Only weeks ago, we were enveloped into the eyes of Fatna (view video here) as she described bombs falling from the sky and bullets hounding her family of seven as she
struggled to keep them together in their journey to safety. No food, no water, nothing but the clothes on their back. They now live in Camp Farchana with 16,000 other refugees and have for the past five years. And today, in March 2008, we begin to hear this story again from the border of Chad/Darfur, where 13,000 new arrivals have no food, no water, no shelter, and are facing gunfire from all sides.

Since we left Fatna in Camp Farchana the situation has only worsened. Most International NGOs (INGOs) evacuated, gunman stationed at the border deter new Darfuri arrivals from crossing, and UNHCR missions to greet and process new arrivals are cancelled on a daily basis. Leaving those already in the camps with few services, and those stranded at the border with much less.

Today in the camps it takes up to six hours to get firewood for maybe on a few days. At one newly created camp inside Darfur, villagers walk 7-8 hours, one way, for water. Both of these are considered a necessity to their livelihood. Fatna’s husband was killed in the village market during an air raid. Reports from UNHCR claim that women and children arrive at the camps with stories of their husbands disappearing.

In a report from UNHCR, one Darfuri describes 3 bombs, 4 vehicles and over 100 janjaweed surrounding their village on horseback during the several aerial and ground raids since February 8, 2008. Villages scorched to the ground, “ghostowns” with smoldering grass huts and clay brick walls. A story we are all too familiar with, because it’s the same story we have heard for five years.

“People are dying. Everyday. People are escaping. People are suffering.” Adam (view full video here) begged us in Camp Kounoungo only weeks ago.

Recent attacks have scattered villagers between new and existing Internally Displaced People’s camps and the journey to Chad, a sojourn that is now considered equally dangerous to staying. Where is the international community when the situation is deteriorating? The reports and briefing notes include no information about a UNAMID presence in the area.

“Without your help we see no hope. We are desperate in need of international community.” Adam’s calling to us is still ever pressing.

It is US who needs to be taking action, and now.

Please sign the LEGACY LETTER TO BUSH which will be printed and delivered in April. Print out copies take it to your place of work/worship or community space.

Call 1-800 GENOCIDE – There is a new bill on the table, Senate Resolution 455 , that needs your Senator’s co-sponsorship. Your urgent action is needed, today is the day to act.

Sources:
UNHCR recent Briefing Notes

UNHCR Chad/Darfur Emergency Site

Genocide Foretold – NY Kristof Op-ed

Update: Darfur refugees who have been waiting for three weeks at the border of Chad-Sudan are being relocated to existing refugee camps near Guereda. When we were last visiting our friends, Adam, Yakoub, and Fatne in Kounougo, there were 16,188 residents. Mile held 13,500. Together there is room for no more than 10,000 more of their brother and sisters in these camps. Although the trip to the border is a dangerous one, many still continue to arrive as IDPs in West Darfur have been under continued attack since February 8th. Now more than ever, we need to stand with our Darfuri friends. Please join with many others in asking Bush to STOP this violence.

On a very recent article by CNN, president of Sudan al-Bashir is quoted as saying that less than 10,000 people have died and less than 500,000 have been displaced by the five-year crisis in the region of Darfur. Reading this, it makes me want to burst out laughing, but what stops me is knowing that, just a month ago, newly displaced Darfuris were running to the border with Chad—injured people, raped women, horrified children—after seeing their villages destroyed in the exact same way over 90% of the villages in Darfur have been destroyed. al-Bashir numbers are ridiculous, but what is worse is that our leaders know the real numbers, and still there is inaction. There are close to one-quarter of a million displaced Darfuri in Chad alone, with millions more inside of Darfur. Hundreds of thousands have died. Those numbers don’t get close to describing the horrors that the world has allowed the real individuals, the real faces behind the numbers, to experience over the last five years.

The i-ACT team is now back in the safety of the United States. The “excitement” we experienced in the capital of Chad is not something we’d like to go through again, but we know we have to go back. The people of the camps are counting on you and us to stand with them. We were so lucky to have as our first Camp Darfur host a group from Hawaii. After dodging bullets in N’Djamena, Hawaii was a beautiful change of pace. Thank you to all in the islands—Leanne, Shahrzad, Pam, Joshua, and many more—for being so passionate about getting your community actively involved. I am proud to have you now as friends.

Urgency.We need to act with urgency! People will die in Darfur today. Women and girls will be raped in Darfur today. Children will be living in the middle of the Darfur desert with no home today. They will be victims, not because of what they have done but because of who they are.Let’s keep the pressure on our leaders. Please sign the Legacy Letter to President Bush. He still has a chance to change his legacy, from allowing genocide to standing up against genocide.

Let me know how we can do more, and please stay a part of our small community that will not give up until our friends are back in their homes, living a peaceful and dignified life.

Paz,
Gabriel