ACTION ALERT

Friends,

The world seems to be changing all around us.

From regime changes in Tunisia and Egypt, to reports this week of protests in Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, Algeria and Iran, citizens across the world who are dissatisfied with their leaders are voicing their unrest. And the world is taking notice.

In line with these demonstrations have been the protests in Khartoum, Sudan.  Led by a leader who has been charged with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, the people of Sudan have tried to voice their dissent as well. Yet, they have been largely ignored by the international community.

Though Sudan’s President recently announced that he will not be running again when his term ends in 2015, the people of Sudan can’t afford to wait that long for change.

Seven years on, Darfur remains a region of violence.

Seven years on, thousands of people have been displaced and are living in camps, relying largely on aid groups to stay alive.

Seven years on, the Sudanese government still perpetuates violence and expels international aid when they think no one is looking.

Earlier this month, our Prime Minister issued a statement commending the commitment by the government in Khartoum to respect the outcome of the recent secession vote.  He stated that Canada stands ready to assist Sudan and South Sudan as they each respectively prepare for their post-referendum future.  To ensure that this is a peaceful future, the government of Canada must hold the Sudanese government accountable.

Today, I ask you to let the government of Canada know that you have not forgotten the people of Sudan. Call your local MP or contact our leaders through 1-800-Genocide.  Here is a suggested talking point:

“The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development recommended that Canada to send a high-level delegation to North and South Sudan.  I support this recommendation, and believe that it should include both Ministers and opposition MPs. It should convey our interest in a peaceful future for Sudan, including Darfur. It should also assess, with civil society, needs on the ground and establish how Canada can best help.”

For more suggested talking points, click here.

Let our leaders know that the people of Sudan deserve a chance for peace and stability.

In peace,

Elham Bidgoli

Principal Director

Stand Canada

As Stand continues to push Canada to make responding to and preventing genocide a cornerstone of its foreign policy, it is worthwhile to briefly reflect on some of the goods and bads of the genocide response world.

The Good

In comparison to past genocides, advocacy groups now have the strength of online communication to mobilize rapidly, and ensure that our governments prevent and respond to mass atrocities. In the case of Darfur, the public response around the world was large and rapid. Though hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost, and millions remain displaced and face an uncertain future, the violence has slowed dramatically since the peak in 2003-2004. It is not an overstatement to say that groups like Stand helped influence policy, resulting in the approval of the UNAMID peacekeeping force of 26000 personnel, to help provide security. This amounts to the largest peacekeeping mission ever, and though it hasn’t solved the problem, it has likely saved countless lives so far.

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by Laurie Drake

Two weeks ago, I attended a lecture given by Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire during which he discussed the importance of leading the future instead of managing it.  As I was sitting in the auditorium, the difference between these two words, which I previously tended to conflate, became more clear.  As Dallaire eloquently explained, management involves dealing with the problems in front of you, while leadership implies proactive thinking; choosing your future instead of coping with it.  As these words and ideas festered in my brain I began to think about how easy it is to confuse these two ideas and how leadership, if mistakenly taken to mean management, establishes unnecessary boundaries around the possible.

The term ‘manager’ appears so often that I wonder sometimes if we even consider what it means and what it connotes.  A quick look into the definition of the word reveals that it refers to a title or position within an organizational structure.  Organizational structures, by and large, have limits. They are models intended to mitigate risk and improve efficiency, but all within clear delineated borders. Leadership, on the other hand, is limitless – there are no ceilings or parameters to leadership.  Instead, the term suggests something bigger than a system.  In essence, people manage problems, but individuals lead change.

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About six months ago, I asked a close friend to look-over my résumé when preparing to look for summer work. When commenting about my work in activism, she gave me some advice.

“Maybe tone down the emphasis on political volunteer stuff,” she said when emailing my résumé back to me. “When people think politics and young people, idiotic radicals often come to mind. You, of course, intend to look like a well-groomed, clean, young, conservative professional. No wacky hippie political bullshit.”

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