NOT ON OUR WATCH - Save Darfur

[exsequar]

I have mentioned from time to time that I am involved with a group called Oxfam here at my campus. I hope you know what that is - if not, Oxfam International is an organization dedicated to stopping social injustice around the world. Its causes and campaigns are many, and include the fight against hunger, No Dirty Gold, and especially SAVE DARFUR.

Darfur is a region in the Sudan, in Africa, where a violent, terrible genocide has been going on for years. The current death toll is 400,000 people and rising every day. It is deeply shameful that this has not been stopped, and that it continues to this day even as the resources exist to end it. The reasons for this are many, including resistance by the Sudanese government among other things, but many people are campaigning to put a STOP to this horrible campaign of hatred. Recently, the fighting spilled over into neighboring Chad, and the death toll just keeps getting higher and higher.

This is a video report from Chad taken recently by David Rubenstein (Executive Director of the Save Darfur Coalition) and Mia Farrow, actress and activist. I want you all to watch it, and I dare you to not have tears in your eyes. It's not graphic, just vocal reports, but it's still deeply saddening.

Photos from the trip to Chad and many links to more information and ways you can help can be found here: Report from Chad: Save Darfur.

Please, if you don't know anything about this, take the time to educate yourself. Only through awareness and concerted effort can this be conquered.

Comments

[wendy.livejournal.com]

Do you know phaballa? This is her big cause also. JC Chasez supports it too (just saying!)

[phaballa.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the post. I think the first time I posted about Darfur was two years ago. It was during the 2004 Presidential debates, and I remember Kerry just kind of throwing it out there, "Genocide in Darfur, that no one is doing anything about." I turned to my roommate, who was a polisci major (and is now a senate legislative aide) and said, "There's genocide going on, and we're not doing anything? WHY??" Her response: "Because they're black, they're poor, and they have nothing we want."

I was really happy to see the Rock for Darfur campaign in October, and that people are finally starting to become aware of the situation. I hate that people jsut kind of, you know, like in Hotel Rwanda? He says something like, "I think people will see this, and say that's terrible, and then go back to eating their dinners." It's that attitude that we need to change.

[benvolio-daemon.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this post. I had to do a presentation on genocide in the Sudan as a freshman in high school, and needless to say, the issue's stuck with me ever since.

[jamesinclair.livejournal.com]

I dont understand how you can complain that nothing is done about darfur but then not care about politics. Conflicts dont stop themselves, and a NGO will never be able to stop it