New RSO takes a 'STAND' on Darfur

Jordan Haiduk / The Bulletin

John Leach, senior social science major and Anthony Westdy, junior and pre-med major, help to run the first STAND meeting. During their first meeting STAND accomplished planning community service hours, passing out petitions and numerous other activities for STAND.

Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND) held their first official meeting yesterday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. The group was officially approved as a recognized student organization during last week’s Associated Student Government meeting.

“The idea for this group was originally a class project but the more research I did the more I realized that this was something I wanted others to be aware of too,” said Leah Wright, junior secondary education major. “I think that the club is small but it’s something that I can do to make other people aware of the terrible genocide taking place in Darfur.”

The group has three different individuals that serve as executive heads. They did this because they believe that many groups at Emporia State have a high turnover rate in the area of leadership. By having three executive heads, they hope there will be an experienced individual around when another executive leader graduates or leaves.

The meeting was largely held in order to educate on the issues at hand. The republic of Sudan has been forging civil war for about 40 years and the Sudanese government has helped to commit human right abuses to include forced starvation, denial of international humanitarian aid, enforced enslavement of women and children and the forced displacement of civilians.

The Janjaweed militia aids the Sudanese government to commit these crimes against the inhabitants of Darfur. More than 400,000 people have been killed, and more than 2.5 million individuals have been driven from their homes. Many are now in refugee camps in the country of Chad and over three million are without clean water or health care. According to STAND, for every day that goes by without action, 500 people will die and security at refugee camps in Chad will continue to deteriorate.

“This is obviously a huge issue that needs to be taken care of,” said Danielle Taylor, sophomore nursing major. “This could be considered in comparison to the Holocaust and Hitler’s attempt at exterminating the Jews. That was considered genocide and so is this. No one should suffer like the individuals in Darfur are suffering.”

The group members also introduced themselves and discussed fundraising ideas that they could work on to exercise awareness about Darfur and contribute to organizations that are helping to fight against this genocide. Although the group’s main area of concern is the genocide in Darfur, they also address any type of situation where individuals are not being allowed basic human rights.

Another idea that the group proposed was to continue to write letters to government officials about how the United States needs to take greater action toward ending the struggles in Darfur. STAND plans on hosting a movie night next Wedensday in Science Hall 72 where they will show “Lost Boys of Sudan.” The time is still to be announced. Anyone with questions about the group can contact Leah Wright at 913-205-1329.

“I like the ideas that the group was presenting,” said Michael Smith, assistant professor of political sciences and faculty advisor for STAND. “I’m very excited. I like the ambition and the opportunity that they are presenting. I’m here as moral support and as their advisor. I think they have a great cause and I wanted to get involved.”