Life in Darfur
Civilians continue to be brutally treated, oppressed, displaced, starved and murdered in Darfur, Sudan. After 6 years genocide continues to rage as the GOS (Government of Sudan), Janjaweed militia, and rebel groups continue to clash. The reality is that thousands of innocent civilians are victimized daily as these clashes continue all around them. An estimated 80% of the villages in Darfur have been aerial bombed by the Sudanese military. Water supplies have also been poisoned purposely during these raids to keep the people from returning. As communities flee, the Janjaweed militia surround and the villages on horseback, camelback, and in jeeps. Whether man, woman, or child, every person caught is cut down from infant through the elderly. UNICEF estimates 400,000 Darfuri’s have been murdered or starved to death since April of 2003 when the conflict began. Four million Darfuri’s are currently displaced.
On April 4th, 2009, the ICC (International Criminal Court–of the UN) presented President al-Bashir of Sudan with an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity. Within days of the arrest warrant, the president of Sudan expelled 13 international and 3 national humanitarian aid organizations from Sudan. The result has exacerbated an already horrific situation in Sudan. The president of Sudan continues to be a stumbling block towards progress for a comprehensive peace agreement, fair elections, and much needed humanitarian relief.
In response to the necessity for dialect and action to pursue peace, the NJ Coalition for Darfur is hosting a 4-panel discussion at Kean University in Elizabeth, NJ, on October 16th, 2009, from 9am to 3:30pm. (A NJ Coalition meeting will follow–all are invited.) The 4-panel discussion will cover the history of the conflict, the current situation, national and international actions and advocacy. Each of the 4 panels will consist of 4 guest speakers, totaling 16 speakers. These will include college professors, activists from Darfur and the international community, representatives from the UN, Senator Menendez, and General Scott Gration (U.S. special envoy to Sudan appointed by President Obama in April of 2009).
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