Second Major Save Darfur Rally Slated for N.Y.
NEW YORK - As human rights activists cry out over the United Nations' decision to delay the deployment of a peacekeeping force in Darfur, a second major protest rally is being orchestrated in New York with a push for greater international representation.
Pushing off from an April Save Darfur rally in Washington, D.C., where Christian leaders and big name actors directed their voices to President George W. Bush and policymakers for action in war-torn Darfur, the upcoming rally set for Sept. 17 will be aiming its cries to the United Nations.
The Genocide Intervention Network, a Washington-based advocacy group, expressed "serious concern" over the U.N.'s failure to take action to end the genocide that has killed over 400,000 and displaced some 2.5 million since 2003. Despite the signed peace deal with the Sudan Liberation Movement – the main rebel group – months ago, reports have indicated unchanging conditions with thousands still enslaved and forgotten and a stall on a U.N. peacekeeping force.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"As the Sudanese government pretends to engage in meaningful dialogue with the United Nations, they are impeding progress toward peace on all fronts," said Rajaa Shakir, director of education for the Genocide Intervention Network, in a released statement. "They (the U.N.) must stop deluding themselves into thinking that they are making progress with the Sudanese government."
Organized by the Save Darfur Coalition, the slated September rally in one of the most diverse cities is calling for international involvement in urging the United Nations to deploy a peacekeeping force to Darfur. Community roundtables are being held in New York's immigrant neighborhoods and ads are going out in non-English speaking newspapers, according to the Jewish Times. The American Jewish World Service and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs have pledged their support.
Rallies may also be staged across the nation and around the world that day, including Europe and Canada.
Meanwhile, the Million Voices for Darfur campaign, launched early January by the Save Darfur Coalition, achieved its millionth postcard as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) joined other Members of Congress in signing the 1,000,000th postcard last week. The postcards urge Bush to support a stronger multinational force to protect the civilians in Darfur.
"The American people have spoken in enormous numbers," said Frist, according to the Save Darfur Coalition. "They understand that genocide is going on in Sudan ... The time for action has arrived."
The Rev. Gloria E. White-Hammond, chairwoman of the Million Voices for Dafur campaign stated, "A million Americans have joined us in declaring ‘Not On Our Watch.’ It is imperative the president understand what these million Americans do: a United Nations peacekeeping force will be the only true protection for the refugees of Darfur."
As activists continuously push for action, refugees and civilians of Darfur still live in fear, said a church leader in Bukavu, Bayoba Biguge.
"Prayer is the only weapon we have," said Pastor Innocent Malemu, according to Christianity Today.
One million postcards have been collected in the Darfur campaign, but the coalition urges the public to keep the momentum going by adding their voice.
