Six years ago today, a rebel group in Sudan attacked the garrison town of Gulu in Darfur’s Jebel Marra region. This marked the beginning of the crisis in Darfur, though its roots certainly date back much further. The Sudanese government’s response to the rebels’ insurgency was a murderous campaign, which has targeted all those in the Darfur region identified as indigenous Africans. Men, women, and children have all been subject to murder, rape, and displacement since the conflict’s beginning.
Six years later, activists across the United States and around the world have become aware of the crisis and have continued to join the world’s first-ever permanent anti-genocide constituency. We have continued to read about and listen to the countless victims, survivors, and families affected by crises, and we’ve taken these stories to heart. We have been driven to action by accounts of crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur. We’ve attended lectures, panel discussions, and film screenings and then contacted or met with our elected officials. We’ve written to our local papers and stood up in our classes or congregations to tell others about what we know. We have convinced our states and our universities to divest funds from companies that are directly contributing to the violence in Darfur. We’ve used the resources of organizations like Enough, the Genocide Intervention Network, and Save Darfur to empower us to make significant changes and create the political will to end genocide.
The world knows about the anti-genocide constituency. President Obama knows because Senator Obama was a champion of the cause. Secretary Clinton knows because Senator Clinton spoke out against the violence.
Activists who have been working for so long may experience what could be called “Darfur fatigue.” However, at Enough, we believe that activists are not tired of fighting. We believe that activists are still full of hope, enthusiasm, and energy, And we know that the anti-genocide grassroots community is looking for more ways to make changes to bring an end to this conflict, which has now lasted longer than World War II.
We believe this because we have evidence. We hear from people like you, people like Pastor Paul E. Gasque. Paul recently told us about his efforts to reach out to his community to find other people who want to see peace in Sudan. Paul also wrote a letter to President Obama encouraging him to use the passion and concern he has shown in the past to stand up strongly against the perpetrators of genocide in Darfur and prioritize the issue. “The people of Darfur need desperately to know that the world has not forgotten them,” he wrote.
Activists like Paul are continuing their meaningful work throughout the country and the world. Six years on, our continued collaboration is essential to seeing an end to this conflict. Working together, we will do whatever it takes. We can and will make genocide history.
Maggie Fick contributed to this post.
Photo of anti-genocide activists courtesy of The Genocide Intervention Network.