DARFUR REFUGEE WOMEN SPEAK OUT: The Farchana Manifesto

In June 2008, after a night of terror in a refugee camp for Darfur refugees in Chad (terror perpetrated by refugees living there), a group of courageous women living there decided to speak out. They created a 14 point human rights document that has come to be called the Farchana Manifesto.

Stripped of citizenship, refugees lack the most basic rights; the right to work, to due process, of movement, and even of future.



Despite great danger, one of the women deeply wanted to speak out on camera, to bring the story of their plight to the West. My friend Ivan, who was doing humanitarian aid work in Chad, filmed this interview and brought it home. I (Pete) then interviewed Ivan, and with additional footage from a few generous others, put together this five-minute piece.

The hope of the piece is to answer the women's plea to "bring this message to the outside world." It seems the least we can all do. Awareness is the first step.

The underlying message is this: Refugee camps are meant to be transitional. When they become what are called semi-permanent locations, they can become even greater refuges for hopelessness and violence—with women facing the brunt of the violence.

This is contrary to both human dignity and the stated goals of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is to protect and support refugees and assist in their return or resettlement.


I hope you find the piece inspiring and informative, and a call to action,

Pete McCormack,
May 2009

See also Darfur Refugee Women Speak Out: Risking Life for Human Rights & Darfur In Ten Minutes: An Overview of the Conflict

Credits:

Ton Koene (www.tonkoene.nl) for his photos, Jacky Essombe (www.jackyessombe.com) for her voice, Karin Muller (www.take2videos.org) and Ivan for additional background footage, Stephen Cohen for the additional interview, thanks to Sarah Estacaille for the B-cam help, Dr. Amin Jalloh (www.arabicgloballanguage.com) for translation, and big, big thanks to Craig Berggold and Jesse Miller for the studio.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• darfur
• sudan
• janjaweed
• genocide
• china
• oil
• Darfur in ten minutes
• Chad
• Farchana
• refugee women
• women's rights
• human rights
• Africa
• torture
• citizenship
• humanitarian aid
• UNHCR
• pete mccormack

[mecareeh]

Wow, this really makes u think of how blessed we r 2 b living in North America. We don't have 2 worry about being discriminated against and still we don't even really appreciate it or think about all those other people in the world who don't have the privieges we do and have to suffer under genocide.

[Mbeebeelove]

Of course the agencies won't listen because they can't just step in and change something, it's a gradual process and you have to consider the culture that ties itself in the religion of these people.

[tookool4school]

what a shame. this is terrible. we must do something.

[ngannet]

Bravery is expressed in many ways. The woman speaking here is an inspiration. Thank you for posting this video.

[turnbacktime]

as an east african i really do appreciate your videos.