Global Day For Darfur Mobilization in Washington to Urge President Bush to Live Up to Promises to End Violence in Darfur

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Global Day for Darfur -- Sunday, April 13 -- will be marked by a mobilization on the National Mall as activists call on President Bush to live up to his promises in the waning months of his administration to protect Darfur civilians, especially one million children. Speakers will include Niemat Ahmadi, a Darfuri activist; Larry Cox, executive director, Amnesty International USA; Jerry Fowler, president, Save Darfur Coalition; and Scott Warren, executive student director, Student Anti-Genocide Coalition (STAND). In addition, Amnesty International USA will lead visitors on tours of "Displaced," an interactive human rights exhibition focused on the everyday lives and rights of the 2.6 million Darfuris displaced by the conflict.

Activists are pushing for speedier progress on the full deployment of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force. Approximately 35 percent of the 26,000-troop force is currently on the ground in Darfur. But the government ofSudan is standing in the way of full deployment by rejecting troops from non-African countries and refusing land for bases, among other obstructions.

The coalition partners are urging President Bush to influence other countries, such asChina, to pressSudan to quit obstructing the deployment. They also want President Bush to exert diplomatic pressure on U.N. donor nations to contribute helicopters and other transport equipment necessary for the peacekeepers and set an example by funding contributions of needed equipment.

"President Bush has promised over and over again to protect the people of Darfur," said Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA. "He is running out of time and the people of Darfur, especially children who have known nothing but conflict, need the full peacekeeping force to protect them now."

The exhibition "Displaced" -- to be set up in five tents on the Mall -- is drawn from Amnesty International materials and modeled on the United Nations High Commission for Refugees standard provisions for displaced civilians, and the real-life conditions for Darfuris in refugee and displacement camps. It will include personal narratives, photographs and materials of daily living used in displacement camps, such as blankets, food rations and sanitation equipment. Visitors will be encouraged to consider how displaced civilians cope with safety, medical issues, food, education for children and other human rights concerns.

Amnesty International staff and volunteers will be available to discuss the difficult conditions for refugees across the border in Chad and for internally displaced Darfuris.

Other special programs will include performances by Darfuri drummers and a children's art and action tent.

Global Day for Darfur activities on the Mall are sponsored by Amnesty International USA, the Save Darfur Coalition, the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition (STAND) and the Genocide Intervention Network(GI-Net).

WHAT: Global Day for Darfur mobilization with Amnesty International USA's "Displaced," a human rights exhibition

WHO: Amnesty International USA, Save Darfur Coalition, Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net), Student Anti-Genocide Coalition (STAND)

WHERE: National Mall, Madison Dr. at 12th St. NW,Washington DC

WHEN: Sunday, April 13, 2008 from noon-4pm

DIRECTIONS: Orange or blue Metro line to the Smithsonian stop; exit toward the mall (mobilization and exhibition will be between 12th and 14th streets).

CONTACT: Suzanne Trimel

212-633-4150

SOURCE Amnesty International

Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,EXE,FOR,POL,MAV,DC-Amnesty-Darfur

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