PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Darfur Emergency Protest in Squirrel Hill
by Rustbelt Radio Collective Tuesday, Apr. 05, 2005 at 11:26 AM
radio@indypgh.org (email address validated)

Pittsburghers marched in Squirrel Hill on Sunday, April 3rd to bring attention to the on-going crisis in Western Sudan.

On Sunday, April 3rd between 50 and 100 members of the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition and other people concerned with the ongoing crisis in Western Sudan marched through Squirrel Hill.

Following the march, the group gathered for a community forum to discuss the genocide that is occurring in Sudan. Zeinab Eyega, a Sudanese scholar, spoke of how the conflict affects women, especially in regards to sexual violence. Eyega spoke about the need for more female relief workers because many women are afraid to come forward about rapes.

Eyega also outlined ways in which she thinks the conflict can be resolved. She said that the world needs to support the UN sanctions against Sudan and that the UN needs to increase their peacekeeping force to 30,000 workers. Eyega stated that 51 people responsible for much the violence were arrested in Darfur and that the U.S. is one of the few countries that does not support taking them to International Criminal Court in the Hague. A Divestment campaign was also mentioned as a way to exert economic pressure on the Sudanese Government.

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