---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Nathan Kleinman <nathankleinman@...>
Date: Jul 2, 2005 12:37 PM
Subject: Darfur Hunger Strike - spread the word
To: sara.weisman@..., HU_STAND@yahoogroups.com, mimipap@..., nomadgypsymckx@..., tsiddhar@..., holmesrackleff@... , dghitis@..., luckydogae04@..., Timothy.mclaughlin@..., mbrown@..., akone@..., mlugo@..., lstbrice@..., svele112@..., steelha@..., bdieter@..., ronc@..., pmhutton1@..., joshua.lieberman@..., dlewkowi@..., alialia@... , MSU.STAND@..., abwise@..., lindseyw@..., ProteanARt@..., LindsayF129@..., Emberly789@..., StAmInOn@..., khamilt2@..., aa2120@..., emily.stetton@..., spakleeen88@... , dpd2@..., annashoup@..., horn.129@..., Kwizera.1@... , kesseleoz@..., abdesatnik@..., dstowe@..., annadm@..., sworogd@..., becks8804@..., lilsea7@... , stand.vanderbilt@..., m.geske@..., yoshi_04@..., blythe.bergoon@..., ActionDarfur@..., jlm3es@..., bjb9f@..., sfuji5sm@..., hoffmank@..., neelym@..., standarfur@..., forane@..., r_tar@..., jfinkleman@..., heyhanna@..., samuri60@..., bfine@..., Issac_a@..., hartley.lefton@..., snoy@..., rowana@..., wipac@..., jreich@..., challenger_k@..., sdisenho@..., merhisman@..., mikaelkl@..., email.fisher@..., gary@..., ericabrams85@..., contact@..., ESGrotta@..., uuawo@..., world@..., gaoffice@..., mriley@... , mjoiner@..., tstites@..., tsweetser@..., info@..., mail@..., SLindauer@..., LCannon@..., CKunin@..., SBorger@..., info@..., meganm@..., info@..., rbk@..., mschwart@..., nikolaib@..., lucyr@..., info@..., information@..., contact@... , editor@..., info@...

[Please feel free to respond to this email. I need all of the help and
support you can muster. Change this email if you like, but forward
something to everyone you know. This action is designed to demonstrate
the urgency of this problem which we've ignored for so long. It's time
to seriously mobilize on this issue, and be out on the streets until
our voices are heard. Thank you.]

Dear Friends,


At sundown on June 30th, 2005, I began a hunger strike in solidarity
with the 3.5 million civilians on the brink of starvation in Darfur,
western Sudan. I will be stationed in front of the White House every
day (except when I'm organizing, or sleeping, which is not allowed in
Lafayette Park), until the world takes appropriate notice of what
President Bush has now repeatedly called genocide. I will consume only
water until steps are taken to stop this heinous crime.
       The situation in Darfur is bleak: in general, the whole countryside,
farmland, and thousands of villages, have been pillaged, burned, and
depopulated. Men and boys who don't escape to join the rebels are
tortured (often castrated) and slaughtered. Women are also often
killed, but more often they are beaten, tortured, and raped, sometimes
for days on end. The survivors have been herded into refugee camps,
often ringed by janjaweed militiamen (Sudan's military proxy in
Darfur) who rape women and girls when they leave in search of fire
wood. Some camps have been burned to the ground as Sudan pursues its
policy of forcing Darfuri refugees back to their villages, which were
bombed by Sudanese military planes before being ransacked by janjaweed
on camel and horseback. We have satellite maps showing the charred
remains of literally thousands of flattened villages.
       I have been stewing over this issue for almost two years now. To me,
it is a question of morality. I am a Jew, and I was raised to believe
that "Never Again" meant something. That faith was first shaken in
1994 when I was almost twelve years old and I began learning about the
horrible four-month-long genocide in Rwanda. President Clinton and his
cynical team were well aware of our nation's signature on the UN
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,
obligating us to intervene, so they never called the killings
genocide. Article 1: "The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide,
whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under
international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish."
       The International Criminal Court in the Hague has already indicted
dozens of organizers and perpetrators of this genocide, all of whose
names remain under seal, and some of whom are presumed to be
high-ranking Sudanese government officials. These indictments are a
positive first step towards bringing these criminals against humanity
to justice, but they are a step backward if they are the pinnacle of
the Free World's action. If we are going to stop this genocide, these
indictments are just a first step. As of now, there is no indication
that any criminal will ever be extradited, and there are no plans to
seek arrests. As of now, the world has settled on turning our backs,
closing our eyes, and plugging our ears.
       Of course, there are a few troops in Darfur today, a force of less
than 3000 representing the African Union, comprised of Nigerian and
(ironically, though not surprisingly) Rwandan soldiers. But these AU
soldiers are not mandated to protect civilians, they are ill-prepared
and ill-equipped, and their force is not even a tenth the size of what
is needed. International intervention must be swift, decisive, and
truly cooperative. The whole world can agree that atrocious crimes are
being committed in Sudan, so the whole world should act in concert to
stop them. We must amass a Coalition of the Free, and we must do it
now.
       We have waited far too long to act, but it is not too late to save
lives, nor, indeed, to save an entire culture. Over the course of my
hunger strike, thousands of innocent Darfuris will die by disease,
violence, and starvation. Hopefully one young Jew planted on the
President's doorstep can remind the world just what starvation looks
like, and compel action against it. We must act now. There is no
problem on earth more urgent.

       You can help (and I am NOT asking for money): write to your
representatives in Congress, call their offices, call the President at
the White House, call Kofi Annan at the United Nations (if you're
wondering why the UN does nothing, the answer lies on the Security
Council: both China and Russia have significant economic ties to
Sudan, including a massive Chinese oil concession in Darfur itself,
and they refuse even to impose sanctions against this murderous
regime), call into talk radio, or cable TV, write letters to the
editor of your local paper, tell your friends, family, and co-workers
(for most Americans still remain ignorant of Darfur and genocide in
Sudan) and, most importantly, mobilize!
       Organize a protest in your town, city, or country. This must become
an international movement if it is to achieve anything. If you are
willing, search your conscience, pray, and consider joining my fast.
One hunger striker is easy to ignore, but hordes of us, in DC and
around the world, will make ourselves heard, especially in this week
leading up to the G8 summit, and following our Independence Day. From
Live8 through the G8, Africa is going to be in the news. We cannot let
the media gloss over Darfur. In the weeks leading up to this pivotal
moment, I have heard more public discussion of Africa than I have ever
heard before, but I have heard next to nothing on Darfur. We cannot
end poverty in Africa without first putting an end to violence.
       Think about what you can do. One person truly can make a difference,
but it certainly helps to have more. Join me. Save Darfur.

       Sincerely,

       Nathan I. Kleinman
       Private Citizen


--
Sara Weisman

616 23rd Street NW
Room 1019
Washington, DC 20052
Sara.Weisman@...
609-937-3190