Dear Source:
I am proud to be a part of a community where we have Senators like Donna Christensen that get involved in World Issues. As a participant of the Save Darfur Campaign, I have sent many letters to the White House & have spread the word as to the atrocities that are occurring as I write this email.
Open warfare erupted in Darfur in early 2003 when the two loosely allied rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), attacked military installations. In response, "Janjaweed" militias received government support to clear civilians from areas considered disloyal to the Sudanese government.
Nearly three years into the crisis, the western Sudanese region of Darfur is acknowledged to be a humanitarian and human rights tragedy of the first order. The humanitarian, security and political situation continue to deteriorate: atrocities continue, people are still dying in large numbers of malnutrition and disease, and a new famine is feared. According to reports by the World Food Program, the United Nations and the Coalition for International Justice, 3.5 million people are now hungry, 2.5 million have been displaced due to violence, and 400,000 people have died in Darfur thus far. The international community is failing to protect civilians or to influence the Sudanese government to do so.
When we become aware of these issues, we become responsible to do something even if it is just writing a letter. Anything and everything helps. We didn't do anything about the Rwanda Genocide, let's not let history repeat itself. Let's be a part of that great generation that made a difference.
Donna Christensen, thank you for getting involved and being my teacher to do something.
Sonya Melescu
St. Thomas
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