Save Darfur: VIPs appeal to Bundeskanzler Merkel

FAIRPLANET & SOCIETY FOR THREATENED PEOPLES

With an appeal by many VIPs from the world of music, TV, sport and culture to help the black African population in Darfur, which is threatened by genocide, and to impose sanctions on the Sudanese government, Fairplanet and the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) wrote on Friday to Bundeskanzler Merkel. "It is a question of humanity to no longer accept these murders”, says the appeal, which is signed among others by Anne Will, Roger Willemsen, Nina Ruge, Franziska van Almsick, Stefanie Hertel, Peter Maffay and the Mannheim sons. The appeal marks the start of the broad information campaign RettetDarfur.de (SaveDarfur), which is being launched by Fairplanet and the GfbV for the Global Day for Darfur at a press conference in Berlin. In more than 300 cities in 35 countries campaigns, demonstrations and vigils are taking place this weekend.

The internet portal RettetDarfur.de (SaveDarfur.de) has been launched in the past few days. "Information on the fate of the civilian population in Darfur is now easily available”, said Ute Schechtel from Fairplanet. "Petitions can be downloaded from RettetDarfur.de, information can be found about campaigns and we try to show why we think that politics has so far failed.”

The singer Cosmo Klein, who has also signed the appeal to Angela Merkel, emphasised that it is important to make the general public aware of what is happening in Darfur. "I think it is dreadful how little this catastrophe is recognized in the media and how cautiously politicians are reacting.”

"Europe’s political realism towards Sudan stops at nothing” was the criticism of Ahmed Musa, spokesperson of the Darfur-Hilfe (Münster) on the inertia of the European governments. For this reason the GfbV Africa expert, Ulrich Delius, appealed urgently to the Bundeskanzler at the press conference: "Frau Merkel, stand by your word not to forget Africa! The people in Darfur are waiting for your assistance – now!” About 400,000 people have so far fallen victim to the genocide. Approximately 2.7 million have been driven out by Arab mounted militia supported by the Sudanese army and air-force. The survival of three million people depends on shipments of aid.

"We are sounding the alarm – Save Darfur!” is the motto of the appeal of the GfbV on Sunday, 29th April at a procession from the Brandenburger Tor to the Potsdamer Platz. The participants will at 5 minute to 12 sound alarm-clocks, saucepans and drums to remind the public that the people in Darfur are defenceless at the mercy of mounted militia, Sudanese arms and air-force. At the same time the RettetDarfur.de video-clip series by the well-known New York film director Noaz Deshe will be shown on the video-screen at the Sony Centre at the Potsdamer Platz. In his films Deshe takes up the subject of "the feeling of personal loss”, which so many people have to suffer every day.