Hundreds rally for end to Darfur genocide

INDIANAPOLIS – An air of solemnity filled the Pyramid Fountain Plaza at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis on Sunday at the Olympic Dream for Darfur rally for the genocide victims of Darfur.\nBetween 250 and 300 people came together to hear guest speakers and victims of genocide at the rally, which was organized by the Indianapolis chapter of Save Darfur. A symbolic torch, aimed at encouraging China to end its support of the Sudanese government, was also passed at the event. The torch has already traveled to other sites of genocide, such as Rwanda, and will end its journey in China this December. \nThe Olympic Dream for Darfur rally materialized because of the support that China gives to the Sudanese government, said Carol Collins, chairwoman of the Indianapolis chapter of Save Darfur.\n“The Olympics are supposed to promote goodwill for humankind,” she said. “But China gets 70 percent of its oil from Sudan and supplies arms to the Sudanese government.”\nDarfurian refugee Ibrahim Adam Musa spoke at the rally, recounting his experience in Darfur when the Janjaweed militia, supported by the Sudanese government, came to his village.\n“My mother, my brother, my family members were all killed by the Janjaweed,” he said. \nMore than 80 villagers in Musa’s hometown were murdered, and 20 of those were his family members, he said.\n“We must stand strongly and send our voices to our leaders,” Musa said. “The people of Darfur do not have days or months. One day in Darfur feels like one year. We need to take action now.”\nCollins coordinated the event, but gave credit to the student and church groups that helped her.\n“This movement is finally gaining momentum,” Collins said. “After the oil divestment campaign, Save Darfur got really big, and as a result, the violence actually escalated. This is why we need action and peacekeepers now.”\nMiddle school student and rally volunteer Lyndsey Brown provided information to attendees about the Save Darfur chapter in Indianapolis, and urged visitors to sign petitions addressed to President Bush, the Emperor of China and film director Steven Spielberg.\n“Mr. Spielberg is the artistic director of the Beijing Olympics, and we want him to suspend his participation in this Olympics until China acts,” Brown said.\nUniversity of Evansville freshman Caleb Konopka said he came to the rally with his church group to help the coordinators and to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur.\n“I feel that this is something important that our government needs to pay attention to,” Konopka said. “People say that our government is the strongest in the world, and that we influence a lot of other countries. So, if we ourselves start to pay attention to the situation in Darfur, then others might do so as well.”