Global Days for Darfur – Events Review
From April 23-30, the Save Darfur Coalition, along with tens of thousands of activists, participated in more than 400 events in 287 cities and 47 states to mark the third Global Days for Darfur. The following are summaries, photos, and articles of events JCRCs helped to plan and participate in around the country.

Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Chicago - The Chicago Coalition to Save Darfur, in which the JCRC of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago is a founding member, sponsored a rally and candlelight vigil on Sunday, April 29. Hundreds of participants heard from elected officials and faith leaders that called on President Bush to initiate his Plan B to stop the killing and to support Federal and State divestment legislation.

Jewish Community Relations Council of Cleveland - Over 150 people attended an interfaith Global Days for Darfur Rally held in Cleveland, Ohio this past Sunday, April 29th. The rally began with a number of very moving speeches by Elqasim Salih and Shakir Abdulrahman, two Darfurian refugees currently living in the United States, followed by a call to action by CRC Chair Eric Bell. Prayers and readings were offered by leaders from a number of faith and community groups, including the Presbyterian, Catholic, Baptist, Jewish, Baha'i, Buddhist and Unitarian communities. Speakers led the crowd in the chant "No more genocide in Darfur".

Jewish Community Relations Council of Colorado – Denver’s local chapter of STAND organized a rally on Sunday, April 29th that was well attended. Speakers at the event included Colorado Speaker of the House, Andrew Romanoff, and the individual that initiated and sponsored the Sudan divestment bill.                

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Philadelphia – The Philadelphia JCRC, as part of the Darfur Alert Coalition, sponsored a rally and march through downtown Philadelphia. Democratic Majority leader City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell presented the three City Council Resolutions passed by City Council to Darfur Alert Coalition which aimed to stop the genocide in Darfur. In addition, City Controller Alan Butkovitz, who led the way for the City of Philadelphia Divesting from Sudan, stood beside State of PA Rep. Babette Josephs as she announced introduction of her bill to Divest the State of PA pensions.

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Pittsburgh – The Pittsburgh JCRC, as part of the Pittsburgh Emergency Darfur Coalition, sponsored a Weekend of Action for Darfur on April 28th and 29th. The rally on Saturday, April 28th featured musical guest Micah Stampley and hit drum troupe: Matse Mala Oginga. On Sunday, April 29th, attendees participated in a citywide letter-writing campaign, divestment workshops, and an interfaith gathering for Darfur. To read more about the Pittsburgh Emergency Darfur Coalition visit their website at http://www.pittsburghdarfur.org/.                                 

Jewish Community Relations Council of San Antonio – As a member of the San Antonio Interfaith Darfur Coalition, the San Antonio JCRC helped host a lecture and Darfur information fair which included: A slide show presentation, an original musical composition about Darfur, T-shirts and Darfur Bracelets- for fundraising, a Darfur food sample table, a letter writing table to our congressional and Senate representatives, a silent auction table, an information table, a table about a Darfur www.bookcrossing.org, and a table about the Doctors without Borders.

Jewish Community Relations Council of South Palm Beach - The JCRC of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, together with members of nearly 50 synagogues, churches, and community organizations, all of whom are members of the Save Darfur Coalition of South Palm Beach, joined other activists from more than 280 cities, Washington DC, 47 states, and 35 countries in hosting an event at the St. David Armenian Orthodox Church, in Boca Raton, on Sunday, April 29. The “Face the Facts: Time is Running Out” Rally was 1 of 445 Global Days Events held across the United States during this last week of April. Included in the program was State Senator Ted Deutch, sponsor of the Florida Divestment Bill, which seeks to have Florida Investment funds withdrawn from specific companies that are doing business in Sudan and which are directly linked to financing the genocide. Other speakers included Barbara Shore, Chair of the Darfur Committee of the JCRC, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County; Rabbi Richard Agler, Congregation B’nai Israel; Father Nareg Berberian, St. David’s Armenian Church; and Dr. Rosanna Gatens, Director of the Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education, FAU.

Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis - The St. Louis Save Darfur Coalition, coordinated by the JCRC, produced "Voices for Darfur" featuring original material about Darfur including a dramatization of the testimony of Darfurian refugees, a hip hop song and spoken word poetry. The Reverend Dr. David Greenhaw, President of Eden Theological Seminary delivered a special message and a "Call to Action" was given by Coalition Education Chair, Danielle Silber and local Sudanese activist Nhial Tutlam. Artists included jazz vocalist Denise Thimes; St. Louis Hip Hop group, The Apostlez; poet, K. Curtis Lyle; vocalist, Alexandra Petrullo and actress, Vivian Watt.
 
Divestment Update
New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly support Sudan divestment - 5/1/07 A recent poll, conducted by the Save Darfur Coalition and KRC Research, found that Americans overwhelmingly support targeted Sudan divestment. The polls key findings included that 71% of Americans agree that companies should take into account the most extreme cases of human rights abuses such as genocide when investing overseas rather than base their investment decisions on economic criteria only. Additionally, 84% say they will withdraw their investments from companies that do business with companies that directly or indirectly support genocide.

This overwhelming American support reflects further progress in the Sudan divestment campaign. Targeted Sudan divestment legislation recently passed the legislatures of Hawaii, Indiana and Kansas, and the State Senate of Florida.
 
Darfur News
Sudan, Chad Reach Darfur Deal - The leaders of Sudan and Chad signed an agreement in Saudi Arabia on Thursday pledging to work together to quell spillover fighting from the Darfur crisis along their countries' 600-mile border. The accord, signed by Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and Chad's President Idriss Deby, calls on the two African nations to work together to halt rebels and opposition groups from staging cross-border attacks and support the African Union's efforts to restore stability in Darfur. The deal comes amid fears that the bloodshed in Sudan's western Darfur region is increasingly spilling over the border into neighboring Chad. Janjaweed militiamen who have terrorized Darfur regularly launch raids into Chad, attacking civilians. Meanwhile, Sudanese-backed Chadian rebels stage attacks into Chad, prompting Chadian army assaults into Darfur.

U.S. Senators Petition Chinese President Over Darfur - Nearly the entire US Senate has signed a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao asking him to step up pressure on the government of Sudan to end the bloodshed in Darfur. In an indication of the widespread concern in Congress over the unending violence in Sudan's troubled west, the letter, signed by 96 of the 100 senators, called on Hu to prod Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir to halt military operations throughout Darfur, withdraw troops from the area and follow through on Khartoum's agreement to accept a joint UN and African Union peacekeeping force. These steps were critical in enforcing a ceasefire, protecting civilians, ensuring access to humanitarian aid and beginning reconstruction and reconciliation in Darfur, the senators said. "We must now work together as an international community; there is no time left to wait," the senators told Hu.

ICC Judges Issue Arrest Warrants for Darfur Suspects - International Criminal Court judges issued their first arrest warrants for suspects accused of war crimes in Sudan's Darfur region, the ICC said on Wednesday, but Sudan refused to hand over the men. The warrants were issued for Ahmed Haroun, former state minister of interior, and militia commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, also know as Ali Kushayb. Judges said there were "reasonable grounds to believe" the two were responsible for murder, rape, and torture, as well as the forced displacement of villagers, and other war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, the court said. Haroun is currently Sudan's state humanitarian affairs minister, a post below full ministerial level. Sudan's Justice Minister Mohamed Ali Al-Mardi told Reuters Khartoum would not hand over the suspects. "We do not recognize the International Criminal Court... and we will not hand over any Sudanese even from the rebel groups who take up weapons against the government," he said.
 
Recommended Reading
Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond, Written by John Prendergast and Don Cheadle. The book discusses citizen activism across the United States to end mass atrocities and genocide, with a particular focus on the vibrant activist movement on behalf of the people of Darfur. Despite the valiant efforts of so many, atrocities are still occurring in Darfur and the government of Sudan's sponsorship of predatory militias remains the principal threat to civilians there.

The book contextualizes the crisis in Darfur and serves as a guide and resource for budding activists and conscientious citizens who want to put an end to genocide and mass atrocities wherever they occur. Activists' work will not be finished until the violence comes to an end in Darfur, and similar crimes are halted in places like eastern Congo and northern Uganda.