New Englanders march for an end to Darfur genocide

Ten New Englanders, including four Worcester residents, travelled to Washington, DC this week to protest the Darfur genocide. Some members of this group have travelled to Darfur and worked to end the violence, including by nonviolent civil disobedience.

Their protest included a march of several miles, and vigils at the Chinese Economic and Commercial Counselor's Office, the Sudanese Embassy, and the Chinese Embassy.

The Chinese government has been one of the Sudanese government's most important backers.

Some members of the group believe that while the Darfur situation is complicated, the Sudanese government has used genocide as part of its counterinsurgency there, and has never called anyone to account for this. Tactics of bombing villages, shooting and raping civilians, and driving them into refugee camps continue.

At the Chinese Embassy, it was a day of mourning for earthquake victims, and several visitors told the activists that a protest on this day was offensive. The activists did mention the earthquake in their leaflets, but the complaints spurred them to create several impromptu signs of sympathy.

They were joined at the embassy by protesters supporting Falun Gong and North Korean refugees.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Darfur
• Genocide
• China
• Catholic
• Worker