Posts under ‘Darfur’

On New Years Day, President Bush signed The Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (SADA) into law, paving the way for mutual funds and private pension fund managers to divest from Sudan-related investments. The bill also allows states to legally block debt financing for companies that do business in Sudan. It also requires companies seeking federal contracts to certify that they are not doing business in Sudan. Unfortunately, the President also simultaneously released a “signing statement“, which, according to the New York Times, allows the president to override state and local divestment decisions if they conflict with federal foreign policy goals.

So, from a president who has let down the activist community on most issues since his inauguration day, a New Year’s gift has fallen into our collective laps, albeit one tainted by Bush’s cynical “reservations” about a bill that could curtail the United States’ ability to capitalize on the oil under the sands of Darfur. Still, the passage of SADA is worthy of a celebratory moment colored by a very guarded optimism.

Tell Congress to Fund Darfur Peacekeeping Once and For All!

The United States has urged the international community to take action to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The United Nations has taken up the challenge and is aiming to deploy the most complex and logistically difficult peacekeeping mission ever. The UN is working hard to get the resources it needs for this mission and to put peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur, but Congress has yet to approve full funding for the United States’ share of the peacekeeping!

Join with thousands of people across the country to take part in Darfur National Action Week. Tell Congress it is imperative that they provide the $724 million in emergency funding for the UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, as requested by President Bush.

Lead your leaders! Call 1-800-GENOCIDE and talk to your representative — urge him or her to make funding for Darfur peacekeeping a priority!

Image courtesy of Gabriel Stauring, StopGenocideNow.org

Dear Keith,

The holiday season is upon us and people across the country are preparing to celebrate with their loved ones. This year, please remember the people of Darfur who do not have that luxury.

Help us raise $50,000 this holiday season to protect

the victims of the Darfur genocide.

Every day brave women and girls venture from refugee camps to collect firewood, exposing themselves to harassment, kidnapping, rape and death. Their treks into the desert to collect increasingly scarce firewood make them easy prey for the roaming Janjaweed militias.

This holiday season you have the opportunity to give some of the two-and-a-half million displaced Darfurians hope for protection. Hope for safety. The Genocide Intervention Network runs an on-the-ground civilian protection program that supports safer cooking options such as:

• Alternative-fuel stoves
• Income-generating projects for women so they can afford to buy firewood when there is none to gather
• Guarded firewood patrols to protect women who leave the camps in search of firewood.

Make a donation today, and give the gift of safety to Darfurians.

Our civilian protection program is the only one of its kind in Darfur, providing desperately needed security to women in the region, but it depends on the generosity of concerned citizens like you. Help us reach our goal of $50,000 and expand our civilian protection program by making a tax-deductible contribution today.

Contributions can be made as holiday gifts for your family, friends and colleagues. In this season of giving, what could be better than helping those who need it the most?

Donate today, and help keep the women and children of Darfur safe.

Our civilian protection program gives safety and hope to the people of Darfur, but we can’t do it without your generosity.

Dear Reader,

Thanksgiving is a very special day for me and my family. We use the time to reflect on all our blessings, appreciate being together, and reach out to those who are less fortunate.

So it probably comes as no surprise that we will be including the people of Darfur in our Thanksgiving celebration this Thursday.

Will you join me in devoting a few minutes of your Thanksgiving celebration to help the people of Darfur?

Click here now to include the people of Darfur in your Thanksgiving this Thursday.

All you have to do is take a moment to share the story of the people of Darfur and hand out a simple petition for your guests to sign.

You’ll start by spending a few moments explaining the crisis to your guests (you can download a short overview of the situation to read from if you’d like) and then pass around a printed petition to President Bush and U.N. Secretary-General Ban for your guests to sign.

I hope you’ll join me and my family in taking advantage of this opportunity for reflection, thankfulness, and togetherness to help raise awareness about the urgency of the situation in Darfur.

Click here to get started now by downloading the materials you’ll need to include the people of Darfur in your celebration.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take this chance to thank you for your commitment to the cause. And I’m not alone. The House of Representatives voted unanimously a few weeks ago to commend the work that Darfur activists worldwide have done to raise awareness of the genocide.

Thank you again for all of your hard work.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the Save Darfur Coalition.

Best regards,

Colleen Connors
Save Darfur Coalition

P.S. Looking for a meaningful holiday gift? If so, click here to visit the Save Darfur Coalition’s online store to browse our selection of t-shirts, wristbands, and much more. Our merchandise is the perfect way to give a gift to someone you love and help people in need at the same time.

Donate to Help Save Darfur
Help build the political pressure needed to end the crisis in Darfur by supporting the Save Darfur Coalition’s crucial awareness and advocacy programs. Click here now to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation.

Last night, I had the opportunity to see an advance screening of Darfur Now, a new documentary about the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. MTV apparently released advanced copies of the film to student activist groups across the country, and I was able to see the film at our local university under the auspices of our local chapter of STAND.

The film, which is already receiving mixed reviews, follows the struggles of six individuals, including Don Cheadle (of Hotel Rwanda fame); Luis Moreno-Ocampo, principle prosecutor for the International Criminal Court in The Hague; Pablo Recalde, a UN employee in charge of aid distribution by the U.N.’s World Food Program within Darfur; Hejewa Adam, a Darfurian woman who has joined a rebel group after her baby was murdered by the Janjaweed militia; Adam Sterling, a California-based activist; and Ahmed Mohammed Abakar, a Sheik living in a refugee camp and helping to organizing and support the thousands encamped there.

Fast-paced and informative in a general way, the film gives the viewer a relatively surface-level review of the conflict, the genocide, some of the major players, and the geopolitics therein. Many reviews take the film to task for various shortcomings—many criticisms with which I agree—yet I can honestly say that the overall take-away message is one of cautious optimism. The film is obviously meant to leave the viewer feeling uplifted by the successful activism witnessed on the screen, while still allowing that the reality of thousands dead and thousands more displaced is nowhere near resolved. Still, the viewer gets to see Mr. Sterling, flanked by Don Cheadle and George Clooney, celebrate as Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a law enacting California’s divestment from any businesses connected with the Sudanese government. The viewer also sees an uplifting montage of Mr. Cheadle’s many public speaking engagements and book tour with co-author John Prendergast, with laughter and heartfelt sentiments peppered throughout.

Poignant moments include a band of female rebels, armed with semi-automatic weapons, waiting in the jungle to strike an unsuspecting enemy who roam the region on sprees of destruction. While they wait, the women discuss the U.N., the need for a multinational peace-keeping force, and wonder aloud when “the white people” will arrive to help them. One woman repeats the name of the International Criminal Court’s main prosecutor, as if his name were a prayer just waiting to be answered. Meanwhile, the wheels of justice in The Hague turn painfully slowly, and indicted Sudanese war criminals act with impunity, their government refusing to extradite them for trial. The women’s words echo in the jungle landscape, the irony of their current isolation painful to witness.

My niece, a well-known college-age Darfur activist, says that Darfur Now is a “activist burnout prevention film” which she and her hard-working colleagues watch periodically for a shot in the arm and a moral/emotional boost. If the daring viewer/activist would like a more realistic and less optimistic view of the Darfur conflict and genocide, The Devil Came on Horseback comes highly recommended. As my niece warned me, Darfur Now leaves you feeling like you can personally make a difference, while The Devil Came on Horseback may leave one utterly demoralized and depressed. With complicated and tragic situations like Darfur, it’s apparent that we need both influences on the citizenry’s table. One film may knock you to the ground with its stark realism, while the other lifts you back on your feet again with more gentle threads of hope. See them both, and then take action.

This just in from the website of Dream for Darfur:

Olympic Dream for Darfur has organized an Olympic Torch Relay from Darfur to Beijing that started in August 2007. The goal of the relay is to remind China of its ability and its responsibility to help end the carnage in Darfur.

The Olympics are less than a year away. The theme for 2008 is “One World, One Dream.”

As China prepares to host the Olympics and waves the banner of peace and brotherhood, it is failing to help bring this dream to Darfur.

China has considerable influence over the Sudanese government and can play a critical role in ending the carnage in Darfur. So far, China’s actions have not been enough.

Click here to read more about China’s relationship with Sudan and Darfur

To remind China of its responsibility to help bring peace to Darfur, Dream for Darfur launched its own Olympic Torch Relay in August. The torch began its journey in Chad, just across the border from Darfur. The torch will travel around the world, visiting sites of previous genocides such as Rwanda, Armenia, Bosnia, Germany, and Cambodia.

Between September and December, The Save Darfur Coalition, Dream for Darfur, and STAND will bring the torch to several cities around the U.S. The torch will end its tour when it arrives at China’s doorstep in December.

The message is simple. China please: bring the Olympic dream to Darfur.

Click here to see a schedule of U.S. torch events

Click here to find out about international torch events

The following is the text of an email which I received today from Save Darfur:

One year from today, the Summer Olympic Games will begin in Beijing, China.

To mark this date, Save Darfur Coalition partner Dream for Darfur is launching its own Olympic torch relay in Chad, across the border from Darfur. The torch will tour the world, including sites of other genocides and many U.S. cities, until it reaches China’s doorstep in December.

All nations must do more to stand up for the people of Darfur. However, China’s economic, political, and military ties to the Sudanese government give it considerable influence over Sudan’s decisions. China therefore has a tremendous responsibility to help end this tragedy. That is the message we sent two weeks ago when I delivered 42,000 Save Darfur Coalition activist petitions to the Chinese Embassy in D.C.

Unfortunately, so far, China’s actions have not been enough.

As next year’s Olympics draw near, we must ramp up world pressure on China. Click here now to sign our new petition and make sure China gets the message.

For many of us, the Olympic Games represent a world-wide celebration of hope for peace. That’s why I decided to donate the entirety of the gold medal bonus I received in 2006 to humanitarian efforts for Darfur refugees — and encouraged others to do the same.

Still, this Olympic dream has not yet reached Darfur.

Please join me in sending a message of hope and demanding that China use its influence to bring an end to the crisis. Click here to sign this petition now and remind China that it must set the tone for next year’s Olympic Games.

China is more than Sudan’s largest trading partner, foreign investor, and arms provider. China has also consistently defended Sudan on the world stage, even fighting to weaken last week’s UN Security Council resolution that authorized the deployment of peacekeepers to Darfur.

Thankfully, global pressure is mounting, and ultimately helped force China to vote for the resolution. Join me in making sure China continues to get the message. Click here to sign the petition today.

Then please forward this message to your friends and family and ask them to join you in taking action.

Dream for Darfur, the Save Darfur Coalition, and STAND will be bringing the torch to 23 cities across the United States. Click here for more information about when the torch will come to your state.

All my best,

Joey Cheek
U.S. Gold Medalist, 2006 Winter Olympics
Founder, Where Will We Be

P.S. It doesn’t take an Olympic athlete to help make a difference for the people of Darfur. Every month, the Save Darfur Coalition is profiling “Darfur Heroes,” activists who have demonstrated exceptional drive — and a little creativity — in raising awareness in their communities. Check out this month’s “Darfur Hero” at http://www.savedarfur.org/section/heroes.

LifeNets.net has created a strong campaign for a No-Fly Zone in Darfur and I am hoping you will take just 2 minutes to check it out—it’s truly a worthy cause that could save many lives. Please visit the home page of the campaign.

If you’d like more info on the situation, you can watch a brief and moving video.

Please consider getting involved! Too many innocent men, women, and children are dying. If we truly meant humanity’s promise of “never again!” following the genocide of the Holocaust, then now is the time to act.

Dear Anti-Genocide Activist,

House Resolution 180, the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act, is expected to be considered on the House floor this Monday, July 30 after passing the Financial Services Committee.

If passed, DADA would be the most robust piece of legislation approved by Congress since genocide was declared in Darfur.

Call 1-800-GENOCIDE and urge your representative to take action:

• Ask your representative to vote in favor of H.R. 180.
• This bill would provide federal protection to states that divest from the worst offending companies fueling the genocide.
  
• This bill would also prohibit U.S. government contracts with such companies and ensure American dollars are not funding the ongoing atrocities in Darfur.

Encourage your representative to vote in favor of DADA by calling 1-800-GENOCIDE (1-800-436-6243).

Together, we can ensure states are granted the federal protection they deserve for acting as responsible and moral market participants!

According to the Genocide Intervention Network, the states of Iowa, Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, Florida and Kansas have joined the ranks of other states in America which have signed legislation making it illegal to invest in companies doing business in Sudan. Seventeen other states are on the verge of signing such legislation, and Hawaii and Texas are simply awaiting their respective governors’ signatures on bills which have made it through all other legislative hurdles.

To see an interactive map of divestment activities and campaigns, click here. To learn how to get more involved, click here.

Disturbingly, the recent presidential debates were sponsored by none other than Fidelity Investments. A video about this connection can now be viewed on YouTube. It is widely accepted that Fidelity has been the largest shareholder on the New York Stock Exchange of shares in PetroChina and Sinopec, two Chinese petroleum companies whose economic interests in the oil fields of Sudan has provided the Sudanese government with billions of dollars with which to fund the Darfur genocide. That said, while Fidelity has recently divested 91% of its holdings in PetroChina on the NYSE due to activist pressure and a widespread divestment campaign, it still holds millions of dollars in the same companies on the Hong Kong exchange. Shame on Fidelity for its duplicitous and underhanded actions.

While many of the presidential candidates—both Republican and Democrat—have spoken out against the genocide in Darfur and have begun divesting their own personal holdings in Fidelity, the fact that they took part in a debate sponsored by this disingenuous American company is simply beyond the pale. Whatever your party affiliation, I highly recommend that you consider contacting as many of the candidates as you can to let them know that having any dealings with Fidelity is unacceptable, especially while these same candidates decry the very genocide which Fidelity’s investment strategies support.

If you wish to contact any of the candidates, the following links may be of use to you, now or in the future.

Democratic
Joseph Biden - http://www.joebiden.com/footerlinks?id=0001
Hillary Clinton - http://www.hillaryclinton.com/help/contact/
Christopher Dodd - http://www.chrisdodd.com/contact
John Edwards - http://johnedwards.com/about/contact/form/
Mike Gravel - http://www.gravel2008.us/contact
Dennis Kucinich - http://kucinich.us/contact
Barack Obama - http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/contact/
Bill Richardson - http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/content/contactus/

Republican
Sam Brownback - http://www.brownback.com/s/Contact/tabid/108/Default.aspx
Jim Gilmore - http://www.gilmoreforpresident.com/contact.php
Rudy Giuliani - http://www.joinrudy2008.com/contact.html
Mike Huckabee - http://www.explorehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Home.ContactUs
Duncan Hunter - http://www.gohunter08.com/inner.asp?z=3
John McCain - http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/
Ron Paul - http://www.ronpaul2008.com/contact/
Mitt Romney - http://www.mittromney.com/ContactUs
Tom Tancredo - http://www.teamtancredo.com/tancredo_state_index.asp
Fred Thompson - http://www.imwithfred.com/contact.aspx
Tommy Thompson - http://www.tommy2008.com/Contact_Us.aspx