PROVIDENCE TORCH RELAY FOR DARFUR ~ CHINA PLEASE BRING THE OYLMPIC DREAM TO DARFUR

Terrified and traumatized children running from their burning village by the Sudanese government supported Janjaweed. Picture from Mia Farrow's website

The Providence, Rhode Island, Torch Relay took place on October 27, 2007. One of our high school activists took pictures of our Torch Relay and Ceremony with my camera and here is the first bunch of her 120 pictures. I will post most of them for our participants and activists to see themselves STANDING UP FOR DARFUR.

Call 1-800-GENOCIDE to tell your elected U.S. Senators to support SADA. And while you are with phone in hand, give President Bush a call, too. His comment line is 202-456-1111. He needs a push. We have been waiting much too long for him to act. Four and half years of terror in Darfur and neighboring Chad is far too long.

The Janjaweed ~ working in conjunction with the Sudanese government and financed with your mutual funds if you are with a company that is listed below.

"Divest for Darfur" is a national campaign to encourage investment firms, especially JP Morgan, Franklin Templeton, Fidelity Investments, Capital Group (American Funds), and Vanguard, to withdraw investments from companies that help fund genocide in Darfur.

Millions of Americans have their retirement funds in these firms, which are among the world’s largest investors in PetroChina. PetroChina is a Chinese oil company, which, along with its parent company CNPC, is filling the coffers of the Sudanese government and helping fund the government’s actions in Darfur.

Why Target these Firms?

Join our campaign! Urge these firms to stop funding genocide!

Learn More...

We lit the Torch for Darfur at the Fidelity Office Door in Providence, Rhode Island on October 27, 2007. Fidelity Investment Company is one of the companies investing our mutual fund money into the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Go to the link and find out more: http://fidelityoutofsudan.googlepages.com/

We Do Nothing
By Sandra Hammel

People are dying of thirst
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
People are starving
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
People are stealing little girls and women and using them as sex slaves
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
People are stealing little boys and forcing them to be torturers and murderers
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
People are selling babies and children

There are so many problems
So we do nothing

People are molesting children
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
Katrina’s aftermath is still as critical as it just happened
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
Genocide ever again
It’s so complicated
So we do nothing
It’s them and not us
So we do nothing
The poor in our country are invisible
There are so many problems
So we do nothing
Self-absorbed, we do nothing
We don’t fall from grace
We just do nothing.

End of my poem.

Well, "we" here in these pictures are doing something. Are you?

Websites to learn what to do to help end the Darfur genocide:
www.savedarfur.org
www.standnow.org
www.dreamfordarfur.org
www.darfurgenocide.org

More pictures coming on future postings. I have so many ~ it will take a while to post most of them.

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Take Action Today

Are you fasting for Darfur?

On December 5th, join Danny Glover, Bradley Whitford, Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield, Samantha Power and thousands of students around the country for STAND's DarfurFast. The idea is simple: fast from one luxury item for one day and donate the money you would have spent on that item to protect civilians in Darfur. Just three dollars -- less than the cost of a latte -- can provide protection for one woman for a year. Find out more at www.STANDnow.org.

Sand and Sorrow ~ the HBO Movie

Join hundreds of activists and viewers across the country on December 6 at 8:00 pm EST to watch the HBO premiere of Sand and Sorrow, a powerful film about the tragic and ongoing genocide in Darfur. Share this experience with your family and friends by hosting a house party. Click here to find out more.

U.S. Torch Relay Finishes in DC

Dream for Darfur's Torch Relay has been traveling around the world since August, calling attention to the relationship between China and the genocidal government of Sudan. The U.S. leg of the Relay kicked off in New York City on September 9, with events taking place in more than 60 cities across the United States since then. On December 10, International Human Rights Day, the U.S. leg of the relay will finish up in Washington, D.C. The relay will travel to the White House and the Sudanese Embassy before ending at the Chinese Embassy.

If you are in the DC area, please join Olympic medalist Joey Cheek, Actress Mia Farrow, members of the Darfuian community and others, as we urge the Chinese government to help bring the Olympic motto "One World, One Dream" to Darfur. RSVP at dctorchrelay@savedarfur.org
Click here to find out more.

Give the Gift of Safety

This holiday season you have the opportunity to help protect some of the 2.5 million displaced Darfurians. To stop violence against women and girls in refugee camps, GI-Net runs an on-the-ground civilian protection program. Your tax-deductible contribution will answer the call of Darfurians for "protection now!" Can you think of a better holiday gift? Make a donation as a gift for your families, friends or colleagues. Donate today.

GENOCIDE STOPS WITH US

DARFUR AND OBAMA

Town Hall Meeting with Barack Obama in Marion, Iowa

Date of the Event:

Nov 19 2007

Darfur Q&A

Was the question on Darfur asked by you, or someone else?:

What was the question asked? :

I stated that I had just recently returned from Darfur and had met with many victims of the brutality, faced the rebels, and worked with the humanitarian aid workers who are being beaten and killed in unprecedented numbers. I further stated that Sen Edwards and others believe that establishing a no-fly zone was an answer in Darfur even though many NGO's state that a no-fly zone would make it more difficult to deliver services. Senator Obama was asked what he would do to stop the atrocities and force Sudan to be more accountable.

Barack Obama

Summary of the candidate's response:

The Senator responded that there are several things he would do as President.

First, as President he would ensure that more than 26,000 UN forces be deployed to Sudan to ensure the safety of the residents in the camp.

Secondly, he would ensure logistical support for the UN forces to ensure the delivery of food, medicine, and supplies. He stated that our ability to be more active in Darfur is impacted by out commitment in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thirdly, he would use strong diplomatic measures to get the Sudanese government and rebels to agree to sit down and negotiate even though the rebels are fragmented and do not have a lot to loose.

Fourth, he would encourage China to put pressure on Sudan to cease hostilities.

Finally, he stated though many NGO's are against a no-fly zone others say a no-fly zone would not be a problem so as President he would evaluate the pro and cons of a no-fly zone and then make a determination.