As 1.4 million Darfurian refugees have been terrorized and driven from their homes, a group of Georgetown students has made it its purpose to publicize the atrocities in Sudan to the Georgetown community. Students Taking Action Now: Darfur calls on students to recognize the current genocide by relinquishing a luxury this weekend.
STAND members have asked students to partake in Saturday’s Heart Pledge by giving up a luxury such as alcohol, caffeine or dessert and to donate the money they would have spent to send aid to Sudan through Catholic Relief Services, Doctors without Borders and Oxfam International. Each participant will post a sign on his or her door to demonstrate commitment to the pledge.
“The hope is that by becoming more aware of our own privilege, we might also make a statement that will appeal to the interests of policy makers,” coordinator of the Heart Pledge effort, Nate Wright (CAS ‘06), said. “Our real cost-benefit analysis of being in Washington, D.C. is political action.”
Last night, STAND kicked off its awareness week with a presentation by Catholic Relief Services photojournalist David Snyder. They will exhibit his on-the-ground Darfur photos through Friday in Red Square. STAND now has over 600 members and has raised almost $1,000, with hopes to double relief funds this week.
MTVU, a television network aired on university campuses, will cover STAND’s campaign tomorrow. Universities around the country, including Duke, George Washington, Harvard, Maryland and UPenn have started campaigns, all also publicized by MTVU.
Since February 2003, Arab Janjaweed militias supported by the Sudanese government have engaged in mass killings, torture, rape, theft and destruction of villages. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Darfur in early July.
“It is gratifying that the U.S. administration has acknowledged that a genocide is taking place, but in the absence of concrete action those words ring hollow,” Professor and Director for Georgetown’s Institute of International Law and Politics Anthony Clark Arend said. “Only through efforts like STAND can we move the policymakers to adopt effective sanctions.”
“Almost every human rights group has called this the worst humanitarian crisis going on right now in the world, so this is a focus,” STAND Co-Coordinator Martha Heinemann (SFS ‘05) said. “The idea is for this not to be another Rwanda.”
Daniel Porterfield, Vice President for Public Affairs and Strategic Development, has been a leading figure in STAND’s growing presence on campus.
“We have to look beyond our everyday realities and connect with people half a world away who don’t enjoy our privilege and security, but whose lives can get better if we act for change,” he said. “STAND helps us to do that.”
A Sudan Fundraising Dinner, paid for by the College Democrats, Jewish Student sAssociation, Leaders in Education about Diversity and the Department of Student Affairs will be held Saturday. Black Movements Dance Theater and the GU Step Team will perform.
STAND plans to continue to focus solely on the Darfur issue with cultural events that exhibit other sides of Sudan aside from the current crisis.
“For me, it is very satisfying to have STAND, but our goal is not to exist,” STAND Co-Coordinator Chiaki Ota (SFS ‘07) said. “Once the genocide is over, STAND will disband.”
