Raise Awareness #1: DARFUR

This is the first of a few posts on an issue that really matters to me: AWARENESS.

"Silence helps the killer, never his victims" - Elie Wiesel, Survivor of the Nazi Holocaust

From http://www.livingdarfur.com/

"The humanitarian crisis in Darfur and eastern Chad is one of the largest in the world. Since violence between the government and rebels in Darfur started in 2003 two million people have fled their homes. Many will have seen family killed, abducted or sexually assaulted and their villages burned. Ongoing violence continues to cause people to flee. Many survivors are now living in crowded camps, or on the edges of towns, in Darfur and neighbouring Chad. Some of the camps are the size of small cities. People live in constant fear of further violence. Most arrive with nothing. More people arrive each day, in search of shelter, food, water and safety. [...] More than 2 million people – nearly 1 in 3 of Darfur’s population – have been forced to leave their homes and take sanctuary in one of the many camps. People continue to be attacked and forced to flee their homes – at least another 150,000 have arrived in camps in the first half of 2007. Despite managing to stabilise threats of epidemics in the camps and significantly improve living conditions, these achievements are under threat as aid agencies are facing unprecedented difficulties in reaching those in need. [...] The conflict has become increasingly complex over the last year. The rebel movement has splintered into too many factions to count and the region has become increasingly lawless. While militias continue to attach civilians and villages and military groups continue to clash, there is also increasing fighting along tribal lines and between rival communities.Some 375,000 people have sought shelter from armed conflict."

"If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been in bed with a mosquito," - Anita Roddick, environmental and social activist

Listen to the song 'Living Darfur' by Mattafix (there are also version with intros by Desmond Tutu and Matt Damon) on youtube, it's a wonderful song! Read a summary of the book Not on Our Watch by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast and participate in a 'give away contest' hosted by Natasha here.

Please, show me that you also care about Darfur!