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Darfur awareness program will start in March

Written by Jhericca Johnson, The Shorthorn staff

Wednesday, 20 February 2008 06:13 PM

FLOC Darfur events

March 3, 7 p.m. - Documentary Film: The Devil Came on Horseback
Nedderman Hall, room 100

April 3, 7 p.m. - Panel Discussion
Nedderman Hall, room 100

Tents of Hope - TBA

The U.S. president has declared the Darfur conflict genocide.

According to www.savedarfur.org, Darfur residents are among the poorest in the world. The Web site said about 2.3 million have fled their homes to other countries because of the constant battles and risk of death. The war between the government and the rebel armies have taken a turn recently, and now there are inner conflicts within them.

Freshman Leaders On Campus wants to educate students about the continual crisis in Darfur, Sudan. In March, FLOC will begin its month-long Darfur awareness program which will feature informative events to get students involved.

Student adviser Kent Long said the program ties into this year’s OneBook theme, “prejudice.”

Long said current movements for the region’s situation are run by college students, and the university should take part in them.

“I feel like our student body of 25,000 students can do something to help, too,” he said.

Long said the event should promote students to help.

“I feel like there is no reason that we should sit back and let this go on when we are perfectly capable,” he said.

Events for the program include a gallery display, raffle drawing, T-shirt sales, literacy project and panel discussion.

During the panel discussion, Rick Halpern, former Amnesty International USA Board Chairman and Southern Methodist University human rights director, will moderate. Amnesty International is a campaign for human rights worldwide.

Another member of the panel, Alusine Jalloh, history associate professor and founding director of The Africa program at the university said he will provide the historical context of the crisis.

“I was invited to speak because my background is in African history and I have some knowledge on the crisis,” he said. “I will be speaking from an academic point of view.”

FLOC president Jason McDonald said every member of the organization came together for the program. He said the group discussed ideas for the program in November.

McDonald said he hadn’t realized how much of a problem the crisis in the region was until he saw the documentary film The Devil Came on Horseback.

“Before I saw the movie, I knew what was going on, but I wasn’t exactly sure,” he said. “It’s a bigger problem then I ever realized.”

The film, which is set during a cease-fire in Darfur, will be shown as part of the month’s events.

Another event, “Tents of Hope,” will have campus organizations painting squares on a tent, following a theme of “giving people hope.”

The tent will be sent to Africa, McDonald said.

“Our goal is for the tent to make it to Chad, so that it won’t just be symbolic,” he said. “If we can get it to Chad, it’ll actually be used by a family who needs it.”

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 March 2008 05:41 PM )

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