#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that brings diverse organizations and communities around the world together to give back. Our team is pleased to invite you to take this opportunity to engage in something meaningful for you and others. Donate to Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) and help us to make a difference in the lives of women and girls from Darfur. Help us to amplify their voices and give them hope.
Darfur Women Action Group will allocate your donation to a women rehabilitation center to be built in Darfur. The center will support and empower women who have been subjected to sexual violence and oppression. The goal is to enable these women to heal and give them the skills needed to reintegrate themselves into their communities, where they can inspire positive change.
We, therefore, wanted to reach out to you and ask for your support on this special day, and give you an opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives – those who have not been so fortunate. Please donate to Darfur Women Action Group and be a part of our fight against the long-standing genocide and attacks against women in Darfur and around the globe.
Follow our social media channels and join our #16Days campaign for more action opportunities
Between Unspeakable Suffering and Outstanding Resilience
“I lived in a beautiful village in Darfur surrounded by tall acacia trees. Towards the west there was a green valley named Azum that provided us with mango, guavas, oranges, and beautiful gardens for six months during the rainy season. Toward the east there were sugarcane farms. I considered everyone in my village to be rich. Through hard work they cultivated all types of grains, vegetables and fruits. They also raised goats, sheep and cows. Most people had what they needed to survive and only went to the market to buy clothes, soap and sugar. Everyone was very friendly and supportive. If you needed help building a house, the community would come together and finish the house in one day. Life was beautiful and I was very happy.
One day in 2003 an army came to my village early morning when I was in the valley feeding cows. At the time I was 24 years old, married, and had four children. They came on camels, horses and land cruisers, carrying heavy artillery. I could hear them chanting, shooting and setting houses on fire. It was very frightening. I realized that it must be the Sudanese Government Army and the Janjaweed (government supported militia), because we knew of nearby villages that had been attacked by them. I thought of sending my cows away so that the men could not take them. Or hiding among the animals so that the men would not see me.
Eventually my three brothers, my uncle, and his two sons came running to rescue me. But before they could reach me, the killers shot them right in front of my eyes. After this brutal killing, the militiamen came close to me and ordered that I lie down. I refused and threw stones at them, bringing one of them down. In retaliation, they shot me in the back, forced me to the ground, and raped me repeatedly, until I was unconscious. When I woke up, I was bleeding. I pretended to be dead until night came and the men left. After they were gone, I got up and went in search of my kids. As I reached the village, I suddenly realized that I was stepping on dead bodies. The armed men had killed or wounded almost everyone that they encountered. More than one thousand people were killed on that day. I found an injured fellow that I knew and he told me that my children had been taken to the forest to hide and that I would be able to find my kids there.
I was guided to the right spot and we were finally reunited after two days. Now that we were all together, we had to get away from the killers. So we walked for three days to another village. My wounds were still bleeding and I had to carry my youngest child on my back. Finally, we approached a community where some people gave us a mixture of millet flour and water to alleviate our hunger. They also tried to stop my bleeding using traditional medicine. We had to be prepared for a longer walk to a refugee camp in Chad.
We reached Chad after a month of walking and unimaginable suffering. I often doubted that I would survive to see another day, but something deep in my heart was telling me that I would. I decided not to surrender, even when I felt exhaustion, thirst and hunger. Or when I was overwhelmed by sadness, thinking of the genocide perpetrators’ intent to humiliate and exterminate us.
In the camp, I was lucky to receive medical treatment from international NGOs. And after six months, I was finally reunited with my husband. Since the attack to our village, he had been missing. I learned that he had been seriously wounded and was in a remote village in Darfur. I notified the International Rescue Committee and, thankfully, they found him and brought him to Chad. When he arrived, I could barely recognize him. Due to his injuries, he became permanently physically disabled.
Life in the camp seemed safe, but when I started speaking up about what had happened to me, I was targeted to be killed. The Sudanese Government had infiltrated the camps with spies and they did not want victims speaking about the attacks to international organizations. So I eventually had to be transferred with my family to Kenya, Burkina Faso and, finally, to the United States.
In Houston, Texas, we found a new home and a new life with loving people. But when I was sent for further health treatment, I was told that my body had been severely injured by the shooting, and that I would never be able to work. It was hard to believe, but I didn’t let it shake my confidence of myself nor the mission that I had decided to accomplish in life. I was determined to be productive and optimistic, no matter what! Now that I was living safely in the United States, I wanted to go to school, get a degree, and be a fluent English speaker. I had never been to school in Sudan, because it was not considered safe for girls to go walk to school – only boys.
I am happy to say that in the last four years, I finished an ESL (English as a Second Language) course, successfully did an ACT (American College Testing) test, and I am currently working on my GED (General Education Diploma) to be able to go to college. I am doing great in my classes and remain a distinguished student, in spite of my multiple responsibilities and health situation. My children are in college and working evening jobs to support our family – from paying rent to other costs. They also play sports and are top ranking students in their schools. I have also been able to give birth to two more healthy children. Because we have been targeted for elimination, I wanted more children to overcome the loss of our people.
My plan for the future is to continue to speak up for myself and other women, fight against genocide, write a book, and study law to be able to pursue justice for me and my people.
I thank Darfur Women Action Group for giving me a voice. I would like to appeal to all of you who read my story to do whatever you can to speak up for the victims of the long-standing genocide and particularly for the women who have been victimized. I call on you to not feel discouraged by the fact that the world has failed the women of Darfur. If we all speak in one voice, we can compel the international community to act to end the genocide in Darfur, and the suffering of women elsewhere in the world.”
—
TAKE ACTION. Please join us in taking at least one action that will help end violence against women in Darfur:
Raise awareness by sharing our campaign content on social media, using the hashtags #16Days and #StopRapeInDarfurNow.
Tag United Nations on social media and demand accountability for the 2014 mass rape in Darfur. Share it with 10 people in your network. Use @UN on Twitter and @UnitedNations on Facebook.
Donate to DWAG to support a rehabilitation center for women survivors of sexual violence in Darfur.
Join our Rapid Response Network, a group of community members who are on standby to help us with campaigns and petitions.
Send a solidarity message that we can share with our supporters and the women in Darfur: communication@darfurwomenaction.org.
From November 25th to December 10th (International Human Rights Day), Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) will be participating in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign – a worldwide initiative to bring awareness to violence against women and girls. We want to take this opportunity to shed light on the long-standing genocidal attacks against women in Darfur, and to recognize the courage of these women in the face of mass atrocities. These women have been through unspeakable suffering and have demonstrated outstanding resilience. To participate in our campaign, share our LEARN and LISTEN messages on social media to bring awareness about this issue (Facebook and Twitter) and TAKE ACTION to help the women in Darfur.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Since 2003, violent attacks, rape, arrests and torture have devastated the lives of the innocent civilians of Darfur. Countless men, women, and children lost their lives or were forced to endure unimaginable suffering. Women and girls have been frequently targeted for sexual violence, and are often left to suffer in silence.
Sudanese President al-Bashir is the mastermind behind the genocide in Darfur and is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) – he has been indicted with 10 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC also found evidence that rape is being used as a genocidal tool – to oppress and humiliate the Darfuri people. Regrettably, al-Bashir is still actively pursuing his genocidal policy in Darfur and other regions of Sudan, and continues to victimize women.
Even though the situation in Darfur is progressively more alarming, and violence continues to rise at an alarming rate, world leaders have faced the situation in Darfur with silence. Those who have spoken up have not moved beyond words of condemnation. Similarly, the mainstream media has not treated Darfur with the urgency that it deserves, failing to cover the current situation. The ongoing genocide is no longer making headlines at prominent newspapers such as the New York Times or the Washington Post, as it had in the past.
Since it is not in the news, the world may think that the crisis in Darfur has ended. But the reality is quite the opposite. Over 460,000 Darfuris were displaced in 2013, another 500,000 were displaced in 2014, and over 233,000 people were displaced in the first quarter of 2015. Many Darfuri now live in internally displaced and refugee camps in Sudan and Chad – where the overwhelming majority, about 80-95%, are women and children.
At the same time, rape continues to be a systematic tactic and deliberate policy of the regime, who uses it as a weapon of war and intimidation. In one day alone on October 31st, 2014, 221 women and girls were raped in Tabit village. The perpetrators have suffered no consequences and have yet to be investigated by the United Nations. Those who dare to speak up against the attacks on women (women’s rights activists, civil society leaders and human rights defenders) have been subject to arrest and derogatory treatment by oppressive Sudanese government authorities.
WE NEED YOU, YOUR VOICE, AND YOUR SUPPORT.
This pressing issue has helped us realized that we need to reach out to supporters for help. We need to mobilize the masses to shed light on this dire situation and take further action towards tangible change. Remember, it only takes one person for positive change to begin. Darfur Women Action Group will remain vigilant and refuse to condone the silence of the international community. We say NO to the silent conspiracy on Darfur and YES to empowering survivors and ordinary citizens to speak up.
WILL YOU JOIN US IN OUR #16DAYS CAMPAIGN?
LEARN.
Let’s make an effort to understand the situation in Darfur, the ongoing genocide and how it affects women and girls.
LISTEN.
Let’s read and share stories of Darfuri women, their suffering and outstanding resilience.
TAKE ACTION.
Lastly, please join us in taking at least one action that will help end violence against women in Darfur:
Raise awareness by sharing our campaign content on social media, using the hashtags #16Days and #StopRapeInDarfurNow.
Tag United Nations on social media and demand accountability for the 2014 mass rape in Darfur. Share it with 10 people in your network. Use @UN on Twitter and @UnitedNations on Facebook.
Donate to DWAG to support a rehabilitation center for women survivors of sexual violence in Darfur.
Join our Rapid Response Network, a group of community members who are on standby to help us with campaigns and petitions.
Send a solidarity message that we can share with our supporters and the women in Darfur: communication@darfurwomenaction.org.
An opening presentation by Carl Wilkens, the only American to stay in Rwanda.
The advocacy training began on Sunday, October 23rd, in a room at the George Washington University full of eager high school and college students
from all over the United States. An opening presentation by Carl Wilkens, the only American to stay in Rwanda after the genocide had begun, showed the attendees that there exists a ray of hope in the face of atrocities. A virtual reality video documentary of the Burmese Rohingya crisis put us all in the shoes of the oppressed, and we used this new knowledge as inspiration for the training that would begin shortly after. After the eye-opening documentary, students with previous lobbying experience led lobbying training sessions. The training was coordinated by DWAG’s partner organization STAND (The student-led movement to end mass atrocities).
On Monday, October 24th, we made the trip to Capitol Hill at 9am, and after getting lost in the underground tunnels, I finally found the group hanging out at the Dunkin Donuts Express. I was part of the team that would lobby the offices of politicians from Virginia about the genocide in Darfur and its impact on women. In the same team was David Albogh, a very inspiring member of the Darfur Interfaith Network who has been attending DWAG’s symposiums for the last 4 consecutive years to speak for the people of Sudan.
A virtual reality video documentary of the Burmese Rohingya crisis put us all in the shoes of the oppressed.
Together we visited Senator Tim Kaine’s office, and although some of us were a bit nervous (since it was our first time lobbying), we had a great conversation with Senator Kaine’s aides. They were very welcoming. Overall our experience on Capitol Hill was very educational and empowering, and we found that if you go into it with a friendly and assertive attitude, then there is really nothing to be worried about.
Like our experienced team-member Cory Williams who for years has been doing this told us, “they are here to serve us” – so we should not let our nervousness overwhelm us.
I would highly encourage everyone to learn about the advocacy process and to meet with like-minded people in order to be a voice for the issues most important to them. We need to be determined to bring the causes that we care about to our policymakers’ attention. I am hoping to do it again and encourage you to join future DWAG events to educate yourselves and take action.
Stories of Suffering and Resilience Take Center Stage
By Carla Ruas
Nadia Taha was only a schoolgirl when her native Darfur changed before her eyes. Typically, local villages in western Sudan were tight-knit, in close contact with nature and always at ease. But in 2003, the Sudanese government, led by President al-Bashir, began a campaign of mass killings of the Darfuri people, slaughtering entire communities with aerial bombs and armed militia raids. Thousands of civilians were killed, women were gang-raped, and many more Darfuris were forced to abandon their homes and flee into the desert. Ms. Taha’s family fled to El Fasher, a city in North Darfur. Due to the city’s size, it was supposed to be safer than their small, unprotected village. But fighting broke out there, too. Ms. Taha’s brother went missing and many immediate family members were killed. The trauma of death and loss made her mother physically ill and she passed away. “I was just in high school, and seeing my mom’s health deteriorating every day was a heartbreaking experience. The loss of my mom is a tragedy that has changed my life forever.”
The very first panel of the symposium, “Women’s Resilience in the Face of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.”
Ms. Taha, now a successful journalist in the United States, shared these painful memories during the 5th Annual Symposium on Women and Genocide: The Case of Darfur, which took place in Washington, DC, between October 21-24. Yearly, the event has attracted speakers and attendees from all over the world who are committed to the study and prevention of genocide and violence against women in conflict areas. This year, the first two days of the event featured a series of panels with survivors and experts in the ballroom of the New York Presbyterian Avenue Church in Washington D.C. , while the following days were dedicated to advocacy training and lobbying on Capitol Hill.
Ms. Taha spoke on the very first panel of the symposium, “Women’s Resilience in the Face of Genocide and Mass Atrocities,” which also featured survivors from Rwanda, Burma, Congo and Nigeria. At one point she confessed to the audience that this was the first time that she was sharing her story. And as she made this surprising admission, she could not hold back the tears that ran down her cheeks. It was a difficult opening panel for the almost 100 attendees to watch. However, Darfur Women Action Group’s (DWAG) president, Niemat Ahmadi, later revealed that it was not a coincidence that the survivors’ accounts were scheduled first. Their accounts of pain and resilience set the stage for the thought-provoking panels that followed – featuring academics, activists and aid workers.
Daniel Rothbart, professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at the George Mason University (right).
Daniel Rothbart, professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at the George Mason University, was one of the speakers who attempted to unravel the survivors’ traumatic experiences. In the panel “Genocide in the 21st Century,” he explained the concept of genocide. It is well-known that genocide is a crime of long duration and involving mass atrocities. But not everyone realizes that genocidal violence can take many forms. “There are visible and invisible types of violence. Some are well-known, such as violence used to punish the body and traumatize the mind. But there are others, such as verbal and cultural violences,” Prof. Rothbart explained. “These are a set of social institutions that promote stark inequality between segments of the population in order to subjugate a certain group, not much different from the Jim Crow laws that segregated the United States,” he noted.
In such an environment, women and girls are susceptible to yet another type of violence – systematic, ritualized rape and sexual exploitation, according to Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, Director of the Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies Program at Stockton University, who spoke at the same panel. An expert on the topic of gender and genocide, Ms. von Joeden-Forgey reminded the audience that violence against women and girls is one of many elements in a genocide’s multi-pronged strategy of attack. “Genocide is a crime that targets reproduction. It is a crime of reproductive violence,” she stated. “The goal is to destroy the life foundations of a particular group that is being persecuted.”
How to end such systematic atrocities? For Maureen Murphy, Senior Research Associate at George Washington University’s Global Women’s Institute (GWI), the first step is to gather more data about genocide. During the panel “Strategies for Women’s Empowerment,” she described how organizations can use research to prove that genocide is taking place (or has taken place), and that women are systematically targets of sexual violence. At the moment, there are few reliable studies on genocide, particularly on the topic of violence against women and girls. Almost no research has been conducted in Darfur, for instance, due to the difficulty of accessing the area. But in South Sudan, where some evidence has been collected, data indicate that rape and sexual assault from non-partners have increased during periods of conflict. “Violence against women is used as a weapon of war and [these women] remain affected by this violence throughout their lives.”
With this type of evidence, organizations could pressure world leaders to speak up against such atrocities and to allocate resources for prevention programs. Too frequently, the international community refrains from any type of intervention by stating that there is no proof that genocide is taking place. During the Rwandan genocide, for instance, the United States refused to take a leading role and even discouraged a robust UN response. More recently, throughout the Darfur genocide, President Barack Obama has strategically avoided using the “G word,” so that it is not pressured to intervene. Other powerful countries have used the same argument and stayed silent as the atrocities in Sudan have unfolded.
Honorable Senator Mobina Jaffer, a leading Canadian politician on human rights.
Honorable Senator Mobina Jaffer, a leading Canadian politician on human rights and an accomplished women’s leader, delivered the keynote address at the symposium, in which she touched on the international community’s limited response to end mass atrocities around the world. “The international community has constantly used an ineffective approach to conflicts. Even when governments do come into a crisis situation, they leave before the job is finished. That is exactly what happened to Darfur,” she said. The Senator served as Canada’s Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan from 2002 to 2006 and became deeply engaged with the area. She is now hopeful that a joint effort by politicians and activists could be the key to ending Darfuris’ suffering. “We politicians cannot do it on our own. We do not have the knowledge of activists, but we are able to access resources. So we need to work as a team,” she said.
Accountability for perpetrators, reparations to survivors, and legal justice are also needed. Mona Khalil, legal adviser at the Independent Diplomat, reminded attendees that Sudanese President al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2009 for genocide, but has never been arrested and continues to rule Sudan. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) referred the situation to the ICC, but did not support the court in proceeding on the matter. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly and individual member states with political leverage in the region also refused to use their ties to make a difference. The ultimate message is that genocide is not an easily punishable crime – and one can get away with it. But there is good news, says Ms. Khalil: “As humans and activists, we can alter that dynamic by raising the cost of silence,” she noted in the panel “Accountability for Genocide and Crimes Against Women.”
As the the first two days of the symposium (and the panels) came to an end, it became clear that the blending of real-life experiences and theoretical ideas was a success. Survivors shared their stories, academics and experts gained feedback on their research findings, and advocates were energized to continue their plight against genocide and mass atrocities. The symposium also brought attention back to Darfur and the forgotten but still ongoing genocide. And it gave attendees hope that if we can bring so many different people together against genocide in one room, then we can work collectively toward accountability and prevention. Ending genocide is possible.
#VoteforDarfur is a bipartisan campaign directed at both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees urging them to include Sudan and Darfur as priorities in their foreign policy plans. We are asking you, as our supporter, to demand that your candidate articulate his or her position on these issues before you vote for them. Remember, when you #VoteforDarfur, you are urging your candidate to address matters that are extremely important to the American people and their values, as well as to America’s national security:
How to take action
In order to participate in our campaign, please share the following statements with the #VoteForDarfur hashtag. We also encourage you to copy the letter below and send it to your candidate – whether it is Mr. Trump or Secretary Clinton. You can also share this letter on social media and tag your candidate!
Stop chemical weapons use against civilians in Darfur + hold government of Sudan accountable! #VoteForDarfur
Stop use of rape as a weapon of war + hold perpetrators accountable! #VoteForDarfur
Dear candidate: what are your position on Sudan and its relation with international terrorist organizations? #VoteForDarfur
The US must not reward Sudan by lifting sanctions and removing its name as a terrorist sponsored country. #VoteForDarfur
Dear candidate: we need a policy on genocide prevention in Darfur in accordance w/ American values. #VoteForDarfur
Dear candidate: pls prioritize accountability for the world’s worst crimes – genocide, war crimes + crimes against humanity. #VoteForDarfur
Sudan should meet international human rights’ standards, rule of law and respect for human dignity. #VoteForDarfur
I #VoteForDarfur because these issues are important to me as an individual + to my country.
Letter
Dear Mr. Trump/Secretary Clinton,
I am writing to you regarding some very important foreign policy priorities and would be grateful if you would inform us how you plan to include these issues in your agenda, if elected President of the United States.
Twelve years ago, the American people and American lawmakers were moved by the magnitude and ferocity of the genocide in Darfur, the first genocide of the 21st century. So much that President George W. Bush and the US Congress formally declared the situation a genocide in 2004.
Unfortunately, it continues unabated, with over 3 million Darfuris, most of whom are women and children, living in dangerous internal displacement camps (IDP camps). Roughly 60% of the children are of school age but have no access to education; the camps lack humanitarian assistance; and peacekeeping missions have failed to protect the vulnerable. Rape has been used as a weapon of war and women and girls remain the main targets. On one day alone, October 31, 2014, 221 women and girls were raped in Tabit village and, to date, the perpetrators have suffered no consequences.
The world may think the crisis in Darfur has ended, because it is not being reported in the news, but the truth is that over 460,000 Darfuris were displaced in 2013, another 500,000 were displaced in 2014, and over 233,000 were displaced in the first quarter of 2015. On December 18th and 19th, 2015, 700 Darfuri refugees who had escaped the genocide were suddenly and forcibly deported from Jordan back to Sudan, the country from which they had initially fled. And during the first weeks of January, 2016, the government of Sudan launched a new siege of violence in which they used seven militia battalion and the Sudanese Armed Forces and an estimated six fighter jets to attack villages, where people had already been displaced more than five times. This resulted in killing of hundreds and displacements of thousands and the total physical destruction of more than 124 villages.
This month, Amnesty International released a shocking report with credible evidence that the Sudanese Armed Forces has used chemical weapons in Central Darfur in the Jebal Marra area. This report includes pictures and imagery that goes beyond description.
The Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir, currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Darfur, continues to carry out his genocidal policy with impunity because the international community has failed to bring him to court. Consequently, the situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate.
Our current administration has been using a conciliatory approach to the genocidal regime in Khartoum and has no policy that can put an end to their unspeakable human rights abuse. Our leaders must not turn a blind eye in the face of genocide. The US and the international community have constantly failed to end a single genocide since the Holocaust through Rwanda and now Darfur. I, and many Americans, are gravely concerned about this and we want to see our country assume more leadership and bring the dream of ending genocide into reality.
In addition to committing genocide against its own people, al-Bashir’s government represents a national security threat to America and to our allies in the region because of its undeniable ties with the Islamic Jihadist and other terror groups and we, therefore, wish to see you as a presidential candidate articulate a clear, precise, specific plan about your plan to deal with Sudan as part of the foreign policy agenda..
The government of Sudan is currently considered by the US a terrorist sponsored regime, since they invited and hosted Bin Laden in mid-90s and there have been allegation of al-Bashir’s regime supporting Hamas and having strong connections to ISIS.
We would appreciate your public response on how, if elected President, you would deal with this issue and how you would specifically work with Congress to ensure the end of this horrific ongoing genocide.
The Sudanese government along with the Janjaweed are responsible for the mass atrocities being committed in Darfur, and it seems like they are attempting to out-do themselves with every consecutive attack. In the latest report by Amnesty International on Darfur they have reported evidence of brutal chemical weapon attacks on the communities living in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur. The images and testimonies shared are not only evidence of crimes against humanity, but they are also evidence of how low a human-being can stoop while being submerged in a mental state of racist-influenced rage encouraged by a leader who shows no shame or remorse for ordering attacks towards innocent people.
Philosophers have said that what separates humans from beasts is the ability to rationalize, and I hope that the youngest members of the Sudanese army and the Janjaweed will have the change of heart to be able to see the evil of their actions and seize their blind support to Bashir. Once this becomes a reality, the people of Sudan will see that they are meant to live together in a peaceful society.
The horrific brutality of these attacks transcendentally breaks the moral codes of any modern-day religion and so we have to ask ourselves, why is the Darfurian genocide not a topic being shared around the world? Why do we have to wait for the images of burned and melted skin of children to finally decide to care about them? Why are we so easily distracted by the “trending” topics that the media is constantly putting in our faces? How is it possible to begin to comprehend the atrocities being committed when we do not take the time to investigate, share, and discuss these attacks? How much longer will thoughts and prayer continue without taking any action?
Dear readers we must ask ourselves, if these attacks do not have the characteristics needed to be considered to be ethnic cleansing then honestly what else can they be? Evidence gathered by amnesty is a testimony to the fact.
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that brings diverse organizations and communities around the world together to give back. Our team is pleased to invite you to take this opportunity to engage in something meaningful for you and others. Donate to Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) and help us to make a difference in the lives of women and girls from Darfur. Help us to amplify their voices and give them hope.
“I lived in a beautiful village in Darfur surrounded by tall acacia trees. Towards the west there was a green valley named Azum that provided us with mango, guavas, oranges, and beautiful gardens for six months during the rainy season. Toward the east there were sugarcane farms. I considered everyone in my village to be rich. Through hard work they cultivated all types of grains, vegetables and fruits. They also raised goats, sheep and cows. Most people had what they needed to survive and only went to the market to buy clothes, soap and sugar. Everyone was very friendly and supportive. If you needed help building a house, the community would come together and finish the house in one day. Life was beautiful and I was very happy.
. And after six months, I was finally reunited with my husband. Since the attack to our village, he had been missing. I learned that he had been seriously wounded and was in a remote village in Darfur. I notified the International Rescue Committee and, thankfully, they found him and brought him to Chad. When he arrived, I could barely recognize him. Due to his injuries, he became permanently physically disabled.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
#VoteforDarfur is a bipartisan campaign directed at both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees urging them to include Sudan and Darfur as priorities in their foreign policy plans. We are asking you, as our supporter, to demand that your candidate articulate his or her position on these issues before you vote for them. Remember, when you #VoteforDarfur, you are urging your candidate to address matters that are extremely important to the American people and their values, as well as to America’s national security:
The Sudanese government along with the Janjaweed are responsible for the mass atrocities being committed in Darfur, and it seems like they are attempting to out-do themselves with every consecutive attack. In the latest report by Amnesty International on Darfur they have reported evidence of brutal chemical weapon attacks on the communities living in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur. The images and testimonies shared are not only evidence of crimes against humanity, but they are also evidence of how low a human-being can stoop while being submerged in a mental state of racist-influenced rage encouraged by a leader who shows no shame or remorse for ordering attacks towards innocent people.
