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Thousands of Protesters Demand End to Darfur Genocide in
Largest Public U.S. Outcry Since Conflict Began
Up To 350,000 March in New York for Peace, Justice and Democracy
A Day Without Immigrants: Millions Expected to Boycott Work,
Not Consume to Protest Anti-Immigrant Bill
The Origins of May Day: A Story of Chicago, the First Labor
Movement and the Bombing That Divided Gilded Age America
Thousands of Protesters Demand End to Darfur Genocide
in Largest Public U.S. Outcry Since Conflict Began
Tens of thousands of protesters from across the country
rallied in Washington DC Sunday to demand an end to the genocide
in Darfur. The rally was one of several that took place in
at least 17 other cities, marking the largest public outcry
in the US since the conflict erupted in Western Sudan three
years ago. We hear speakers at the rally, including actor
George Clooney and Rwanda genocide survivor Paul Rusesabagina.
[includes rush
transcript]
Tens of thousands of protesters from across the country
rallied in Washington DC Sunday to demand an end to the genocide
in Darfur. The rally was one of several that took place in
at least 17 other cities, marking the largest public outcry
in the US since the conflict erupted in Western Sudan three
years ago.
At least 180,000 people have died in the region and as many
as three million people have been left homeless. The United
Nations has labeled the conflict one of the "worst humanitarian
crises in the world." Congress and President Bush have
declared the Darfur killings to be genocide
The Washington rally came as peace talks between the rebels
and the Khartoum government faltered in Nigeria. Rebel groups
rejected a peace agreement that the Sudan government had said
it would support. A spokesman for the rebels said the deal
did not give enough autonomy to Darfur. The African Union
said last night the talks would continue for another 48 hours.
Demonstrators packed the National Mall Sunday chanting "enough
is enough" and called on the Bush administration to take
stronger measures to help civilians against attacks by government-backed
Arab militias in Darfur.
Academy award-winning actor George Clooney - who has just
returned from a trip to Darfur - was among those who addressed
the crowd.
- George Clooney, speaking in Washington DC, April 30,
2006.
The speakers at the rally included survivors of the Holocaust,
the Rwandan genocide and the conflict in Bosnia, many of whom
drew parallels to Darfur. Paul Rusesabagina, the Rwandan hotel
manager who is credited with saving 1,200 Rwandans from slaughter,
also spoke. Rusesabagina is a recipient of the Presidential
Medal of Freedom whose story is depicted in the film Hotel
Rwanda.
- Paul Rusesabagina, speaking in Washington DC, April 30,
2006.
Many Sudanese refugees from Darfur traveled to Washington
DC from across the country to attend the demonstration. Darfur
genocide survivor Bashir Abdul Rosso praised the turnout of
the rally.
- Bashir Abdul Rosso, speaking in Washington DC, April
30, 2006.
Up To 350,000 March in New York for Peace, Justice
and Democracy
Hundreds of thousands of people from around the country
marched through New York City on Saturday in what organizers
billed as a March for Peace Justice and Democracy. We hear
Cindy Sheehan and NYC Transport Workers Union leader Roger
Toussaint address the crowd. [includes rush
transcript]
Hundreds of thousands of people from around the country marched
through New York City on Saturday in what organizers billed
as a March for Peace Justice and Democracy.
For nearly two hours, protesters made their way down Broadway
through Soho and Chinatown, to rally in Foley Square outside
Manhattan's city hall. Marches demanded that the US pull its
troops out of Iraq and protested against the possibility of
a war in Iran. The march's lead contingent included Oscar
winning actor Susan Sarandon, NYC Transport Workers Union
leader Roger Toussaint; and Michael Berg, whose son was the
first U.S. civilian hostage killed in Iraq. The Reverends
Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton also spoke.
The march came a day after the military announced that this
month was the deadliest month for American forces in Iraq
this year. 70 U.S. troops have been killed since the beginning
of April. Among those who addressed the crowd Saturday was
Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in Iraq in 2004.
- Cindy Sheehan, speaking in New York City, April 29, 2006.
Transit Workers Union leader Roger Toussaint also spoke at
the New York rally on Saturday. Toussaint was jailed Monday
for authorizing last year's strike that shut down New York
City's Transit system. He was released Friday after four of
a ten-day sentence.
- Roger Toussaint, speaking in New York City, April 29,
2006.
A Day Without Immigrants: Millions Expected to Boycott
Work, Not Consume to Protest Anti-Immigrant Bill
Millions of immigrant workers are expected to boycott work
and school today in support of nationwide May Day protests
against anti-immigrant legislation being considered in Washington.
Dubbed "A Day Without Immigrants" protests are planned
in over 70 cities. Immigrant rights groups are calling on
immigrant workers to not show up for work and to not buy anything
all day. [include rush
transcript]
Today immigrants" rights groups have called for a nationwide
"day without immigrants." In more than 60 cities
around the country, hundreds of events are planned to demonstrate
the importance of immigrant labor to the economy of the United
States.
Walk-outs, boycotts, rallies, teach-ins, marches, and business
closings are planned throughout the day. An international
protest will takeplace at the San Diego, Tijuana border. In
Chicago, massive rallies are planned, one of which will be
held in Haymarket Square, where the original Mayday protests
occurred in 1886.
In many cities, immigrants and their supporters will link
hands at exactly 12:16pm a time meant to symbolize the December
16th passage of the draconian House Immigration Bill HR4437.
Many businesses are also planning to close their doors in
a show of solidarity with immigrant laborers. In Texas, the
chain Malone's Cost-Plus, which owns over 800 restaurants
and nine Dallas supermarkets will close. Here in New York,
many stores and businesses have also decided to close their
doors today so that their workers can take part in the marches
and rallies planned throughout the city.
We speak with four guests about today's planned activities:
- Francia Lopera, General Manger of Rachel's Taqueria and
La Taqueria in Park Slope Brooklyn. She is originally from
Colombia.
- Jorge Mujica, one of the lead organizers for the March
10 protest in Chicago that drew up to 300,000 people. He
is a former journalist and union organizer who has worked
for La Raza, Univision, and Telemundo, and has been involved
in union organizing in both the US and in Mexico.
The Origins of May Day: A Story of Chicago, the First
Labor Movement and the Bombing That Divided Gilded Age America
We look at the origins of May Day with James Green, a professor
of history and labor studies at the University of Massachusetts
and the author of "Death in the Haymarket: A Story of
Chicago, the First Labor Movement and the Bombing That Divided
Gilded Age America." [includes rush
transcript]
Today, May 1st, is known as May Day or International Worker's
Day. The day is an official government holiday in most countries
with mass demonstrations, rallies and marches being held to
express labor solidarity and celebrate worker's rights. Here
in the United States May Day is not a government-sanctioned
holiday even though the commemoration originated here. However
this year immigrant groups have chosen this day to stage a
work strike and take part in a one-day economic boycott to
protest anti-immigrant legislation being considered by Congress.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to participate in the boycott
and various other events taking place throughout the country.
We take a look at the origins of May Day, the Haymarket riot,
which took place in Chicago in 1886.
- James Green, professor of History & Labor Studies
at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is the author
of "Death in the Haymarket: A Story of Chicago, the
First Labor Movement and the Bombing That Divided Gilded
Age America."
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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