Activists across the country are continuing to make noise about the Sudanese government’s expulsion of 13 international humanitarian aid organizations, which has left an estimated 1 million internally displaced people in Darfur without food, water, and access to health care. Two activist groups have had successful events in California and Indiana recently:
Last Sunday, Jewish World Watch led an Interfaith Street Seder for Darfur outside the Los Angeles Federal Building. Two-hundred activists, Darfuris, and political leaders rallied to call on the Obama administration to make Darfur a priority and push the government of Sudan to restore humanitarian aid operations.
On March 28 student activists from Indiana University’s STAND chapter raised $3,000 for UNICEF’s humanitarian efforts in Darfur with their Rock and Run for Darfur 5K and benefit concert. Participants of all ages not only exercised their bodies by running around campus, but also their rights as constituents by writing letters to Congress.
Without these sustained efforts by citizens in the United States, the political will to end and prevent genocide and crimes against humanity would not exist. The end of April marks the end of the President Obama’s first 100 days in office. The collective voice of activists can keep Sudan on this administration’s list of top priorities, so we applaud the successes of these two groups and others just like them who are continuing to build the anti-genocide constituency in the United States.
Photo of Interfaith Street Seder, courtesy of Jewish World Watch.