African Union group urges student activism for Darfur
By Rana Nabil Diab
News Reporter
November 28, 2007
 The University of Windsor’s African Union hosted a three-day campaign on campus last week to raise awareness about the ongoing tragedies in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
The ethnic conflict, which began in 2003, involves the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed against rebel groups such as the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement.
The United Nations claims that as many as 450,000 people have died from the violence and ensuing disease.
Each day of the 3 Days 4 Darfur event was dedicated to one of the three different focuses; educate, act, and advocate.
“The event encompasses these three different topics because we believe that this structure would best meet the need to properly enlighten people on the issue and thereafter inspire activism,” said Muna Anazodo, public relations director for African Union.
“Just as most people wouldn’t sit back and watch if their neighbor’s house on fire, we choose not to sit back and watch the suffering and humanitarian crisis continue unabated,” asserted Anazodo.
On Monday, African Union members and volunteers were in the CAW student centre and other campus hot spots in what they called a “campus crusade” in an effort to educate students about Darfur. Along with information about the Darfur conflict, disturbing photographs of dead children and burnt villages were displayed.
“The posters are graphic but sadly that is the reality of the situation. We want people to know what is going on and how bad people are suffering. We do not intend to censor the hardship and suffering of these people for anyone’s comfort,” Anazodo added.
At 4 p.m., the “Darfur in Depth” session was held in Essex Hall with two Sudanese guest speakers, William Lochi and Abdel Badker, taking the stage.
The speakers gave their accounts to the current tragedies in Darfur, ultimately blaming the current Sudanese government for allowing the massacre of its own people.
“How many more must die before we do anything?” pleaded Badker, as he went through a slideshow of pictures that showed dead bodies and devastated villages.
The speakers urged the audience to do something about Darfur. “Lobby your governments, call your officials, or donate to Darfur. The pressure from the international community is very important because it will send a message from the people,” said Badker.
African Union president, Evelyn Oteng-Pabi, also compelled students to pressure the Canadian government to act on Darfur. “We want to take pictures instead of signatures. Tomorrow [Tuesday], we will be taking pictures on campus. If the Prime Minister sees pictures instead of signatures, I think it will make a bigger difference.”
“When I spoke to some people, they asked me “Who’s Darfur?” said African Union Club Manager, Ellen Nyarko. “It is important to educate people.”
When asked what students can do to help, Nyarko replied, “You can do a lot. For example, five dollars donated can feed 15 children for a day. We are hoping that the University community can raise $10,000 for Darfur. That’s one dollar a student and it came make a huge difference.”
Tuesday evening consisted of a one hour lecture about Conflict Resolution by Political Science Professor, Dr. Timothy Donais, and the screening of the movie “The Devil Came on Horseback,” which exposes the tragedies in Darfur through the eyes of an American witness.
Donais explained that although conflict resolution in the Darfur region is complicated, it is nevertheless solvable. “There are really two separate questions here, one of political will and one of “what next?” if the humanitarian war is won. It’s the “you break it, you own it.” It’s a huge responsibility. Who really wants the responsibility to rebuild?”
Donais applauded the efforts of the African Union saying, “What’s happening on campus is important for laying out the groundwork for putting pressures on our government to do more. We are not powerless, we can make a difference.”
On the final day of the campaign, the African Union literally made noise in their “Stand Up and Shout” session. Members, volunteers, and students marched around campus chanting “People are dying, children are crying, Save Darfur!”
“We choose to make noises in order for our voices to be heard and not the traditional moment of silence because the two million suffering people of Darfur, Sudan are still alive and not dead. The moment of silence is synonymous to the memory of the dead. The displaced and suffering people of Darfur are very much alive,” explained Anazodo.
The final segment of the three day event ended with Carnival 4 A Cause, which featured games, food and raffled prizes. Funds from the carnival is being given to the UN CHAD/DARFUR refugee Agency (UNHCR), which provides protection, shelter, food, clean water, and medical care.
Anazodo remarked, “The event was a great stepping stone for individuals and student bodies to take greater initiatives in some of the very many pressing issues going on all around the world. As hopeless as any crisis might seem, we stand by the slogan 'We can make a difference' and indeed we can.”
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