Global Day for Darfur

Protect the People of Darfur - solidarity action by Irish Non-Governmental Organisations

To mark the international day of solidarity for the people of Darfur, a coalition of Irish and Sudanese organisations will be taking part in a solidarity event at 1pm in Dublin this Friday 15th September with the Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Vincent Jackson.

Despite the signing of a Darfur peace agreement on 5 May 2006, the violence in western Sudan has continued to escalate. While attention on Darfur is waning, people are still being killed, raped and displaced from their homes everyday. Since 2003, Darfur in western Sudan has been embroiled in a deadly conflict. 85,000 civilians have been killed and more than 200,000 have died from war related causes. More than two million people have been displaced and live in displaced-persons camps in Darfur or in refugee camps in Chad; more than 3.5 million people are reliant on international aid for survival. The violence in Darfur is escalating. Civilians are in danger of being killed, raped and forcibly displaced now. Protection for the people of Darfur is vital- action is needed now.

On Friday September 15th, at 1pm, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Vincent Jackson will light a candle on the steps of the Mansion House, to express the solidarity of the people of Dublin with the people of Darfur. He will be joined by representatives of the Africa Centre, Amnesty Irish Section, Concern, the Darfur Solidarity Group, Front Line, the Irish Sudanese Solidarity Group, Trócaire, and other non-governmental-organisations as well as by members of the Sudanese community in Ireland.

The group will then proceed to St. Anne's Church on Dawson Street to conduct an event, which will include testimonies attesting to the suffering of the people of Darfur, as well as music and song.

It is time to put Darfur back on the agenda - please join us for this action and express your solidarity with the people of Darfur.