Listen to actual chat audio on selected questions!
Erin: Welcome to T2A for November 15th. We’re meeting Darfur rights activist Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Abdalla. He is medical treatment director for Darfur’s leading indigenous human rights organization. The Amel Center for the Treatment & Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture works in Nyala, al-Fashir and the surrounding encampments of internally displaced people. Dr. Mohammed Ahmed is the 2007 recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Human Rights Award being presented in Washington Friday.
-------------------------------
Donaldtemitopeadelusi: I commend the effort of the United Nation in dousing the tension in Darfur especially the deployment of fresh troops to the enclave.
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! 
Real Audio 
MP3 Audio
Mohammed: This situation is very serious and it needs aid and protection and if there is a delay than the displaced will have nowhere to go. A top priority is to deploy these troops to protect these people.
-------------------------------
Dr. (Col.) V.K. Wadia, India (email): In cases of sexual violence, which is the more powerful tool: peer counseling or professional counseling, and why?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: Both can be effective. But we don't have these types of specialists to provide the necessary counseling.
-------------------------------
Dr. (Col.) V.K. Wadia, India (email): Being so economical and accessible, would you agree that tele counseling and web-counseling are good ways to provide counseling services?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: This is not practical because telecommunications in Darfur and in Sudan are not reliable.
-------------------------------
A.C. Rathinavel, India (email): What drew you to human rights issues, specifically Darfur?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: To me, this is my normal work that I have done for a long time. But right now I must dedicate my work to medicine and adopting standard medical protocols for future needs.
-------------------------------
Erin: What types of human rights violations have you witnessed in Darfur?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: I have seen many abuses, many who came to me bleeding from gunshots or burned from fire -- many killed, raped, many who have been targeted and detained and tortured in security headquarters.
-------------------------------
Erin: Talk about what you see in the eyes of and hear from victims you have treated – what is your message to them -- and where do they go after treatment?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: There is misery and mistrust but usually after a short time we need to follow up with the victims to make sure they get appropriate medical and psychological treatment so they can be reincorporated as normal citizens in their communities.
-------------------------------
Erin: Tell us more about what your organization is doing to help and how have the Amel Center’s operations changed as the situation has deteriorated and many international non-governmental organizations have left?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: We are a national organization. We have learned a lot from the international groups assisting us, including the United Nations and we have good relations. This has helped us adopt a standard protocol, which provides necessary documentation and treatment.
-------------------------------
Erin: Currently, there is not a widespread consensus as to whether or not the killings in Darfur should be considered genocide. What do you believe?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: To me I have seen systematic targeting of specific races and populations and this continues and has escalated. Civilians are the targets by air and on the ground, plus the systematic rape of women and young girls. What is left? It is now occupied. These are components of genocide. So to me this is genocide.
-------------------------------
Erin: You are more focused on your medical work right now – do you see a time again in the future when you may decide to become more politically involved in efforts to stop the crisis?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: No, to me medicine is where I belong.
-------------------------------
Erin: What is it that instills in you hope for the future?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: To me there are many things that make me optimistic. My own suffering and getting through that, the difficulties of 2003 and 2004 -- the international community has been of great help. These things, plus the reunification of rebel factions and work to start new peace negotiations and the support from our brothers in South Sudan, these things give me hope and should give hope to all the people of Sudan.
-------------------------------
Erin: I watched a video of young children in a camp in Chad singing about how their country with beautiful trees and fruit is deep in their hearts – what chance do they and most of their peers have of surviving to adulthood?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: This is difficult because we need international legal assistance to determine details. We need to let the legal process, including investigation, play out and then we will see. But I hope these children all become adults.
-------------------------------
Compaore Tewende Michel, Burkina Faso How is the Amel Center funded and are there children among the survivors of torture and sexual violence?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: I cannot speak to funding but there are many children treated at the Amel Center, many who have been severely tortured, including being thrown into fire. to go. Many are orphans who have no one to take care of them of tell them where
-------------------------------
Erin: What is the main message you brought to the United States?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: I want to thank the RFK Memorial Human Rights organization for its sympathy and support. I have brought a message of thanks from community leaders from more than 23 tribes and many professionals. But the very serious message here is that the situation is deteriorating and there is a lot of hard work to be done in order to improve it.
-------------------------------
Tom: Talk about the nature of the various rebel groups.
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: The government says they have succeeded in destroying rebel factions and splintering them. This has created rebels who don't really represent any particular group so this impacts what comes to the negotiation from the rebel groups. But many groups have united in Juba and are presenting a unified front for negotiations and this is good because they truly represent the people of Darfur. This unified platform makes me optimistic.
-------------------------------
Erin: Do you have any final thoughts?
Listen to actual chat audio of this answer! Real Audio MP3 Audio
Mohammed: We believe the international community will help the people of Darfur but recent information says there will be a delay in deployment of U.N. forces and this is of great concern. It's depressing because the people are in desperate need of international protection from the ongoing torture and in need of a way to establish long-term food service.
-------------------------------
Erin: That wraps T2A webchat. Our thanks to Dr. Mohammed Ahmed and to you for joining us. We hope you can join us for a special edition chat on Tuesday, November 20th at 19 hours universal time. We will meet political scientist Larry Sabato. Dr. Sabato is Professor and founder and director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. He is author of A More Perfect Constitution. We’ll discuss the U.S. Presidential campaign process. That’s Tuesday, November 20th at 19 hours universal time on voanews.com See you then!
Back to Past Chats
