Darfur in DC

Here’s a summary I wrote from a Sudan program I attended last night that may, or may not, lead to something further: [New] Here's that something further...

Amid the reverent din of a standing ovation, Paul Rusesabagina-the man lionized for his heroic efforts to save over a thousand Rwandans from slaughter in the film Hotel Rwanda (2004)-took the stage last night at the National Press Club Ballroom. Within minutes, Rusesabagina's gruesome and tragic recollections from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda silenced the captivated crowd. And so began the program "Taking Action in Darfur: A Capital Alert" sponsored by the American Jewish Committee. Rusesabagina's opening comments served to draw distinct parallels between Rwanda's civil war and the tragedy currently unfolding in the Darfur region of the Sudan, both of which he has experienced first-hand.

Rusesabagina was joined by Charles Snyder, Senior Representative on the Sudan for the U.S. Department of State, and Brian Steidle, a former marine and eyewitness to the tragedy in Darfur. The panelists each offered their unique perspective concerning the crisis and responded to a slew of questions from the audience. While Snyder offered an analysis and justification for the U.S. policy in that region, Steidle's talk focused primarily on his photos of razed villages, parentless children, and mutilated bodies. Although the panelists differed somewhat in their analyses of U.S. and global intervention, they unanimously agreed that proactive engagement by more people outside the government and military is crucial for curbing the slaughter.

Luckily, the DC community hosts a number of groups undertaking this challenge. Galvanized by their shared outrage, The American Jewish Committee, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Jewish Community Relations Council, and the Greater Washington Jewish Task Force have banded together in an interfaith effort to raise awareness and offer direct support to the imperiled people of Darfur. The result: "DC (heart) Darfur"[website available 9/2: www.ajws.org/dclovesdarfur]. This campaign emphasizes that a refugee in Darfur or neighboring Chad could attain a daily food ration for 18 cents (US). In this way, the benefit of both small and large donations becomes apparent. The campaign will continue through October 13th.

Among the other DC area groups working to ensure a return to peace in the Sudan are the Salam Sudan Foundation and The Save Darfur Coalition .