Dr Halima Bashir was born in the Zaghawa nomadic tribe , her family was considered rich. As a teen she was intelligent and was later sent to Khartoum where she studied medecine.
She returned village to practice her profession unfortunately it was right at the time when the genocide broke. The Janjaweed militia was attacking villages ; raping young girls and women..
Revolted by this weapon of war she Dr Halima spoke against it to local journals and ONG'S, that resulted in the rebells attacking and raping her as well. She found refuge in the UK and I know that some non profit orgs are working at giving her American citizenship. She was last year invited by Former President Bush , a great opportunity to speak against the genocide..
I haven't read her memoir yet but there are so many great reviews of her book "Tears of the Desert" ..I don't think I'll do the book justice by reviewing it so I'll let you read the review of fellow blogger Bookworm (Click on the link to see her blog)
Tears of the Desert by Halima Bashir is a poignant memoir capable of producing copious empathetic tears. During the first part of the book, the author recounts her childhood and family life growing up in a village in South Dafur. She establishes a beautiful picture of the Zaghawa tribe culture, her feelings, her aspirations and how she relates to all family members. An extended family surrounds her, most importantly, a father who adores her and her feisty Grandma Sumah, a traditionalist with an iron will. As the pleasant images of her upbringing unfold there are also some which are considered barbaric in other cultures. However, involving the reader in this way she makes you a captive caring companion to her feelings and ideas. During the next part of the story, she shares the tragic atrocities that were inflicted upon her. She details her eyewitness account of horrors of death and suffering in her village and country. Several times during the retelling of her
brutal beating and gang rape by the Sudanese Government supported army, Halima prays for death, prays for an end to her suffering. She would rather die than live. A Memoir of Survival in Darfur, the book’s subtitle really is her survival from despair, hopelessness, and the dark depths of depression. She now believes she survived to be a messenger, to be able to share her personal tragedy with the world community. As the book concludes, you reflect on this story of survival, courage and tenacity of will few of us can even fathom. The atrocities she witnessed and the torture she endured are graphic and uncensored. This is a reality that every world citizen must face. Her hope is that her story will shed more light on the situation in Darfur so that the international community will help end the pain, suffering and genocide.If you want to read more blogs on Darfur:
http://blogfordarfur.org
You can buy the book new or used on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Tears-Desert-Memoir-Survival-Darfur/dp/0345506251/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235320145&sr=1-2
Djaa we need to salute the courage of our Sudanese sistas:)
Eyee Wayee:)
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