Spotlight on Darfur 3: Christmas Edition

Welcome to the Christmas Edition of Spotlight on Darfur. In the Western world Christmas has become a time of glitz and tinsel, and also for many a time to give and receive gifts. The contributors to this Spotlight on Darfur are diverse and do not represent any one organization or group. But we share in wanting to give something to the people of Darfur at this time, and we hope for peace in that troubled and conflicted area. We are pleased you could join us. The contributions cover politics, ethics, Christmas, and ways to help, and are arranged under relevant headings (all links open in the same new window):

Politics and the International Community

Passion of the Present reports on the latest news regarding US Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice's "impassioned personal appeal to Congress to provide $50 million for African troops trying to keep peace in Sudan's Darfur region" in Rice makes passionate appeal to Congress on Darfur. Also reports the response.

Eddie Beaver of Live from the FDNF, who hosted Spotlight on Darfur 2, calls on other US conservatives to push the Darfur issue with fervor and force with the President, and also looks at some individuals using their positions to do something constructive and effective about Darfur, in Conservatives Need To Revoke Pres. Bush's Free Pass On Darfur.

"Darfur is Rwanda in slow motion... To date, more than 400,000 Darfuris have perished, half the number of Rwanda", writes Ingrid Jones of Sudan Watch, who is one of the most profilic writers on the Darfur crisis on the internet. She covers religious, political and ethical issues from various sources in her post Pope says world must do more to end Darfur "horror".

Justice and Ethics

Eugene Oregon,one of the founders of the Coalition for Darfur provides his article on the arrest warrants recently issued by International Criminal Court for Joseph Kony and the leadership of the Lord's Resistance Army. In Kony, Khartoum and the ICC he notes that while Sudan has pledged to help track down Kony, many of Sudan's leaders are currently under investigation by the ICC for crimes committed in Darfur and Sudan.

Charlie Lehardy of Another Think remembers that "Evil can only be displaced by men and women who would till the soil for justice and peace", and speaks for the Silent Voices.

Joerg from Atlantic Review reports on The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor which is sponsoring another "German Pavilion" at a trade fair in the Sudanese capital in February 2006. He discusses the implications in U.S. calls for more sanctions against Sudan, but Germany sees business opportunities, and looks at the participating companies.

And so it is Christmas...

Hannah Im takes a fresh look at a well known prophecy that is part of her faith, and makes you think about how the promises of salvation given to all people might apply to the people of Sudan in To Darfur a Son is Born. A beautiful contribution.

Fido the Yak moves from the large picture to the personal and reflects on empathy as something that just doesn't exist in the world but has to be worked at, in his post Season for Empathy.

Sarai of treehugger provides an update on the tragic and avoidable situation in Darfur in Darfur - Last Chance - Only Weeks Left. It's a well needed reminder of the urgency of the situation as people continue to suffer, with suggestions on how you can help.

Karama Neal of So what can I do? has previously written about how to do something individually, and now provides resources for those who want the support of an established organization to help them make their voice heard and their actions felt. She has links and information on organizations that provide information and advocacy advice in Take action against genocide.

Finally, my own contribution, Three Teens Up To No Bad, which looks at how three teenagers from New Jersey have started a foundation to assist Darfur Refugees.

Thankyou to all who have contributed to this Christmas Edition of Spotlight on Darfur. And thankyou for visiting. If you wish to link this Spotlight click on the date below to obtain the URL. You may find it helpful to bookmark this page.