X.Dreams.X Admin
| Subject: British Muslim delegation supports peace initiative for Darfur. Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:29 am | |
| Islamic Relief (IR) was one of a delegation of prominent British Muslims visiting Darfur this month, attempting to raise awareness regarding the ongoing conflict which has left around 250,000 people dead and 2.7 million displaced.
The trip, which was part of a UK government initiative, took place December 13-23, 2008 and saw the participants visiting the IDP (Internally displaced persons) camps of Darfur before moving on to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar where they met with relevant leaders and officials including the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Conference.
"The Darfur humanitarian crisis is now in its fifth year and the people of Darfur we visited were tired, exhausted and just wanted to go home. We, as part of the international community call for a peaceful end to this bitter conflict so that humanitarian agencies can focus on the next stage of rehabilitation and development,” said IR UK’s director Jehangir Malik who represented IR.
Other delegates included representatives from Muslim Aid and The Muslim Council of Britain (Sir Iqbal Sacranie), Islamic Scholar Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra, lawyer and Director of the CATCH charity project Fatim Kurji and writer and commentator Shelina Janmohamed.
“Once we return back to the UK, we hope that we will be able to convey the views of our members individually and collectively and bring support to this very deserving cause,” Sacranie told journalists.
The conflict in Darfur, western Sudan, began in February 2003. IR has been working in Sudan since responding to famine in 1984. | |
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