Sam Manring
Issue date: 10/11/07

Fifteen hundred people gathered at the capitol building in Columbia to watch a rally for the situation in Darfur Sept. 29. A bus carrying students from C of C went as well, many from the group AID (Americans for Informed Democracy).

"(The group from C of C) coming proves we're not ignorant. Just because it's not on the 5 o'clock news doesn't mean it's not important," said visitor to C of C Kelly Lawrence, who rode the bus there to show her support.

Located on the western side of Sudan, the Darfur region is an increasingly fragile environment that has long been neglected throughout the country's history. When the Comprehensive Peace Agreement came in January 2003 to end the civil wars in Sudan, the government granted more revenue and political power to the southern half of the country while once again leaving Darfur out. Rebel groups retaliated and attacked a government air force base in February 2003.

The government of Sudan launched a military response with scorched-earth policy to counter the rebel threat. A part of this response was the hiring of armed militias, now known as the Janjaweed, that were composed of ethnic groups against the rebellion. The United States declared this campaign as genocide in July of 2004.

Groups like the Janjaweed terrorize, rape, murder and destroy the villages of Darfur to this day.

The conflict has displaced more than half of Darfur's civilians, with the death toll rising to an estimated 400,000. Refugee camps have become overcrowded as increased violence and red-tape has made humanitarian effort even more difficult. Over the past four years troops from the African Union have been stationed, and 23,000 more are supposed to be sent by the UN as of June 2007.

"I think it's an atrocity going on in another country. I think it's important Americans take a stance," said freshman Shannon Schofielt.

The rally in Columbia consisted of political speakers, refugees of

Darfur, activists and musicians. Politicians informed the crowd of how to help, while eye-witness stories were told by Darfuri refugees like Mohamed Yahya and Mary Komy. Yahya lost 21 family members when the Janjaweed attacked his village; at the end of his speech he yelled to the crowd, "There's no peace without Justice! There is no peace in Darfur ... We are all human beings. We are all the same. We are all connected."

Some members of the crowd held up signs for a boycott of the 2008 Olympics because they are being held in China. China and Russia still trade with Sudan, and are part of the UN council that continues to veto help for Darfur. Politicians urged the crowd to vote and put pressure on their representatives to take action in Washington.

The President of the University of South Carolina, Dr. Andrew Sorensen, said, "It's not a black issue. It's not a white issue. It's not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It's a human issue."

"We know about Iraq. We know what's going on there. We need to be aware; it's very important to be informed about countries not in the news," said freshman Stephanie Zeigler.

"You can't ask for a better cause. The UN is a joke. People care more about celebrity bullshit than people's families being torn apart," said member of AID Tom Laffay.

Many feel a number of things can be done now to help the people of Darfur - the UN peacekeeping force needs to be deployed, the AU needs better training and equipment, a No-Fly Zone needs to be enforced and humanitarian aid needs to be increased. To learn more about what South Carolina is doing for Darfur, go to www.dagsc.org. For more information on ways to help, go to www.SaveDarfur.org.