June 27, 2008

Am I Not Human? Switch Over to Darfur

NOTE: This post should have been posted on the 27th of the month in accordance
with the Am I Not Human? blogging campaign commitment. My apologies for the late submission.

We get tied up in our day-to-day existence and sometimes don't think about others on Mother Earth. That is one of the reasons that I support the 'Am I Not Human?' campaign initiated by the brothers and sisters of the Roots of Humanity blog.

This month I want to invite all villagers to take a moment to think about the atrocities committed in Darfur ... especially as you prepare to watch the 2008 Olympics in August. Truth to tell, I invite you to tell the Olympic sponsors to help end genocide in Darfur.

After all, in a little over a month, China and the Olympic sponsors will kick off the Beijing Olympics. With your help, we can make sure the world, the sponsors, and specifically China do not forget about the people of Darfur.

I encourage you to learn about a new campaign, 'Switch Over to Darfur,' sponsored by Dream for Darfur, which will help keep the pressure on China and Olympic sponsors leading up to the Games in Beijing.

Click here to check out the new campaign and take the 'Switch Over' pledge.

Earlier this month, advocates held nationwide protests outside the offices of Olympic sponsors that have remained silent about the genocide in Darfur. These events were covered by the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets. We believe that the privileges of Olympic sponsorship come with responsibilities. Sponsors are eager for access to China's consumers and have been working to enhance China's image as Olympic host. Sponsors are also associating themselves with all the positive values represented by the Games -- but not working to uphold those values.

When asked to take action for Darfur, 16 out of 19 top Olympic sponsors chose to remain silent.

On the new 'Switch Over' website, you can let the Olympic corporate sponsors know that you intend to ignore companies that ignore Darfur.

Villagers, we have brothers and sisters all over Mother Earth who ask the question, 'Am I Not Human?' Isn't it time that we answer them? What say u?

7 comments:

Warren said...

I believe that the conlifct in Darfur has simply been discarded in recent media. People don't understand the atrocities that occur everyday in this region. If people could understand what one day in Darfur is like, I'm sure their priorities would quickly shift from the Olympics to helping stop the crimes against humanity in Darfur

Unknown said...

Warren - I encourage you to make a commitment to join the Am I Not Human? campaign as we post on these human rights issues in Darfur and Tibet on the 27th of each month. Is this something you would consider?

Yobachi said...

Villager, would you be intersted in participating in a bloggers confrence call with olympic athletes about Darfur, next week.

Email me at lionrunner777yahoo.com and let me know. I'll hit you back with the details if you interested.

Unknown said...

Yobachi - Yes, I'm down with the Olympic athelete(s) interview next week. I emailed you as well...

Nomadic said...

The organisation I work for has been working in Darfur for over two years. There is conflict, violence, rape, abuse, tribalism - but there is currently no genocide. And the problems of the country are complex and not limited to Darfar alone. Reinvigoration of the Darfur Peace Agreement will help, but it is the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that needs momentum. Don't talk amongst yourselves, reach out to the people of Darfur. People like www.afiasudan.org. They ARE HUMANS.

Unknown said...

Nomadic - I've added your recommended website to my sidebar in the Cool Websites listing. I appreciate your suggestion that we look at the entire country's issues and not just the Sudan. There are a few multi-cultural bloggers who started the 'Am I Not Human?' campaign earlier this year. I'd like you to take a moment to review our blog, Roots of Humanity to get your opinion ... and to invite you to participate with us at any level you think appropriate. OK?

PurpleZoe said...

Caroline Jaine,

Thankyou for sharing your link with us.
I've done some reading to try to get a more accurate understanding of what is happening in Darfur, and have studied some of the background of the Sudan, which only recently came out of a 20 year long civil war with quite a few attempts (non-successful and successful) at usurping. The area and surrounding areas like Uganda, and Congo have been ravaged by horrific crimes against humanity.

We aren't just talking amongst ourselves though. You can download the ebooks to verse yourself with what we follow and try to report on.
One of the blogger participants is speaking with an Olympic blogger for his coalition this coming week, and the whole goal of 'Roots of Humanity' is to help the average person take in the info in layman's terms as we can best interpret it, and take action in a more informed way.

From what I understand the conflict in Darfur is actually genocide disguised as rebel conflict. You are definitely welcome to submit a guestpost for the blog to help inform people of your experience.

It is important that we get to the truth of the matter and taking action in anyway we can to raise awareness is the way to go so we aren't merely sitting by allowing these horrors to take place.

Thankyou again for speaking out.

Love&Light
-PurpleZoe