Messages about Darfur, Sudan

My dear friend Suzanne Doyle has worked with some of the greatest music stars in the world. At one point she was Bono's personal assistant & I guess that 'like attracts like' in this case, because like Bono, Suzanne is a person who can not watch by in silence when she sees an injustice, in this case the genocide in Sudan. Please have a look at the emails she's been sending me. I hope they'll inspire you to take some action...

Suzanne:

So last night, in our PJ's, with full tummies, warm bed clothes and no pain or fear, I sat with my 8 year old and my 2 year old watching the amazing Eclipse of the Moon or 'La Luna' (as my 2-year-old calls it) from the comfort of our sheltered and safe bedroom. I couldn't help thinking of the innocent men, women and children all over the world who would probably wish upon that Eclipse for NO FEAR, PROPER ACCOMMODATION, PROPER FOOD AND MEDICINE, THEIR MURDERED SONS & DAUGHTERS, FATHERS AND MOTHERS TO BE ALIVE AGAIN and most importantly for HOPE TO BE RESTORED....

It really is SO wrong that so many people are suffering at the hands of other humans - and for what? For those of you who don't know, the situation in DARFUR, SUDAN is being compared to the GENOCIDE in RWANDA. The rape, killing and pillage has killed an estimated 200,000 people (some reports say it's actually far more than this) and it has driven 2.5 million from their homes in four years...

This week there has been talk of the The Sudanese interior minister threatening to BEHEAD ANY PERSON attempting to arrest the individuals indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and I ask myself if that is the sort of government in Sudan, IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE in DARFUR? I have been trying to read as much as I can, speak to as many people as I can, to get my head around DARFUR and I just cannot make sense of it...

I know about the oil. I know about China. I know about the U.N. But I don't understand, and will never understand how the International Community and smart business people can turn a blind eye at the MASS DESTRUCTION, KILLING AND TORTURE of fellow human beings.

I was told that the media does not give it the coverage it deserves because 'It is AFRICA'... I've been told that people in general are 'de-sensitised' to the troubles and strives - especially in Africa. Well, shame on us.How easy it is to turn the other way...

I wonder if the same thing was going on in France or Spain or even Ireland,would the world be OUTRAGED, CONCERNED AND ACTIVE...? Africa just doesn't count in the same way.... How any of us can sleep at night is beyond me....I wonder when the next Eclipse happens, will AFRICAN HUMAN LIFE BE SO CHEAP?

For more information and to get the current information and what's in the news about Darfur you can read and/or take action by looking at the following sites...

www.LifeNets.netwww.amnesty.org/sudan
www.myspace.com/savedarfurcoalition
http://www.msf.orgwww.goal.ie/

Thanks,
Suzanne Doyle


This is what Suzanne wrote in an earlier email:

As some of you will know, I have been researching DARFUR for a couple of weeks now and have set up two pages to try and spread awareness:
www.myspace.com/suzannedoyleconsultancy and http://www.irishfordarfur.bebo.com/

Since doing this, one positive thing I have heard about is a money lending initiative called Microfinance/Microcredits which I think is worth checking into (although the term 'money lending' tends to send shudders down my back!). It allows you to connect and lend money to small businesses (a lot of the time directly to a woman, usually a mother) in the developing world and help them achieve economic independence...

The loan can be as little as $25 and may last 6-12 months. You can get your money back once the loan is paid or maybe choose to give it to someone else to give them the 'leg up' we all have needed at one time or another.

If you have time to spare, you can watch a programme on the net about it: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1640009667534997960

Two such groups that were recommended to me are KIVA and UNITUS. Maybe have a read at what they are doing to see if it sits right with you:
http://kiva.org/app.php
http://www.unitus.com/

Thank you!

Suzanne Doyle