Take action on Darfur

[Ysobelle]

I don't know how many of you are following what's going on in the Darfur region of Sudan, but it's fairly mind-numbingly horrific. Tens of thousands of people are being systematically tortured, raped, terrorised, and murdered in an ethnic cleansing sanctioned and encouraged by the government.

I didn't do anything when this happened in Rwanda, and I still feel some bizarre guilt over that. But back then, I really didn't know anything about online activism. But things have changed:

http://www.darfurgenocide.org

http://www.savedarfur.org/

http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=11501


As with most cases like this, the governments concerned generally do what they do because they think-- or at least want to believe-- no one is watching. While you might think sending a letter isn't such a big deal, you're telling these governments that people are indeed watching. And that can be a powerful deterrent.

[daBaroness]

the same things are going on in the Congo as well. Oprah had a very imformative piece on several weeks ago about the daily atrocities taking place in a number of African nations - and how it gets very little press. It gets little press because the main victims are women and children. A group of women appeared on the show and testified how virtually every woman in the country has been raped during their civil war (been going on over six years) and how in many cases it is a daily ritual carried out in front of their children and husbands by occupying forces.

In addition to rape - women are the victims of heinous sexual mutilation and torture by the same individuals commiting the rapes. The worst part is because of their culture - most husbands leave their wives if they've been raped because they're considered tainted or spoiled commodities and to get rid of the shame, you get rid of the victim.

As women we really need this information, as well as good, solid suggestions as to how we can influence our government, other governments, social groups and the governments in these countries to act to protect their women, children and families from these atrocities.

[Galleywench]

No words to describe the hopless feeling....