This has been an exciting couple of weeks for Burma activists! The "Tom Lantos" Block Burmese JADE Act has passed the Senate and is waiting tobe signed into law by President Bush. The renewal of the Freedom and Democracy Act has passed the House and is now in the Senate, and will likely be voted on soon.

The Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, passed in 2003, prohibits the importation of Burmese products into the U.S. The Congress has renewed it every year since its initial passage.

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?

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!

Yesterday, the Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, Louis Moreno-Ocampo, presented evidence of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes by the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, to the ICC, seeking a warrant for Bashir’s arrest.  The indictment is the result of an intense investigation that has lasted more than three years, and its effects will be felt in Darfur and Sudan as a whole for years to come.

Darfur: On the largest attack on Peacekeepers in Darfur in the history of the conflict, a convoy of UNAMID soldiers on patrol were ambushed by unidentified and heavily armed militia men mounted on truck and horseback. 7 died and dozens wounded.

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.

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.

In the March 29 presidential and parliamentary elections, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change won a parliamentary majority for the first time in the country’s history. Since then, President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party has conducted a systematic campaign of violence, intimidation, and manipulation. The delayed release of election results showed a victory by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but not enough to prevent a run-off election held on June 27. In reaction, Mugabe and his hard-line supporters lashed out against civilians and opposition supporters.

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.