A couple of weeks ago, a student from a nearby university emailed me, asking for feedback on an event he wanted to host. He told me he was so upset about the genocide, and that he wanted orchestrate something really big and radical.
Despite China’s desire to hide its connection to genocide, Friday’s Olympic Opening Ceremonies will serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing violence in Sudan and one man’s long road to safety in the United States.
Lopez Lomong, a Sudanese lost boy and a member of Team Darfur, will bear the flag for the United States this Friday at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Lomong, who received US citizenship in 2007, was nominated for the honor by Olympic team captains.
The Beijing Olympics are just around the corner, and much of the world is waiting for the Games to begin. But the people of Darfur have been waiting much longer for something much greater: the stability and safety they need to return to their homes.
Last month I had the opportunity to speak to a group of international students studying at Princeton University over the summer. The topic was community activism in the United States. Sixty of the brightest high school students from around the country and the globe were seated before me in the lecture hall, listening to my experiences as a member of STAND. As I started to explain the history of STAND and how it is making a difference in the world today, I realized how proud I was of this organization; for what it does, and how it motivates teens like me to stand up and get involved.
On the heels of last week’s concerning reports about continuing ceasefire violations and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Congo Advocacy Coalition (CAC) released further information indicating the extent of atrocities.
At a Refugee camp outside of Mogadishu last Friday, three elders were helping local aid workers distribute food. In Somalia, a country that has been without an effective central government since 1991, most aid workers are Somali’s working endlessly to ensure that millions get fed and maintain their health in a violent, chaotic setting. The three elders helping the aid workers feed refugees was in no way out of the ordinary in Somalia, except while taking a break for tea the elders were shot dead by unknown gunmen.
Get the latest on what’s going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo! Learn more about the conflict and get the most up to date news available from the ENOUGH Project’s Congo Campaign Manager, Candice Knezevic. Candice just returned from the region and will be joining us on the call this Thursday at 8 PM EST to answer your questions! Don’t forget to jump on the call! Simply dial (269) 320-8300 and punch in the access code, 349902#, when prompted.
The secuity situation in Darfur is constantly changing and getting increasinly usntable: the UN is investigating an alleged attack on the rebel group SLM-Minawi by the Sudanese army, which is the second of such attacks. The Sudanese government confirmed the clashes.
As a summer intern for the Genocide Intervention Network, I’ve experienced a lot of amazing things. It’s been thrilling to watch events like the charges of genocide against al-Bashir, the arrest of Karadzic, and the political fervor of important political elections unfold at one of the sources of the anti-genocide movement. Although I could ramble on for hours about the amazing atmosphere and the even more amazing people in the GI-NET offices, I’d much rather talk about a project I have been working on for my internship: the STAND Now! Facebook application.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report this week stating that killing and raping of civilians continues at a “horrifying rate” in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) six months after the signing of a major peace accord. In a 10-day trip to the province, researchers documented more than 200 killings and the rape of hundreds of women since January.
