[Pacg] Local Observance of Global Days for Darfur - Sun, Apr 29

[Carolina 1961]

*The local observance of Global Days for Darfur will be Sunday, April 29 at
7:30 p.m. at Temple Emanuel.   **
A 30-45 minute gathering, reflective in nature, with a strong call to
action, will be the evening's focus.*

Displacement, rape, starvation, malnutrition, chaos in Chad, 400,000
dead...all labeled genocide by our government.

What are we going to do about it???


More information from Roger:

Time is running out for the people of Darfur. Four years of genocidal
violence has left over 400,000 dead, 2.5 million innocent civilians
displaced, and 4 million men, women, and children completely reliant on
international aid for survival. Not since the Rwandan genocide of 1994 has
the world seen such a calculated campaign of displacement, starvation, rape,
and mass slaughter.

To call attention to the escalating violence and the continued failure of
the international community to adequately respond to this crisis, activists
across the world have come together to plan "Global Days for Darfur". This
week of rallies, marches and vigils will run from April 23rd to April 30th
and will highlight that "time is running out" for the people of Darfur.

Please support your fellow activists in speaking out for the people of
Darfur by joining an event in your area. If there are currently no
activities planned in your community, we hope you will consider starting
your own event during this important week.

Please come. Please spread the word. Never again is happening again!
Yours in hope and faith,
Roger Butts

*Here is a message from former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a doctor
who recently went to Sudan and Rwanda.*

The most significant new and somewhat unexpected thing we learned on this
trip to Darfur was that the humanitarian situation remains on the brink of
crisis. The position of the NGO workers in Darfur is becoming untenable. The
fundamental new change is the targeting of humanitarian workers with
violence.

…

We were told that morale against humanitarian workers is at an all time low.
Humanitarian workers are becoming the objects of attack, both from the rebel
factions and the government. Unless things improve and the Government
becomes proactive in supporting the humanitarian operations, NGOs will have
no choice but to withdraw. The humanitarian crisis would then rapidly
escalate.

We discovered deterioration in access for humanitarian operations (and
increased Sudan government-imposed bureaucratic barriers to the operations).
Access is diminished because of continued violence (increased number of
vehicle-theft and ambushes) against civilians; fragmentation of the rebel
factions, and fluctuating control of territory. Access to humanitarian
relief has deteriorated to a new low point (the worst previously had been in
April 2004) though numbers of potential beneficiaries has doubled over the
past 3 years. Worse access and increased numbers needing the care – that is
a formula for destruction, if not reversed.

…

Three current trends, we were told, must be addressed:

1. Increase in violence against civilians (by military operations).
2. Reduced access for humanitarian ops (and increased bureaucratic barriers)

3. Increased violence against humanitarian workers.

The level of humanitarian operations is massive. There are currently over
13,000 international and national staff in Darfur! And we've seen real
successes. Global malnutrition has been cut in half (since the height in
mid-2004) and mortality rates have fallen (to well below emergency levels).

But these positive results are at risk with the recent increased violence
against humanitarian workers. In December, 29 humanitarian vehicles were
hijacked (82 since signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement). In the last 6
months, 30 NGO and UN compounds were directly attacked by armed groups. More
relief workers have been killed in the last 6 months than in the two
previous years. And more than 400 humanitarian workers have been forced to
relocate 31 times. Staff has been seriously threatened and harassed. They
will begin to pull out if conditions don't improve.

What can be done? Step number one is to expose the new conditions there. We
need more light shed on this problem. Second, we must engage donors around
the world on these issues. We must pressure the Sudanese government to stop
denying there is a problem and aggressively ensure improved conditions of
work for humanitarian workers. Politically, we should encourage the
Darfur-Darfur dialogue, with emphasis on a political not military solution.
And we must see that the military attacks on civilians are stopped (thus my
direct conversation with the Wali and other government and military
officials). We need to use everything in our power to get all the rebel
factions to sign the Darfur Peace Agreement.

Looking back to our action on the Senate floor, I am proud we voted to call
the atrocities "genocide." We were late in Rwanda. The UN was late in
Rwanda. Two hundred thousand have died in Darfur. No more should die. Let's
mobilize to end it.

Thanks,

Cathy Bolkcom
Progressive Action for the Common Good
hm      563-289-4155

www.qcprogressiveaction.org
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