Weekly News Update (Excerpts)

New News/Action Items:

From Save Darfur Coalition:

Live For Darfur

Oscar-nominated actor and “Crash” star Don Cheadle announced on August 9th the launch of Live For Darfur, a series of dedications around the world aimed at encouraging aid for the war-torn region of the Sudan. Co-chaired by Cheadle and fellow Oscar-nominee Djimon Hounsou for the Washington, DC- based Save Darfur Coalition, Live For Darfur involves celebrities and non-celebrities making ‘live’ dedications for their performances or appearances to the people of Darfur. Coldplay, Carlos Santana, Destiny’s Child, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Goo Goo Dolls, Queen Latifah, Savion Glover, and Saul Williams have all answered Cheadle’s call for song dedications at their concerts around the world.

Fasting For Darfur

On August 5, 2005 Jay McGinley of Philadelphia began what will be his second hunger strike for Darfur this summer. McGinley intends to fast for approximately 30 days, health permitting. Shortly before his arrival in Washington on August 9, McGinley explained his decision to resume the fast by saying that he, “[remains] convinced that the only hope for Darfur, the only hope for a U.S. worth existing, is for a few of us to exercise our humanity with great boldness and vigor. In doing so, we have the chance, the only chance, of stimulating, activating, exercising the Humanity in our fellow human beings. There is no other way. Let’s get on with it.” McGinley will be fasting in front of the White House, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Washington Post. If you are interested in helping Mr. McGinley, or participating in any way with the Fast, please contact: JyMcGinley@cs.com, or Jay at 484-356-6243.

Darfur Fast

On October 6th, dozens of diverse organizations and millions of individuals worldwide, will be participating in Darfur Fast. Darfur Fast will reach individuals and communities around the globe in order to send a direct message that we, the international community, recognize our responsibility to protect the world's populations from humanitarian crises. Multiple events will be organized around the Fast, including rallies and vigils. News of the events will be broadcast into Eastern Chad and Darfur via radio, to show the people of Darfur that they have not been forgotten. Register to participate in the fast today at www.darfurfast.org.

TAKE ACTION

Please Sign Petition Demanding U.S. Action

The Darfur genocide petition calls on President Bush to assert U.S. leadership by taking every step necessary through the United Nations to:
- Establish a mandate for an international force to protect civilians
- Deploy such a force in support of existing African Union efforts in Darfur
The United States has a unique capacity and clear obligation to take immediate action. Unless there is an urgent international intervention in Darfur, up to a million people may be dead by the end of this year. We are hoping not only that you will sign the petition, but also actively help secure signatures from your friends, families, colleagues and strangers by referring them to this online petition. Each signature will hasten the end of the genocide. Government officials who remained silent during the Rwandan genocide regularly claim that if Americans had clamored for more government action, the U.S. would have been forced to work with the UN to intervene, and could have saved thousands of lives. You can sign the petition online by clicking on the petition button in the lower right hand corner of the savedarfur.org home page. You can sign the petition online by clicking on the petition button in the lower right hand corner of the savedarfur.org home page.