Sudan Embassy Protest Ends In Arrest For Rabbis, George Clooney

WASHINGTON -- Numerous religious leaders and four members of Congress were arrested here this morning at a protest outside the Embassy of Sudan. Among those arrested were Rabbi David Saperstein, president of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.); Martin Luther King III and the actor George Clooney.

Also present at the protest were Anglican Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail, of the diocese of Kadugli, capital of the Sudanese state of South Kordofan, and Rabbi Steve Gutow, president of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.

Gutow was later arrested, along with Saperstein, Clooney, King and Fred Kramer, executive director of the Jewish World Watch. The arrested congressmen were Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), John Olver (D-Mass.), Al Green (D-Texas) and Moran.

The organized demonstration and expected arrests were the latest step in a decade-long effort to end the genocide and mass starvation of the Sudanese people perpetrated by the government of president Omar al-Bashir.

Following a referendum last year that divided the former Sudan into two nations, Sudan and South Sudan, Bashir's government has carried out bombing raids on civilians in the restive Southern border areas, resulting in an effective blockade of international hunger relief efforts.

Speaking at the rally, Gutow told the crowd of approximately 150 "the inhumane cruelty of Omar al-Bashir's war crimes is too much for us to abide in silence. With one hand he assaults his own people while with the other he holds back those who would seek to help. I am compelled by God, by my commitment to justice, and by my humanity to speak out."

Prior to the demonstration and subsequent arrests, HuffPost spoke to Rabbi Saperstein, Bishop Andudu and Rep. Moran about the role of faith-based communities in making the nation more aware of the suffering of vulnerable populations around the world.

Watch the video at the top of this story.

Video produced by Sara Kenigsberg.

Comments

[NikkiDove]

02:18 AM on 03/23/2012

As an atheist, it's nice to see a fellow nonbeliever like Mr. Clooney band together with people with different viewpoints to achieve a common goal.

"Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people." George Bernard Shaw

[fireart]

06:00 PM on 03/18/2012

There is usually a way to approach any cause and it involves laws and rules. If you break one you bring a bad light upon the cause no matter how right the cause maybe.

[Veronica Hayes]

10:45 AM on 03/18/2012

For the life of me I will never understand why when someone is trying to do something good there is always hatred to mess it up. Rodney King said it best "can't we all just get along."
Hopefully someday we will ovecome the hatred and learn to live and just leave well enough alone. The GOP is totally a bunch of trouble makers who have continued to play with the lives of women not to mention the circus of candidates who are running for president in 2012. I applaude Clooney for what he is doing. Keep on keepin' on.

[garypeter]

09:26 PM on 03/17/2012

This is an easy one. All those who protest against the genocide that has been going on in the Sudan for more than a decade is protested against. All known liberals and Democrats. Not a GOP member in the bunch. And Why? Because we get nothing from the Sudan...ne oil, ne diamonds, ne nuthin'! Consequently, why would a member of the GOP care if there is a people being consumed by war lords. Nope, there has to be $$ involved for them to get involved and still, they would think many times over if arrest was a possibility. This is yet another difference between the GOP and Democrats. Democrats truly believe in equality whereas their right wing counterparts only believe in it if there is something in it for them! Nice, boys. Really nice. No wonder when Obama visits a foreign nation, they trip over themselves just to see the man, whereas when Bush visited a foreign country, he needed a pope-like mobile to protect him from veggies gone bad! In the interim, they stay silent, but if oil were gushing tomorrow....the story would be different. GOP losers.

[Medicine13ear]

04:38 PM on 03/18/2012

This is not an easy one. I can't seem to get through to you -- it's a riddle wrapped in an enigma -- see if you can follow me here. They are so close to being Victorious! They need VICtory, KIndness, and AT the very least, MEDICINE, other aid to help BEAR their burdens, and HEALING. Please connect the DOT! COMplete freedom! Try connecting peace to the dove! Understand? I await your response. Peace.

[Medicine13ear]

06:39 PM on 03/26/2012

Here's another key, like that infamous Italian "vicki alla medicina orso guarigione dot" com ment says: The more things change, the more they stay the same!

[mjr91]

07:02 PM on 03/17/2012

I salute all of the protestors. Good on you, all of you.

[mediationpro]

05:46 PM on 03/17/2012

Dr. King reminds us that "injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere". Clooney and the wonderful clergymen who were arrested ( for what, I don't know) are exemplars of moral loeadership. This by no means overlooks or ignores the other injustices and unfairnesses raised by some commenters. Why single this out? It does not diminish the importance of all the other social justice matters. In fact, look up the Religious Action Center, led by Rabbi Saperstein, and you'll learn about a long time, on-going, powerful commitment to racial and social justice. The horrors in Sudan need to be exposed and called out. Good things happen when light is shined on such matters. This helps bend the arc of justice in the correct direction. So, thank you George Clooney, Rabbi Saperstein and all of you who stand up for justice.

[thebearclaw007]

12:18 PM on 03/17/2012

Don't get me wrong, this is a wonderful endeavor and I wish them the most success. However, "I am compelled by God, by my commitment to justice, and by my humanity to speak out."
What about the mass incarceration of blacks that's taking place right here in the US? What about the unemployment rate that's double for people of color in the US than it is for whites? What about all the abuse young people of color are undergoing in the US educational and judicial system nationwide? And what about justice for this young child in Sanford, FLA who was recently murdered and whose killer has not yet been arrested.
Like I said initially, I believe the efforts of these actors and leaders are noble, but sometime they appear to serve as a distraction that doesn't allow us to focus on the evil genocidal techniques taking place right here in the US. All I can say George, when you finish your work over there, get busy here too.

[lmam]

02:31 PM on 03/17/2012

@ thebearclaw007

Good post, Well said...People cry for injustice in other countries, but ignore or fail to recgonize the injustices taking place everyday right here in good ol FREE America...

.What is the expected results from a man or women who screams injustice for another nation, but fails to acknowlegde the corruption an injustice in their own country?

[Clare53]

11:32 PM on 03/17/2012

Different people get involved in different causes for a multitude of reasons. If I get involved with prostate cancer research would you question why I'm not involved with diabetes research? Why do people like you think that because we have problems here we can't support a cause in another country? And how do you know that those people who were arrested don't have causes they support at home. Really. There's always someone who is going to criticize someone's support of a cause when there is another cause. Well, there are loads of causes. What are you doing for others?

[emperance]

04:21 AM on 03/17/2012

I frk'n LOVE Angie Jo-Pitt & Clooney for the way they are trying to save this EFF'D UP world.

I will eat their discarded toe nails because these mugs use their fame to MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

_______________________________________

I love you both, for that.

And for every celeb who risks life / limb, may there be a special place in heaven for you.

I'm soooo glad that Prez O has them both in the White House.

Dear Lord, If you ever give me fame & $$, I will use it to help my fellow world citizens, just like Angie Pitt & Clooney (and others like them - Brad / New Orleans).

[thebearclaw007]

12:19 PM on 03/17/2012

Too bad they don't focus on the racial hatred going on here in the US.

[emperance]

04:07 PM on 03/17/2012

AMERICA, the most prosperous country on earth, yet you say something like this.
SHAME ON YOU.

[fireart]

05:53 PM on 03/18/2012

Not everything is race. Phssssssh

[fireart]

11:28 AM on 03/19/2012

It is really hard to determine what is snark on these threads.

[eoinen]

11:30 PM on 03/16/2012

As the globe is shrinking and we affect each other in ways never tried before: it is unacceptable to allow the horror in Sudan a world not so far and a people not so different that we not pay attention to the suffering there!

[thebearclaw007]

12:20 PM on 03/17/2012

What about the mass incarceration of blacks going on right here in the US. That's OK right?

[fireart]

05:54 PM on 03/18/2012

Are they Innocent?

[Beatriz09]

11:28 PM on 03/16/2012

Thanks to all the protesters.

[MIKEinNYC]

10:44 PM on 03/16/2012

Why were these protestors arrested for engaging in Constitutionally Protected Free Speech?

Who is the criminal here, those exercising their Constitutional rights or those would prevent them and falsely arrest them for doing so. Shame!

[April Elisabeth Markov]

12:04 AM on 03/17/2012

There were on Sudan property. I don't think Sudan doesn't allow free speech. Sudan arrested them. Notice they were asked to move back, handcuffed then handed over to those who took him away.

[Mrs Robinsons]

09:43 PM on 03/16/2012

Many of the countries on the Red Sea...
seem to experience strife.

The Red Sea is the body of water which separates
the Arab Peninsula
from Egypt, the Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

The country, in the distant past,
was under rule of Egypt
and the United Kingdom.

The country's anthem
is
"We are the soldiers of God and our land."

I never understand why a MEMBER of a COUNTRY
would kill OTHER MEMBERS of the SAME COUNTRY.

There is a triangle of land
in the Northern Part of the Country
which is disputed as belonging to Egypt and the Sudan,
it would appear.

Triangles
are not fun.

[Mas]

07:48 PM on 03/16/2012

Dr. Cosby, Tavis, Dr. West, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, T.I., Bz-II-Men, Shannon Sharp, Kobe? Where are you? Over ninety percent of the people protesting are from other communities.

[emperance]

04:24 AM on 03/17/2012

Your post is weird.

[fireart]

05:56 PM on 03/18/2012

Maybe they dont need any press.

[Mas]

08:23 PM on 03/18/2012

If that works you.