Rivers are full

This is a poem posted on the darfurgenocide.org website. Please check it out.http://www.darfurgenocide.org
Rivers are Full, by Amos Aguny Kur Darfur is just the latest episode in a series of genocidal campaigns by the Sudanese Government. Amos Kur fled Sudan when he was nine, escaping the genocidal onslaught from the Government against black pastoralist tribes in the south of the country.Read more

Rivers are Full

Rivers are full with our bodies.
Yet the World has not discovered it.Why?

The land is white,covered with our bones.
Yet the World has not seen it.Why?

Our flesh is the food of the birdsof prey, and wild animals.
Yet the World doesn’t know it.Why?

Our blood forms streams that flow like streams of water.
Yet the World keeps her eyes away from it.Why?

We cry.We scream.
Yet the World has not heard our Voices.Why?

Our Mothers are Fourth Citizens in the Country that they have created.
Yet there are no Women’s Rights.Why?

The Children of Sudan abducted,beaten, and worse.
There are no protections for them.Why?

The price of a human being that God created not to be sold brings three times the price of a goat.
Yet slavery has been abolished.Why?

The oil that God has blessed us to have urns as a great Enemy toward our lives.
Even our Government turns out the villagers.Why?

Westerners brought our grandparents Christian beliefs. Now our beliefs are attackedwith guns.
Yet the West does not defend us.Why?

Curable diseases claim 100,000 lives.
Yet our Country could buy medicine.Why?

Hunger starves big numbersof young and oldevery year.
Yet our Country has fertile landand water to grow enough food for all.Why?

The Freedom that God has given to all living creaturesis denied to us.
Why?

One thing I know: the World has forgotten us but God has not has not forgotten, not abandoned us.

We needto be free like the rest of the World.
We needthe Rights of our Mothers to appear like the morning star.We needthe streams of blood to stop, to dry up.We needthe long, long tears to be wiped from our eyes.We need to worshipwhat we believeas we want.


Agany Kur, Lost Boy Dallas, TX © 2003 Amos Kur lives in Dallas, Texas among that group of young Sudanese men known to many as "Lost Boys of Sudan." In 1987 the Sudanese Government began a genocidal war against the black pastoralist tribes in the south of Sudan. Amos was nine years old when he joined other little boys fleeing across southern Sudan toward refuge, first to Ethiopia and then to desolate northern Kenya. He came of age at Kakuma, the U.N. refugee camp where he was to live until January 2001 when he first came to Dallas from Africa. He lives today with other Lost Boys in North Dallas, and he is employed at Home Depot.
"Darfur Genocide, Sudan Genocide, Action, Information"
A Res Publica Project

Send a letter to President Bush (link)

Here is a link I found to send President Bush a "form" letter regarding the situation in Sudan. Click the link above to be taken to the page directly.

Atrocities occurring daily in Darfur-UN official

This article was posted on 29 Nov 2006 at 21:27:30. It's an interesting read with some good links attached to it.
(Click the link in the title)

All I want

I recently had a birthday. No celebration was given at my request. I am not depressed, or friendless. I am a bit guilt ridden. I don't feel much like celebrating when I see so much death and destruction in Darfur. How could anyone be happy?
A woman I am in class with approached me with magazine articles regarding Darfur. She said she had no idea how bad it was. My only reply was that it had been going on for 3 years. I was sad. Not at her. I am happy she found out. I am sad that in our 'super-infoed" world, people know about Tom Cruise getting married and nothing about an ongoing genocide. My grandma blamed the lack of physical communication on why it took the US so long to learn about the Nazi death camps. That was how long ago? What about now?Obviously we are not the greatest generation. We are so well informed, yet selective on our info. All I want is for everyone to know about Sudan and to want to help. We can do this. We can make a difference. We need to make a difference. All I want for Christmas is to save Darfur.

Want this badge?

Mia Farrow

Tonight I watched footage of Mia Farrows visit to Darfur and the Chad border.
To hear more stories of brutal murders, brutal amputations, slavery, and rape boggles my mind. How can anyone commit such an atrocity? How can anyone let this continue? Where is everybody? Where are you? Why is everyone turning a blind eye to this?
Thank you Mia for going to Darfur. Thank you for giving so many interviews to get the news out. Please do not stop. Please, do not give up.

Mr. Natsios

US special presidential envoy to Darfur, Andrew Natsios, appeared on C-span on Monday. After listening to him I realized that he will be of no help. I am convinced that peace agreements will continue to be made, but no effort by the government of Sudan will be put forth. And we will not and can not do anything to help propel the government of Sudan towards peace. Mr. Natsios wants to wait until January 1, 2007 to give it a go with another peace agreement. NO! How many lives will be taken, how many will be ruined during that time? I for one am sick of the waiting. 400,000 have been killed and nothing has been done. In Bosnia, by the time 8,000 were killed there was intervention. Hmm. Apparently human lives aren't that valuable any more.
I also had a problem with the excuses. Mr. Natsios says to the effect, "If we get a peacekeeping mission going, we have to figure out how to pay people, what to do if people get injured..." Shouldn't that have been figured out a long time ago? Since 2003 this has been going on. We knew of possible intervention since then. If we can figure out how to pay soldiers in Iraq and the forces that stormed Bosnia, I am sure we can figure this out.
I heard Mr. Natsios say that this war in Darfur was nothing new to Sudan. We all know this, but don't slough this off as another war. A very respectful man stood up and spoke of the past wars and said ..." The differences between those wars Mr. Natsios, is that this war is a genocide."
C-span data on the genocide was considerably off. They cited 200,00 dead instead of 400,000. I am not sure where that data came from, but it would be nice to see accurate data given to the media.
Here I sit writing my letters, e-mails, making phone calls, and endlessly plugging Darfur. Will my efforts be in vain? No, human lives are at stake.

Ask yourself the question

I always hear "what made you get into Darfur?" I used to give the standard response: I've always been invovled in these sort of things. Or my favorite line to give, it was instilled in me as I grew up. The truth is, that is crap. I want to help the beautiful people of Darfur because I am a human! I want to help because we are all the same. I want to help because they need help. I want to help because no one is listening! For god's sake, I want to help because I want to help! The next time I hear that question, I am going to answer it differently. What makes you not help?

Celebrity Upset

About 9 months ago George Clooney started speaking about Darfur. I was a little irked to suddenly hear people talking about Darfur. No, I wasn't mad at Clooney. He did good. I was livid with our news media, government, and all the other Americans who had no clue as to what was happening in Darfur. I just couldn't understand how a nation with an abundance of high speed information could be so dis-informed. Afterall, if I knew, why didn't everybody else? I suppose that Brad and Angelina, Jessica and Nick, and Tom and Katie just took up too much of our time. Here is a thought. Quit watching, buying, and reading information that spews gossip.
Now I hear Mia Farrow is in Chad to see for herself the atrocities of Darfur. I wish her success in enlightening the American people on the situation in Darfur. Maybe more celebs will jump on board. Until media coverage changes, the only celebrity news I want to be reading is that of celebrity do-gooders.

Youtube clip by Abby Kapplan

This clip entitled "In Your Eyes Only Sadness" is one of the most moving pieces I've seen on Darfur yet. I have to hand it to you Abby, you have done good. Please check out this clip.

In Your Eyes Only Sadness

Really good sites to check out

http://www.sudanreeves.org

http://www.savedarfur.org

http://www.hrw.org

http://platform.blogs.com/passionofthepresent/

What would Orville and Wilbur think?

The other day my son and I were out driving in a nearby small town. As we drove past the town's tiny airport we spotted a skydiver in front of us. We pulled into the gravel drive of the airport to watch. We were giddy as we saw him and 3 others descend. My son said it was "pretty cool." We stayed a bit longer to watch 2 planes circle and land. My son thought that was "really cool." And it was. I bet the Wright's would be proud.
Last night as I lay in bed I couldn't help but think about this. We were so excited. I couldn't help but contrast this experience with what innocent Darfurians see everyday. Antonov war planes and Russian MIG's descending on their village. Bombing and shooting everything in site. I guess I wouldn't have time to be scared if I were there because as soon as the gunfire from up above is done, a ground assault would be launched by the janjaweed. Would I have time to think? I might not even have time for my last breath.
Orville and Wilbur would be disgusted. And so am I.

I blamed it on the hormones.

For those of you who don't know, I am serious about the plight of the Darfurian people. Today when I was in lab, I broke down while talking about Darfur. Years ago I started having nightmares about the horrors being carried out in Darfur. I guess it finally took its toll on me. I am ashamed at myself for crying in front of my instructor, but I am more ashamed at my response. I immediately blamed the flow of tears on my cycle. How weak of me. How could I have done that? I feel like Judas. I should have just said," I am sorry for my lack of control. I feel very strongly on this issue." Something to that effect would not have been bad. My excuse was just that-an excuse. And that is my point! We are a nation of excuses on the issue of Darfur!