When I joined the STAND Leadership Team, I had no idea what this summer would be like. After just a few months as Maryland SOC, I was certain that being ROC would be much like SOC, except a bit more intense—mostly because you get a whole new range of responsibilities— and have to support both chapters and your SOC’s. However, I was more concerned with the first part, interacting with chapters—would chapters want to talk to me? Would I engage them enough to have them actually want to respond to the items in our newsletters? How on earth was I going to handle an entire region? After feeling a bit overwhelmed and with the support of my NOC Charlotte and the former Mid-Atlantic ROC, Nick –now your STAND Director—I was able to focus on exactly the job I had to do.

Just last week I began to speak to the Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy about establishing a genocide education program in a DC elementary or high school with potential guidance from the GWU STAND chapter (and of course any other DC schools who might be interested!) We are currently on our way to monthly genocide education classes taught by a STAND chapter member and a Darfur genocide survivor. This will give students the opportunity to learn about genocide from both an activist’s eyes and through the lens of someone who has lived through the atrocity of genocide. I am hoping that we can create programs similar to this in at least four other schools across the Mid-Atlantic region in the coming months.

In Maryland, chapters have become more active than ever—more than three chapters around the state have recently been in touch— hoping to revitalize their chapters and engage their campus communities. I like to hope that my own chapter will take the lead again this year and help other chapters empower themselves as a group in the way they have. Of course, I’m a bit partial to my own chapter, but I have good reason to be. This summer our Divestment Director is hard at work, investigating Hopkins divestment patterns, in an attempt to connect it to Sudan divestment. Our new STAND Coordinator for the fall semester is actively recruiting members from other clubs on campus and revamping our genocide education plan, I couldn’t be prouder to be part of my chapter. In Pennsylvania, I have had the pleasure of interacting with a dedicated leader who although is currently in South Africa keeps me informed of his chapter plans for the fall and will be working on a comprehensive plan that he has asked me to look over once he returns. All around I see the Mid-Atlantic chapters formulating plans, thinking critically and asking to be connected to activists across the region through engaging themselves in our SEAL Campaign and Summer Action Pack. I can’t wait to continue to work with such amazing activists and people on behalf of the people of Darfur.

-Adriane Alicea
 

Confused about the recent news on the indictments from the International Criminal Court?

At 1 pm EST Wednesday, get on a conference call to discuss the recently-filed genocide charges against Sudan President Omar al-Bashir.  Policy experts from the ENOUGH Project will speak to the implications of the indictments as well as potential policy asks. 

Most importantly, you’ll get the chance to ask any questions you have about the confusing process!

Just dial 888-387-8686, then press 4803739# when prompted.  RSVP to mraj@enoughproject.org.

In an encouraging development this week, DRC rebel commander General Laurent Nkunda and his militia group, the National Council for the Defense of the People (CNDP), agreed to resume participation in a faltering peace process.

Observers, including MONUC, the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, have recorded regular violations of a peace pact signed between the Congolese government and a number of rebel groups, including Nkunda’s, in January 2008. Signed in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, the agreement established a process to disarm and demobilize participating militia groups and integrate them into the Congolese army (FARDC). Previous efforts to integrate these armed groups into FARDC broke down in mid 2007, leading to fresh escalation of violence. Many considered the January 2008 agreement a “last chance” to bring peace to eastern DRC. 

Last month, Nkunda and the CNDP suspended participation in the peace process as laid out in the recent agreement, arguing that the proper local decision bodies had not yet been established. A CNDP spokesperson announced on Thursday that these outstanding issues, from their perspective, had been satisfactory resolved. 

General Nkunda, a former Congolese army general, claims to be fighting for the rights of eastern DRC’s Tutsi population, defending them from the imminent threat posed by Hutu extremist militias. These groups, the largest of which is known as the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), are composed largely of former Rwandan Hutu militiamen who flooded into DRC after participating in the slaughter of over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Nkunda allegedly receives support from the current Tutsi-dominated government of Rwanda. 

Both Nkunda’s militias and FDLR have been accused of killing, raping, and injuring scores of noncombatant civilians in eastern DRC. 

FDLR and other Hutu militia were not party to the January 2008 agreement. Rwanda and DRC have made previous commitments to disarm these groups, but so far have had little success. One condition of the January 2008 agreement was that the Congolese government would resume operations to disarm the Hutu militia. 

While Nkunda and the CNDP have contributed greatly to the instability in eastern DRC, some argue that Nkunda’s continued insistence on disarmament of the FDLR has forced DRC’s government to address a threat that is impossible to ignore if long term peace and security are to be achieved. 

And, while the process of neutralizing the FDLR certainly presents considerable challenges, and will inevitably require an impressive showing of political will from all sides, there are signs of progress on this front as well.  On May 26, two FDLR splinter factions signed an agreement with the Congolese government and MONUC to disarm in return for various security guarantees. 

Now it is up to all the parties involved, including the international community, to make sure that the momentum from these recent gains is not lost.

Not getting enough money from your school to STAND against genocide?

Check out CGI U, a new project of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)! CGI U is made for students like you who are trying to tackle the most important global issues of today.  CGI U will be distributing $150,000 to student projects dealing with global issues.

Apply, and your STAND chapter could get financial support for your anti-genocide efforts.  The deadline is July 28th, so check the application out NOW.

In the wake of the May 10 attacks on Khartoum by the Darfur rebel group JEM (Justice and Equality Movement), the Government of Sudan (GoS)  has responded indiscriminately and disproportionately against ethnic Darfuris living in Khartoum. Hundreds of civilians were rounded up in door-to-door raids, at checkpoints, on public transportation, solely for the appearance of being ethnically Darfur, and more specifically, ethnically Zaghawa, which is the tribe that mainly makes up JEM.

From then until now, hundreds were held in arbitrary detention, without access to lawyers or trials, neglected, abused, and tortured. There were reports of children as young as 8 being detained. Two weeks ago, the GoS put 36 of these individuals on trial for charges of "terrorism", without due process.

This highlights yet another time when the Government of Sudan responds to feeling threatened by abusing the civilians of an ethnic group – ethnic-based violence and the tools of genocide are a matter of national policy for the Government of Sudan.
This is why STAND can’t let these trials and these detentions go by unnoticed and unprotested: it is up to us to bring this issue to light in our communities, our Congress, and on Capitol Hill.

Educate yourself on the crisis by listening to the podcast of an emergency response call we had on the crisis. Khartoum needs to know we won’t let them use tactics of ethnic violence without some noise from the world’s student anti-genocide constituency.

STAND and the Genocide Intervention Network (GI-NET) just signed onto an open letter championed by Human Rights First.  The letter focuses on the upcoming G8 Summit in July, which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK, and the US.

The letter asks the leaders of the G8 to issue a joint statement, calling for:

1. An immediate cessation of the violence
2. Halting the transfers of arms
3. Deployment of UNAMID
4. A reinvigorated peace process and a commitment to the CPA
5. Justice and accountability for the atrocities committed.

Got questions or comments?  Email Maggie Tiernan, STAND’s Advocacy Coordinator at advocacy@standnow.org!

Adam Sterling, Director of the Sudan Divestment Task Force at the Genocide Intervention Network, is one of nine nominees for the Do Something Award, to be presented at the Teen Choice Awards by Hannah Montana on August 4th. Adam has been nominated for founding the Sudan divestment movement while in college at UCLA. Through Adam’s work, at least 25 states, 19 major U.S. cities, and 59 universities have adopted policies restricting their Sudan investments.

If you are between the ages of 13 and 19, please VOTE online to help Adam win this special recognition and $90,000 to continue his work.

 In addition to voting, you can help Adam win by…

• Forwarding this link to your friends and ask them to vote for Adam: http://www.teenchoiceawards.com/dosomething
• Adding the Facebook application to your profile http://apps.facebook.com/voteforadam/
• Attending the Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=21167171236&ref=share
• Embeding the widget on your blog or website: http://stand.agentic.ca/act/spread/web

Want to know more about Adam? You can read an interview with him on STAND’s blog by clicking here!

The powerful documentary Darfur Now has recently been released on DVD (it is available for $5.00 at various outlets, including Amazon.com). The film follows six individuals who are making a difference to end the genocide in Darfur.

Film critic Dave Maass caught up with one of stars of Darfur Now, director of GI-NET’s Sudan Divestment Task Force, Adam Sterling, to talk to him about his experiences with the film, the Sudan divestment movement and meeting Arnold Schwarzenegger. Click the blue box below to read the entire interview.

DM: You’re kind of an expert at this now. Looking back and watching when you were in California doing this for the first time, is it a bit strange?

AS: Yeah, it is. After our success in California, we were contacted by a few foundations that basically said, "OK, you’ve been doing this on your own, now let us help you." So, I guess we’re a bit more sophisticated. We’ve got a few staff members. We just put our first staff member in Europe, so we’re getting a lot of European campaigns. But that was definitely where we basically it was trial by fire. California was our test case where we learned everything.

So, what’s happened since 2006, other than getting picked up by a larger group? What progress has been made?

On the divestment level, we’ve been quite successful. Not just raising awareness for Darfur and pressuring businesses, but also I think [in] creating an environment in Sudan that is going to be more stable and help prevent conflict in the future. We’ve passed the law in California now and [in] many other states, a number of international pension funds around the world. Since California, at least 11 major business have either taken our recommendations about being better actors in Sudan or have left the country. So, really, creating a more stable, sustainable business environment in the country.

From where you guys are sitting, is there any noticeable impact on the government in Khartoum?

They’ve definitely been responsive to the divestment campaign. Toward the end of ’06, they took a six-page ad in The New York Times to counteract the divestment movement. They definitely don’t like it. I know they’re aware of it. A number of the companies that we’ve pressured have, in turn, pressured the Sudanese government. It’s tough, though. They’re very much entrenched and we’ve still got a long way to go.

What about China? Has China reacted at all to your work?

I know they’re one of the main targets. I think two big things have happened since the film, or at least, my part of the film and the birth of the divestment campaign. Two major moves from China. Again, I think we’ve got a long way to go, but I wouldn’t underestimate the significance of these two developments. First, the Chinese actually voted for UN Security Council Resolution 1769, and I know it’s been criticized because that’s yet to deploy, but there is no way we’ll ever have a deployment of peace keepers without the actual authorization. So, the blueprint is there for peace keepers. The second thing is since that time they’ve appointed a full-time special envoy for Darfur, which is pretty significant. They’ve been very hands-off politically and to have a full-time, high-level government envoy is a big step. That’s something we pushed the US to have for a long time and still don’t have. We have a part-time envoy here in the US. So, I think that’s also significant. I wouldn’t undervalue it. Really, it’s been two things that have pressured China in this campaign: divestment and connecting the Olympics to China and Darfur.

Does the Olympics give you the opportunity to step up efforts with divestment?

It’s been difficult. We struggle with that. I think that the biggest perspective for the Olympics have been the corporate sponsors and we’ve really shied away from using divestment as a tool for that. There are a few that overlap — PetroChina and Sinopec are both Olympic sponsors — but I think it all adds up. We’re really able to make the case that whoever it is — investors, businesses … — it’s not only in their moral self-interest to act but it’s in their financial self-interest. We’re actually releasing a new study that shows that companies targeted for divestment have severely underperformed their peer groups over the last three years and [in] their forecasts over the next year.

Yours is one of six stories in this film. How much you were aware of the other five as they were making this film?

Really, I was aware of Don Cheadle, because before the film he came to UCLA to support one of our first divestment events. I was aware of Luis Moreno-Ocampo through the news, because he was so high-profile. But beyond that I wasn’t aware of any of the characters.

You got to meet a lot of stars in the course of this. How’s Arnold Schwarzenegger?

It was strange; it was surreal. That scene in the film was a trip. I got to meet, within 20 minutes, George Clooney, then Arnold Schwarzenegger while I was standing next to Don Cheadle, and then I got to meet George Shultz, the former Secretary of State who was also at that bill-signing. The whole thing feels like a blur. It’s weird watching it in the film because I really don’t remember it happening.

Also on the Hollywood note: Steven Spielberg dropped out as art director for the Olympics because of Darfur. Did you see that as significant?

Yeah, I think that was big. It was huge. He had a major role in the Olympics and when he made his decision, he connected it specifically to Darfur. This is China’s coming-out party and movies like this, actions like Steven Spielberg’s, whoever it is, whether it’s the Chinese government, whether it’s President Bush, by raising the political will I think we’ll find more solutions. If we have foreign policy meetings with 10-minute discussions and one minute is about Darfur, if we can start making that four minutes, five minutes … where there’s a will there’s a way. We just don’t have enough political capital yet.

Last question: Of the six stories in this film, yours is the only one that the average person can get involved with. What can the average person do? A lot. Shortly after the film, my organization (Genocide Intervention Network) set up a hotline: 1-800-GENOCIDE. Anywhere in the US or Canada, you dial that number, you enter in your postal code, and it updates you on the situation in Darfur. We’ve got celebrity recordings that’ll walk you through it: Mia Farrow and Zach Braff will connect you to your elected officials. Anywhere in the country you can be updated on what’s happening now, learn about the current legislation in the US government and in your state. It’s really a phenomenal tool. Read the complete article at http://www.film.com/dvds/story/qa-darfur-now-star-adam/11597476/20961850

For the past nine days, nine high school students from Wichita, KS, have been running to Washington, DC in order to bring awareness to past and present genocides and to raise $100,000 for GI-NET. Averaging 104 miles a day, the 1,300 mile relay, entitled Never Ignore, Never Forget, will take them about two weeks to complete.

The runners have experienced storms and heat, aches and pains, steep hills and extensive flatlands throughout their run so far. But they are diligently continuing on towards their goal. You can read about the runners’ experiences and track their progress at http://www.neverignore.org/news-and-updates.

Are you up to the challenge?

You can join these motivated students by taking part in GI-NET’s Summer Fundraising Challenge. This is your opportunity to use our summer to help end genocide. You don’t have to run 1,300 miles to help — just turn your favorite summer activiity, be it a barbecue, lemonade stand or pool party, into a GI-NET fundraiser. The top 25 summer fundraisers will receive a free Darfur Now DVD and a signed Darfur Now poster. Click here to join the Summer Fundraising Challenge