|
Darfur Report and Take Action
The Miami Coalition to Save Darfur
A Project of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Chairman Steven J. Brodie
The Darfur Report
& ACTION ALERT
September 12, 2006
The purpose of this newsletter is to educate the community on the ongoing genocide
in the Darfur region of Sudan and to provide updates on related political and legislative matters.
The newsletter will also feature recommended readings of articles and Op/Ed's as well as updates on Darfur-related events.
****WE URGE YOU TO FORWARD THIS EMAIL ON TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS****
TAKE ACTION TODAY FOR DARFUR
IN THIS ACTION ALERT
I. LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
Visits to Congressional Offices
Action - Call the President
II. MEDIA ADVOCACY
Recent Coverage of Darfur in The Miami Herald
Action - Keep Darfur in the Media
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
Visits to Congressional Offices
Four members of the Miami Coalition to Save Darfur recently met with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-18) and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-25) and the State Policy Director of Senator Mel Martinez (R) to enlist their support in keeping the issue of the genocide in Darfur on the forefront of the national agenda. Pictured above from left are: Dr. Mindy Hersh, Bob Band, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Regina Zelonker, and Arnie Gellman. The Coalition members scheduled these meetings with members of Congress while they were in their home districts on summer recess before returning to Washington D.C. They updated the two Representatives on the deteriorating situation in Darfur, and discussed with them what the role of the United States needs to be in order to bring the genocide to an end. The four members who went on these visits reported that the meetings were most positive, and that they feel more optimistic about their Representatives' response to the issue of Darfur.
Write the President
The situation in Darfur continues to spiral out of control. Almost half a million innocent people are without aid. More than two million have been forcibly displaced and 450,000 are dead.
Two weeks ago, the UN approved the creation of a peacekeeping force for Darfur. However, the resolution states that this force would only be deployed with the unconditional approval of the Sudanese government. The President of Sudan recently reiterated his outright refusal to admit peacekeepers and declared that any UN intervention would be "illegal."
To overcome these roadblocks, the United States Government must step up the diplomatic pressure and reach a consensus that will allow the immediate deployment of UN peacekeepers into Darfur. It is critical that you send a letter to President Bush, asking him to work to overcome any objections to implementing this UN resolution. Peacekeepers must be on the ground before the volatile situation erupts into all-out war, leading to the forced withdrawal of humanitarian relief groups and the death and displacement of hundreds of thousands more Darfurians.
MEDIA ADVOCACY
Recent Coverage of Darfur in The Miami Herald
This cartoon appeared in The Miami Herald on Friday, September 1, 2006.
On August 31st, The Miami Herald published an editorial entitled: "U.N. must act urgently on Darfur - Our Opinion: Send Peacekeepers To Stop Genocide In Sudan." Read the Herald editorial
The Miami Herald then ran a letter to the editor on Monday, September 4 written by Miami Coalition to Save Darfur member Robert Band in response to the editorial:
Save Darfur
Thank you for the Aug. 31 editorial strongly urging the United Nations (UN) to create a peacekeeping force to save up to 3 million lives from genocide. The resolution says the Sudanese government must agree to the placement of UN troops in Darfur, to which it continues to object. The United Nations and the world must put pressure on Sudanese President Bashir to end the genocide. The situation in Darfur is catastrophic and your editorial said it best: ``The sand is slowly seeping out of the hourglass.``
ROBERT BAND, Coral Gables
Keep Darfur in the Media
As we approach the September 17th national rally for Darfur in New York City, we also need your help to ensure the genocide in Darfur remains in the news and on the minds of decision makers. There is no better way to do that than with a letter to the editor of our local newspaper.
The editorial page is one of the most widely read sections of the newspaper, especially by elected officials who want to know what's on their constituents' minds. Let newspaper readers know that you will not stand by and watch a government-sponsored genocide take the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children in Darfur.
Information is provided to help you compose your letter, but the more personal your letter is, the more likely it will be printed. So please take a moment to make your letter as unique as possible. Make sure to thank The Miami Herald for its recent coverage.
|
