One quiet day in 2003, Daoud Hari’s village in northern Darfur was bombed by his own government.
Hari’s brother was murdered by the advancing militia, and his family was scattered across Sudan. Hari fled the war-torn region for neighboring Chad.
He then did the improbable – he went back to Darfur.
He repeatedly risked his life to help reporters record the devastation of his homeland.
In 2006, Hari was arrested in Sudan on espionage charges. For a month, he endured torture and threats to his life.
He was eventually freed, and the U.S. granted him status as a political refugee.
Hari is determined to tell the world what is happening to his people.
“These refugees need help,” he said during a recent conference call. “They have the right to be alive and keep their children safe.”
Gitana Productions, in partnership with the American Friends Service Committee, is bringing Hari to St. Louis as part of “Voices from Darfur: Personal Stories of a Genocide,” a national speaking tour aimed at raising awareness about the genocide in Darfur.
The event is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at the St. Louis Room of St. Louis University’s Busch Student Center, located at 20 N. Grand.
“Our intent is to educate the public about the harsh realities of life in Darfur and to empower people to take action to help stop the genocide,” said Cecilia Nadal, founder of Gitana Productions, a not-for-profit arts and education organization.
Currently, the genocide has claimed between 200,000 and 400,000 lives. More than 2.3 million people have fled the area and now live in overcrowded refugee camps, mostly in Chad. Another one million still live in their villages under the constant threat of attack by the Sudanese government’s militia.
In addition to Hari’s presentation, the event will include a short documentary film on the Sudan crisis. Ngoma, a local group of musicians and poets who interpret rhythms of the African Diaspora, will perform. A sample meal like that typically served in refugee camps will also be served.
Don Marsh of KWMU will moderate the event.
How the conflict started
In 2003, two rebel groups – the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement – emerged from Darfur demanding political and land rights from Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
The rebels began attacking government regimes saying the country was oppressing black Africans in favor of Arabs. The struggle for the region’s natural resources further aggravated the situation.
To put down the civilian-based rebellion, the Sudanese government recruited and armed local militias.
The insurgency began virtually unnoticed in 2003, but over the past four years it has precipitated into becoming one of the greatest episodes of mass destruction in the 21st century.
At the forefront of the destruction is the Janjaweed, an Arab militia (primarily on horse and camel) accused of trying to “cleanse” black Africans from the Darfur territory.
According to the BBC, following governmental air raids, the Janjaweed ride into villages executing men, raping women, burning homes and crops, stealing livestock and kidnapping children. They patrol the refugee camps attacking those who venture too far to find firewood and food.
The Sudanese government has repeatedly denied any links to the group.
Why you should care
The UN reports between 200,000 and 400,000 people have died from war and famine since the Darfur conflict began nearly five years ago.
And for the most part international response has been slow.
Save Darfur coalitions have popped up throughout the United States urging Congress to take a firmer stance on ending the atrocities there.
The Jewish community has been most instrumental in the fight.
“The history of the Jewish community has caused us to respond,” said Judy Hoffman of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, who started the St. Louis Save Darfur Coalition.
The local chapter is made up of over 70 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations around the St. Louis area pushing for peace in Darfur.
Hoffman said one of the reasons for the international lag is because many nations have yet to call Darfur genocide.
This is in part because a United Nations investigation found that while war crimes have been committed in Darfur, there had been no intent to commit genocide.
If genocide were the case, the U.N. would be required to stop it.
“When we allow a group of people to be destroyed, then we open the door to that happening to us,” Nadal said.
She said Africans Americans must step up given their history of enslavement in this country.
“We have gone through that history for a higher purpose,” she said. “And that higher purpose is not just limited to the streets of St. Louis.”
She added, “We can never prosper in the universe if we don’t help our brothers and sisters around the world.”
What you can do to help
? Get the word out. Take time to learn as much as you can about the genocide in Darfur so you can educate others on why it’s important. The more people who know about the genocide, the more likely they will take steps to end it.
? Join a coalition. Coalitions are one of the best ways to move Congress in a direction to make change in Darfur. Coalitions bring together hundreds of organizations and persons from diverse backgrounds to fight for a common cause. Good coalitions to join include the American Red Cross and Save Darfur.
? Pressure your legislature. Handwritten letters or petitions asking legislatures to stop the genocide will keep them abreast on the issue. They can then pressure Congress to take more action in Darfur.
? Donate to the cause. Funding helps provide food, medical aid, clothing and solar cookers to the thousands of people living in refugee camps. Again, legitimate places to donate to include the American Red Cross and Save Darfur.
For more information on Gitana Productions, call 314-721-6556 or visit www.gitana-inc.org. For more information of the St. Louis Save Darfur Coalition contact Judy Hoffman at 314-442-3716 or jhoffman@jcrcstl.org.