory is not going anywhere.
Don Cheadle may truly be concerned for the poverty and suffering that is going on in Sudan, though I hardly think that acting in Hotel Rwanda now qualifies him to be the utmost authority on human rights abuses in Africa.
According to the Oil and Gas journal, " war ridden Sudan has become sub Saharan Africa's third largest producer of oil, behind Nigeria and Angola"
"By conservative estimates, Sudan's current oil production is at 382,000bbl/d" Khartoum is set to reach the production target of 6000,000 bbl/d it set for the end of 2006"
"Numbers on Sudanese oil production are always insecure, as the Khartoum government and major oil companies operating in the country avoid publicity and do not hand out complete data."
" China National Petroleum Corporation, India's Oil and Gas corporation and Malaysia's Petronas are now the biggest players in Sudan's oil sector"
Finally, "Sudanese sources estimate that Darfur and Kordofan may be the areas richest in oil in the country. It is further estimated that vast potential
resrves are held in the desert regions of north-western Sudan, the Blue Nile Basin and the Red sea area in eastern Sudan"
So my dear Casper, Sudan has potentially the highest reserves of oil in Africa.
The fact is, the greatest motivating factor for certain governments of the West ( not individuals, and maybe not Don Cheadle) in this whole Darfur matter, is control of oil.
The Western oil companies cannot take part in Sudan's oil adventure due to frosty relations and sactions...... the USA and the west are by far the largest consumers of oil..... need I say more.
And the other countries that have huge oil reserves (Nigeria Algeris etc. etc.), also have BP, Shell, and all the other western oil companies in there. The West has access to that oil and really all the oil in Africa except Sudan!
So though there are humanitarian concerns in Darfur, the attention that this crisis is getting from some western governments is far higher than similar crisis have received.
Let me ask you a question Casper, do you think oil was a motivating factor in the Iraq war?
Sorry for this fragmented response, I'm multitasking.
accra
According to the Oil and Gas journal, " war ridden Sudan has become sub Saharan Africa's third largest producer of oil, behind Nigeria and Angola"
That could be true...but oil reserves and oil production are two different things.
accra
Finally, "Sudanese sources estimate that Darfur and Kordofan may be the areas richest in oil in the country. It is further estimated that vast potential
resrves are held in the desert regions of north-western Sudan, the Blue Nile Basin and the Red sea area in eastern Sudan"
Sundanese sources... hmmm ... Anyway...Yes they same cats who I am sure are trying to get paid and want oil companies to pay them handsomely for their oil reserves.
accra
the USA and the west are by far the largest consumers of oil..... need I say more.
Comsumption of oil and importing of oil are two different measurements... Do you know why?? and which one relies on other oil producing nations?
"oil reserves and oil production are two diffent things "
Oil reserves become oil production for the future! Nothing wrong with securing your supply.
Don't all countries want to be paid handsomely for their oil reserves? Please show me an oil producing country that doesn't so I can inform our Minister of Energy to go and source oil from there.
accra
Oil reserves become oil production for the future! Nothing wrong with securing your supply.
If you have 100 one dollar bills in your pocket. I have 10,000 one dollar bills in my pocket. You spend 10 dollars per day and I spend 5 dollars per day. At the end who has more dollars?? This is not rocket science so know need to play games.
accra
And the other countries that have huge oil reserves (Nigeria Algeris etc. etc.), also have BP, Shell, and all the other western oil companies in there. The West has access to that oil and really all the oil in Africa except Sudan!
What you forgot to mention is that Sudan forced a Canadian Talisman Energy Inc and a Swedish oil company Lundin Oil AB to leave their oil fields in favor of the Chinese & Malaysia oil companies in 2002. BP and Shell never had interest in the Sudan.
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