Coloradans rally to 'stop genocide'

Hundreds attend Denver event, one of many globally

Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News

Monday, April 30, 2007

Taylor Carpenter stood out in a crowd of hundreds Sunday at Cheesman Park by wearing a yellow star of David pinned to her T-shirt sleeve.

The teen's version of the symbol of Jewish persecution at the hands of the Nazis had the words "stop genocide" on it.

As a Jew, Carpenter, 15, said she feels even more strongly about stopping violence in the western region of Sudan.

That's why she and others from her temple participated in Colorado's Global Days for Darfur rally, one of 300 similar events held across the United States and about 35 more in cities worldwide.

"We want to do our part as humans," Carpenter said. "This is the 21st century."

About 500 people had RSVP'd, but organizers guessed even more showed up - especially students.

U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, given a failing grade on Darfur by activists, was not at the rally, but he'll hear about it if he checks his voicemail this week. Activist Ben Drexler called Allard and put the message on speaker phone. The crowd screamed, "Save Darfur!"

Even a small group of counter- protesters made an appearance, calling upon the United Nations and United States to get out of Africa altogether.

"If you're big enough to have people protesting you, you're a serious movement," said organizer Scott Wisor, senior national field organizer with the Sudan Divestment Task Force.

Activists, addressing people seated on the grass and in the information-booth-filled pavilion, said the conflict in Darfur, now entering its fifth year, is only getting worse. More than 200,000 Darfurians have been killed and 2.5 million displaced.

Sudan's government in Khartoum is accused of arming Muslims from the north and allowing them to raid the Darfur region. The Janjaweed, as the fighters are known, are able to terrorize the region because money is still flowing into Khartoum through companies doing business there, activists say.

Ahmed Ali, a Darfurian who lives in Denver and is secretary- general of the Darfur Association in the United States, lost a brother in the carnage in 2004.

"This day sends a clear message to Khartoum that they cannot escape responsibility," Ali said. "They are criminals."

Activists said the international community should get more involved in ending the conflict and prepare for the time when a presence of U.N. peacekeeping troops is allowed into the region.

Organizers want Colorado's congressional delegates to co-sponsor federal divestment legislation and enforce the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act as well as a NATO no-fly zone over Darfur.

They also called for more money for African Union peacekeeping forces and humanitarian aid.

They celebrated what they see as small gains, including the recent passage of a bill in Colorado, signed by Gov. Bill Ritter, that divests Colorado's largest pension fund from any companies doing business with Sudan.

They asked regular citizens to write elected representatives and analyze their own investments.

Talia Halfon, 14, represented fellow eighth-graders at Herzl -RMHA at the Denver Campus for Jewish Education. The students raised $8,500 for the rebuilding of a school in Korma, Darfur.

"The smallest amount of money makes the biggest difference," Halfon said.

About the conflict

• In an Arab-dominated country, Darfur's population is mostly black African. For years, there have been tensions between the mostly African farmers and the mostly Arab herders, who have competed for land.

• The conflict began in 2003 when rebel groups started attacking government targets. In retaliation, the government launched a military and police campaign in Darfur, which is in the western region of Sudan.

• 2.5 million or more people have since fled their homes. Refugees say government aircraft have been bombing villages, after which the Arab Janjaweed militia ride in on camels and horses to slaughter, rape and steal.

• Estimates of those killed range from 200,000 to 400,000.

Sources: Associated Press, The New York Times and BBC News

poppenj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5176