Most people think that they can't do anything about the country of Sudan that is thousands of miles away, but you can! But first, you should have some background information on the situation.
Sudan is the largest country in Africa, and there has been continuous genocide there for a long time now. The Janjaweed is a large militia, sponsored by the Sudanese government, that has been burning villages, destroying food and water supplies, murdering people, as well as torturing and raping thousands of people in Darfur. But, recently the violence has spread. Many refugees have fled to neighboring countries, such as Uganda, Chad, and Ethiopia, and the violent campaign has now spread to those countries as well.
Now how is the Sudanese government financing all of this? Sudan's oil production. About 70% of Sudan's oil profits are used to finance the military. This is one of the reasons why there has been so much controversy surrounding the 2008 Olympics in China; China is the largest supporter of the Sudanese oil business.
But what can you do to help? Many things.
You can start off by visiting http://www.savedarfur.org/. You can sign up for e-mails that will update you on what is happening in Darfur. You can also sign up to be a member of the Save Darfur Coalition. But that's not all.
You can lobby Congress by sending an e-mail, writing a letter, or making a call to your local Senators or Representatives. Let them know that you want them to support any legislation that may come up in Congress that aids the end of the genocide in any way. You could donate money to the Save Darfur campaign, and they will use that money to aid the victims of the genocide by providing food, water, and shelter.
And, the most important thing you can do: use your voice! Spread the word about the situation in Darfur, and let people know what they can do to help. By working together, the genocide can be stopped.
~R.M
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3 comments:
I must admit, the problems in Sudan seem so severe that it seems like they could be unsolvable. It seems like it won't do anything for one person to try and help. I think that this post does offer some nice suggestions to how you can help Sudan and its situation.
It is so sad knowing that in todays world things like mass genocide still happen. What is hopeful though is that there are so many people out there dedicated to trying to make the situation better for those who cannot do it for themselves. For those of you who said you didn't know much of anything about Sudan, definitely read Rachael's post and visit the Save Darfur website and it will surely enlighten you.
So I don't want to get repetetive, but many organizations, such as the Save Darfur coalition, don't always want you to just donate money. They want and need people to help spread the word, and to help rally Congress to make big changes. Remember everyone: your voice is the most powerful tool for change!!!
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