Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Fried Calamari for Change in Sudan

I designed a survey the other day to see how many people could locate Sudan on a map. Although I may have been the only person to take the survey, I found the results staggering: Zero percent of those surveyed were able to locate Sudan on a map. I deemed this level of ignorance unacceptable. So, to inform myself, I did what any college student would do – I checked my Facebook. And what did I find, next to a superpoke friend request – an invitation to “Dinner for Darfur” – a fundraiser intended to raise awareness at a hip new restaurant in Adams Morgan called Bossa. Yes, I would be forced to go to a trendy eatery and pay $7 to sample Bossa’s fried calamari but, I figured, what the heck, it’s for a good cause. I decided that if I was going to go, I needed to do some research so that I didn’t have to bring up the movie Blood Diamond every time someone mentioned the conflict in Africa. So, I did some reading, and I’m not exaggerating when I say my jaw dropped. Reuters reports 200,000 deaths and more than 2 million refugees in a region roughly the size of France. 200,000 deaths. That’s over 10 Verizon Centers. Those select few who had given any attention to this issue probably decided to forget about it after the 2006 peace agreement, which was intended to ensure the disarmament and demobilization of the Janjaweed militia. However, the Agence France-Presse reported Friday that “Sudanese armed forces continue to kill civilians in Darfur and all sides in the conflict still abuse human rights with impunity, according to the latest report by a group of United Nations experts.” But don’t think that nothing is being done. “Ambassadors” George Clooney and Don Cheadle went to China in the beginning of December, not to start work on Ocean’s 25, but rather to urge Sudan’s biggest trading partner to change its policies regarding Sudan. Because China is one of the largest consumers of Sudanese oil, China has been accused of funding the genocide in Sudan. Likewise, a number of Olympians will possibly refuse to participate in China’s 2008 Beijing Olympics, sending the very strong message, “If you don’t stop funding genocide, I’m not going to play with you anymore.” In 2006, another Olympian, American speed skater Joey Cheek, went so far as to donate his gold medal award to refugees from Darfur – because nothing cures starvation better than gold. But at least they’re stepping up to the plate. You can’t say the same for the mighty European Union. The Associated Press announced Friday that European nations will be unable to meet the U.N. peacekeeping force’s demand for helicopters because they are already stretched too thin in Afghanistan, Kosovo and other countries where way fewer people have died. Speaking of “stretching too thin,” the United States has also failed to make the commitment that Darfur requires. The State Department Web site claims that the United States is the largest single donor to Sudan, but it seems to me that our biggest contribution has come from the Department of Labeling. As the bodies began stacking up and the refugee camps began overflowing, the U.S. Congress decided to “take action” by debating whether the term “genocide” applies to the situation in Darfur. Congress eventually labeled the Janjaweed’s actions “genocide” in the 2004 House Concurrent Resolution 467, showing the world that when a major conflict arises, nothing can stop the United States from naming it. After reading about this disaster in Darfur and the insufficient steps that have been taken to remedy it, I assumed that Bossa would be packed to the brim with concerned Georgetown students aching to empty their wallets for a devastated country that still desperately needs our help. I arrived at the restaurant, walked upstairs, and what to my wondering eyes did appear – an empty room. No more than 10 people showed up the entire night. I was perplexed. How could such a huge issue garner such a pathetic turnout? It wasn’t a lack of advertising. I saw posters in the library, and I imagine that more than just 10 people are using the library during exams. I don’t think it was lack of caring either. I consider myself a pessimist, but I still believe that people are basically good and want to help. If the advertising and concern were there, then where was everyone else? I think people didn’t show up that night because of the question. You all know the question. It pops in our head every time we hear about the AIDS pandemic or global warming or breast cancer or poverty: “What can I possibly do to make a difference?” Genocide is a daunting issue. But there are things we can do. We can call our government officials and urge them to make Darfur a priority. We can also set aside some of that Christmas money and donate to DarfurFast from Dec. 5 to Feb. 1 – 100 percent of these donations will go toward Genocide Intervention Network’s civilian protection program on the ground in Darfur. We can sign an online petition for Darfurian freedom and self-rule at www.darfurgenocide.org. We can also join Georgetown’s Student Anti-Genocide Coalition chapter (commonly known as STAND), a student activist group that was created at Georgetown in 2004 and has since become a nationwide movement that raises awareness and funds for Sudan. However you choose to contribute, I guarantee you won’t regret it. You have no idea how good it felt paying that $7, eating that plate of Bossa’s fried calamari and knowing that I was doing my part to put Sudan back on the map. Andrew Dubbins is a freshman in the College.

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