Students at American University meet to discuss Darfur, Sudan the genocide and how they can come together and take action to stop it. This student group is called Darfur Action and their guest speaker - Erin Mazursky is currently the associate director of standnow and a senior at Georgetown University. The group who brought this presenter to the campus is called Darfur action. http://www.darfuraction.com/
I learned a lot of information about Darfur in general and that the main reason for the conflict is not based solely on race. This ideology was displayed in the mainstream coverage about the genocide especially when it first came to their attention
.
Dafur is located in the middle of the Sahara desert so it is far from any source of water. In addition to that desertification [i]and overpopulation are happening as the resources available are diminishing. So, a part of the conflict has to do with the Arabs and ethnic Africans fighting over resources.
Their fighting and conflict can be traced back to when Britain and Egypt took control of Sudan and split Sudan in half. Egypt took the North where Arabs stayed, and Britain took the South. The problem happened in 1953 when they signed an agreement to leave Sudan and let it take control itself. Doing this Britain decided to make Sudan one again no longer having a North and South. (What is the What by Dave Eggers, p. 176-178) After a three year grace period Sudan got its independence in 1956 and the conflict began eventually leading to a civil war. (http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1020687852749)
In the presentation an overview of Darfur was given. (This presentation can be viewed at: http://standnow.org/take_action/education) has a population of about 6 million in an area the size of Texas. Due to the genocide a rough number of about 450,000 are dead due to “violence, famine and disease”. 2.5 million refugees are displaced and about 150 – 300 refugees are staying in Chad. Once rebel groups the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) started movements their government comes up with the janjaweed to fight against them. They are men on horses who are known for killing men, raping women, and burning villages; they are the ones responsible for the genocide. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3496731.stm)
After giving an overview of the history of Darfur, the current conflict, and the actions being taken to resolve it the associate director of Stand gave a presentation on her organization.
STAND – Student Anti Genocide Coalition is a national organization that attempts to change with students who care about not just about fighting genocide in Darfur but genocide in general. It has more than 600 chapters in the nation and internationally.
The director gave ways that we as students can help out.
ORGANIZE: You can start a chapter of STAND at your school, or join one already in existence. http://standnow.org/chapter/new_chapter
ADVOCATE: Check the grade your congressmen received in reference to what they’ve voted for in regards to legislations about Darfur and if it is low call or write to show them the importance of getting a higher grade and how to get there. http://darfurscores.org/reportcards
EDUCATE: Tell friends about the genocide and how they can help. Use the materials available on their website to give presentations. http://standnow.org/take_action/education
DIVEST: http://www.sudandivestment.org/
PUBLICIZE: If you are involved in a chapter get the media to your events. Tips on how to do so are available at: http://standnow.org/take_action/media
[i] Desertification is the loss of plants at a fast rate including topsoil, which results in that area becoming a desert. http://www.infoplease.com/ipd/A0405068.html
Whether it is through Darfur Action, STAND or any other organization that is working towards ending the genocide in Darfur try to get involved to be apart of the people responsible for change. Even just telling friends about what is happening and how they can help is something.
This event accomplished its goal of informing students about what the genocide and ways to help. For more information about Darfur action visit: http://www.darfuraction.com/ and for information of STAND visit: http://www.standnow.org/
Showing posts with label Sudan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sudan. Show all posts
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Documentaries bring issues from abroad home and a spark to bring about change
The School of Communications at American University had a number of screenings of documentaries and movies from March 22 – 24 at Greenberg Theatre on Wisconsin Ave. On Friday, March 23 they showed a documentary titled, God Grew Tired of Us and had a panel discussion afterwards.
The documentary showed the lives of a group of men from Khahum who moved to Syracuse, NY to flee the war and genocide in Sudan. In the United States they are known as ‘The Lost Boy’s. The documentary included their transition to US from the plane ride to living in a home in the city, to adapting to the culture and keeping their own traditions alive at the same time. They had to learn tasks that are normal for us such as putting trash in a trash can, using a toilet, and functions of a refrigerator. They were given 3 months on government money until their Social Security cards were processed and to find a job to support themselves and they have to pay the government back for their airfare. The men found jobs but worked hard hours. One man joined Job Corp. and had to move out of the apartment into a dormitory. This separation and the amount of time they had to spend working was a difficult transition from life at home where they are close and around each other more often.
One of the men stories was followed in the most detail; his name is John Bal Dau. He speaks about God, which refers to the tile of the documentary. He stated that God was tired of us and wanted to finish us but t knowing that everything has an end. Once he is hired at a factory he gets dropped off there two hours before it opens. He got a total of three jobs in order to provide for his family and friends back home including one at McDonalds. This was difficult because even though he sent money home there were days when he would get 23 voicemail messages from home asking him for money. He sent all he could but had to keep some to be able to support himself. John wanted to go to college but put it off to support them.
A part of the documentary gave the viewer the perspective of how the Lost Boys saw the culture of the US and also how we tend to treat each other. They spoke about the way we celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus and a Christmas tree. They did not understand how those things related to the birth of Jesus. The scene shows Christmas at there home were the people march in the streets and prepare themselves spiritually by dancing and singing. They also felt we keep to ourselves instead of interacting with others they were used to going to others homes they didn’t know but in America you can’t do that. They were told not to travel in groups because people were intimated. They did not understand how we could see someone crying or sad and walk right past them not inquiring what was wrong. It also showed our ignorance when people asked them since they are Africans did they live in a forest. Adapting to this culture was difficult because they are used to being around others interacting with people they do not know but consider as apart of their family and here they are alone.
The documentary was an eye-opener to not only what the Lost Boys go through but what anyone who is not born here must feel like to be in a new place and have to start a new life adapting to a new culture. It made me want to reach out more to international students on this campus who probably feel some sense of loneliness as was portrayed in the documentary. I also had an overwhelming feeling of sadness, crying as I watched to the numbers of dead children left on the ground and as John read the letter from his parents, which said the rest of their clan was killed including members of his family and their home destroyed.
Sudan needs our help so they can say, “It is finished.” so they can have a sense of peace and not despair, unity and not separation through death and fleeing. We as Americans can make a difference John has an organization called Direct Change, Savedarfur.org is a coalition of faith and non-faith based organizations working together to fight this genocide (the executive director of this organization spoke during the panel discussion), and even on campus at American University there is a group called Darfur action that is trying to help through fundraising and lobbying including teaming up with STAND another organization fighting against genocides. Overall there are numerous organizations available to show you how you can help; so when your children read about this genocide in their history books you can say you helped to stop it.
I am leaving you now with a few words that John Bul Dau said during the discussion.
To the African American Community – “This is your calling; you have to take a lead in this.”
“Because of the media the problems of Darfur are known.”
When asked is there hope for Africa he responded, “Completely, just in a matter of time when people preserve we can overcome.”
The documentary showed the lives of a group of men from Khahum who moved to Syracuse, NY to flee the war and genocide in Sudan. In the United States they are known as ‘The Lost Boy’s. The documentary included their transition to US from the plane ride to living in a home in the city, to adapting to the culture and keeping their own traditions alive at the same time. They had to learn tasks that are normal for us such as putting trash in a trash can, using a toilet, and functions of a refrigerator. They were given 3 months on government money until their Social Security cards were processed and to find a job to support themselves and they have to pay the government back for their airfare. The men found jobs but worked hard hours. One man joined Job Corp. and had to move out of the apartment into a dormitory. This separation and the amount of time they had to spend working was a difficult transition from life at home where they are close and around each other more often.
One of the men stories was followed in the most detail; his name is John Bal Dau. He speaks about God, which refers to the tile of the documentary. He stated that God was tired of us and wanted to finish us but t knowing that everything has an end. Once he is hired at a factory he gets dropped off there two hours before it opens. He got a total of three jobs in order to provide for his family and friends back home including one at McDonalds. This was difficult because even though he sent money home there were days when he would get 23 voicemail messages from home asking him for money. He sent all he could but had to keep some to be able to support himself. John wanted to go to college but put it off to support them.
A part of the documentary gave the viewer the perspective of how the Lost Boys saw the culture of the US and also how we tend to treat each other. They spoke about the way we celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus and a Christmas tree. They did not understand how those things related to the birth of Jesus. The scene shows Christmas at there home were the people march in the streets and prepare themselves spiritually by dancing and singing. They also felt we keep to ourselves instead of interacting with others they were used to going to others homes they didn’t know but in America you can’t do that. They were told not to travel in groups because people were intimated. They did not understand how we could see someone crying or sad and walk right past them not inquiring what was wrong. It also showed our ignorance when people asked them since they are Africans did they live in a forest. Adapting to this culture was difficult because they are used to being around others interacting with people they do not know but consider as apart of their family and here they are alone.
The documentary was an eye-opener to not only what the Lost Boys go through but what anyone who is not born here must feel like to be in a new place and have to start a new life adapting to a new culture. It made me want to reach out more to international students on this campus who probably feel some sense of loneliness as was portrayed in the documentary. I also had an overwhelming feeling of sadness, crying as I watched to the numbers of dead children left on the ground and as John read the letter from his parents, which said the rest of their clan was killed including members of his family and their home destroyed.
Sudan needs our help so they can say, “It is finished.” so they can have a sense of peace and not despair, unity and not separation through death and fleeing. We as Americans can make a difference John has an organization called Direct Change, Savedarfur.org is a coalition of faith and non-faith based organizations working together to fight this genocide (the executive director of this organization spoke during the panel discussion), and even on campus at American University there is a group called Darfur action that is trying to help through fundraising and lobbying including teaming up with STAND another organization fighting against genocides. Overall there are numerous organizations available to show you how you can help; so when your children read about this genocide in their history books you can say you helped to stop it.
I am leaving you now with a few words that John Bul Dau said during the discussion.
To the African American Community – “This is your calling; you have to take a lead in this.”
“Because of the media the problems of Darfur are known.”
When asked is there hope for Africa he responded, “Completely, just in a matter of time when people preserve we can overcome.”
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