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Dal students take a stand on Darfur

- March 17, 2008

Photographs seldom reflect the total misery of the camps. The World Health Organization says between 6,000 and 10,000 people die each month from disease and violence in the camps.

If you haven’t heard about the crisis in Darfur, a region of the African country of Sudan, chances are that you’re not alone.  However, it’s likely that you’ve heard of Rwanda and of promises like “Never again will the world watch idly as genocide is committed on innocent people.” In Darfur, genocide is happening again, and it’s been happening for more than five years while the world has done little but watch.

After five years, the situation in Darfur is getting worse; in fact, the conflict has now spread to the neighbouring countries of Chad and the Central African Republic. By the numbers, the situation is sickening: an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 are dead and upwards of 3.5 million people are displaced and living in refugee camps where they are threatened daily by starvation, violence and rape. Every month, 6000 more innocents are killed simply because of their ethnicity. The perpetrators are groups of militia called the Janjaweed, which literally means "Devils on Horseback." They are funded, armed and directly aided by the Sudanese government, which claims to be protecting their people.

Facts about Darfur

  • Humanitarian groups estimate that 200,000 – 500,000 have died in the conflict many from starvation or disease.
  • More than two million people have been forced to flee their homes.
  • Over 3.5 million people rely entirely on international aid in order to survive.
  • Arab militias on horseback are called janjaweed— roughly translated as "devils on horseback".
  • Darfur is a region in western Sudan about the size of Texas with a population of 6 million.

(Source: CBC)

Faced with the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, how has the United Nations responded?  A handful of powerless resolutions and empty promises is all they have to show for all their outrage. In August 2007, the UN Security Council agreed to mobilize a peacekeeping force of 26,000 to the area and while countries squabble about troop contributions, thousands of people continue to die. This should not weigh lightly on our own country’s conscience, which, despite an internationally respected stance on human rights and peacekeeping, has stood by and watched along with the world.

A group of Dalhousie students is trying to do something about Canada’s involvement and is pushing our leaders to find a resolution for the people of Darfur. STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) is a national organization dedicated to raising awareness and promoting action from fellow students, community members and representatives at all levels of government.

The group believes that Canada has an important and necessary role to play in stopping the genocide and focuses on taking action to bring about the necessary change in social attitude and government policy. For example, they recently launched a toll-free phone line that is the first of its kind in Canada. The idea is simple yet effective: by dialing 1-800-GEN-OCID(E), callers can be connected directly to the offices of influential members of parliament, including the Prime Minister, Stephane Dion, Maxime Bernier and Alexa McDonough. Students are encouraged to call the easy-to-use system and let our leaders know how important this issue is to us!

Dalhousie’s chapter of STAND is busy organizing their biggest event yet — a night with three local MPs discussing current policy, what action Canada has taken, what still needs to be done and how we, as students, can affect change half way around the world.  

On Tuesday, March 18, Alexa McDonough, Mike Savage and Geoff Regan will join STAND and Dalhousie students for “STAND with an MP for Darfur”.  The idea is to engage in real discussion with our representatives and to show them how much this issues means to us. 

The event takes place at 7 p.m. in the McMechan Auditorium of the Killam Library. Come out and show your support for the people of Darfur. The more concerned people that attend, the greater the impact will be. 

Kate Varsava is a member of STAND Dalhousie (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur)

WATCH VIDEO: Darfur, On Our Watch at CBC Doc Zone 
READ: CBC News in Dept: Darfur

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