New Genocide Intervention Network web site

The Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net) is leading the national anti-genocide movement and has grown dramatically in the previous five years. Started by a small group of college students, this organization has grown to be a formidable presence in Washington, D.C. with a million dollar budget dedicated to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.

As readers of this blog know, I had the privilege of serving as a GI-Net Carl Wilkens Fellow in 2009. I intend to remain active and connected with GI-Net in the years to come.

This is one of the main reasons I am excited to see GI-Net update its brand and its web presence. As a senior communications specialist in my “day job” I understand the importance of a good web site and strong identity. I hope the new web site will foster the global genocide prevention movement by being easy to follow, easy to engage and easy to take action.

Check out the new site: www.genocideintervention.net. What do you think? Does it meet the needs of our growing movement?

Pledge2Protect Conference on Twitter

Right now, as I write this brief blog post, hundreds of anti-genocide activists, elected officials and experts are meeting in Washington, D.C. This conference, called Pledge2Protect is the anti-genocide movement's largest conference ever and is a collaboration between the Genocide Intervention Network, SaveDarfur and the Enough Project.

For those of us unlucky to not be there, you can follow along with participants on Twitter. Many attendees are tweeting about what they see and hear - it's almost as good as the real thing. Check it out by following @pledge2protect if you have a Twitter account, or go to: http://pledge2protect.twazzup.com/

I'm praying that this conference is meaningful and results in action, not merely just talk.

Obama’s new Sudan policy released

The Obama Administration finally unveiled its comprehensive plan to bring peace to Sudan today at an event attended by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice and Special Envoy to Sudan Gen. Scott Gration. These three administration heavyweights said many good things about their intentions in the news conference, but the question still remains about their implementation.

Many in the activist community have a great deal of concern about what they see as a real gap between the administration’s rhetoric and its day-to-day diplomacy with the Sudanese government. President Obama must be firm in his promise to lead a more urgent multi-lateral peace process. U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration must work to build an international coalition for the meaningful implementation of the North-South peace deal, and implement a policy that creates real consequences for those who continue to attack civilians, block life-saving aid, undermine peace and justice.

For more information on this major development, please check out the following resources:
• View the video of the State Department’s news conference
• View the Washington Post preview article on the Sudan Policy
• View a video response from Sam Bell, Executive Director of the Genocide Intervention Network
• View an op-ed in the LA Times by John Prendergast, Co-founder of ENOUGH!

Take action: Call 1-800-GENOCIDE and urge President Obama to implement his new strategy and keep his campaign promises on Sudan.

2009 Carl Wilkens Fellowship

I am excited and honored to be a 2009 Carl Wilkens Fellow from the Genocide Intervention Network.

The Wilkens Fellowship is named for Carl Wilkens, the only American to remain in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. The fellowship “gives emerging leaders the skills and networks they need to build in their communities sustained political will to end genocide. Over the course of the year, Wilkens Fellows receive leadership training, conflict and legislative education, organizing tools and resources, and one-on-one coaching.”

The 20 inaugural Wilkens Fellows were chosen from around the country to participate in this year-long, part-time program. I am excited to be a part of such a talented and motivated group of men and women, all of who are dedicated to ending genocide and mass atrocities. I believe this Fellowship will help me “raise the bar” in my own work to bring peace to Eastern Chad and Darfur, where my friends and their families are still struggling to survive.

*For more information on the fellowship or the Genocide Intervention Network, click here.

*To read the bios of the 2009 Carl Wilkens Fellows, click here.

Do the Math

There was a glimmer of hope coming from the news about the tragedy in Darfur today. According to UPI, a group of 111 newly-trained Chadian soldiers have begun a deployment to eastern Chad as part of a U.N. mission to improve security in the region. They will join forces with another 320 soldiers who are already trained and in the area. This is good news. Properly-trained security forces are a key element in restoring peace to a region embroiled in war. They can protect the women going into the fields to collect firewood. They can bring order to the chaotic food lines. They can fight off rebel attacks aimed at undermining whatever fragile fragments of society remain intact. This all seems very hopeful, until you do the math.

This group of 431 soldiers (eventually the number is supposed to rise to 850) is expected to bring security and safety to more than 400,000 refugees and others running for their lives in an area the size of Texas. So if you do the math, that means each soldier is roughly responsible for watching out for the welfare of about 950 men, women and children. Wow. How can we possibly expect these security force members to be successful when they have such odds stacked against them, when the ratio is so out of whack?

I understand that even baby steps are good if they are in the right direction. Deploying 431 troops is a baby step - and we must do more. One of the way you can help is by contributing to organizations, like GI-Net, that purchase radios and other "non-lethal" materials for peace keepers. Things like radios help increase the effectiveness of the troops and reduce the incredible odds they face.