"Camp Darfur" Los Angeles (April 7-11): Speak Out on Genocide-
Hunger-HIV/AIDS!
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Dear Friends,
The humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan has displaced 2.5
million people internally, placed 3.5 million in jeopardy of
starvation, and left 200,000 refugees from Darfur in 12 camps in
eastern Chad. Three years of fighting in Darfur have destroyed
hundreds of villages and led to more than 400,000 deaths.
As many as 50,000 have died in violent raids over the past year
alone, and rape, torture, and looting are commonplace.The UN has
warned of mass epidemics, including HIV/AIDS. Women and girls
are especially vulnerable to these health challenges, due to the
sexual and gender violence which strongly affects their lives in
refugee situations.
"Camp Darfur", an action being planned for April 7-11, 2006, in
Los Angeles, California, will seek to increase awareness and
activism about conditions in Darfur by giving the public
insights about the lives of refugees and life in a refugee camp.
This event is set to open on the anniversary of the first day of
the Rwandan genocide in 1994, which killed upwards of one
million people. "Camp Darfur" will hopefully travel to other
cities later this year.
Signed postcards will be gathered for the "Million Voices"
initiative, a campaign seeking to gather massive citizen support
for civilian protection of Darfuris (via signing and sending
virtual and actual postcards to the current U.S. Administration,
calling for leadership for the victims of genocide):
http://millionvoicesfordarfur.org
There will also be films, educational exhibits, arts and crafts,
music, and a physical encampment, simulating some of the
conditions and hardships refugees endure. FilmAid International
(http://www.filmaid.org ), which works with refugees in a number
of world hotspots--bringing films, training, entertainment,
education, employment opportunities, and empowerment, along with
emotional and psychological uplift and a sense of connectedness
and caring -- will be screening films, as they have in refugee
camps in East Africa, Sudan, Kosovo, and Afghanistan.
Among honored guests will be activists, artists, youth (high-
school and college students), actors (several are FilmAid
International board members), political figures, and members of
the media. Contact organizer Gabriel Stauring at
mailto:gabriel@stopgenocidenow.org for more information, and see
the official Camp Darfur website for all details:
http://www.campdarfur.org
Nonprofits and networks responsible for organizing this event
include Stop Genocide Now (http://www.stopgenocidenow.org),
Amoration (http://www.ihcenter.org/groups/amoration.html), and
Omidyar Network (http://www.omidyar.net).
Thank you for your time, consideration, and for your voices (one
in a million, indeed)!
Janet Feldman
KAIPPG International
mailto:kaippg@earthlink.net
http://www.kaippg.org