From my co-coordinator:
WHAT IS STANDFAST?
The best way to learn about STANDFast is to go to the website at http://www.standnow.org/campaigns/standfast. But, in the interest of time, I’ll do my best to summarize the fundraiser.
As you all might have learned by now, STAND is a national student organization whose goal is to eliminate genocide. It used to stand for Students Taking Action Now in Darfur, but now it has been renamed the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition. This year, STAND has expanded its efforts beyond Darfur to talk about genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Burma. Basically, we’re the recognized UMass Amherst chapter of STAND, which is why we’re participating in this fundraiser.
STANDFast is a national day of fundraising through the STAND organization. On December 3rd, everywhere across the country, students will be doing HUGE fundraiser efforts for civilian protection. Last year, at UMass Amherst, we raised over $2,000 on the one day. We’re hoping to break that record this year!
All of the money that we raise is donated to the Genocide Intervention Network, an amazing organization that donates 100% of its funds to the cause. That means that every single penny we donate translates directly into humanitarian aid to actual victims. You can take a look at some of the breakdown in their website, http://www.genocideintervention.net/. They have actual people on site, buying the supplies that those victims need. For example, because the Burmese genocide is carried out by government raids, they use the fundraising money to buy radios to warn Burmese villages of attack, thus saving their lives. It only costs $7 to buy one radio for a Burmese village, and that’s what the money goes toward. In Darfur refugee camps, women must travel outside of the camps to collect firewood for their families, but every time they go out, they are raped by the waiting militia. The money raised through GI Net goes to fund AU Peacekeepers to go with these women when they collect wood, to ensure that they are protected. The money also goes to solar cookers and funding sustainable businesses within the Darfur camps.
As you can see, we’re very lucky to work with this organization. Unlike other non-profits, this group actually donates 100% of funds, and so the donations translate into hard supplies – radios, AU peacekeepers, solar cookers – that better the lives of the victims of genocidal conditions.
So that’s what STANDFast is and that’s where the money goes. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us at UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com or leave a comment.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Weekly Wednesday Update
This is your Weekly Wednesday Update, on time and on Wednesday for once.
News Update:
This news update is about the Congo: Because of violence, a number of humanitarian aid organizations were struggling to get access to the people who need their services, and some organizations were actually pulling out. This week, a few rebel factions agreed to pull back and let the aid trucks get to where they needed to go. More on the BBC (http://www.bbc.com/)
Campaign Updates:
TOMORROW NIGHT is Beat The Genocide Out Of Darfur, our coffee house concert style fundraiser. We'll be collecting donations, but the coffee and the concert itself is free, so come by and check it out. That's tomorrow night, Thursday, November 20, at 7 pm in the Commonwealth Room of the Student Union (Earthfoods is there during the day).
We will also be collecting signatures on letters that will go to Barack Obama asking him to take quick action in Darfur.
THE WEEK OF DECEMBER THIRD we will be holding STANDFast. THIS IS OUR MAJOR EVENT OF THE SEMESTER. It is a fundraiser for the Genocide Intervention Network, with the money going to on the ground operations in Darfur, in Burma and in the Congo.
Our biggest event in that time period will be the Congo Speakers Tour, hosted by ENOUGH. On December 3rd we will hold a pannel discussion featuring John Prendergast, known human rights activist and co-founder of ENOUGH and co-author of Not On Our Watch (one of our must reads from over the summer - if you haven't read it, you should). This is a big deal for UMass; Harvard and MIT are the only other schools in the state which will have the speakers at their school.
This will be in room 65 of Bartlett Hall at 7 pm on December 3.
Other than that, STANDFast will consist largely of small fundraisers around campus and in Amherst and Northampton. If you're interested in helping out with a donation or if you'd like to volunteer your time (both equally important) e-mail UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com or leave us a comment.
If you have a question about the Congo Speakers Tour, e-mail UMassCongoTour@gmail.com.
And your weekly action:
Come to Beat the Genocide Out of Darfur! Thursday 11/20 at 7 pm in the Commonwealth Room of the UMass Amherst Student Union!
News Update:
This news update is about the Congo: Because of violence, a number of humanitarian aid organizations were struggling to get access to the people who need their services, and some organizations were actually pulling out. This week, a few rebel factions agreed to pull back and let the aid trucks get to where they needed to go. More on the BBC (http://www.bbc.com/)
Campaign Updates:
TOMORROW NIGHT is Beat The Genocide Out Of Darfur, our coffee house concert style fundraiser. We'll be collecting donations, but the coffee and the concert itself is free, so come by and check it out. That's tomorrow night, Thursday, November 20, at 7 pm in the Commonwealth Room of the Student Union (Earthfoods is there during the day).
We will also be collecting signatures on letters that will go to Barack Obama asking him to take quick action in Darfur.
THE WEEK OF DECEMBER THIRD we will be holding STANDFast. THIS IS OUR MAJOR EVENT OF THE SEMESTER. It is a fundraiser for the Genocide Intervention Network, with the money going to on the ground operations in Darfur, in Burma and in the Congo.
Our biggest event in that time period will be the Congo Speakers Tour, hosted by ENOUGH. On December 3rd we will hold a pannel discussion featuring John Prendergast, known human rights activist and co-founder of ENOUGH and co-author of Not On Our Watch (one of our must reads from over the summer - if you haven't read it, you should). This is a big deal for UMass; Harvard and MIT are the only other schools in the state which will have the speakers at their school.
This will be in room 65 of Bartlett Hall at 7 pm on December 3.
Other than that, STANDFast will consist largely of small fundraisers around campus and in Amherst and Northampton. If you're interested in helping out with a donation or if you'd like to volunteer your time (both equally important) e-mail UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com or leave us a comment.
If you have a question about the Congo Speakers Tour, e-mail UMassCongoTour@gmail.com.
And your weekly action:
Come to Beat the Genocide Out of Darfur! Thursday 11/20 at 7 pm in the Commonwealth Room of the UMass Amherst Student Union!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Three Weekly Wednesday Updates on a Saturday
The last three weeks have been jam packed for the UMass Save Darfur Campaign, especially the last few Wednesdays, which is why this little blog hasn't been updated in awhile. This update will tell you all about these last few weeks and all about what's coming up.
News Updates:
The most recent news is that Omar al Bashir declared a ceasefire in Darfur earlier this week. This appears to be in response to the international criticism on behalf of the International Criminal Court and other foreign governments (see, all that petitioning DOES make a difference!). It is not the first ceasefire, by any means, and it was negotiated soley by al Bashir's government, without the imput of any rebel groups, but it's still a somewhat positive sign.
Meanwhile, the international community is starting to pay a good deal of attention to the ongoing violence in the Congo, in large part because of the involvement of Rwandan Hutu and Tutsi refugees in the conflict, and because of the attention paid by the United Nations. This is good, but it isn't enough. In the next month or so our group will be paying quite a bit of attention to the Congo (more on why later), so expect some updates on the situation there as well as the situation in Darfur for awhile.
For more information on both of these issues, head to the BBC at bbc.com.
What We've Been Doing These Last Few Weeks:
Earlier this month was our Pain By Numbers exhibit, which had "homemade" bodybags strewn across the campus Library Lawn representing the dead and dying in Darfur. It was a hugely successful event that got quite a bit of media attention, thirty dollars and something like three hundred petition signatures (bringing the total on our petitions to the presidential candidates to about 500 by the time we mailed them. We now have a new petition specifically for President Elect Barack Obama). All in all it was a very successful first event.
The next week was the week of the Election, and while the Save Darfur campaign didn't have any specific events that week, we are a part of MassPIRG, so many of our members were helping get people to polls, calling people to remind them to vote, and telling people where their polling places were. It was a very interesting experience, and we had a huge student vote turnout in the Amherst area, so that was also fairly successful.
Last weekend, six of our members went down to DC to attend a national conference and network with other STAND Chapters. STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Network is our other parent organization (in addition to MassPIRG - I don't know which is the mother or the father; let's say they're gender nuetral parents :D), and they hosted the conference, and a protest in Washington DC. Those who attended all say it was a very positive experience and we're excited about the connections that came out of that weekend.
Since then we've been planning our upcoming event, Beat the Genocide Out of Darfur, a benefit concert with eight artists including Kolot, the Dynamics and other musical acts. It should be a really fun time, this Thursday night, November 20th, from 7 to 9 pm in the Commonwealth Room of the Student Union at UMass. Admission and coffee are free; we will be selling baked goods and collecting petition signatures and donations for the Genocide Intervention Network. All the funds will go to easing the situation on the ground in Darfur and in Burma.
This weekend, tonight, specifically, we'll be travelling yet again - to Boston this time, where Harvard's STAND chapter will be holding a fundraiser dance. Event details are on Facebook but it's from 10 pm to 2 am tonight if you're interested in attending.
What's Coming Up:
STANDFast is on December 3rd. This is our biggest and most signficant event of the semester. Those of you who've been at UMass for a few years now might remember Darfur Fast, which happened last year. Well this year, it's been renamed STAND Fast because we're standing fast against genocide in places other than Darfur - Burma and the Congo, for example. The idea behind STAND Fast is that we encourage people to give up a luxury item for a day - that fourth cup of coffee, a pack of cigarettes, even a candy bar - and donate the money to the Genocide Intervention Network instead.
It might not seem like you're making a big difference, donating your $4.75 that you would have spent on that latte or dessert, but even $3 makes a huge difference in Darfur. That's because $3 is the amount of money it takes to fund one peacekeeper for one year to protect one woman. That means that your $3 will be saving one woman from being raped, beaten and horrifically abused for a whole year.
Larger donations go towards helping improve communications between Burmese towns, so that when one town has been attacked, the people in the next town recieve warning, and to helping in Darfuri camps in other ways, buying solar cookers, for example, that don't require firewood, so that no one has to leave the camps and risk murder or rape.
Like I said, this is really our final stand of the semester (pardon the bad pun there). We'll be hosting a series of small events culminating in the December 3rd event.
Which brings me to JOHN PRENDERGAST, and how he's COMING TO UMASS.
Prendergast is very well respected in the human rights activism community; he co-wrote Not On Our Watch with Don Cheadle and co-founded the ENOUGH project, in addition to working for the Clinton administration in the 90s.
AND HE'S COMING TO UMASS.
ON DECEMBER THIRD.
TO TALK ABOUT THE CONGO.
More details as they come, but mark your calendars now, because this is an amazing opportunity to get yourself informed about the ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
And Your Action:
Sign a Day One Petition. There are a number out there on the web, as well as some that MassPIRG has put together, so stop by the MassPIRG office if you have trouble finding one on the web. We need to let Barack Obama know that we heard him when he said he was making Darfur a priority. We need to let him know we read his words in the forward to Not On Our Watch.
We need to let him know we're still watching and listening and waiting for a real end to this genocide.
News Updates:
The most recent news is that Omar al Bashir declared a ceasefire in Darfur earlier this week. This appears to be in response to the international criticism on behalf of the International Criminal Court and other foreign governments (see, all that petitioning DOES make a difference!). It is not the first ceasefire, by any means, and it was negotiated soley by al Bashir's government, without the imput of any rebel groups, but it's still a somewhat positive sign.
Meanwhile, the international community is starting to pay a good deal of attention to the ongoing violence in the Congo, in large part because of the involvement of Rwandan Hutu and Tutsi refugees in the conflict, and because of the attention paid by the United Nations. This is good, but it isn't enough. In the next month or so our group will be paying quite a bit of attention to the Congo (more on why later), so expect some updates on the situation there as well as the situation in Darfur for awhile.
For more information on both of these issues, head to the BBC at bbc.com.
What We've Been Doing These Last Few Weeks:
Earlier this month was our Pain By Numbers exhibit, which had "homemade" bodybags strewn across the campus Library Lawn representing the dead and dying in Darfur. It was a hugely successful event that got quite a bit of media attention, thirty dollars and something like three hundred petition signatures (bringing the total on our petitions to the presidential candidates to about 500 by the time we mailed them. We now have a new petition specifically for President Elect Barack Obama). All in all it was a very successful first event.
The next week was the week of the Election, and while the Save Darfur campaign didn't have any specific events that week, we are a part of MassPIRG, so many of our members were helping get people to polls, calling people to remind them to vote, and telling people where their polling places were. It was a very interesting experience, and we had a huge student vote turnout in the Amherst area, so that was also fairly successful.
Last weekend, six of our members went down to DC to attend a national conference and network with other STAND Chapters. STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Network is our other parent organization (in addition to MassPIRG - I don't know which is the mother or the father; let's say they're gender nuetral parents :D), and they hosted the conference, and a protest in Washington DC. Those who attended all say it was a very positive experience and we're excited about the connections that came out of that weekend.
Since then we've been planning our upcoming event, Beat the Genocide Out of Darfur, a benefit concert with eight artists including Kolot, the Dynamics and other musical acts. It should be a really fun time, this Thursday night, November 20th, from 7 to 9 pm in the Commonwealth Room of the Student Union at UMass. Admission and coffee are free; we will be selling baked goods and collecting petition signatures and donations for the Genocide Intervention Network. All the funds will go to easing the situation on the ground in Darfur and in Burma.
This weekend, tonight, specifically, we'll be travelling yet again - to Boston this time, where Harvard's STAND chapter will be holding a fundraiser dance. Event details are on Facebook but it's from 10 pm to 2 am tonight if you're interested in attending.
What's Coming Up:
STANDFast is on December 3rd. This is our biggest and most signficant event of the semester. Those of you who've been at UMass for a few years now might remember Darfur Fast, which happened last year. Well this year, it's been renamed STAND Fast because we're standing fast against genocide in places other than Darfur - Burma and the Congo, for example. The idea behind STAND Fast is that we encourage people to give up a luxury item for a day - that fourth cup of coffee, a pack of cigarettes, even a candy bar - and donate the money to the Genocide Intervention Network instead.
It might not seem like you're making a big difference, donating your $4.75 that you would have spent on that latte or dessert, but even $3 makes a huge difference in Darfur. That's because $3 is the amount of money it takes to fund one peacekeeper for one year to protect one woman. That means that your $3 will be saving one woman from being raped, beaten and horrifically abused for a whole year.
Larger donations go towards helping improve communications between Burmese towns, so that when one town has been attacked, the people in the next town recieve warning, and to helping in Darfuri camps in other ways, buying solar cookers, for example, that don't require firewood, so that no one has to leave the camps and risk murder or rape.
Like I said, this is really our final stand of the semester (pardon the bad pun there). We'll be hosting a series of small events culminating in the December 3rd event.
Which brings me to JOHN PRENDERGAST, and how he's COMING TO UMASS.
Prendergast is very well respected in the human rights activism community; he co-wrote Not On Our Watch with Don Cheadle and co-founded the ENOUGH project, in addition to working for the Clinton administration in the 90s.
AND HE'S COMING TO UMASS.
ON DECEMBER THIRD.
TO TALK ABOUT THE CONGO.
More details as they come, but mark your calendars now, because this is an amazing opportunity to get yourself informed about the ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
And Your Action:
Sign a Day One Petition. There are a number out there on the web, as well as some that MassPIRG has put together, so stop by the MassPIRG office if you have trouble finding one on the web. We need to let Barack Obama know that we heard him when he said he was making Darfur a priority. We need to let him know we read his words in the forward to Not On Our Watch.
We need to let him know we're still watching and listening and waiting for a real end to this genocide.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Belated Weekly Wednesday Update...
Sorry all, but this Weekly Wednesday Update is only late because we've got so much going on this week that I spent a large portion of Wednesday working on other stuff for the campaign.
On to the update.
News Update:
The BBC is reporting that a fresh outbreak of violence in Darfur has left thousands (one estimate says 12 thousand) more people displaced - this is going to overwhelm the already overwhelmed refugee camps in Sudan and Chad, which are not only currently housing refugees of the Darfur crisis, but many camps have also taken in refugees of the crisis in the Congo.
Last week President al Bashir launched a new peace initiative, which doesn't involve any rebel groups or opposition parties, and therefor does not promise to be all that successful.
The judges of the International Criminal Court have asked for more evidence before they will decide whether or not to charge al Bashir with genocide and other war crimes for his actions in Darfur.
Also, South Sudanese rebel groups kidnapped 9 Chinese oil workers in the third abduction of Chinese workers in the Sudan this year. This is yet another sign of China's involvement, and of increasing tension between Khartoum and South Sudan. If the civil war were to break out once more, al Bashir's government now has a shiny new toolkit of genocidal tactics to wage on the people of South Sudan, all of which have been rehearsed on the people of Darfur.
Not good.
And Campaign Updates:
We will be tabling at the Amherst Regional High School's bike-a-thon for Darfur on the Amherst Town Common on Sunday (that's tomorrow) from 11 to 2. You should definitely come by if you're in the area either to bike yourself, to donate, or just to get more information.
"Pain By Numbers" is the official title for our body bags on the library lawn event; that's THIS WEEK. The display will go up on Wednesday and Thursday, with Thursday being the Day of Silence/Remembrance. If you can get to UMass that day, definitely come by Pain By Numbers; buy some challah, sign up to be silent or just to mourn, and find out more information about the conflict and the timeline of destruction in Darfur.
We're also having an Open Mic Night on November 20th, so if you know any type of performing artist, PLEASE CONTACT US. We're looking for any performers we can find. We'll be serving coffee and baked goods too, and it's a fun chance to donate to a really great cause.
And finally, and this note will be repeated next week, if you do nothing else, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE. We will have to deal with whoever gets elected for four, maybe even for eight, years. That's a long time, and your vote is your chance to affect the outcome. So please vote on November 4th, or mail in your absentee ballots.
And for your action -
Come to the Amherst Town Common on Sunday, or stop by Pain By Numbers Wednesday or Thursday to sign our petition to the presidential candidates. They need to know from Day One that the American public wants a change in Darfur.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Weekly Wednesday Update...
News : It's been uncovered that one of the ships being held off by Somalian pirates last weekend contained weapons headed from Kenya to South Sudan. This isn't directly related to Darfur, but it means that its very likely there's an increasing arms race between Khartoum and South Sudan, which could mean a new outbreak of the Civil War in Sudan, which would not be good (obviously).
Updates:
Library Lawn Event - While we're still nameless, the event is chugging along smoothly; we've got half the body bags constructed for our display, and the other half will get done this weekend. We're also working on setting up the day of silence/remembrance; we've decided to hand out pins explaining why people are being silent or if they aren't being silent, explaining why they are in mourning.
Open Mic Night - We don't have a room confirmation yet, but we decided on November 20th for the Open Mic Night, so if you're a performing artist of any kind - dance, music, spoken word poetry, improv, drama, etc - in the Amherst area, and you're available that night, get in touch with us please! Comment here, or e-mail us at umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com.
And finally, for your weekly action - this weekend we'll have a table up at the Humans Versus Zombies Charity Day, so if you're playing the game stop by the Commonwealth Room between 9 and 5 on Sunday and sign our petitions and buy some cookies and brownies. Enjoy!
Updates:
Library Lawn Event - While we're still nameless, the event is chugging along smoothly; we've got half the body bags constructed for our display, and the other half will get done this weekend. We're also working on setting up the day of silence/remembrance; we've decided to hand out pins explaining why people are being silent or if they aren't being silent, explaining why they are in mourning.
Open Mic Night - We don't have a room confirmation yet, but we decided on November 20th for the Open Mic Night, so if you're a performing artist of any kind - dance, music, spoken word poetry, improv, drama, etc - in the Amherst area, and you're available that night, get in touch with us please! Comment here, or e-mail us at umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com.
And finally, for your weekly action - this weekend we'll have a table up at the Humans Versus Zombies Charity Day, so if you're playing the game stop by the Commonwealth Room between 9 and 5 on Sunday and sign our petitions and buy some cookies and brownies. Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Weekly Wednesday Update
First of all, I apologize for the lack of updates last week.
Now on to the update:
First, news on Darfur - Any one who's been watching the presidential and vice presidential debates knows Darfur is well on its way to becoming a national issue (and it's about time). Record numbers of people tuned in for the VP debate, where Biden spoke about the genocide, and millions were also watching the latest presidential debate, last night, when Obama spoke about Darfur and there was even a question related to the conflict.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is still undecided about pressing charges on Omar al Bashir - and al Bashir is still not happy with the ICC. Bashir recently said that any warrant for his arrest would hinder the peace process.
And in the Congo, violence is getting worse also, leaving thousands of Congolese refugees migrating into Sudan's refugee camps. Understandably, this is exascerbating an already difficult refugee situation in the Sudan. The conflict in the Congo has also been labeled a genocide, and many of the tools of war are similar to the tools al Bashir uses in Darfur and in South Sudan; most notably, rape has become the most common weapon of war in the Congo, prompting some activists to call that conflict a conflict against women.
And the final news update (this one is kind of vague and a little unrelated) - The Kenyan ships that are currently being blocked from transporting their goods by Somali pirates, are reportedly holding weapons headed for South Sudan. South Sudan currently operates seperately from al Bashir's government in Khartoum, but importing weapons suggests that there is an arms race between Khartoum and South Sudan - which may mean another outbreak of the Sudanese Civil War is on its way.
On to news about our group -
It's official; the Save Darfur Campaign of MassPIRG is hosting an event on the Library Lawn. We'll be putting up a display of body bags (artificial ones, made by the group), showing the progression towards genocide in the Sudan. At the event, we'll be having people sign up for a Day of Silence/Remembrance (the current plan, I believe, is to have two seperate lists - one for people who plan to be silent, and one for people who plan to wear a pin but can't be silent), which is the following day (we'll also have the lawn on that day). We're in the process of booking the lawn for the 29th and 30th of October, so look for us.
We're also planning yet another event; we haven't booked anything yet, but we're looking to have an Open Mic Night / Coffee House in November. If you know a band that would be interested in playing, or an accapella group, or a comedian, or any other type of performing artist, leave a comment or send an e-mail to umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com, and we'll be in touch. For anyone interested in attending, keep your eyes peeled for more info.
We also have confirmed that the ENOUGH Congo Speaker Tour will be coming to UMass. UMass is one of only three schools to have booked the speakers, who will most likely be a mix of refugees and academics. That tour will come through on December 3. We'll have more information on that as details get confirmed, also.
And your weekly action (there'll be two this week, to make up for last week):
Now that the presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates have spoken up about Darfur, send a postcard to the next president, asking them to deal with Darfur on Day One - http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/addyourvoice?rk=912vegpqzXvkE. If you're really passionate about getting the presidential candidates to ask, stop by the MassPIRG Office (415 Student Union, UMass Amherst) and sign our petition, asking the candidates to make their plans for Darfur public.
And your second action is to just learn more about Darfur; you can always head to the BBC for news updates, or check Nicholas Kristoff's NYTimes Column (it's not always about Darfur, but he very often has news). However, if you're more interested in television style learning experiences, there are a number of great videos about Darfur floating around out there. Here are a few links.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXdWDM4fmRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMBZpGRF4tg&feature=related
And finally, pretty much any of the videos on this page : http://www.genocideintervention.net/educate/crisis/darfur
That's it for this week. Check in again next Wednesday, and as always, any thoughts, interest, comments, questions e-mail us at umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com, or leave a comment.
Now on to the update:
First, news on Darfur - Any one who's been watching the presidential and vice presidential debates knows Darfur is well on its way to becoming a national issue (and it's about time). Record numbers of people tuned in for the VP debate, where Biden spoke about the genocide, and millions were also watching the latest presidential debate, last night, when Obama spoke about Darfur and there was even a question related to the conflict.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is still undecided about pressing charges on Omar al Bashir - and al Bashir is still not happy with the ICC. Bashir recently said that any warrant for his arrest would hinder the peace process.
And in the Congo, violence is getting worse also, leaving thousands of Congolese refugees migrating into Sudan's refugee camps. Understandably, this is exascerbating an already difficult refugee situation in the Sudan. The conflict in the Congo has also been labeled a genocide, and many of the tools of war are similar to the tools al Bashir uses in Darfur and in South Sudan; most notably, rape has become the most common weapon of war in the Congo, prompting some activists to call that conflict a conflict against women.
And the final news update (this one is kind of vague and a little unrelated) - The Kenyan ships that are currently being blocked from transporting their goods by Somali pirates, are reportedly holding weapons headed for South Sudan. South Sudan currently operates seperately from al Bashir's government in Khartoum, but importing weapons suggests that there is an arms race between Khartoum and South Sudan - which may mean another outbreak of the Sudanese Civil War is on its way.
On to news about our group -
It's official; the Save Darfur Campaign of MassPIRG is hosting an event on the Library Lawn. We'll be putting up a display of body bags (artificial ones, made by the group), showing the progression towards genocide in the Sudan. At the event, we'll be having people sign up for a Day of Silence/Remembrance (the current plan, I believe, is to have two seperate lists - one for people who plan to be silent, and one for people who plan to wear a pin but can't be silent), which is the following day (we'll also have the lawn on that day). We're in the process of booking the lawn for the 29th and 30th of October, so look for us.
We're also planning yet another event; we haven't booked anything yet, but we're looking to have an Open Mic Night / Coffee House in November. If you know a band that would be interested in playing, or an accapella group, or a comedian, or any other type of performing artist, leave a comment or send an e-mail to umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com, and we'll be in touch. For anyone interested in attending, keep your eyes peeled for more info.
We also have confirmed that the ENOUGH Congo Speaker Tour will be coming to UMass. UMass is one of only three schools to have booked the speakers, who will most likely be a mix of refugees and academics. That tour will come through on December 3. We'll have more information on that as details get confirmed, also.
And your weekly action (there'll be two this week, to make up for last week):
Now that the presidential candidates and vice presidential candidates have spoken up about Darfur, send a postcard to the next president, asking them to deal with Darfur on Day One - http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/addyourvoice?rk=912vegpqzXvkE. If you're really passionate about getting the presidential candidates to ask, stop by the MassPIRG Office (415 Student Union, UMass Amherst) and sign our petition, asking the candidates to make their plans for Darfur public.
And your second action is to just learn more about Darfur; you can always head to the BBC for news updates, or check Nicholas Kristoff's NYTimes Column (it's not always about Darfur, but he very often has news). However, if you're more interested in television style learning experiences, there are a number of great videos about Darfur floating around out there. Here are a few links.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXdWDM4fmRY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMBZpGRF4tg&feature=related
And finally, pretty much any of the videos on this page : http://www.genocideintervention.net/educate/crisis/darfur
That's it for this week. Check in again next Wednesday, and as always, any thoughts, interest, comments, questions e-mail us at umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com, or leave a comment.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Weekly Wednesday Update and Action
As promised, this is your Weekly Wednesday Campaign Update.
The Save Darfur Campaign is currently planning a very exciting Library Lawn event for late October. More details on that as they get finalized, but the plan for now is to have a body bag display, symbolizing the hundreds of thousands of victims of the genocide.
Also in late October, we'll be having a Day of Remembrance for the victims. We'll be giving out pins for people to wear all day. Signups for that will be at the Library Lawn display.
This weekend we'll be having a bakesale, so look for us in your dorms Sunday night. We'll be selling baked goods from Henions as well as homemade treats. If you're interested in helping out, we'll be baking in Greenough Residence Hall Sunday afternoon and selling all over campus Sunday night, so leave a comment or send us an e-mail at UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com and we'll fill you in on details.
And your action: Send Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifle a letter asking them to ask the candidates about Darfur at the presidential and vice presidential debates. The presidential debate, scheduled for Friday, may end up being postponed, but please get the letters in the mail as soon as you can 'cause we want to make sure the hosts have them before the debates.
Mail your letters here:
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
2700 South Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22206
The Save Darfur Campaign is currently planning a very exciting Library Lawn event for late October. More details on that as they get finalized, but the plan for now is to have a body bag display, symbolizing the hundreds of thousands of victims of the genocide.
Also in late October, we'll be having a Day of Remembrance for the victims. We'll be giving out pins for people to wear all day. Signups for that will be at the Library Lawn display.
This weekend we'll be having a bakesale, so look for us in your dorms Sunday night. We'll be selling baked goods from Henions as well as homemade treats. If you're interested in helping out, we'll be baking in Greenough Residence Hall Sunday afternoon and selling all over campus Sunday night, so leave a comment or send us an e-mail at UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com and we'll fill you in on details.
And your action: Send Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifle a letter asking them to ask the candidates about Darfur at the presidential and vice presidential debates. The presidential debate, scheduled for Friday, may end up being postponed, but please get the letters in the mail as soon as you can 'cause we want to make sure the hosts have them before the debates.
Mail your letters here:
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
2700 South Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22206
Monday, September 22, 2008
Update on the campaign
For future notice, unless there's a pressing issue, updates will be coming on Wednesdays, following our weekly meetings, and before and after major events and fundraisers.
On to the belated update for last week:
The MassPIRG Kickoff last Tuesday night was a big success! We had roughly 30 people attend our breakout session, which means that the Save Darfur Campaign has about 30 members, most of them new this semester. That means fresh ideas, new goals and new enthusiasm, all of which are very positive things.
The big news coming out of the kickoff is that we've decided on a weekly meeting time, so from now on we will be meeting at 6 pm on Tuesday nights. The first meeting, tomorrow night, will be in the Bluewall in the Campus Center, although in the future we may try to move to a classroom. There will be an announcement if that happens.
The other big news is that we are now officially planning for our first major event; we will be hosting a display on the Library Lawn and a Day of Silence/Remembrance, both in October and probably connected. More on that as the details get cemented.
Throughout the semester we will be petitioning presidential and vice presidential candidates, and media outlets/personalities hosting debates, asking them to address a plan for Darfur. We've already collected 50 signatures on the presidential/vice presidential petitions!
And finally last week we held our first Challah for a Dollah sale. Working with Hillel House we sell challah bread (a Jewish bread that we often help to bake, although we didn't last week), usually in Bartlett Hall. All the proceeds go to the Genocide Intervention Network, which in turn sends the money to refugee camps in Darfur and in neighboring Chad. The money goes to fund AU troops, purchase necessities for the refugees, and to launch self-sustaining businesses in the camps, which helps give the refugees a sense of purpose and control. We will be doing this four more times this semester. Last week we raised over $60, which is a great start. So look out for us in the future (I'll probably post to the blog when we know the dates we'll be selling).
More Wednesday! (Also, beginning Wednesday, each weekly post will have a news update)
On to the belated update for last week:
The MassPIRG Kickoff last Tuesday night was a big success! We had roughly 30 people attend our breakout session, which means that the Save Darfur Campaign has about 30 members, most of them new this semester. That means fresh ideas, new goals and new enthusiasm, all of which are very positive things.
The big news coming out of the kickoff is that we've decided on a weekly meeting time, so from now on we will be meeting at 6 pm on Tuesday nights. The first meeting, tomorrow night, will be in the Bluewall in the Campus Center, although in the future we may try to move to a classroom. There will be an announcement if that happens.
The other big news is that we are now officially planning for our first major event; we will be hosting a display on the Library Lawn and a Day of Silence/Remembrance, both in October and probably connected. More on that as the details get cemented.
Throughout the semester we will be petitioning presidential and vice presidential candidates, and media outlets/personalities hosting debates, asking them to address a plan for Darfur. We've already collected 50 signatures on the presidential/vice presidential petitions!
And finally last week we held our first Challah for a Dollah sale. Working with Hillel House we sell challah bread (a Jewish bread that we often help to bake, although we didn't last week), usually in Bartlett Hall. All the proceeds go to the Genocide Intervention Network, which in turn sends the money to refugee camps in Darfur and in neighboring Chad. The money goes to fund AU troops, purchase necessities for the refugees, and to launch self-sustaining businesses in the camps, which helps give the refugees a sense of purpose and control. We will be doing this four more times this semester. Last week we raised over $60, which is a great start. So look out for us in the future (I'll probably post to the blog when we know the dates we'll be selling).
More Wednesday! (Also, beginning Wednesday, each weekly post will have a news update)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Take Action...
Our event on Tuesday night went very well; there were a number of new faces, which is always good. Hopefully some people learned more about the conflict in Darfur, and about ways that we as students and as individuals can affect change. If you have any questions, comments or critiques about the meeting, leave a comment or send an e-mail (umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com) and someone will get in touch with you soon.
Just a few updates about the group now that we are back on campus.
As I believe I've mentioned before, The Save Darfur Campaign at UMass is lucky enough to be both a registered STAND : Student Anti-Genocide Coaliton chapter and a part of MassPIRG, which is a student funded student run organization looking at non-partisan solutions to a number of pressing social issues, including Save Darfur, Climate Change, Affordable College and Textbooks, Hunger and Homelessness, and registering new voters (our goal is to have 90% of the campus registered to vote by election day - that's 19,000 people!).
If you're interested in MassPIRG but you haven't stopped by the office or filled out an interest card yet, come by (415 Student Union). There will also be a kickoff meeting next Tuesday night, September 16, 2008. Look for another post on that as soon as I know the exact time.
And now for your thirty second action...
President Bush is going to be addressing the United Nations on September 23, so go ahead and sign this petition asking him to mention Darfur and push for the International Criminal Court Charges to go ahead as scheduled. Sudan and some of its allies are trying to postpone the charges, and delay any action for yet another year.
The people of Darfur cannot wait another year.
Just a few updates about the group now that we are back on campus.
As I believe I've mentioned before, The Save Darfur Campaign at UMass is lucky enough to be both a registered STAND : Student Anti-Genocide Coaliton chapter and a part of MassPIRG, which is a student funded student run organization looking at non-partisan solutions to a number of pressing social issues, including Save Darfur, Climate Change, Affordable College and Textbooks, Hunger and Homelessness, and registering new voters (our goal is to have 90% of the campus registered to vote by election day - that's 19,000 people!).
If you're interested in MassPIRG but you haven't stopped by the office or filled out an interest card yet, come by (415 Student Union). There will also be a kickoff meeting next Tuesday night, September 16, 2008. Look for another post on that as soon as I know the exact time.
And now for your thirty second action...
President Bush is going to be addressing the United Nations on September 23, so go ahead and sign this petition asking him to mention Darfur and push for the International Criminal Court Charges to go ahead as scheduled. Sudan and some of its allies are trying to postpone the charges, and delay any action for yet another year.
The people of Darfur cannot wait another year.
Friday, September 5, 2008
TAKE ACTION: Support The Case Against Bashir
Like a lot of Darfur activists, I've had mixed feelings about the International Criminal Court's decision to charge Omar al-Bashir. However, if you look at what the refugees have been saying, the refugees want this. They want Omar al-Bashir brought to justice. They know that that is the only way that there can be peace. There is no simple option. There is no compromise.
That's why I'm asking you to take action. The UN is considering blocking the charges against Bashir. Tell President Bush that the United States can't let that happen. Tell President Bush you want justice, because right now, the refugees don't have a say.
Sign here.
That's why I'm asking you to take action. The UN is considering blocking the charges against Bashir. Tell President Bush that the United States can't let that happen. Tell President Bush you want justice, because right now, the refugees don't have a say.
Sign here.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Back to Campus...
As many of our readers know, this week is back-to-campus week at UMass Amherst, and the first official week of school. That means our group is also back, and we have certainly hit the ground running.
We were in the Campus Center for much of the day today recruiting new volunteers and increasing visibility, and of course, publicizing our event.
That's right. Our event.
Next Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 6:30 pm, we will be hosting our little mini-kickoff meeting. We're calling it our "Information Session" but it'll really be more of a celebration of what we've done, what we can, will and should do, and why we matter. It's a fabulous opportunity to come get to know us; we'll have volunteers around the room so you can chat them up about their personal experiences, and of course, it's a great chance to meet my co-coordinator Rand (who ran allllll over campus getting flyers printed for us - thanks Rand!) and myself, Liz, if you haven't already. So stop by.
Especially if you feel like you need more information about the Sudan, Darfur, the genocide, activism, and the many, many organizations working to put an end to this conflict. There will be a slideshow presentation about all of that stuff, so we can definitely clue you in.
And it's totally cool to come late or leave early if you have to, so be there!
That's Campus Center room 803, Tuesday September 9 at 6:30 pm.
If you can't make it, but want to be involved this semester, leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com)
And now on to the general MassPIRG information...
MassPIRG is a student run, student funded activist organization that tackles various important causes, from saving Darfur, to stopping Global Warming, to reducing hunger and homelessness, to getting YOU cheaper textbooks. And MassPIRG gets results. In almost every campaign, we've had major legislation passed on the state and/or national level in the last year.
AND you can get credit for helping us! We have internship opportunities available, for class credit (we're totally cool with people who just want to volunteer, too).
So if that sounds like something you're interested in doing, you should stop by the MassPIRG table in the Campus Center concourse any day this week, or at the Activities Expo on the library lawn from 4 to 7 pm tomorrow night. We'll probably also come around to one of your classes at some point in the next few weeks.
Or of course, you can leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com).
Hope to hear from you all soon!
We were in the Campus Center for much of the day today recruiting new volunteers and increasing visibility, and of course, publicizing our event.
That's right. Our event.
Next Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 6:30 pm, we will be hosting our little mini-kickoff meeting. We're calling it our "Information Session" but it'll really be more of a celebration of what we've done, what we can, will and should do, and why we matter. It's a fabulous opportunity to come get to know us; we'll have volunteers around the room so you can chat them up about their personal experiences, and of course, it's a great chance to meet my co-coordinator Rand (who ran allllll over campus getting flyers printed for us - thanks Rand!) and myself, Liz, if you haven't already. So stop by.
Especially if you feel like you need more information about the Sudan, Darfur, the genocide, activism, and the many, many organizations working to put an end to this conflict. There will be a slideshow presentation about all of that stuff, so we can definitely clue you in.
And it's totally cool to come late or leave early if you have to, so be there!
That's Campus Center room 803, Tuesday September 9 at 6:30 pm.
If you can't make it, but want to be involved this semester, leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com)
And now on to the general MassPIRG information...
MassPIRG is a student run, student funded activist organization that tackles various important causes, from saving Darfur, to stopping Global Warming, to reducing hunger and homelessness, to getting YOU cheaper textbooks. And MassPIRG gets results. In almost every campaign, we've had major legislation passed on the state and/or national level in the last year.
AND you can get credit for helping us! We have internship opportunities available, for class credit (we're totally cool with people who just want to volunteer, too).
So if that sounds like something you're interested in doing, you should stop by the MassPIRG table in the Campus Center concourse any day this week, or at the Activities Expo on the library lawn from 4 to 7 pm tomorrow night. We'll probably also come around to one of your classes at some point in the next few weeks.
Or of course, you can leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com).
Hope to hear from you all soon!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Should Reads
The latest Should Read initially comes from my co-coordinator Rand, but I'm also reading it, so really it's a double recommendation.
In Rand's words:
For those of you looking for a great summer read, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond. It's co-authored by activist Academy-award winning actor Don Cheadle along with former White House official John Prendergast, with an introduction by Senators Barack Obama and Sam Brownback. It's a smooth read that'll get you fired up about human rights abuses worldwide.
I'll add that the book gives an extensive, detailed history of this conflict and the Second Sudanese Civil War (which was a seperate conflict, but in many ways bled - quite literally - into what is now happening in Darfur. It is also on the verge of spilling over once more. Don Cheadle has been a great champion for the people of Darfur, and a strong activist, and I hope he continues to call attention to the gencoide.
I'd also advise people interested in following the news to keep an eye on the BBC website (not sure if I included that in the last should read, but if I did it's worth repeating). The BBC has an entire page dedicated to news about Sudan, and regularly runs stories about Darfur. And because it's known as a reliable, international news source, it can be trusted to be impartial and show multiple angles and facets to the conflict. The sheer amount of information the BBC has published on Darfur is almost overwhelming. It is certainly more than any other news organization I have seen. The page on the Sudan can be accessed here.
Their most recent article, on escalating violence in Northern Darfur, can be accessed here.
In Rand's words:
For those of you looking for a great summer read, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond. It's co-authored by activist Academy-award winning actor Don Cheadle along with former White House official John Prendergast, with an introduction by Senators Barack Obama and Sam Brownback. It's a smooth read that'll get you fired up about human rights abuses worldwide.
I'll add that the book gives an extensive, detailed history of this conflict and the Second Sudanese Civil War (which was a seperate conflict, but in many ways bled - quite literally - into what is now happening in Darfur. It is also on the verge of spilling over once more. Don Cheadle has been a great champion for the people of Darfur, and a strong activist, and I hope he continues to call attention to the gencoide.
I'd also advise people interested in following the news to keep an eye on the BBC website (not sure if I included that in the last should read, but if I did it's worth repeating). The BBC has an entire page dedicated to news about Sudan, and regularly runs stories about Darfur. And because it's known as a reliable, international news source, it can be trusted to be impartial and show multiple angles and facets to the conflict. The sheer amount of information the BBC has published on Darfur is almost overwhelming. It is certainly more than any other news organization I have seen. The page on the Sudan can be accessed here.
Their most recent article, on escalating violence in Northern Darfur, can be accessed here.
Joey Cheek and Team Darfur
This is an e-mail sent to our group by my co-coordinator Rand. I'm posting it here for anyone who isn't on our e-mail list who reads the blog. If you would like to be on our e-mail list, leave a comment or send an e-mail to UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com.
As you all know, the Summer Olympics in Beijing are well underway. While national champions like swimmer Michael Phelps and beach volleyball players Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh continue to sweep up the spotlight with their athletic feats, I wanted to take a moment to let you all know about someone who's proven himself to be a true Olympian – even though he's been barred from this year's games.
This year's 2008 Beijing Olympics have stirred up controversy for many reasons, one of which is the Chinese government's financial support of Sudanese militias in Darfur. As Liz made clear in our previous email, we're not advocating a boycott of the Olympics, but instead an expansion of the true Olympic message of international peace. And there's one athlete in particular who has embodied this ideal.
His name is Joey Cheek, and speedskater fans may recognize him as a former Olympian and world-record holder. Yet it can be argued that winning a gold and a silver medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics wasn't his true shining moment; that came when he donated all of his Olympic winnings and his international fundraising – a grand total of over $1 million dollars – to the people of Darfur.
In correlation with this effort, Cheek is the co-founder and president of an inspiring organization called Team Darfur. Team Darfur is "an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan." Their membership includes over 400 athletes worldwide, brought together by a single message: enough is enough.
But only hours before Cheek was set to fly to Beijing, his visa was revoked by the Chinese government. Chinese officials gave no direct reason for the retraction, but it did likewise revoke the visas of a few other Team Darfur athletes. This move has upset many American officials, including presidential nominees Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama. As the latter wrote in a statement, "Joey Cheek has been a courageous and leading voice for international action to stop the genocide in Darfur. China's decision to revoke his visa is deeply disturbing, and contradicts Beijing's promises to run an open Olympic Games." In a statement that echoes this sentiment, Senator McCain wrote, "I am very disappointed by Beijing's decision to revoke the visa of 2006 Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek...[this] is not in keeping with China's pledge to hold an open games." (And may I add, if these two strikingly different presidential nominees can agree on their mutual outrage, you know that it's important!)
I also wanted to bring your attention in particular to Joey Cheek because of something else that's remarkable about him: he's our age. He's currently a freshman at Princeton University studying economics and Chinese. That just goes to show that you don't have to be an international politician to take crucial steps toward ending a horrific genocide.
So, while athletes like Joey Cheek and co-founder Brad Greiner have been excluded from this year's games, it's clear that the men and women of Team Darfur continue to represent the true Olympic spirit, even if they're nowhere near the borders of China.
To learn more about Team Darfur and take part in their petitions, visit their website at www.teamdarfur.org/takeaction. I also encourage you all to go to this link (http://teamdarfur.org/fanpledge) and take a minute of your time to write your support of the Team Darfur athletes, especially for those who may have sacrificed an Olympic dream for the Darfur Dream.
Thanks!
As you all know, the Summer Olympics in Beijing are well underway. While national champions like swimmer Michael Phelps and beach volleyball players Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh continue to sweep up the spotlight with their athletic feats, I wanted to take a moment to let you all know about someone who's proven himself to be a true Olympian – even though he's been barred from this year's games.
This year's 2008 Beijing Olympics have stirred up controversy for many reasons, one of which is the Chinese government's financial support of Sudanese militias in Darfur. As Liz made clear in our previous email, we're not advocating a boycott of the Olympics, but instead an expansion of the true Olympic message of international peace. And there's one athlete in particular who has embodied this ideal.
His name is Joey Cheek, and speedskater fans may recognize him as a former Olympian and world-record holder. Yet it can be argued that winning a gold and a silver medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics wasn't his true shining moment; that came when he donated all of his Olympic winnings and his international fundraising – a grand total of over $1 million dollars – to the people of Darfur.
In correlation with this effort, Cheek is the co-founder and president of an inspiring organization called Team Darfur. Team Darfur is "an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan." Their membership includes over 400 athletes worldwide, brought together by a single message: enough is enough.
But only hours before Cheek was set to fly to Beijing, his visa was revoked by the Chinese government. Chinese officials gave no direct reason for the retraction, but it did likewise revoke the visas of a few other Team Darfur athletes. This move has upset many American officials, including presidential nominees Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama. As the latter wrote in a statement, "Joey Cheek has been a courageous and leading voice for international action to stop the genocide in Darfur. China's decision to revoke his visa is deeply disturbing, and contradicts Beijing's promises to run an open Olympic Games." In a statement that echoes this sentiment, Senator McCain wrote, "I am very disappointed by Beijing's decision to revoke the visa of 2006 Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek...[this] is not in keeping with China's pledge to hold an open games." (And may I add, if these two strikingly different presidential nominees can agree on their mutual outrage, you know that it's important!)
I also wanted to bring your attention in particular to Joey Cheek because of something else that's remarkable about him: he's our age. He's currently a freshman at Princeton University studying economics and Chinese. That just goes to show that you don't have to be an international politician to take crucial steps toward ending a horrific genocide.
So, while athletes like Joey Cheek and co-founder Brad Greiner have been excluded from this year's games, it's clear that the men and women of Team Darfur continue to represent the true Olympic spirit, even if they're nowhere near the borders of China.
To learn more about Team Darfur and take part in their petitions, visit their website at www.teamdarfur.org/takeaction. I also encourage you all to go to this link (http://teamdarfur.org/fanpledge) and take a minute of your time to write your support of the Team Darfur athletes, especially for those who may have sacrificed an Olympic dream for the Darfur Dream.
Thanks!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Olympics...
The Olympics are now on their third day, and as I've written in the past, we are not in any way urging a boycott. However, there is one thing you can do while you're watching the Olympics to help educate yourself about Darfur, and to help world leaders see that people do care about what's happening there.
The Darfur Olympics are a special project from Mia Farrow; each day that the Olympics are on television, the Darfur Olympics release a video from the refugee camps in the Sudan and Chad. During the commercials, if you can switch the television off and watch these videos online, it will send a statement that Darfur is still on people's minds. No matter how glorious the opening ceremony, or how intense the competition, the world has not forgotten Darfur.
Even if you don't watch the Olympics at all, please take time to watch these videos; they're only a few minutes each, and we can all spare a few minutes a day.
There are also music videos donated to the Darfur Olympics from artists like the 420 Funk Mob, REM, The Jones Street Boys, Taking Back Sunday and others, so check those out while you're there.
Please go to www.darfurolympics.org.
The Darfur Olympics are a special project from Mia Farrow; each day that the Olympics are on television, the Darfur Olympics release a video from the refugee camps in the Sudan and Chad. During the commercials, if you can switch the television off and watch these videos online, it will send a statement that Darfur is still on people's minds. No matter how glorious the opening ceremony, or how intense the competition, the world has not forgotten Darfur.
Even if you don't watch the Olympics at all, please take time to watch these videos; they're only a few minutes each, and we can all spare a few minutes a day.
There are also music videos donated to the Darfur Olympics from artists like the 420 Funk Mob, REM, The Jones Street Boys, Taking Back Sunday and others, so check those out while you're there.
Please go to www.darfurolympics.org.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Take Action...
Sign this petition to encourage the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to send the rest of the peacekeepers it promised to send to Darfur last year. 19000 troops were promised, and only 2000 were deployed to Darfur. This is really important, and timely; Save Darfur is looking for 500,000 petitioners by July 31.
UN Withdraws "Non-Essential" Personnel
The United Nations is pulling its non-essential personnel out of Darfur, in preparation for increasing difficulties in the region. The decision appears to be in part because of the ICC's hearing about whether or not to charge Omar al-Bashir with genocide and war crimes, and in part because of violent attacks on UNAMID employees in Darfur.
More from the BBC.
Also, more on China's role in the genocide, also from the BBC.
More from the BBC.
Also, more on China's role in the genocide, also from the BBC.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Gencoide Charges for Sudan Leader...
Omar Hassan al-Bashir has been charged with genocide by an International Criminal Court prosecutor. The decision has been met with mixed emotions from UN officials, who say that the charges may up the violence in Darfur, rather than eliminating it. It is the first time a sitting head of state has been charged at the Hague. al-Bashir has not yet been arrested, and will not be until the pretrial pannel has decided, which could take months.
More info from MSNBC and the BBC.
And this blog has analysis about the possible effects of the charges and more information about the ICC.
More info from MSNBC and the BBC.
And this blog has analysis about the possible effects of the charges and more information about the ICC.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
For more information...
The BBC has published a series of questions from people around the world and answers from people living inside refugee camps in the Sudan. It's an interesting look at the conflict, and a good way to grasp some of the more personal aspects about this conflict. Find it here.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Spreading to Chad...
This isn't a real post, I just wanted to post a link to this BBC article. The violence in Sudan has been spreading to Chad almost since it began, and that's an aspect that doesn't get talked about by Darfur activists so much. Now it's looking like a full out war between Chad and Sudan is a possibility.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Should Reads...
At the end of this year, one thing a lot of members of the UMass Amherst Darfur Campaign said was that they wished they had more information about what was actually going on on the ground in Darfur. With that in mind, I've decided to post occasionally about books, news articles and columns that are good sources of information about Darfur and related subjects. Today, I have 3 should reads for you:
Nicholas Kristof's New York Times columns - located here - are always a should read. Kristof is perhaps the loudest media voice when it comes to Darfur, and his columns have at times blurred the lines between activist and journalist. Not all of his columns are about Darfur, he actually focuses on Asia, but he has published quite a bit of information about the conflict and it's a good place to start.
The Devil Came on Horseback by Brian Steidle and Gretchen Steidle Wallace - Brian Steidle is an American and a former Marine who spent six months in Darfur working with an African Union team that was supposed to be maintaining the ceasefire between rebel troops and the Government of Sudan. The book chronicles his time in Sudan (including time he spent in South Sudan before he went into Darfur), and discusses his frustration with the African Union mandate which didn't allow for intervention. It also provides specific, detailed and graphic information about the situation.
Steidle publishes a document from the Government of Sudan that he managed to get his hands on while in Sudan. Without reprinting the entire thing, I'd like to say that after reading this document, if I had ever had any doubts as to whether the situation in Darfur was a genocide, this paragraph would have silenced them (it's been translated into English, so the grammar is not so great, but you get the idea):
"Killings, burnings of villages, farms and terrorize and rob properties from African tribes and force them to migrate outside Darfur, killing of intellectuals, the youth that may participate with the rebels in fighting and celebrate by raising the Arab Coalition flag after two years." (Steidle and Wallace, 187).
The government wants to completely wipe out these citizens because they are not Arabs. The killings of intellectuals, leaders and youths are all clear signs of genocide.
And my final should read:
Any and everything by Eric Reeves. His essays on Darfur can be found here. He's also written a book called A Long Day's Dying: Critical Moments in the Darfur Genocide (I haven't read it yet, so you'll probably see Eric Reeves on the should read's list again, when I have). Reeves has been working tirelessly for the people of Darfur for a decade, working as a full time researcher and analyst on the conflict. He's written a LOT about Darfur, but it's all worth sifting through.
Nicholas Kristof's New York Times columns - located here - are always a should read. Kristof is perhaps the loudest media voice when it comes to Darfur, and his columns have at times blurred the lines between activist and journalist. Not all of his columns are about Darfur, he actually focuses on Asia, but he has published quite a bit of information about the conflict and it's a good place to start.
The Devil Came on Horseback by Brian Steidle and Gretchen Steidle Wallace - Brian Steidle is an American and a former Marine who spent six months in Darfur working with an African Union team that was supposed to be maintaining the ceasefire between rebel troops and the Government of Sudan. The book chronicles his time in Sudan (including time he spent in South Sudan before he went into Darfur), and discusses his frustration with the African Union mandate which didn't allow for intervention. It also provides specific, detailed and graphic information about the situation.
Steidle publishes a document from the Government of Sudan that he managed to get his hands on while in Sudan. Without reprinting the entire thing, I'd like to say that after reading this document, if I had ever had any doubts as to whether the situation in Darfur was a genocide, this paragraph would have silenced them (it's been translated into English, so the grammar is not so great, but you get the idea):
"Killings, burnings of villages, farms and terrorize and rob properties from African tribes and force them to migrate outside Darfur, killing of intellectuals, the youth that may participate with the rebels in fighting and celebrate by raising the Arab Coalition flag after two years." (Steidle and Wallace, 187).
The government wants to completely wipe out these citizens because they are not Arabs. The killings of intellectuals, leaders and youths are all clear signs of genocide.
And my final should read:
Any and everything by Eric Reeves. His essays on Darfur can be found here. He's also written a book called A Long Day's Dying: Critical Moments in the Darfur Genocide (I haven't read it yet, so you'll probably see Eric Reeves on the should read's list again, when I have). Reeves has been working tirelessly for the people of Darfur for a decade, working as a full time researcher and analyst on the conflict. He's written a LOT about Darfur, but it's all worth sifting through.
June 20th...
The Save Darfur Coalition and Dream for Darfur are asking people to help pressure four of the Beijing Olympics corporate sponsors, Coca Cola, General Electric, Volkswagon, and Swatch, to use their influence to call for an end to the genocide in Darfur. They've set up a national day to protest, with seperate rallies going on all around the country.
In Massachusetts, there will be a rally at 3:30 at Boston Volkswagon, 168 Western Ave, Alston MA 02134.
If you can attend the rally, bring friends. If you're free the 20th but you won't be in Massachusetts, here is a list of other rallies around the country. If you can't make it one the 20th, regardless of the location, but you want to help out, go here and send e-mails to the four corporate sponsors.
In Massachusetts, there will be a rally at 3:30 at Boston Volkswagon, 168 Western Ave, Alston MA 02134.
If you can attend the rally, bring friends. If you're free the 20th but you won't be in Massachusetts, here is a list of other rallies around the country. If you can't make it one the 20th, regardless of the location, but you want to help out, go here and send e-mails to the four corporate sponsors.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Where Does Staples Come In?
One last post today...
Staples is a sponsor of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. A few entries back, I explained how China plays a role in the Darfur but here's a one-sentance refresher: They send lots and lots of money and weapons to the government in Khartoum. As a sponsor of the Olympics, Staples has a lot of sway over China right now, and until the closing ceremony in August. STAND chapters around the country have asked Staples to use that influence and ask China to call for end to the genocide.
This would involve signing the Dream for Darfur pledge, making a public appeal to China to do all it can to stop the genocide, ask China to ban the Sudanese officials currently indicted by the International Criminal Court from the Olympic Games, send a letter to the UN expressing concern for Darfur and asking for information about the action the UN is taking on the ground there, and work with other corporate sponsors on the issues.
The Dream for Darfur organization gave Staples an "F" on their recent 2nd Olympic Corporate Sponsor Darfur report card for failing to take any of these steps.
OUR RALLY
On April 27, Massachusetts STAND chapters held a rally to ask Staples to take action. Ron Seargant, CEO of Staples, was invited to the rally, but didn't attend. Instead, STAND recieved an e-mail, saying that Staples is not a corporate sponsor, only the sole office furniture provider for the games, and that as such, the company didn't feel it would be appropriate to take a stance on a foreign policy issue as complicated as the conflict in Darfur.
The Staples campaign didn't end with the rally, and I'll have more details about how you can take action on that as they come to me.
For more information about the national corporate sponsor campaign - which is not just calling for action from Staples, but from every sponsor of the Olympics, including Coca Cola, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, etc - go here : http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=75
Sidenote: All but four of the Olympic Corporate Sponsors have been ruled "silently complicit" in the Darfur genocide by Dream for Darfur; those four are Adidas (which recieved a B+ on its report card), Eastman Kodak (also got a B+), Johnson & Johnson (C+) and MacDonald's (C+).
Staples is a sponsor of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. A few entries back, I explained how China plays a role in the Darfur but here's a one-sentance refresher: They send lots and lots of money and weapons to the government in Khartoum. As a sponsor of the Olympics, Staples has a lot of sway over China right now, and until the closing ceremony in August. STAND chapters around the country have asked Staples to use that influence and ask China to call for end to the genocide.
This would involve signing the Dream for Darfur pledge, making a public appeal to China to do all it can to stop the genocide, ask China to ban the Sudanese officials currently indicted by the International Criminal Court from the Olympic Games, send a letter to the UN expressing concern for Darfur and asking for information about the action the UN is taking on the ground there, and work with other corporate sponsors on the issues.
The Dream for Darfur organization gave Staples an "F" on their recent 2nd Olympic Corporate Sponsor Darfur report card for failing to take any of these steps.
On April 27, Massachusetts STAND chapters held a rally to ask Staples to take action. Ron Seargant, CEO of Staples, was invited to the rally, but didn't attend. Instead, STAND recieved an e-mail, saying that Staples is not a corporate sponsor, only the sole office furniture provider for the games, and that as such, the company didn't feel it would be appropriate to take a stance on a foreign policy issue as complicated as the conflict in Darfur.
The Staples campaign didn't end with the rally, and I'll have more details about how you can take action on that as they come to me.
For more information about the national corporate sponsor campaign - which is not just calling for action from Staples, but from every sponsor of the Olympics, including Coca Cola, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, etc - go here : http://www.dreamfordarfur.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=75
Sidenote: All but four of the Olympic Corporate Sponsors have been ruled "silently complicit" in the Darfur genocide by Dream for Darfur; those four are Adidas (which recieved a B+ on its report card), Eastman Kodak (also got a B+), Johnson & Johnson (C+) and MacDonald's (C+).
ACTION: Presidential Candidates Respond to Darfur
The three main presidential candidates have issued a joint statement calling for an end to the suffering in Darfur, and calling for United States action. Words spoken on the campaign trail don't necessarily lead to action from the Oval office, as most Americans have figured out. However, if we show these candidates that we've heard their statements, if we keep Darfur in the campaign dialogue, and if we make it clear that we expect this promise to be a kept promise, we might very well see our government do more for the people of Darfur in 2009.
Show the candidates you were listening : http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/thank_candidates_vid
And please leave a comment if you took action, so that the UMass Save Darfur group can keep a tally.
Thanks!
ACTION : Support UN Peacekeepers...
The UN peacekeepers are on the ground in Darfur, and have been since July 2007. They came in late. They are not properly funded. But that isn't their fault. These peacekeepers are making some difference on the ground in the region, and I think it's important for anyone who wants peace to acknowledge their importance, so I'm asking all the people who read this blog to send them a quick thank you, even if you only sign the already written letter. Thank you.
Take action here : http://www.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org/site/PageNavigator/BWC_Peacekeeping_Thankyou
And then tell Congress to support funding of the UN here : https://secure.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=117&JServSessionIdr007=61oas3hgi2.app8a
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
ACTION
Amnesty International is asking for people to sign e-mails to United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and The United States Mission to the UN ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, asking them to pressure the Sudanese government to arrest Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb, both of whom have warrants out against them from the International Criminal Court. Ahmad Harun is the former Minister of the Interior and current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs(!) and Ali Kushayb is the head of the Janjaweed militia, which is the force committing the mass murder and rape on the ground in Darfur. They are both charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes.
It is impossible to quantify the amount of suffering that these two men have caused. Releasing them to the ICC could be the first step to ending this genocide, and encouraging their release would take very little on the part of the United States government. Please take a few seconds to urge the United States government to help.
SIGN HERE
It is impossible to quantify the amount of suffering that these two men have caused. Releasing them to the ICC could be the first step to ending this genocide, and encouraging their release would take very little on the part of the United States government. Please take a few seconds to urge the United States government to help.
SIGN HERE
Thursday, May 15, 2008
China's Role in Darfur
Speakers at the Dream for Darfur Rally :
Below is an excerpt from a speech at the Amherst Dream for Darfur rally last fall about China's role in the genocide in Darfur:
Since February of 2003, over 400,000 Sudanese people have been killed. Over two million Sudanese people have been displaced, forced to live in refugee camps in Sudan and neighboring countries. The Janjaweed, the military force behind these atrocities, have used not only bombs and terror, but also rape and mutilation as weapons. The violence has destroyed entire villages, separated children and their parents, brothers and their sisters, husbands and their wives.
The Janjaweed is clearly supported by the Sudanese government, and the Sudanese government is clearly supported by China, economically, militarily and politically. China accounts for 70% of the Sudan’s global oil exports and 70% of Sudanese oil profits go to the Sudanese military. The same Sudanese military that is funding and committing the genocide of the Darfuri people.
China is also the largest foreign investor in the Sudan, and the Sudan’s largest global trading partner. China donates significant amounts of monetary aid to the Sudanese government each year. Yet up until July of this year, China sat idly by as the people of Darfur were massacred, raped and exiled. Even now, it has acted only within the UN. Furthermore, the UN troops China and the world voted unanimously to send to Darfur have yet to materialize.
Now, in 2008, China will hold the Summer Olympics, an event that serves as much more than a forum for athletic competition. The Olympic Games represent peace among and within nations. They are a time of international collaboration and friendly competition. And now, activists can use the games to call attention to the suffering of the people of Darfur.
We’re asking China to make the following demands of the government in Khartum:
Khartum must disarm the Janjaweed militias and adhere to previously agreed upon ceasefires.
Khartum must stop the bombing of civilian targets.
Khartum must allow unfettered humanitarian access to Darfur.
If Khartum does not agree to these demands, China must announce a series of consequences, and China must follow through. Furthermore, China must immediately suspend all weapon transfers to the Sudan. This is the least that they can do.
As long as China refuses to take action, the horrors in Darfur will continue.
Introduction
Since 2003, a genocide has been waged in the Darfur region of the Sudan, a country in Africa. According to the UN over 300,000 people have died; according to many other sources, well over 400,000 have died. Over 2 million people have been displaced, forced to live in refugee camps along the Sudan-Chad border.
This blog is run by the Darfur campaign of the University of Massachusetts Amherst MassPIRG. We will be updating with news about what is happening in Darfur, what our group is doing, and what readers can do. During the school year the group has weekly meetings; because it's now finals week and will be summer shortly, we won't be meeting again until September.
Throughout the summer months I will be updating with news about Darfur, links to petitions online, and updates on the Olympic Corporate Sponsorship campaign, which I will explain in another post.
For more information about the Darfur Campaign, MassPIRG and how you can get involved, e-mail UMassSaveDarfur@gmail.com.
This blog is run by the Darfur campaign of the University of Massachusetts Amherst MassPIRG. We will be updating with news about what is happening in Darfur, what our group is doing, and what readers can do. During the school year the group has weekly meetings; because it's now finals week and will be summer shortly, we won't be meeting again until September.
Throughout the summer months I will be updating with news about Darfur, links to petitions online, and updates on the Olympic Corporate Sponsorship campaign, which I will explain in another post.
For more information about the Darfur Campaign, MassPIRG and how you can get involved, e-mail UMassSaveDarfur@gmail.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
