Thursday, March 05, 2009

Action Alert: Your help is needed now!

Dear Jill,

Yesterday, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President al-Bashir. This is a game changing moment for the crisis in Darfur and the people of Sudan as a whole, and must become a catalyzing moment for peace.

There is great danger, however, that Bashir may exploit this moment to increase violence in Darfur and continue his genocidal campaign.

The U.S. must lead an urgent, intense and sustained diplomatic push to ensure the continued flow of humanitarian aid and end the genocide in Darfur. We need your help to ensure that Secretary of State Clinton gets the message.

Text message Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at 90822 to make sure she knows that the potential catastrophe in Darfur must be her immediate priority. Then click here to let us know you've sent a text.

Secretary Clinton will be reading questions texted to her on her current overseas trip and responding online when she returns. This is a unique way to have a profound impact—directing the attention of our nation's chief diplomat to the crisis in Sudan.

It's essential to act now. President Bashir's response to the arrest warrant has been predictably outrageous—he has launched a crackdown on humanitarian aid organizations, reportedly ordering a dozen major aid operations to leave the country.

U.N. officials have previously stated that up to 100,000 people could die each month in Darfur if the fragile humanitarian system collapses. The U.S. and the international community must not allow this to happen.

Text Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at 90822 and tell her that an urgent, intense and sustained diplomatic push by the United States is critical. Then click here to report your text so we know how many supporters are speaking out.

Bashir is testing the waters—and the nerve—of the international community.

Targeting humanitarian aid structures could be only a first step in Bashir's new effort to finish what he started in Darfur. The world must ensure that Bashir's policies of divide and slaughter in Darfur—whether by violence or by forced starvation—are reversed. Bashir must not be allowed to continue his business as usual.

Thanks for all you do.

Sincerely,

Jerry Fowler
Save Darfur Coalition

P.S. On March 9th at 4:00 PM EST, Omer Ismail and I will respond to urgent developments in Darfur at a live webcast presented by the Save Darfur Coalition and the Enough Project. Click here to sign up to participate in the webcast.

Donate to Help Save Darfur
Help build the political pressure needed to end the crisis in Darfur by supporting the Save Darfur Coalition's crucial awareness and advocacy programs. Click here now to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation.

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