Save Darfur Campaign Thrusts Toward One Million Voices after Launch
The more than 400,000 commitments already received by the Save Darfur Coalition revealed a strong response from the American public only a day after the launch of a campaign demanding greater action against the Darfur crisis.
Correction appended
The more than 400,000 commitments already received by the Save Darfur Coalition revealed a strong response from the American public only a day after the launch of a campaign demanding greater action against the Darfur crisis.
"The launch was a great success yesterday," said David Rubenstein, coordinator of the Save Darfur Coalition, on Friday, "and while it's difficult to say how long it will take to get to one million cards to the President, we have already received commitments for 407,000 cards from organizations wishing to take part, and the campaign is just getting started."
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The Million Voices for Darfur campaign began Thursday to raise awareness on the Darfur conflict that has left over 400,000 dead since 2003 and is driving millions into hunger and displacement. In cooperation with more than 150 faith-based, advocacy, and humanitarian aid organizations, the campaign is garnering the support of one million people voiced on postcards to be sent to President George Bush and Congress for a more effective U.S. response to the violence.
"The [campaign] will continue until the U.S. and international communities have taken the necessary actions to end the genocide," said Rubenstein, who explained that both digital copies and originals of the postcards will be forwarded and delivered to the White House. The first delivery of the hand-written and electronic postcards is scheduled for Apr. 30.
Revealing the concerns of many Americans who see the importance of the millions suffering in Darfur, the campaign is not set to stop in its tracks even when it reaches its one million mark but is prepared to propel forward even further.
"While I certainly hope that the actions necessary to end the crisis will be taken sooner rather than later, we are prepared to carry on the campaign past April 30, and past one million postcards for that matter," added Rubenstein. "If this effort becomes Millions of Voices for Darfur, so much the better."
Some of the progress seen in the handling of the genocide on the part of the U.S. government includes the official acknowledging of the crisis as genocide by President Bush and Congress, the United States leading the world in humanitarian aid donations to Darfur, and the Senate unanimously passing the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, which now awaits consent from the House.
Rubenstein commented, "There is still much more to do, however, and there have been serious missteps by the government as well – failure to provide adequate funding for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, the stalling of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act in the House, and a threatened 60 percent reduction in humanitarian aid this year. The bottom line is if the government were doing all that it could to end the genocide, there wouldn’t be a need for the Million Voices campaign."
Despite the slow progress, Rubenstein sees a silver lining in the long battle for peace.
"If there is any silver lining to fighting a genocide, it is undoubtedly seeing so many disparate groups come together to speak with a unified voice.
"Million Voices for Darfur was designed to help more Americans understand the scale of violence and suffering in Darfur, and give them a way to take action. We believe that the President and Congress will hear America’s conscience and respond accordingly."
Campaign advocates include such organizations as the National Association of Evangelicals, the National Council of Churches, the American Jewish World Service, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Episcopal Church, the Genocide Intervention Network, and STAND: Students Taking Action Now: Darfur.
Correction: Saturday, January 14, 2006:
An article on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006, about the successful launch of the Million Voices for Darfur campaign incorrectly reported the Save Darfur Coalition received 407,000 postcards. The Christian Post confirmed with coordinator David Rubenstein on Saturday that the coalition received 407,000 commitments for groups to collect the cards, rather than the signed cards themselves.
