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Actions Day 2: June 11, 2008

Action: World Refugee Day

In the United States, 2008 is an election year. For the international refugee community, 2008 is the year of Protection. In one week, on June 20th, we celebrate World Refugee Day, and kick-off a year focused on the theme of protection: \prə-ˈtekt\ to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction. We, as Global […]

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Day 2: June 11, 2008

Letting Go, Looking Forward

Today is a hard day for me. We spent most of the day in the lobby of Le Meridien; waiting for our fixer, waiting for permits, waiting for the video to upload, lots of waiting. As a result, my jet lag has h it me harder than I have ever felt before. Usually there is […]

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Day 2: June 11, 2008

Stuck in N’Djamena

We hoped to be able to leave on a UNHCR plane today to get out to Abeche and the camps, but a series of delays and obstacles has prevented us from doing that. We’ll be in the capital until at least Thursday, and Friday at the very latest. It’s very frustrating to know that we’re […]

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Day 2: June 11, 2008

Delays in the Capitol

So today was frustrating, to say the least. We obviously would like to get out to the camps and actually interact with and hear the stories of the refugees. But it looks like we’re going to be in the capital for at least another day. On the plus side, Colin and I got a new […]

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Day 2: June 11, 2008

Pictures

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Actions Day 1: June 10, 2008

Action: Lend your voice

After five years, the targeted and calculated violence towards innocent civilians in Darfur not only continues, but is worsening as you watch Stop Genocide Now and i-ACT field team members return to refugee camps in Eastern Chad for the fifth time. Our friends who made the treacherous journey across the border and to a refugee […]

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Day 1: June 10, 2008

A Day at Le Meridien

8 June 2008 N’Djamena The flight in to N’Djamena was not a good start to our arrival in Chad. We made it to Chad airspace and very close to N’D, but then had to circle around before landing because of bad weather. This going round and round went on for almost two hours. Except for […]

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Day 1: June 10, 2008

Day 1: Hopeful from N’Djamena

We haven’t heard from our fixer, and it’s about 3pm. UNHCR hasn’t called back and we have a new cell phone number so we are confined to our room, until someone calls with information about our permits. I’m nervous that we might get stuck in N’Djamena. Swedish European Union forces and small Chadian children share […]

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Day 1: June 10, 2008

Getting ready

We’re wrapping up our first full day in Chad now, and you should see Gabriel and KTJ’s room. It’s a maze of wires, boxes, cameras and computers, everything we need to keep you all updated as we make our way out east to the refugee camps. Today was a big logistics day, figuring out all […]

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Day 1: June 10, 2008

Anxiousness and Motivation

Four summers ago, I first learned about Darfur from the halls of Congress as a lowly intern. If you would have told me back then that the conflict would still be ravaging, and even worsening, four years later, I would not have believed you. But, at the same time, I probably wouldn’t have even gotten […]