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Dear St Philippians:
On Sunday, I mentioned the current horror of the situation in
Sudan’s
Darfur region. We
know, for certain, that the world is needlessly allowing hundreds
of innocent people to die every single day. Yet it seems so complex
and overwhelming that we allow ourselves to become frozen from
acting. It doesn't have to be this way. August 25 was declared
by a coalition of more than 80 religious, humanitarian, and human
rights to be Sudan:
Day of Conscience.
There is a lot to be known about the situation in Darfur, but every educated person should know
at least this:
According to the United States Agency for International Development, "The
grave situation that has unfolded in Sudan's
western region of Darfur
in recent months is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world
today." Currently, tens of thousands of civilians have died,
over a million are internally displaced within Darfur,
and another 200,000 have fled to neighboring Chad.
The United Nations has estimated that two million people will
require assistance during the remaining months of 2004.
The government of Sudan
has armed, trained, and deployed militias know as Janjaweed,
a militia made up of pastoral people who have been hard hit by
desertification and drought. Reportedly, militias regularly attack
members of the Fur, Massaleit, and Zaghawa ethnic groups.
The Janjaweed have burned entire villages,
stolen and killed livestock, poisoned water supplies, raped women
and girls, and killed civilians. According to an Amnesty International
human rights monitor in Darfur,
"The violence against civilians breached not only international
human rights standards but also appears to be an intentional attempt
to humiliate and destroy the social fabric of communities."
So far one-sixth of the terrorized people of Darfur
have fled their villages to escape Janjaweed
attacks. After visiting Darfur,
James Morris, head of the World Food Program, recalled that "I
have never in my life seen people more frightened. The way they've
been victimized, brutalized, raped, and treated in the most inhumane
way possible is extraordinary."
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have both declared this
genocide.
If you would like to know more, there is plenty of accurate information
at www.savedarfur.org,
and plenty of simple things that you can do to make a difference.
You can save lives.
One million innocent human beings -- children, elders, women,
and men -- are just barely surviving in death camps, with insufficient
water, food, shelter, medical care, and sanitation. These human
beings can be saved. And you can help. You absolutely can.
Contact Congressman David Price: http://www.house.gov/formprice/email.htm
Contact Senator Dole: http://dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm
Contact Senator Edwards: http://edwards.senate.gov/mailform.html
Insist that our government intervene to stop the genocide.
Scott A. Benhase
Rector, Saint Philip's Church
August
31, 2004
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