If what I wrote in the previous entry is all common knowledge to you, here's the activism part.

Here are some ideas:

• Write letters to your Congressperson, the President, or whoever represents you politically.
• Write letters to the U.N.
  Publish an article or write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
• Lobby your legislator, whether local or national.
• Wear a green ribbon or wristband. These can be purchased through the Save Darfur Coalition.
• Start a chapter of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND) at your school.
• Participate in the 100 Days of Action on Darfur, organized by the Genocide Intervention Fund.
• Participate in the National Minute of Silence on March 17.
• Hold events at your school, like letter writing campaigns, teach-ins, vigils, coffee hours, concerts, auctions, photo exhibits, or film screenings.

There are printable photos for exhibits here.

As for films, I highly recommend Hotel Rwanda. The Save Darfur Coalition has put together this action regarding the movie.

Also, there is a documentary that is currently in the works that will consist of interview with survivors of the genocide. It was filmed this past October in Darfur and Chad. The filmmakers want to get it out to as many schools and universities as they can, so stay posted at their website for information.

If you’re in the U.S., contact mtvU about covering your event. They are doing a lot of Darfur activism.

• TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Letter writing

So, you might want to write letters but are unsure how to go about doing it. Here are some ideas.

First, who should you write to?

If you're in the U.S., I'd suggest writing to your Congressman or the President. Your representative is probably the best bet. In order to find their address, go to the Senate or House web page. For local representatives (i.e. for your State Senate or House), try FirstGov.

Outside of the U.S., also try contacting your legislators if you have them. Try this list to find the website. The government site should also link to the head of state's website.

Whereever you are, you can write to your nation's delegation to the U.N. Also, try writing to any of the permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Great Britain, Russia, and the U.S.).

Your local newspaper. This could be a school or university paper, a neighborhood paper, or a town paper. While you certainly can write to big media papers like the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the Guardian, getting your message out locally can be just as, if not more effective.

What should you write?

There are many websites that offer sample letters, so I won't bother posting one here. You can find such letters, as well as other resources, at: the Save Darfur Coalition, Amnesty International (U.S. site), and Genocide Intervention Fund, to begin.

Here are some ideas of what to ask for in your letter:

• Increased (insert your country's name) financial and logistical support for an enlarged African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan.
• Increased (insert your country's name) humanitarian aid. Organizations to bring up include Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders.
• A U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a Chapter VII mandate. Currently, the Security Council has passed a number of resolutions asking that the Sudanese government take actions to end the violence. Sudan has been very good at evading the requests and requirements given by the international community. Right now, there is a Chapter VI mandate, which means that the international community has the permission to go in to "observe and report" with the permission of the Sudanese government. A Chapter VII mandate would allow troops to go in without Sudanese permission and have a greater capacity to protect civilians.
• Referring the perpetrators of the crimes in The Sudan to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The U.N. already has a list of these people, we just need to make them take legal action against them.
• For your country to impose economic sanctions and/or a travel ban on The Sudan. If we hit their economy hard, they will have to listen.
• Impose a no-fly zone over Sudan.

Remember:

• Be polite, concise, and accurate.
• Handwritten letters show that you put a lot of effort into them, but form letters and emails are also fine.
• Try to impress upon your audience that the crisis requires urgent action.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me here or on my livejournal. I am also a beginner activist, so I know where you're coming from!

If anyone's interested in a consolidated resource list, let me know and I'll see what I can do.