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Local activists rally for Darfur, praise local efforts

PHILADELPHIA, April 29 -- State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., Philadelphia Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (D-3^rd) and City Controller Alan Butkowitz joined Philadelphia's Darfur Alert Coalition today at its third annual "Drumbeat for Darfur" rally and march calling for U.N. Peacekeepers to protect Darfur now. The event, one of over 300 "Global Days for Darfur" events being held across the country, featured live music and speeches from local leaders, politicians, activists, students, poets and localized Darfurians.

As part of the day's events, Josephs also announced the introduction of her

Pennsylvania divestment legislation, H.B.1140, which would prevent Pennsylvania employees' pension money from being invested in companies that support genocide in Darfur.

"Although political pressure and diplomacy alone have largely failed to halt the genocide, the Sudanese government has shown some responsiveness to economic sanctions," Josephs said. "The magnitude of the crimes in Darfur combined with the failure of the international community to stem these horrors has given each individual state an opportunity and a responsibility to use its treasury as a tool for change."

According to recent estimates, the past four years of genocidal violence has left over 200,000 dead, 2.5 million civilians displaced, and 4 million men, women and children completely reliant on international aid for survival.

The city of Philadelphia has already taken steps to end this suffering. Blackwell has introduced three Darfur-related city council resolutions in as many years, which all passed, and Butkovitz recently spearheaded a successful campaign to divest the city pensions from Sudan.

"The people gathered here today are just the tip of the global iceberg of activists calling for immediate action on Darfur," said Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, president of the Darfur Alert Coalition. "But success for this movement cannot be measured in numbers of people at this rally or the number of people at the rallies that are going on around the world. Success can be measured only in lives saved in Darfur."

Darfur Alert Coalition is a grassroots organization that includes Sudanese and American educators, religious leaders, peace activists, artists, businesspeople, immigrants' rights workers, students, Darfurians and other progressive activists who are committed to the support of the oppressed people of Darfur.