Darfur
In October 2007, the BARPCV board voted to select Darfur as our first ever annual issue. Sudan was a Peace Corps country from 1984-1986. While most of us have never been to Sudan, many of us as RPCVs are concerned about what is happening there now.
The situation today in Darfur is complex and can be approached from many angles. Critical issues in Darfur today include natural resources, politics, minority and human rights, international involvement and advocacy, the environment, public health, water and refugees. The BARPCV board’s hope in making Darfur our issue for the year is to engage our members and the wider community in understanding and acting for the benefit of those affected in Darfur today.
This year BARPCV will be focusing on a variety of activities to respond to this important situation. We are eager to hear from membership about how BARPCV can best engage members on this important issue.
If you would like to organize an activity, please let us know by contacting us as events@barpcv.org! We are open to a variety of ideas and hope to implement many of them throughout the year. Suggestions might include:
- Attending or hosting speaking events and lectures
- Encouraging financial divestment from companies working in Sudan
- Fundraising for particular organizations working in Darfur
- Supporting refugee communities
- Asking other local groups to join BARPCV in our support for the people of Darfur
- Encouraging organizations, politicians and policy makers to support peace in Darfur
- Book and movie discussions
- Attending Sudanese musical, art, and other cultural events
We are also inviting membership to be actively involved in the planning and implementing of these ideas and events.
We look forward to your ideas and involvement!
Kendra Gray - BARPCV, President
BARPCV Sponsored Activities
Film: The Devil Came on Horseback
The Devil Came on Horseback exposes the tragedy taking place in Darfur, Sudan, as seen through the eyes of an American witness who has since returned to the US to take action to stop it.
Using the exclusive photographs and first hand testimony of former U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK takes the viewer on an emotionally charged journey into the heart of Darfur, where an Arab run government is systematically executing a plan to rid the province of its black African citizens. As an official military observer, Steidle had access to parts of the country that no journalist could penetrate. He was unprepared for what he would witness and experience, including being fired upon, taken hostage, and being unable to intervene to save the lives of young children. Ultimately frustrated by the inaction of the international community, Steidle resigned and returned to the US to expose the images and stories of lives systematically destroyed.
Books
Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond
by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast
**NEW** The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur
by Dauod Hari
Darfur Diaries: Stories of Survival
by Jen Marlowe with Aisha Bain and Adam Shapiro
Other resources
Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur -- for an up-to-date lists of Darfur related activities in Massachusetts !
http://www.savedarfur.org/page/group/MassachusettsCoalitiontoSaveDarfur
Investors Against Genocide
http://investorsagainstgenocide.googlepages.com/
"On Our Watch" - FrontLine Documentary
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darfur/
FreeRice.org
FreeRice is an on-line
vocabulary quiz. For each word you answer correctly, rice is donated to
the United Nations and distributed by the United Nations World Food
Program (WFP). The World Food Program is the world’s largest food
aid agency, working with over 1,000 other organizations in over 75
countries. In addition to providing food, the World Food Program helps
hungry people to become self-reliant so that they escape hunger for
good. Wherever possible, the World Food Program buys food locally to
support local farmers and the local economy. We encourage you to visit
the United Nations World Food Program to learn more about their successful approach to ending hunger.
Thanks to www.digits.com for
providing free web traffic information
to BARPCV: February 2003
Last Modified: 13-Jul-2004
Questions/Comments: members@barpcv.org
