Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

U. Colorado area speaks out against genocide
By Casey Freeman
Colorado Daily (U. Colorado)
05/01/2006

(U-WIRE) BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder community members care about others, even if they are halfway across the world in a country without ATMs, Internet or permanent homes.

Between 300 to 400 people gathered Sunday afternoon at the Old Court House in the 1300 block of Pearl Street to rally against the genocide in Sudan.

"People are being killed right now. I want you to know it is real," said Kur A Kur, a University of Colorado student from southern Sudan who spoke at the rally. "We will be saving millions of people."

Fighting between ethnic groups in Sudan has killed least 180,000 people dead and left about 2 million homeless.

Along with Kur, another Sudanese survivor, a woman who studied in Sudan, and a relief worker spoke at the courthouse, drawing cheers from the audience. Some people towards the back of the crowd had difficulty hearing, but other than that there were not problems.

"Genocide is not a regional issue, but an international issue," said Halroun Hammad, a graduate student at CSU and the president of the Darfur Association in Denver. "The people of Darfur can't wait any longer. If we wait any longer, more people will die."

Many attendees wore "Stop Genocide" and "Save Darfur" T-shirts or held signs stating, "Mr. Bush, Stop this War NOW!" and "Apathy Kills. Stop Genocide."

In Darfur, women and children are often raped, killed, kidnapped or beaten when they go on daily chores such as fetching water or firewood. The men are beaten, or not offered jobs, because of the color of their skin.

"If you are not already, it is time to be outraged at what's happening in Darfur," said Jen Poitras, who worked for the International Human Relief for eight years and just returned for Sudan. "I have never seen anything as desperate as Darfur."

After the speeches, the crowd marched west through the Pearl Street Mall to 11th Street and traveled south to Canyon Boulevard and back to the courthouse. While walking down the street, marchers chanted, "Don't Stand By, Watching People Die." When they arrived at the courthouse they repeated, "Tell Bush to Care."

President Bush met with Darfur advocates at the White House on Friday and lent his support to the weekend rallies.

"For those of you who are going out to march for justice, you represent the best of our country," Bush said.

A bigger rally occurred in Washington, D.C. that attracted celebrities such as Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and actor George Clooney.

"It's great to see all the people out here from the community," said Kelly Bendelow, a CU sophomore studying international affairs.

Bendelow said she did not know about Darfur until the Conference of World Affairs came to the CU-Boulder campus last month. After learning about the genocide, she and her friends started the CU student group Let Your Voice Be Heard to raise awareness and try to fight the genocide.

"We really need to impact right now. Not enough is happening," said Brice Pelle, a CU grad student and member of the African Student Association. Pelle is originally from Cameroon. "It's become mundane."

Event planners such as Bendelow said she considered the event a success. Groups such as Let Your Voice Be Heard, Har Hashem Congregration, Students Taking Action Now in Darfur (S.T.A.N.D.) and students from CU, Colorado College, Fairview and Boulder high schools were present to make the event a success.

"Boulder is a small community, but a community that cares," said Bendelow.

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