There has been much talk on the campaign trail of hope and change, rhetoric which is largely responsible for the victory of President-elect Barack Obama. Across the nation and world, there is unprecedented excitement about the new administration and its potential to change.
We now have more info on the Transition Rally, which will kick off STAND Out Loud: The 2008 National Student Conference on Friday, November 7th.
Get all the info you need here.
This is our chance to capitalize on the excitement of the election. We have to remind the country that the new President-Elect must turn promise into policy on Darfur. Don’t miss it.
Weekly News Brief – October 27 – November 4, 2008
A weekly summary of the most important updates from the ground in Sudan, Burma, and Congo
In this issue: UNAMID peacekeeper killed in Darfur, strengthening relationships between Burma and China, surge of instability in Congo, and more…
I am asked all the time when I think is the best time to start a chapter. My answer is always the same: now. No matter when it is, it’s an important time to take a stand against genocide. This important time in American history is no exception. Experts are saying that young people will be going out to the polls to vote in record numbers, but we shouldn’t let our participation end there. Whether or not you are able to vote in the upcoming election it doesn’t matter because voting is only the first step.
The situation in eastern DRC went from bad to catastrophic this week as ethnic Tutsi rebels led by General Laurent Nkunda launched a major offensive in the provincial capital of Goma. In the resulting chaos civilians became targets for both rebels and government forces, causing tens of thousands to flee the city. A tense ceasefire seems to be holding at the moment, but conflict threatens to erupt again at and any time and thousands of lives remain at risk.
Working for peace on another continent may at times feel far away – but at times we are reminded how close to home this conflict really is.
The Sudan Hope Concert is one of those times that reminds us of that. Tomorrow, Saturday, November 1, young Sudanese musicians, performing artists, and poets living in the United States are coming together to perform with the hope of broadcasting their support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and their concern for the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
Have you emailed media@standnow.org?
The STAND Media Team is ready to help your chapter get the media attention it deserves! Our Regional Media Coordinators – Sejal, Monique, Jenny, Libby, and Kaden – can’t wait to meet you; you’ve just got to email them first.
We all know far too well the pattern of ethnic-driven destruction, underdevelopment, and polarization that has faced Darfur over the years – and unfortunately, this pattern is not unique to Darfur. There is a larger, overarching pattern of discrimination and destruction by the central Government of Sudan that has plagued many of Sudan’s diverse people.
The International Crisis Group has just released a report entitled: “Sudan’s Southern Kordofan Problem: the Next Darfur?”, which exposes this pattern in the region of Southern Kordofan.
