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This month marks six months since the passage of United Nations (UN) Resolution 1706, authorizing a UN peacekeeping force with a mandate to protect civilians in Darfur. Unfortunately, Sudan continues to refuse consent for UN peacekeepers and the international community continues to fail to take the necessary action to break the deadlock. January brought several new developments on Darfur that are detailed in our latest campaign update. The most encouraging was the news earlier this week that the African Union chose to pass over Sudan for the second year in a row and award Presidency of this regional body to President John Kufuor of Ghana. Please see our recent press release on this notable action.

As violence increases on the ground, and the international community falters, Americans must renew efforts to force the Bush Administration to take the necessary action in the international community to implement UN Resolution 1706. The U.S. will once again take the presidency of the UN Security Council in May – just three months away. Africa Action is developing a new comprehensive strategy to escalate pressure on the U.S. to move far beyond the President's State of the Union mention of Darfur to taking increased action to achieve a UN intervention. We hope you will join us in these efforts. Feel free to send your suggestions and ideas to mailto:mobilize@... if you would like to contribute to building this new strategy in our campaign to stop genocide in Darfur.

We ask you, this month, to take two important actions.

1. Please engage with us and with the Genocide Intervention Network in Sprints for Darfur to raise political power, awareness and funds to stop the genocide.

2. Tired of e-mails, letters and postcards? Take a trip to your local craft store and buy a blank banner or stretch of canvas and a bucket of paint. Paint your message on the canvas and invite your community to sign it with their handprints – giving witness to the genocide, while telling President Bush that people in your city and state demand that the U.S. move from rhetoric to action to change the reality on the ground in Darfur. You can send your banners to us at 1634 Eye Street, NW, Suite 810, Washington, DC 20006 and we will deliver them to the decision-makers.

 

 

I'd like to introduce you to Dollars for Darfur, an inspiring program started by Nick Anderson & Ana Slavin, two high school students who got tired of waiting for others to change the world.

EVENTS IN THE DC AREA... 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Darfur activists spoke on campus this week urging students to get invovled in stopping the genocide occurring in Darfur .

Activist Steven Krieger challenged an audience of about 50 students to take action Monday night to confront the crisis in Sudan.

The talk, which aimed at education about humanitarian aid efforts in the African region plagued by genocide, preceded a Day for Darfur on Tuesday in which students set up signs and loud speakers in Kogan Plaza. Students Taking Action Now: Darfur also hosted John Prendergast from the humanitarian organization International Crisis Group to discuss the genocide Tuesday.

"The youth have an unbelievable amount of untapped potential to influence lawmakers about the genocide since we will be voting for the next 60 years," Krieger said in an interview after his presentation. "The question is: what are you going to do to stop it?"

Taking place in the Marvin Center's Grand Ballroom, the event was sponsored by STAND, College Democrats and the College Republicans.

Krieger, who is an activist for Darfur: A Genocide We Can Stop, first learned about the issue in 2003 by reading newspaper articles about the crisis and looking out for new developments. He said he was amazed at how the situation persisted.

"(You should not) leave here tonight and take no action - otherwise I should have stayed at home," Kriger told the audience. "The entire night was a waste if you do nothing."

Civilians in Darfur, a region of western Sudan, have been under attack by the armed gunmen called the Janjaweed since July 2003. The Janjaweed have destroyed farming communities in Darfur.

The Sudanese government says they have no affiliation with the Janjaweed, but "it is apparent to the international community that they are involved," Krieger said.

Krieger cited statistics that more than 400,000 people have been killed, while 4.3 million are dependent on humanitarian aid and 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes.

"They had little, now they have nothing. Refugees are going to need financial support for years - if not decades - to come," Krieger said.

"People have other priorities, but it's hard to hear these stories," added Krieger, referring specifically of how women are ostracized after being raped by the Janjaweed.

"None of us were old enough to be as aware about the genocide in Rwanda," Krieger said. "But this is something that is happening right now and that we can help stop."

Krieger said students can help by lobbying or fundraising. A strategy that STAND has been working on is the divestment of up to $150 million in funds from companies that are invested in the country.

Prendergast spoke at the Elliot School of International Affairs Tuesday about both the failures of the U.N. Security Council to stop genocide in Darfur as well as three steps he believes could help resolve the conflict.

Drawing an enthusiastic crowd of about 200, Prendergast is currently a senior adviser for the International Crisis Group, an international non-governmental organization that strives to prevent international conflict through field work and advocacy.

Prendergast proposed a plan involving three elements - "the three Ps, peacemaking, protection and punishment," Prendergast said. In other words, he suggested drawing up an agreement, maintaining that peace agreement by convincing militia to lay down their guns and harshly sanctioning the Sudanese who instrumented the genocide.

"We need to build leverage and we hold the keys to stop this genocide. I don't know how to tell you more clearly that that," Prendergast said, stressing the need for everyone to get involved.

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© Copyright 2007 GW Hatchet

 

 

Daily colonial (www.dailycolonial.com)

CRs and CDs unite at Darfur event

Posted Tuesday, January 30 2007 12:41:31 am

By Sarah Dada
Campus News Reporter

Activist Steve Krieger spoke to the College Democrats and College Republicans last night about the importance of raising awareness and banding together to make a difference in the U.S. government's response to the genocide in Darfur.

Krieger, 26, opened the presentation by stressing the fact that he is not very different from the students in the audience. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Krieger wanted to reinforce the idea that being young does not mean being helpless.

"Although this is happening far away, across the ocean, in a different country, it is important to tell people, such as your representatives and the White House, that it is important to you," said Krieger. "People do have other priorities with things going on in our nation, but the people of Darfur need help."

Most of the speech was dedicated to the history of Darfur and how these acts have gone untouched by governments around the world. Krieger explained that the conflict began with a civil war between the North and South in 1956, when Sudan was given independence from Great Britain. Since then, the conflict between the North and South has settled down a good amount, but the genocide in Darfur, which began around 2004, is still ongoing.

The Sudanese government has been supporting the Janjaweed, an Arab tribal militia within Sudan, who has been raping, murdering, and destroying the Darfurians and their villages. The government, however, does not admit to involvement with the Janjaweed and also says they would like to end the genocide, but have not done anything to end the conflict.

As of now, none of the countries in the African Union or the Arab League have declared the situation in Darfur a genocide, but the U.S. has. Even with this label, Krieger said the U.S. has not intervened to its fullest potential.

Krieger cited several statistics in his presentation: he said between 200,000 and 400,000 have died from either the Janjaweed's attacks, famine, or diseases; 4.3 million Darfurians depend on humanitarian aid; and 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes.

Brand Kroeger '09, a member of the CRs who introduced Krieger, said, "This is a non-partisan situation," to encourage the republicans and the democrats to band together on this issue.

GW's Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND) co-sponsored this event with the CRs and CDs.

"It was great to see such a big turn out, where both sides of the isles were engaged. I hope there can be more collaboration between the republicans and the democrats to end the genocide in Darfur," said Sara Weisman '07, head of GW's STAND chapter.

STAND will be in Kogan Plaza today from 11 to 6 p.m. with speakers, food, and information on Darfur. They are also hosting a lobby day later this semester coinciding with the anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda.

"It is absolutely wonderful that we could all come together on an issue like this," said Robert Russo '09, member of the CDs. "I think the message of not sitting back and watching this happen really resonated in the room."

Daily Colonial

Taking a STAND against genocide

Posted Wednesday, January 31 2007 12:00:13 am

By Brittany Grimm
Campus News Reporter

Kate Lonergan '10 and Adam Zuckerman '10 try to get people to sign a petition or donate money to stop the genocide in Darfur. Photo by: Alison King

Tuesday afternoon in Kogan Plaza, GW STAND hosted a "Day for Darfur" to educate students about the genocide that has killed thousands of people and displaced many more. The cold and wind kept many away but the members of STAND stayed out all day, pleading with students to lend their support.

"I don't think that the world is paying enough attention to this issue," said Damien Marcus Shirley '08, vice president of the College Democrats who cosponsored the event. He urged other students to spread the word about engaging in activism.

"Personally, I think that one of the greatest threats to freedom... is apathy," he said.

John Heffernan, a guest from the Holocaust Museum, echoed his words.

"You need to act, you need to be involved," he said. "We can't afford to be bystanders."

Adam Zuckerman '10, plants "seeds for change." Photo by: Alison King

STAND (Students Taking Action Now - Darfur) was formed in the Fall 2004 at Georgetown University, with a chapter at GW following soon after. For President Sara Wiseman, STAND was a personal endeavor.

"Being Jewish, I've learned my entire life about 'never again,'" she said, referring to a warning to remember the destruction of the Holocaust.

Wiseman said she and her fellow group members began work on the "Day for Darfur" in December and she considers it to have been "tremendously successful."

She said the $1100 raised during their event will be primarily used for an initiative known as Banaa; the program aims to bring Sudanese students from the most oppressed areas of the country to the United States, where they can study and become leaders upon their return home.

The GW administration has pledged a full scholarship to the first Banaa student but STAND is fund-raising in hopes of creating a scholarship for another student.

STAND member Evan Faber, '08, said that because of the new Sudanese student leaders "we're going to plant seeds of change and create a real difference in the political face of the country."

Signs advocate a stop to genocide in Kogan Plaza Tuesday. Photo by: Alison King

He also said that divestment is among the most important ways that GW can make a difference, because pulling funds from companies that do business with Sudan, he believes, "would put real pressure on the Sudanese regime." Faber also spoke to passing students about the need for increased pressure on the U.S. government to widen its involvement. He said that inaction on the part of the U.S. and U.N. has prolonged the tragedy.

"A year ago, we thought we were coming to the end," Faber said. "We thought we weren't going to be here again this year. But we're still here."

 

Daily Colonial

Prendergast's 'three Ps' for Darfur

Posted Thursday, February 1 2007 12:51:15 am

By Caitlin Nordehn
Campus News Editor

A senior advisor at the International Crisis Group laid out a method of action against the genocide occurring in Darfur at a Tuesday night lecture in the Elliott School.

Despite a certain 'Hollywood factor' associated with John Prendergast's recent interview in "Men's Vogue" – as pointed out by moderator Prof. Paul Williams – Prendergast has strong credentials in the political and humanitarian spheres. His resume boasts the authorship or co-authorship of seven books, positions in the White House and the State Department, as well as work in think tanks in Africa and the U.S.

He spoke candidly and passionately about the situation in Sudan, what specific actions the international community needs to take and what individuals can do to stop the genocide.

"The phrase, 'Never Again', should be banned from our international discourse until we act," said Prendergast.

He instead outlined a method of action he called the "the three P's": peacemaking, protection and punishment.

The peacemaking portion, he explained, involves individual compensation for the atrocities committed to Darfurians. Another important element is establishing legitimate power sharing. He stressed that there is no military solution for the situation.

Secondly, he called for protection with NATO, UN peacemakers and the EU, emphasizing that the African Union has been working alone. This protection force is crucial he said, because "we're nowhere near Rwanda," but in a few years the Rwandan genocide "could look mild" compared to the one in Darfur.

Today, thousands of Darfurians have been killed and 2.5 million are homeless, said Prendergast. He said the "crisis is metastasizing" as refugees spread into Chad, aid workers are targeted by the Janjaweed Arab militias, villages are burned and there is increased rape and torture. The conflict began back in 2003.

With peacemaking and protection in place he said punishment for these actions – accountability – is necessary. So far, the UN Security Council has only passed "meaningless resolutions," he said.

"We're holding the keys to stop genocide and we're not using them," he said.

The punishment element calls for "punitive measures" that will create the leverage necessary to stop Omar al-Bashir, president of Sudan, and the elites who are controlling the Sudan. He offered targeted sanctions on businesses in Europe and Asia doing business with Sudanese elites as a tactic, as well as "de-listing" countries doing business with Sudan from the New York Stock exchange.

The International Criminal Court was also cited as a tool to build indictments against those fueling the genocide.

The "three P's" method that would essentially isolate Bashir and the other elites, he said, would work because there is evidence that is exactly what they do not want to happen. If this is done on a "comprehensive multilateral level," the situation could be "stabilized relatively soon."

Now, if you are not part of the 'comprehensive multilateral level', what can you do? Prendergast suggested that students join organizations where their "voice[s] can be heard," such as STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur).

STAND, which has had a strong presence on campus this week, was at the event plugging their new initiative, Banaa: The Sudan Educational Empowerment Network. The program plans to bring a Darfurian to the U.S. to study, to eventually return to Sudan to work with a top NGO.

Prendergast also recommended that people check if their family funds are invested in companies doing business with Sudan.

While students thought he laid out some interesting ideas, some were also struck by his "Men's Vogue"-worthiness.

"You could tell he fell into the Hollywood crowd," said Guillaume Simard-Morissette '09.

Overall, it seemed that Prendergast left a strong impression on many of the attendees with his knowledge on the conflict in Sudan and his methodical proposals for resolution.

"(The situation) is so big and broad, but rarely do people say what we could do to change it," said Hannah Kast '09. "I had heard similar messages...but he was the first who did kind of lay it out. It wasn't anything brand new, but he conveyed the message really well."

 

Daily Colonial

Staff Editorial: CR/CD cooperation a refreshing sight

Posted Thursday, February 1 2007 12:02:12 am

By The Editorial Board
STAFF EDITORIAL

In a rare instance of cooperation, the College Republicans and College Democrats joined forces this week, along with GW STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur), to sponsor a series of events to raise awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

Monday night, Darfur activist Steve Krieger addressed the College Democrats and College Republicans together on the importance of making an effort to end the conflict, one that has already taken between 200,000 and 400,000 lives.

Krieger emphasized the lack of action on the part of the international community and urged Republicans and Democrats alike to pressure the U.S. government to take a more proactive approach.

The Darfur events continued on Tuesday, as GW STAND along with the College Democrats sponsored a "Day for Darfur" in Kogan Plaza, dedicated to raising awareness about the genocide. STAND raised $1100 to go toward their efforts to bring a Sudanese student to GW. Like Krieger, STAND called for students to work to increase U.S. efforts to end the crisis.

For a number of reasons, these events are worthy of our praise and admiration. First, it always good to see GW students involved in activism, whatever the cause. It shows a sense of purpose and motivation that is a valuable trait in any community, and even if one does not agree with the specific message being extolled, the message at least spurs public debate on important issues.

Second, and more to the point, raising awareness about the genocide in Darfur is certainly a just cause. While other domestic and international issues hold our attention, we often forget about the conflict in Sudan — a sad fact given the gravity of the situation in Darfur, where thousands are terrorized, raped, and killed every year with impunity.

By raising awareness and reminding us of the crisis, GW STAND and both the CRs and CDs are doing us a service that our media too often does not provide.

A third reason we should applaud this week's Darfur awareness efforts is because they are a rare example of unity and collaboration between often bitterly opposed organizations.

The fact that the CDs and the CRs were able to come together on an issue is pleasantly surprising, and perhaps reflects the relative clarity of the issue—it is hard to find a person who does not consider the genocide a terrible crisis.

Hopefully this joint effort serves as an example of successful cooperation that the two groups can pursue with more frequency in the future.

Granted, their status as partisan political organizations precludes their cooperation on certain issues, but there are certainly other issues on which they could combine resources in pursuit of good causes.

Given that they are two of the most popular and best endowed student organizations on campus, it would be very constructive if they could come together more in the future. By combining their extensive resources, the CRs and CDs could raise awareness and funds for worthy nonpartisan causes that deserve our attention.

It is refreshing to see Republicans and Democrats get beyond politics and work together every now and then. GW witnessed an excellent example of such cooperation this week, and more efforts of this type should be pursued in the future.