Events

A Student’s Perspective: Attending the End Genocide Action Summit in D.C.

lindseywoolf — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:44:24 -0500

By Hannah Finnie, Advocacy Training Coordinator. Originally posted at the Emory University Center for Ethics. Cross-posted with permission from the author.

Hannah & Phillips Academy STAND in Washington, DC for the Summit

Earlier this month, I was honored to attend the End Genocide Action Summit in Washington, D.C. as the Advocacy Training Coordinator for STAND, a student-led anti-genocide organization. The End Genocide Action Summit was the inaugural conference of United to End Genocide, and judging by its success, the conference will be the first of many to come. United to End Genocide is a new and flourishing organization that came to fruition upon the merger of the Save Darfur Coalition and Genocide Intervention Network. STAND, which is the student-led division of United to End Genocide and boasts over 600 chapters worldwide, focuses not only on the wide array of current genocides, but also on genocide prevention.

My involvement with STAND formally began in 2008, when I learnt of the chapter at my high school and joined. However, the mission and importance of STAND has been ingrained within me ever since seventh grade, when I decided to interview my Grandma for a history project. While I was aware that the many of my extended maternal relatives were holocaust survivors, I never really knew their stories and struggles. Interviewing my own Grandmother on such a sensitive subject matter was difficult, to say the least. Then, in my very last question, I asked my Grandma if she forgave the Nazis, the perpetrators of the atrocities she had suffered through for years on end and that continued to haunt her for years to come. Expecting her to immediately dismiss my question, I was astounded when my Grandma answered with a strong and definitive “yes.”

My Grandmother’s innate strength to forgive the perpetrators of such heinous crimes serves as daily inspiration and is enough to convince me that, as a human race, we can come together to permanently end genocide. With that one interview, the spark within me had been ignited.

Thus, when I stumbled across STAND a few years later, joining the organization was an easy and natural step. In high school, I dedicated much of my time and energy to STAND, bringing speakers to campus, organizing various fundraisers, and raising awareness of genocide on campus. Furthermore, when the opportunity to become more involved in STAND arose near the end of my high school career, I eagerly jumped at the chance. Today, as Advocacy Training Coordinator for the national STAND organization, I help coordinate and execute STAND’s many advocacy efforts.

So, what about this conference? In short, it was inspiring. Meeting with activists around the world that share my passion for genocide prevention only built upon my own passion for the cause. Instead of my typical college weekend catching up on sleep, I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning discussing the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burma. Instead of learning about advocacy in my political science class, I witnessed the true meaning of advocacy when STAND constituents met with over one third of the Senate on a single day to make their voices heard. Instead of learning about past genocides and the words of “Never again,” I learned about what anti-genocide activists are doing right now to make those words a reality.

Thus, I am forever grateful for the enduring and inspiring efforts of STAND in the crucial, and often frustrating, fight against genocide. Furthermore, I am indebted to the members of STAND, students from across the globe, who continually reignite the spark within me to carry on my own anti-genocide efforts as a student at Emory University. In the upcoming weeks and months, I hope to revitalize Emory University’s commitment to building a better world by introducing the Conflict Free Campus Initiative.

If you have any questions or comments about my experiences with STAND, please do not hesitate to contact me at hfinnie@standnow.org.

-Hannah Finnie

Hannah Finnie is a Freshman at Emory University and is a work-study student for the Center for Ethics and the Ethics and Servant Leadership (EASL) Program.

Testimony of Tom Andrews at Congressional Hearing on Sudan

lindseywoolf — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:25:31 -0400

Testimony of Tom Andrews at Congressional Hearing on Sudan

After months of demanding to be heard, United to End Genocide secured a Congressional Hearing “Sudan: The Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in South Kordofan and Continuing Human Rights Violations in Darfur” which occurred today at 10am. Below is the testimony by UEG President Tom Andrews.

Testimony of the Hon. Thomas H. Andrews
President of United to End Genocide
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
“Sudan: The Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in South Kordofan and Continuing Human Rights Violations in Darfur”
September 22, 2011

Thank you Chairman Wolf, Chairman McGovern and members of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for holding this hearing. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to testify before you today on the escalation of attacks against civilians in Sudan. So many members of this Commission have been long-time champions of peace and accountability in Sudan. Your leadership on Sudan is critical.

I was in the region a little over two months ago visiting Rwanda, Kenya and South Sudan, and in Juba just weeks after violence broke out in South Kordofan. Everywhere I went I heard story after story of the horror that continues to be inflicted. Two refugees from Darfur told me about their harrowing experience of being awakened at dawn by the sound of hooves and gunfire as the Janjaweed raided their village. They fled to South Kordofan’s Nuba Mountains and described how the people there welcomed them. They expressed their alarm and horror that the same regime that had forced them to flee their homes in Darfur was now attacking the very people who provided them refuge.

The common denominator in the devastating attacks on civilians in both Darfur and South Kordofan is Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir. Let me be clear – Bashir is a genocidal monster who is already wanted by the International Criminal Court for directing atrocities in Darfur. Since Bashir came to power in a military coup in 1989 he has murdered, starved and destroyed the lives of millions of innocent civilians in South Sudan, Abyei, Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

I have provided additional details on the violence being perpetrated across Sudan by Bashir’s forces in my written testimony. But my focus today is on what is happening now in South Kordofan and the stories that were told to me by the people I met.

I spoke to several people displaced from South Kordofan’s Nuba Mountains when I was in Juba in early July. The numbers of displaced have only increased since then. Two priests who had just arrived after a narrow escape told me that the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias had gone door to door, targeting people based on their religion and the color of their skin. They spoke of churches being burned and looted. One church was hit by a bomb as Antanov planes, the same used to terrorize the people of Darfur, launched indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas. That was in July. The attacks continue.

But it doesn’t stop there: Bashir has also refused to let in desperately needed food, water, medicine and fuel. International aid NGOs have been tossed out. One of the displaced priests I met with had heard just that morning from a colleague still in the Nuba Mountains that food stocks were running low, trade routes were blocked, and no new aid was being allowed in. He told me that at least one million innocent people are at risk in South Kordofan.

This year alone, more than half a million people have been displaced by fighting throughout Sudan. United Nations reports indicate the likelihood of ethnic cleansing in Abyei, and war crimes and crimes against humanity in South Kordofan. We suspect similar atrocities have occurred in Blue Nile.

Recent violence directed by Bashir makes it very clear, when left unchecked this genocidal monster will simply continue to do what he has always done: commit unspeakable atrocities.

So what can the United States do? Past experience demonstrates that the Bashir regime only responds to consequences. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration is failing in the face of these ongoing atrocities. Recent statements by the State Department do not place appropriate emphasis on the Government of Sudan as the party overwhelmingly responsible for violence against civilians. Even more importantly, action from the Administration is severely lacking. Accountability is not being demanded. Civilians are not being protected. Bashir is being allowed to commit atrocities with impunity. Again. Unless this policy course is corrected, many more civilians will lose their lives.

In my view the Obama Administration needs to do three things:

First, expand sanctions on individuals responsible for atrocities throughout Sudan. Current individual sanctions for atrocities are specific only to Darfur. Anyone who commits heinous crimes must be held accountable regardless of where in Sudan these atrocities take place.

Second, make saving lives in Sudan a high priority in our dealings with other nations – particularly those that can exert the most leverage on Bashir. We need increased and coordinated sanctions by the international community starting with our European allies. Maybe even more importantly, the United States must work to move China in a new direction. The Chinese have a great deal of leverage with the Government of Sudan. Their significant monetary investment makes it in their interest to have a peaceful and stable region. But their actions belie their interest and denigrate values that we have a moral obligation to defend and advance. The red carpet that the Chinese government literally unfolded for Bashir just months ago in Beijing was an outrage. We need to hear that outrage spoken loudly and clearly by our leaders.

Finally, weapons must be stopped from flowing into Sudan and innocent people must be protected. The U.S. must spend political capital to pass a United Nations Security Council resolution that expands individual sanctions for perpetrators, expands the existing arms embargo on Darfur to incorporate all of Sudan, expands the mandate of the International Criminal Court to cover the entire country, demands unfettered humanitarian access, and authorizes an international civilian protection force with the resources and mandate to accomplish its mission.

Congress also has an important role to play. First, the American people need to know the truth about Omar al-Bashir and his atrocities. This hearing is an important step in that direction and, again, I commend you for your leadership. American citizens have shown they care about the people of Sudan, but many are unaware of what is happening there now. Your help is needed to raise the alarm. Congress should also consider and pass legislation that would mandate increased United States sanctions and push the Administration to advance the policies I’ve laid out here today.

I know this is not as easy as it may sound. I know about all the distractions that Members of Congress face. I was serving in the House during the Rwandan genocide. I visited the graves of hundreds of thousands of victims when I visited Rwanda in July and asked myself – “Where was I?” Why did we do nothing to prevent or stop this horror?” Well, in retrospect, the political climate here in the U.S. was intense in 1994. There were fresh memories of Mogadishu, Somalia and “Black Hawk Down”. There was the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. The economy was struggling and a heated election was looming. When you think about it, the political climate today is not at all dissimilar. But, the bottom line then is the bottom line now: We cannot stand quietly aside while genocidal monsters inflict unspeakable crimes against untold numbers of innocent people. The cost of doing nothing is too great. We must not look back years from now on this moment and think: “If only we had done something.”

We must have the courage to act now.

Thank you again for your time and for this opportunity. I look forward to answering your questions.

Cross-posted from the United to End Genocide Blog

No Fly Zone in Libya: A Much Needed Victory

stripathy — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:11:32 -0400

No Fly Zone in Libya: A Much Needed Victory

By Communications Task Force Blogger Zoya Waliany

As a member of an anti-genocide student coalition, an organization that deals almost entirely with international affairs, I rarely see the results of the work I do. After tabling for hours to get signatures on a petition to stop the use of child soldiers, I don’t get to find out the outcome of said petition the next day. Or the next year, even. Activists of this type of work—trying to stop global human rights violations, receive little to no gratification for their work. We’re not like other activists, who might volunteer at a local shelter or organize a food drive for the local food bank, and attain that immediate satisfaction of doing something good. We, instead, never know if our humanitarian efforts are beneficial, or in vain. Indeed, this is the most discouraging part of being an activist in the fight against genocide. I know that the work that my student chapter organizes is important; I know that the work STAND does is vital. At the same time, however, I never get to see tangible results of these important works. It’s enough to make me consider joining Habitat for Humanity instead!

But recently, however, we witnessed the beginning of something amazing—the foundations of a new, liberated Libya. In the past weeks, I have been anxiously refreshing the Al Jazeera English webpage awaiting news about the opposition forces in Libya and their gaining grounds in Tripoli, one of the final steps to the Revolution. It appears as though things are finally going the right way, and the Libyan people may topple the regime that has been suppressing their freedom for so long. Of course, credit is greatly due to the brave and courageous efforts of the Libyan people. This portrayal of human spirit is truly inspiring. Yet, Libyans themselves are also crediting the outside help they received from various sources, such as NATO and the United States. Ziad Majed, a columnist for Now Lebanon, a Lebanese online news source, notes that, “[Qaddafi’s fall] happened after military operations in which NATO played a decisive role… The echoes of the colonel's fall will hasten the toppling of Qaddafi clones in other countries.”

Reading about NATO’s assistance in Libya reminds me of an action item that my chapter at UT organized last semester—encouraging students to call Secretary Clinton, asking her to pressure the implementation of a no-fly zone in Libya. A no-fly zone is a territory over an area which aircrafts are not permitted to fly, and this action is usually taken in a military context. On March 17, 2011, the UN approved a no-fly zone over Libya, and NATO took control of this operation on March 23. This no-fly zone, and the assistance of NATO and other forces, as Majed notes, played a role in the Libyan people’s recent victory.

As such, I feel as though this no-fly zone implementation was finally a manifestation of the unfaltering work of my university’s chapter, in conjunction with STAND’s members’ steadfast work nationwide. We asked students to call Secretary Clinton; we organized a petition to request the no-fly zone’s implementation; we finally see results. In some small way, we as genocide activists were able to give our support and assistance to the heroic Libyan people. And I believe this knowledge is something worth sticking around for.

Lobby Day Experiences

stripathy — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:31:05 -0400

Lobby Day Experiences

By Chapter Leader Esther Smith

Prior to speaking with my Alaskan politicians, I had concocted several potential scenarios. The first was hardly imaginative, but the most hoped for: complete success and reception regarding anti-genocidal activism. The second wasn’t hoped for, but far more likely: polite dialogue and half-hearted promises of action. And, the third was least liked and (in my nervous mind) most likely: complete rejection and utter embarrassment for my first attempts at lobbying. With three close STAND friends—Katy Lindquist (Colby College), Sonia Sen (U. of Arizona), and Danny Hirschel-Burns (Swarthmore College)—I spent the night before anxiously reading materials about South Kordofan and memorizing points of interest. I perused my Senators’ history of anti-genocidal action, crafting unique ways to remember the specifics of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act and the details of slaughter in the Nuba Mountains.

So, admittedly, I had butterflies doing gymnastics in my stomach as Capitol Hill came into sight on Monday, August 1st. Despite my feigned confidence, I expected apathy—remembering Congressional disinterest or blatant opposition to past efforts in Rwanda, Yugoslavia, and Darfur. I was absolutely shocked, as one can imagine, when my dream, first scenario was realized. As an Alaskan resident, I was graced by opportunistic meetings with not just one, but two of my Senatorial offices. Additionally—and most excellently—I personally spoke with both of my Senators. The success story—the meeting that was most impressionable and valuable—is the one I want to relay here.

Although STANDcamp offered me a first opportunity for lobbying, I have met and spoken with Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski in the past. Slight political disagreements aside, she has always been amicable, kind, and incredibly receptive to the pleas (or criticisms) of her constituency. I was delighted that her very values seemed to transcend into her staff, counsel members, and interns. Upon arrival a few minutes prior to the 10:00AM meeting, I chatted with her office staff about Alaskan locations, sports, etc. With great delight, and without delay, I was introduced to Nathan S. Bergerbest (Senior Counsel for Senator Murkowski). Mr. Bergerbest quickly became (and has continued to be) a valuable asset in communication with my Senator.

Maintaining what I hoped was respectful brevity (accompanied by succinct analysis), I explained the purpose of my visit—speaking about STAND’s mission, the reality of South Kordofon, and the measures we’d like implemented. In addition, I pointed out Senator Murkowski’s past history of involvement with human rights legislation (drawing parallels to the U.S.’s relationship with Darfur, Sudan). Mr. Bergerbest comfortably dialogued with me on the subject of South Kordofan, sustaining my sneaking hope that the meeting would yield tangible support. As the conversation progressed, he expressed wonder at STAND’s advocacy and appreciation for youth activism.

Wonderfully, the meeting did not end with the conclusion of our conversation—but continued with several minutes of audience with Senator Lisa Murkowski. Similar to Mr. Bergerbest in reaction, she was delighted by our meeting and supportive of further action. Specifically, her office was requesting further information regarding the creation of a sign-on letter that would petition the United Nations to investigate Omar Al-Bashir’s violence in South Kordofan. After digressing and concluding with pleasantries that surrounded local Alaskan dives and activities, I departed with uninhibited hope and the promise of future communication.   And, I’m happy to report that the following interaction (generated through e-mail) hasn’t punctured that buoyant balloon of hope (if I can be so dramatic in diction). The last few weeks have been filled with purposeful communication between Mr. Bergerbest and myself, with a few noteworthy additional contacts. In particular, I have contacted (and e-mailed with) Allyson Neville-Morgan (the Senior Advocacy Associate at GI-Net) and Darren Fenwick (the Senior Manager of Government Affairs at Enough). The four of us—and countless others, I’m sure—are focusing on a draft letter to the United Nations. This week, in addition, I will be included in a conference call with several of the people listed above. All of this in mind, I am relentlessly excited for STAND’s future.

Indubitably, my first experience with lobbying was remarkably rewarding and overwhelmingly successful. As a college student, Alaskan voter, and human rights activist, I felt like I had a direct voice. I am honored to be a part of a political process that has the potential to shape global history in a way that respects and promotes human rights.

Esther Smith
President of STAND at
Hawaii Pacific University

The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the STAND.

An outSTANDing day on the Hill: STAND Camp Lobby Day

stripathy — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:46:03 -0400

An outSTANDing day on the Hill: STAND Camp Lobby Day

By Advocacy Coordinator Maria Thomson

STAND Camp 2011 kept its attendants busy this summer: every day was brimming with campaign strategy-building exercises, policy debate and analysis, educational sessions with top officials from organizations including United to End Genocide, Enough, the New Organizing Institute, Girifna, and more. Nevertheless, after four full and exhausting days of devoting total energy and enthusiasm to STAND Camp activities, 32 students (about half of everyone who came to STAND Camp!) stayed one more day to take a bus into Washington, D.C. and meet with their representatives on the Hill on Monday.

The students, representing 19 states of the U.S., met with 31 senators or staffers on Monday. They spoke on the situation in Sudan since South Sudan’s achievement of independence on July 9th, including topics such as recent violence in South Kordofan and Darfur, and continued indecision in Sudan regarding the future of Abyei. The students urged their representatives to keep Sudan a priority in the coming months and years as the two countries continue to deal with post-independence issues. Additionally, students spoke with their representatives about the need to replenish funds in critical accounts — such as the Complex Crises Fund, Conflict Stabilization Operations, and Migration and Refugee Assistance funds — that were significantly cut by Congress during the August budget debates.

Once again, Monday’s Lobby Day experience demonstrated the determination of STAND students to take action in changing the course of global mass atrocities and relevant US policy. In the meantime, students continue to speak with their representatives on their own to build working relationships with Senate staffers and ensure that their voices are included in legislative decisions. These relationships will be crucial in the coming months, which will see both the introduction of genocide prevention legislation in Congress, as well as developing situations in Sudan and South Sudan, Libya, Syria, the DRC, and many other regions of concern. Please continue to lobby your representatives on these issues and stand up to voice your support for an end to genocide: it starts with you!

Last Day at STAND Camp!

stripathy — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:36:01 -0400

Last Day at STAND Camp!

By Regional Organizer Aaron Alberico

Everyone awoke, for their last day of training, to a hum of empowerment that had overtaken Pearlstone Retreat Center.

To start the morning session, Regional Organizer Zach Ackerman lead a workshop called “Story of Self.” Based on the simple premise that each and every one of us has a story to tell, the workshop focused on helping upSTANDers learn to tell a story about themselves, the community they organize, and the strategy that motivates others to join them in creating change. After Zach shared the basics of Story of Self with the group, everyone broke out into teams to work on a smaller, more individual basis to both create and fine tune individual stories. Once we reassembled as a group, people were nominated to share their stories. Nominations were everywhere and one by one people began sharing their stories about why they became involved in the anti-genocide movement. They ranged from overcoming bullying to recognizing racial disparities on campus.

After the Story of Self workshop, Katie Flamand, former field director for Illinois Senate Democratic Victory Fund, lead a discussion about creating field plans and how to recruit, manage, and mobilize volunteers. Fortunately the discussion was moved outside, offering refuge from the sub-arctic temperatures inside and allowing for a more intimate group discussion.

Soon we broke for lunch during which chapters shared best practices about everything club-related. This included how to best organize leadership positions, what recruitment methods work best (besides free pizza), and what events were most successful. Following the week-long tradition, everyone intermingled at different tables so that no one would leave STANDCamp without having met everyone else at least once.

Throughout lunch (and basically the entire day) everyone was getting pumped up for STANDCamp’s final guest speaker, Omékongo Dibinga. But before Omékongo performed, STANDCamp’s very own upSTANDer Daniel Cowen of Syracuse University performed some original spoken word. To finish the weekend off strong, Omékongo took the stage delivering a passionate slam poetry performance. The energy and excitement could be felt throughout the room.

That excitement never dissipated, even as STANDCamp was officially ending. The Red Team would come to win the team challenge that had been going on all week. But the true winners are every single person that has ever taken a STAND against genocide and taken part in our nation-wide movement. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the next National Conference on October 21st in Washington, D.C!

Check out a clip of Omekongo's STAND Song below, and see the full song here!

STAND Camp Day Three!

lindseywoolf — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:35:47 -0400

STAND Camp Day Three

By Regional Organizer MJ Engel

After a night full of conversations that left many STAND campers up until the crack of dawn, day three began with a debriefing about Sudan and genocide prevention legislation with staff members of GI-NET/SDC. It was a time for everyone to get up to speed on what our national direction will be this year. After the debriefing, Advocacy Coordinator Maria Thomson and Programming Coordinator Cassie Wiegmann explained this year’s national campaign, which the MC hopes will act as a framework for chapters to work off of this upcoming year. Then, teams (all the colors of the rainbow plus SILVER!) broke off to discuss future tactics and strategies. One member from the silver team described one fundraising campaign in which STAND members sold duct tape pieces that students could buy and use to tape their school administrator to a wall. Could CCLs get any more creative?

During lunch, chapters met with their respective Regional Organizers to get to know each other and brainstorm ideas for future collaboration. At my table, chapters from Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine told stories about the highlights and lowlights from the past year, gave advice, and even started planning for a regional conference. Needless to say, STAND Camp has gotten everyone pumped up and super excited to get the year going.

The next presentations were on creative advocacy, how to make strategy charts, public speaking, and how to best use social media. STAND alums explained several innovative and effective ways to advocate creatively, and then CCLs got to work on their own strategy charts to plan their own campaigns. Afterwards, we got a crash course in public speaking, including how to pitch your organization by learning an “elevator speech.” An elevator speech is a 15-60 second pitch about what your organization is, what it needs, and what it wants, a very useful tool to leaders everywhere. Many STANDers in the audience had never spoken publicly before, so of course, at the end of the workshop, some of these people did for the first time. UpSTANDers also learned how to pitch their stories to newspapers, magazines, and other types of “old media,” while also keeping up with “new media” such as Twitter, Facebook, and other social media websites. Everyone gathered around the campfire one last time to learn and discuss the recent event in Libya, and, of course, make delicious s’mores.

The highlight of the day by far was Team Silver’s team spirit performance. A member of the team composed a piece of slam poetry that the rest of the team did interpretative dance to. It was a powerful showcase of team spirit, collaboration, and beastliness. GO #TEAMSILVERNOTGRAY!

Check out Team Pink's Group Skit below!

STAND Camp Day Two!

lindseywoolf — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:20:40 -0400

STAND Camp Day Two

By Regional Organizer Kaelee Krege

The Pearlstone resort and its animals wake early and so does STAND Camp. The first official morning starts off with some eggs and some strategy. We planned our own campaign for Congressman Naseby (he’s not real, in case you were just about to google him) in order to protect Social Security, just as a warm up to the real planning for Sudan and Genocide Prevention legislation. Up to our ears in tactics and targets, we learned how effective this group of Core Chapter Leaders (CCLs) is going to be. Seriously, these students are organizing/campaigning rock stars. In the meantime, team spirit was flying around the room and all over Twitter. Student donned orange, green, silver, pink, red, and purple sunglasses to indicate which team they represented, but we started seeing alliance teams pop up like team magenta and team watermelon – still waiting for team murky brown. The #sc2011 (please tweet at us!) feed was literally exploding with team pride, making our live twitter feed pretty interesting (not that it’s not always interesting).

Power-mapping was a nice way to for all of us to see what resources are right under our noses and why making coalitions are so powerful in organizing AND amplifying. We spent lunch strategizing our team’s challenge (which you’ll hear more about tomorrow) and got geared up for the afternoon, because it was pretty grand. For some it started with an epic zip line ride through the forest and for others it was a session with Erin Mazursky, former STAND Student Director, who brought some great advice and helped us figure out how to make change on a small scale have large impacts nationwide.

Photo credit: Martha Bixby, GI-NET/SDC

After a delicious meal, we all gathered around the campfire ready to listen and engage with Niemat Ahmadi, an inspirational woman from the Sudanese diaspora who came and spoke with us about every topic our group could come up with. It was just as the sun was setting and night was settling over the landscape, that STAND met a woman who made it her life’s mission to save the people of her country. The last question to her was “how do you keep going?” and her answer was “you”. This alone keeps me going in this movement, and the s’mores afterword weren’t bad either. More tomorrow!

Exciting Upcoming Events

stripathy — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:35 -0400

July 14th, 2011 by Rebecca Dennis

Hunger Strike for Darfur

At noon on July 22, Sudanese Diaspora members and activists around the globe will begin a 24-hour long fast for Darfur. During the global hunger strike, participants will be contacting their government officials, asking for:

Immediate protection of civilians
Unimpeded humanitarian access
Accountability for the crimes against humanity committed by Khartoum’s regime
Justice for the genocide victims and atrocities committed in Darfur and throughout Sudan.

To find out more and sign up to participate visit www.fastdarfur.org or “Hunger Strike for Darfur” on facebook

Rally at the White House

Date: Saturday, July 23, 2011
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20006

On July 23rd, the 7th anniversary of the United States Congress declaring the conflict in Darfur to be Genocide, Sudanese from all regions, including Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, Abyei, Nubia, Eastern Sudan and Central Sudan, will join together with American activists outside the White House, to protest the ongoing violence of Omar al-Bashir’s regime. They will call for action from the United States to protect civilians, hold al-Bashir accountable, and bring peace to all of Sudan.

Confirmed speakers at the White House Rally include:

Hon. Thomas Andrews

President of Genocide Intervention Network/ Save Darfur Coalition

John Prendergast

Co-Founder of the Enough Project

Other speakers will include prominent human rights activists, policy experts, and genocide survivors.

Separate events will also be held throughout the US (including Nebraska, Arizona and Texas) and Internationally in Canada, France, the UK, Egypt and Uganda.

For more information visit: Save Darfur Coalition – Events

In-district lobby days in August

The Senate will be on recess from August 8-September 2, giving you a great opportunity to meet with them at their local offices. With so much going on, we anticipate that August will be a crucial month to lobby on both Sudan and genocide prevention. You can sign up online and we’ll provide talking points and materials for your meeting. We will also be holding several training calls to help you prepare and can connect you with others in your area who might be interested in lobbying.

As always, we’ll be making 1-800-GENOCIDE available to connect you directly with the White House and with talking points, so you can call TODAY.

John Prendergast Spoke on the Start of Sudan Now at P2P 2011

cmmassey — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:38:17 -0400

I know you have all been waiting to hear what John Prendergast had to say at Pledge2Protect 2011. We have had some technical difficulties with the video formatting, so here is a segment about the start of Sudan Now and the beginning of the genocide prevention movement.