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Day 16: Dec 5, 2005

Today’s Action

Today is a National Call-In Day for AU Peacekeeper Funding

Urgent action alert from our friends and partners of i-ACT at the Genocide Intervention Network (GIN).

After the success of our last National Call-In Day for Darfur, we hope that you will join us in picking up the phone once again today.

Experts from the State Department, NATO and leading think-tanks have repeatedly said that funding the African Union is absolutely critical to stopping what both the president and Congress have declared to be genocide. Unfortunately, $50 million intended for African Union troops in Darfur was cut out of the recent foreign operations spending bill.

There is, however, one last chance to get that funding back before the end of the year. An effort is underway to include those funds in the Defense Appropriations Conference Report when Congress comes back into session next week.

It is vital that we do everything we can to make sure that Congress knows that their constituents are paying attention to this bill, and that we expect them to include these funds. Please call your representative and your two senators and make your voice heard on this incredibly important issue.

A sample call script is below, and you can find contact information for your elected leaders’ Washington, D.C. office at Congress.org, or by calling the Capitol operator at (202) 224-3121 and simply asking to be connected to your representative or senators.

Please forward this along to any friends, family, or coworkers who you think may be interested, and again, thank you for taking the time to pick up the phone and help the people of Darfur!

Sample Call Script

Hi, this is ___ calling from ___. I’m calling to urge Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator ___ to do everything he/she can to make sure that $50 million for African Union peacekeeping troops in Darfur is included in the Defense Appropriations conference report.

Experts from the State Department, NATO and leading think-tanks have repeatedly said that funding the African Union is critical to stopping what both the President and Congress have declared to be genocide.

Please tell the Congressman/Congresswoman/Senator know that his/her constituents care about Darfur and expect Congress to fund the peacekeepers.

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