I have been a Sudan activist since early 2005. I have never had the opportunity to attend a rally, however, until this past Sunday, November 21. A few feet from the White House, I stood beside Lost Boys of Sudan, Darfuri refugees, students, and concerned citizens to rally in solidarity for the people of Sudan.
It was a perfect fall day. One by one, speakers took the mic protesting the handling of the situation in Sudan. Darfuri refugees joined in song and dance, calling for President Obama and Vice President Biden to fulfill their promise to Sudan. Students gave passionate pleas for justice, asking, how many more men, women, and children must die? The crowd commended the movement for all we’ve fought to accomplish. It was a cheer for movement to journey forward, calling for a reawakening and continuation of the grassroots movement.
After all the speakers finished at the White House, we marched to the Chad Embassy to advocate for the millions of Darfur refugees that have been displaced in Chad, despite the Chadian government allowing indicted President Omar al-Bashir to travel there. As we headed to the Chad embassy we chanted “al-Bashir to ICC, Janjaweed to ICC, Justice Justice in Sudan.” It was hard not to get lost in the energy our movement had at that time. That day felt as if our voices, our passion, and our resolve echoed through out our nations capital.
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Aaron Alberico
Sudan Education Coordinator