Urge Our Leaders
to Fulfill Our Commitment
to the People of Darfur:
Join the Million Voices for Darfur Campaign
March 17, 2006
WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT: Earlier this month the Senate approved
SR 383 calling for greater protection of the civilian population of the
Darfur region of western Sudan, where innocent people are not only still
caught in the middle of violent clashes between the Sudanese army and rebel
forces, but also endure vicious atrocities systematically committed by the
Janjaweed militia under the sponsorship of the government in Khartoum. The
untold human suffering that results from this brutal government-sanctioned
campaign against the people of Darfur, which the U.S. government has labeled
genocide, has drawn the repeated condemnation of the U.S. bishops. In
addition to the 400,000 people who have died since 2003, 2.5 million have
been driven from their homes and 3.5 million are at risk of starvation.
As Catholics, we must answer
the appeal of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, last November: “The horror
of events unfolding in Darfur, to which my beloved predecessor Pope John
Paul II referred on many occasions, points to the need for a stronger
international resolve to ensure security and basic human rights. Today, I
add my voice to the cry of the suffering and assure you that the Holy See …
will continue to do everything possible to end the cycle of violence and
misery.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO: A
relatively easy way to make your voice heard would be to join the Million
Voices for Darfur Campaign. In support of our mission to follow the
Gospel’s call to alleviate human suffering and promote justice throughout
the world, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has joined the
Save Darfur Coalition to stand against the heinous cruelty being inflicted
on the innocent and to promote the Million Voices for Darfur Campaign. The
Coalition, an alliance of over 150 faith-based, humanitarian and human
rights organizations, seeks to collect one-million postcards encouraging the
President in his call for a stronger multinational force to protect the
people of Darfur. These postcards are available both in paper and
electronically (www.savedarfur.org).
For any diocese or parish
that would like to do more to express solidarity with those suffering in
Darfur, the Coalition is also inviting people of faith to join in a “Week of
Prayer and Action for Darfur” between April 2-9 in their local communities.
Visit this web site for appropriate prayer resources or find them in the
attached file. For those who might also want to participate in the Save
Darfur Rally on the afternoon of Sunday, April 30, on the National Mall in
Washington, DC, details are available on the website or by telephone at
202-478-6311 (voice) or 202-478-6196 (fax).
TAKE ACTION NOW! Make
sure that your elected officials know that the American people stand by
their commitment to the people of Darfur. Please tell the President and
Congress today that the United States must make protecting the innocent
civilians of Darfur a top priority. Remind our leaders that the American
people cannot remain on the sidelines in the face of killings, rape and
wanton destruction. As Bishop Ricard stated in a call to action on behalf of
the bishops last September, “The crisis in Darfur must be ended. We cannot
stand idly by while human life is threatened. The United States and the
international community can and must do more to end this moral and
humanitarian crisis.”
As an especially effective
way of doing this, you may wish to take advantage of the materials provided
by the Save Darfur Coalition, since these postcards—both electronic and
handwritten—will be delivered to the President and Congress at the Save
Darfur Rally at the end of next month. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to
join a million voices crying out to save Darfur.
For more information,
contact:
Theodore Rectenwald,
Policy Advisor - African Affairs, 202-541-3149,
TRectenwald@usccb.org
__________________________________
Office of Social Development & World Peace
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000
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