The semester is ending, and unfortunately, so is this blog. Because we will officially be a STAND chapter, our e-mail and web address will be changing over the summer. We'll post links when the change occurs.
In the meantime, we'd like to thank MASSPIRG for their unbelievable support over the last three years, and our volunteers and interns for their dedicated and hard work. You've all been fabulous.
And to our readership, thanks for a wonderful year, and look out for UMass STAND... the best new Registered Student Organization on the UMass campus!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Congo Facts
Here are some facts about the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, provided by one of our Congo research interns:
1.Since 1998, the fighting in DRC has claimed over 5.4 million lives. Over 100, 000 people have been displaced.
2. In 1994 the Rwandan conflict broke out. Hundreds of thousands of Hutus and moderate Hutus were killed. They had been persecuted by the FAR (Forces Armees Rwandaises). The Hutus were then kicked out of Rwanda after being defeated by the Tutsi led RPA (Rwandan Patriotic Army). A good number of the Hutus then relocated to DRC.
3.Because the DRC is rich in resources (diamond, copper, tin, oil, coltan) fighting in mining area continue to this very day. This poses a threat to any process of peace or reconstruction.
4. Although leaders from Rwanda claim that they are helping to protect the Tutsi population from the the Hutus who have migrated to the DRC, they are just as responsible for these atrocities. They are mainly motivated by DRC's wealth of resources.
5.In almost every conflict throughout the world, rape is used as the number one weapon of war. It is used for purposes such as intimidation, political terror, satisfaction and ''ethnic cleansing." This is especially true in the Congo.
6. But even before the war in the Congo, women and girls were/still are second class citizens. The law and its social norms define women as subordinate. Her status depends on whether or not she is married. Once raped she becomes "worthless" and is left to fend for herself in patriarchal society.
7.Many times, those who are responsible for acts of such violence (rape, murder etc) remain unpunished . Factors contributing to this impunity are-
-laws granting amnesty to perpetrators
-there is often an acceptance of rape and other forms of sexual violence as an inevitable aspect of war
-the presence of special legislation in many countries that prevent prosecutions for crimes committed in war
8.The United States has professed a commitment to maintaining the national integrity of the Congo but at the same time has given political backing to Rwanda, which field troops their regular armies in the eastern DRC. Even in the face of mounting evidence that Rwandan troops had committed crimes, the US had remained silent. The implication here is simple, the United States' has become a staunch ally of Rwanda because it acts as a client state. Rwanda has received millions of dollars of military aid, which in turn is used to cause destruction and death.
Soon to come : a more detailed look at the conflict.
1.Since 1998, the fighting in DRC has claimed over 5.4 million lives. Over 100, 000 people have been displaced.
2. In 1994 the Rwandan conflict broke out. Hundreds of thousands of Hutus and moderate Hutus were killed. They had been persecuted by the FAR (Forces Armees Rwandaises). The Hutus were then kicked out of Rwanda after being defeated by the Tutsi led RPA (Rwandan Patriotic Army). A good number of the Hutus then relocated to DRC.
3.Because the DRC is rich in resources (diamond, copper, tin, oil, coltan) fighting in mining area continue to this very day. This poses a threat to any process of peace or reconstruction.
4. Although leaders from Rwanda claim that they are helping to protect the Tutsi population from the the Hutus who have migrated to the DRC, they are just as responsible for these atrocities. They are mainly motivated by DRC's wealth of resources.
5.In almost every conflict throughout the world, rape is used as the number one weapon of war. It is used for purposes such as intimidation, political terror, satisfaction and ''ethnic cleansing." This is especially true in the Congo.
6. But even before the war in the Congo, women and girls were/still are second class citizens. The law and its social norms define women as subordinate. Her status depends on whether or not she is married. Once raped she becomes "worthless" and is left to fend for herself in patriarchal society.
7.Many times, those who are responsible for acts of such violence (rape, murder etc) remain unpunished . Factors contributing to this impunity are-
-laws granting amnesty to perpetrators
-there is often an acceptance of rape and other forms of sexual violence as an inevitable aspect of war
-the presence of special legislation in many countries that prevent prosecutions for crimes committed in war
8.The United States has professed a commitment to maintaining the national integrity of the Congo but at the same time has given political backing to Rwanda, which field troops their regular armies in the eastern DRC. Even in the face of mounting evidence that Rwandan troops had committed crimes, the US had remained silent. The implication here is simple, the United States' has become a staunch ally of Rwanda because it acts as a client state. Rwanda has received millions of dollars of military aid, which in turn is used to cause destruction and death.
Soon to come : a more detailed look at the conflict.
Friday, April 24, 2009
UMass Save Darfur Becomes STAND...
We have a very important announcement to make. As of the Fall 2009 semester, our group will no longer be the Save Darfur Campaign within MASSPIRG but instead an independent STAND (Student Anti-Genocide Coalition) chapter.
This difficult but important decision was made with the support of the MASSPIRG student leadership, the national STAND leadership, and the interns and volunteers within our own campaign. Attaining independent RSO status will allow us to continue fighting genocide on the UMass Amherst campus.
Before we elaborate on the reasons behind this transition, we think it's important to retell the story of our campaign and our involvement in campus activism.
Where We Came From
As many of you know, MASSPIRG is a state-wide student-funded, student-directed advocacy group on our campus that runs various campaigns like Global Warming, Hunger and Homelessness, and Cheaper Textbooks. Three years ago, a group of student activists within the Hunger and Homelessness campaign decided to start a new initiative, the Save Darfur Campaign. Since its inception, the Save Darfur Campaign has grown stronger and rallied more support from the campus and local communities. Under the guidance and support of MASSPIRG, we were able to hold fundraisers, awareness events, and advocacy drives. Some examples of our achievements include the UMass divestment from Sudan and over $3,000 of fundraising for civilian protection. Most importantly, through the MASSPIRG internship programs, we were able to foster student leadership and activism within our own group by teaching our members the skills to plan and execute their own events.
At the same time that we were doing great things within MASSPIRG, we were also a recognized chapter of STAND, the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition. STAND is the student branch of the Genocide Intervention Network; it's a national organization of high school and college students that works specifically on the conflicts in Darfur, Burma, and the Congo. Massachusetts has an especially active cluster of STAND chapters, and like MASSPIRG, it offers support and guidance in running student activist events. We've worked with STAND to hold conferences and rallies, with tangible results. For example, STAND arranged 600 phone calls to the White House in a single day, all asking Obama to appoint a high-level special envoy for the Sudan. The very next week, the administration announced that it was going to appoint such an envoy, and soon retired general Scott Gration was announced as the pick. By working with STAND, we've been able to achieve incredible results on a national level.
The chief difference between MASSPIRG and STAND is the focus of each organization as a whole. STAND works exclusively on the international issue of genocide, while MASSPIRG works on more local and national issues like global warming and hunger and homelessness. Both are great examples of how student activism can affect change on a much larger scale.
The Transition
While we've gained incredible resources and support from both, STAND is much more focused on our work in human rights. As a result, STAND is able to offer more lobbying power and better educational resources. This is a distinction that's openly acknowledged within the MASSPIRG leadership, because MASSPIRG does not have any lobbyists for Darfur or any international rights issues. Therefore, it makes sense that we will be able to do more work to stop genocide if we become a separate STAND chapter.
We don't want this transition to be misconstrued in any negative light; on the contrary, both STAND and MASSPIRG have been incredibly supportive in this process. We may no longer be an official MASSPIRG campaign next semester, but we still share the common passion for student activism. As a result, we strongly encourage our members to stay involved in the other MASSPIRG campaigns.
Looking Ahead
Next semester, the UMass STAND chapter would still function much the same way as we did as a MASSPIRG campaign, with two co-coordinators, a secretary, a treasurer, a campus relations liason, and conflict specialists for Darfur, the Congo, and Burma. There are always challenges in serving as an independent RSO, especially in the first two years, but ultimately, this will make the campaign stronger and more efficient.
This difficult but important decision was made with the support of the MASSPIRG student leadership, the national STAND leadership, and the interns and volunteers within our own campaign. Attaining independent RSO status will allow us to continue fighting genocide on the UMass Amherst campus.
Before we elaborate on the reasons behind this transition, we think it's important to retell the story of our campaign and our involvement in campus activism.
Where We Came From
As many of you know, MASSPIRG is a state-wide student-funded, student-directed advocacy group on our campus that runs various campaigns like Global Warming, Hunger and Homelessness, and Cheaper Textbooks. Three years ago, a group of student activists within the Hunger and Homelessness campaign decided to start a new initiative, the Save Darfur Campaign. Since its inception, the Save Darfur Campaign has grown stronger and rallied more support from the campus and local communities. Under the guidance and support of MASSPIRG, we were able to hold fundraisers, awareness events, and advocacy drives. Some examples of our achievements include the UMass divestment from Sudan and over $3,000 of fundraising for civilian protection. Most importantly, through the MASSPIRG internship programs, we were able to foster student leadership and activism within our own group by teaching our members the skills to plan and execute their own events.
At the same time that we were doing great things within MASSPIRG, we were also a recognized chapter of STAND, the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition. STAND is the student branch of the Genocide Intervention Network; it's a national organization of high school and college students that works specifically on the conflicts in Darfur, Burma, and the Congo. Massachusetts has an especially active cluster of STAND chapters, and like MASSPIRG, it offers support and guidance in running student activist events. We've worked with STAND to hold conferences and rallies, with tangible results. For example, STAND arranged 600 phone calls to the White House in a single day, all asking Obama to appoint a high-level special envoy for the Sudan. The very next week, the administration announced that it was going to appoint such an envoy, and soon retired general Scott Gration was announced as the pick. By working with STAND, we've been able to achieve incredible results on a national level.
The chief difference between MASSPIRG and STAND is the focus of each organization as a whole. STAND works exclusively on the international issue of genocide, while MASSPIRG works on more local and national issues like global warming and hunger and homelessness. Both are great examples of how student activism can affect change on a much larger scale.
The Transition
While we've gained incredible resources and support from both, STAND is much more focused on our work in human rights. As a result, STAND is able to offer more lobbying power and better educational resources. This is a distinction that's openly acknowledged within the MASSPIRG leadership, because MASSPIRG does not have any lobbyists for Darfur or any international rights issues. Therefore, it makes sense that we will be able to do more work to stop genocide if we become a separate STAND chapter.
We don't want this transition to be misconstrued in any negative light; on the contrary, both STAND and MASSPIRG have been incredibly supportive in this process. We may no longer be an official MASSPIRG campaign next semester, but we still share the common passion for student activism. As a result, we strongly encourage our members to stay involved in the other MASSPIRG campaigns.
Looking Ahead
Next semester, the UMass STAND chapter would still function much the same way as we did as a MASSPIRG campaign, with two co-coordinators, a secretary, a treasurer, a campus relations liason, and conflict specialists for Darfur, the Congo, and Burma. There are always challenges in serving as an independent RSO, especially in the first two years, but ultimately, this will make the campaign stronger and more efficient.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Background on Burma
In the next month, we'll be having a film screening about the ongoing conflict in Burma, so here's a little background information on the conflict, prepared by our wonderful Burma intern:
Since Burma became independent from Britain in 1948, ethnic minorities along Burma’s borders have been seeking governmental autonomy. In 1962, the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) overthrew the democratic government. Throughout this period, guerrilla wars with ethnic opposition groups along the country's frontiers continued. In 1988, the BSPP finally responded to insistent calls for democracy by announcing a coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). The SLORC was later named the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in attempts to convince the international community it was committed to change. In 1990, elections were held and the National League for Democracy (NLD) received votes from 82% of the parliamentary seats. Aung San Suu Kyi, the heralded leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient was immediately put under house arrest.
Civilians in Burma’s eastern states as well as ethnic minorities in a few western states fall victim to one of the most brutal and corrupt regimes in the world. The primary driver of violence is the government, due to its counter-insurgency campaign against ethnic minority rebels, such as the Karen National Liberation Army. The SPDC follows a ‘four-cuts strategy’, which aims to cut off food, funds, intelligence, and recruits to the rebels. The Tatmadaw, the Burmese army, uses forced labor to build bases from which it attacks and burns surrounding villages. It also lays mines in the destroyed areas to discourage returns. Villagers are forced to flee and hide in the jungle, without food, shelter, or proper medical supplies. Some are resettled in relocation sites, guarded by the Tatmadaw.
Ethnic minorities face unjust arrests, torture, rape, disappearances, and homicides. Forced labor is common, and prostitution occurs. It is estimated that as many as 70,000 child soldiers exist. Some people become military porters, in which they must check for landmines. Eastern Burma, is Asia’s worst Internally Displaced Persons crisis zone, with over have a million people on the run. Many flee illegally into Thailand. Conditions are so horrible that one in ten babies die before turning five years old.
Since Burma became independent from Britain in 1948, ethnic minorities along Burma’s borders have been seeking governmental autonomy. In 1962, the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) overthrew the democratic government. Throughout this period, guerrilla wars with ethnic opposition groups along the country's frontiers continued. In 1988, the BSPP finally responded to insistent calls for democracy by announcing a coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). The SLORC was later named the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in attempts to convince the international community it was committed to change. In 1990, elections were held and the National League for Democracy (NLD) received votes from 82% of the parliamentary seats. Aung San Suu Kyi, the heralded leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient was immediately put under house arrest.
Civilians in Burma’s eastern states as well as ethnic minorities in a few western states fall victim to one of the most brutal and corrupt regimes in the world. The primary driver of violence is the government, due to its counter-insurgency campaign against ethnic minority rebels, such as the Karen National Liberation Army. The SPDC follows a ‘four-cuts strategy’, which aims to cut off food, funds, intelligence, and recruits to the rebels. The Tatmadaw, the Burmese army, uses forced labor to build bases from which it attacks and burns surrounding villages. It also lays mines in the destroyed areas to discourage returns. Villagers are forced to flee and hide in the jungle, without food, shelter, or proper medical supplies. Some are resettled in relocation sites, guarded by the Tatmadaw.
Ethnic minorities face unjust arrests, torture, rape, disappearances, and homicides. Forced labor is common, and prostitution occurs. It is estimated that as many as 70,000 child soldiers exist. Some people become military porters, in which they must check for landmines. Eastern Burma, is Asia’s worst Internally Displaced Persons crisis zone, with over have a million people on the run. Many flee illegally into Thailand. Conditions are so horrible that one in ten babies die before turning five years old.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
An Update on the Semester...
With the crazy semester the UMass Save Darfur Campaign has had, the blog has fallen to the wayside a little, but hopefully that will be remedied with this post.
What We've Been Up To...
Congo Week - Beginning on March 8 the Save Darfur Campaign held a Congo Awareness Week, partially in response to International Women's Day and partially in response to the spotlight piece in the Vagina Monologues, which were performed at UMass March 6th and 7th. The spotlight piece describes the story of an 8 year old girl who was raped repeatedly, and highlights the fact that the Congo is the worst place in the world to be a woman today.
Congo Week consisted of three main events and a few information tables.
Memorial Service for Alison Des Forges - We held a memorial service for activist Alison Des Forges, who died tragically in the Buffalo plane crash earlier this semester. Des Forges was an expert on Rwanda who was in the country throughout the 100 days of the genocide. In recent years, she had expanded her work to discuss the current conflict in the Congo. Three area professors who knew and worked with Des Forges spoke in a beautiful service that memorialized Des Forges as a person and highlighted the importance of her work.
Congo Forum - We held a forum in response to the spotlight piece in the Vagina Monologues, which featured an eight year old girl's story of being raped repeatedly by soldiers. Our forum discussed the use of rape as a weapon of war in the Congo and in other conflicts, and opened the floor for a vibrant and interesting discussion with the audience.
We also held a self-defense fundraiser and a number of informational tables during the week.
What's Up Next...
April as Genocide Awareness Month - Many organizations working on human rights issues recognize the month of April as Genocide Awareness Month. For the UMass Save Darfur Campaign, Genocide Awareness Month began April 2 continues until May 5, with a number of events along the way. We began on April 2 with a screening of a half hour premier of "The Last Survivor" - a film that comes out later this year about genocide survivors who have become activists (and we highly recommend checking out the film if you get a chance!). Since then we've had a number of fundraiser events and informational tables.
Our big event in April is Drop Beats Not Bombs, our semi-annual benefit concert, featuring twenty performers, delicious baked goods and an exciting raffle with prizes from Bueno y Sano, the Loose Goose, the University Store, Barnes and Noble, Sweets n More and more! Doors open at 6 pm, and the party goes until 10 pm, so come by the Campus Center room 168 on April 16th (tomorrow).
We're also going to be holding an informational session on the International Criminal Court's decision to charge Sudanese president Omar al Bashir with crimes against humanity - what's the precedence, why not genocide, what does it mean, all these questions and more will be answered. That's coming up on April 28, more details as they unfold.
On May 2 we're having a rally calling for Sudan to reinstate the international humanitarian aid groups that have been kicked out of Sudan in the wake of the ICC decision. The rally will be on the Amherst Town Common from 12 to 4, and you should definitely come by!
On May 5 we're holding a film screening to raise awareness about the conflict in Burma. More info as it comes out!
Coming Up On the Blog...
A piece on the Congo and Cell phone use...
Background information on Burma...
More about the International Criminal Court...
Actions you can take!
What We've Been Up To...
Congo Week - Beginning on March 8 the Save Darfur Campaign held a Congo Awareness Week, partially in response to International Women's Day and partially in response to the spotlight piece in the Vagina Monologues, which were performed at UMass March 6th and 7th. The spotlight piece describes the story of an 8 year old girl who was raped repeatedly, and highlights the fact that the Congo is the worst place in the world to be a woman today.
Congo Week consisted of three main events and a few information tables.
Memorial Service for Alison Des Forges - We held a memorial service for activist Alison Des Forges, who died tragically in the Buffalo plane crash earlier this semester. Des Forges was an expert on Rwanda who was in the country throughout the 100 days of the genocide. In recent years, she had expanded her work to discuss the current conflict in the Congo. Three area professors who knew and worked with Des Forges spoke in a beautiful service that memorialized Des Forges as a person and highlighted the importance of her work.
Congo Forum - We held a forum in response to the spotlight piece in the Vagina Monologues, which featured an eight year old girl's story of being raped repeatedly by soldiers. Our forum discussed the use of rape as a weapon of war in the Congo and in other conflicts, and opened the floor for a vibrant and interesting discussion with the audience.
We also held a self-defense fundraiser and a number of informational tables during the week.
What's Up Next...
April as Genocide Awareness Month - Many organizations working on human rights issues recognize the month of April as Genocide Awareness Month. For the UMass Save Darfur Campaign, Genocide Awareness Month began April 2 continues until May 5, with a number of events along the way. We began on April 2 with a screening of a half hour premier of "The Last Survivor" - a film that comes out later this year about genocide survivors who have become activists (and we highly recommend checking out the film if you get a chance!). Since then we've had a number of fundraiser events and informational tables.
Our big event in April is Drop Beats Not Bombs, our semi-annual benefit concert, featuring twenty performers, delicious baked goods and an exciting raffle with prizes from Bueno y Sano, the Loose Goose, the University Store, Barnes and Noble, Sweets n More and more! Doors open at 6 pm, and the party goes until 10 pm, so come by the Campus Center room 168 on April 16th (tomorrow).
We're also going to be holding an informational session on the International Criminal Court's decision to charge Sudanese president Omar al Bashir with crimes against humanity - what's the precedence, why not genocide, what does it mean, all these questions and more will be answered. That's coming up on April 28, more details as they unfold.
On May 2 we're having a rally calling for Sudan to reinstate the international humanitarian aid groups that have been kicked out of Sudan in the wake of the ICC decision. The rally will be on the Amherst Town Common from 12 to 4, and you should definitely come by!
On May 5 we're holding a film screening to raise awareness about the conflict in Burma. More info as it comes out!
Coming Up On the Blog...
A piece on the Congo and Cell phone use...
Background information on Burma...
More about the International Criminal Court...
Actions you can take!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Omar al Bashir Arrest Warrant
The International Criminal Court has officially issued a warrant of arrest for Sudanese President Omar al Bashir on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes, but not on charges of genocide. For more on the warrant read the BBC's article : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7923102.stm
Friday, February 13, 2009
Welcome Back UMass
It's been a crazy first few weeks at UMass, but we are back. Our kickoff meeting was last Tuesday night, followed by Emmanuel Jal's visit to campus on Wednesday night. Jal is a former child soldier and a refugee of the South Sudanese conflict. He is also a popular hip hop artist and the subject of a documentary about his return to Sudan years after he escaped. His visit to campus was a big success, and it was an inspiration to hear him speak.
Our meetings are scheduled for Tuesday nights at 7:30 in the Bluewall cafeteria in the UMass Amherst Campus Center. If you're interested you should stop by!
Our meetings are scheduled for Tuesday nights at 7:30 in the Bluewall cafeteria in the UMass Amherst Campus Center. If you're interested you should stop by!
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