You’ve no doubt heard about blood diamonds by now and are vaguely familiar with this concept. What you may or may not be aware of is that several other products have blood on them as well.

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By Alexa Huffman

As Southern Sudan ended its independence referendum on Saturday, it was clear that this was a humanitarian situation that gained some exposure partly because of celebrity activism.

Comedian Jon Stewart recently brought up Sudan during a segment on his late night satirical television program the Daily Show. He used comedy to inform an audience of the importance of the referendum. George Clooney was a figure in one of Stewart’s quips. This related well because George Clooney attempts to use his fame to help those in need, particular those lives that are threatened in Sudan.  He has been a commanding presence in promoting the birth of South Sudan as a nation.

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Friends,

Today, Sudan will undergo a historic vote that will change the future of their country. Experts agree that the referendum beginning today will result in approval for independence for southern Sudan. Yet the vote is only the first step in splitting this vast nation. Violence in border regions between the North and South have already been reported in the lead up to the vote, and many fear that voting stations in the north or in other countries, including Canada will be rigged and tampered. In addition, indications that the results will not be revealed until February raise legitimate concerns about transparency. Sudan will have a long road ahead in the next few months to ensure a peaceful secession.

While the Canadian government has said little publicly about the vote, the Canadian media has only started to print articles about it within the last week.  Very few have discussed Canada’s role in the shaping of this new country, yet the presence of international support is deemed necessary for a peaceful succession. Today, as the Sudanese population begi ns takes their turn at the polling booth, I ask that you let Canada’s media know that you want our government to increase its involvement in the region. Take a few minutes to leave an online comment on a recent news story about Sudan or write a letter to the editor of the newspaper.

Not sure what to say? The January Stand Digest provides a great overview of the lead up to the election as well as Canada’s current role in Sudan. Here are some suggested talking points to draw from:

“Canada should push Sudan to repeal prohibitions on freedom of speech and assembly, increase transparency in the referendum, process, financially support voter education programs, and remove logistical and technical barriers.”

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by Alexa Huffman

It is hard to find a university campus that doesn’t have activist groups. The university I attend, Ryerson University, has many campus groups including an active chapter of Journalists for Human Rights. So it comes as no surprise to me when I read about U.S. university students taking the initiative to help end the trade of conflict materials from the Congo.

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Friends,

There is exactly one month left until the South Sudanese Referendum. In 31 days, Sudan will hold a historic election to determine if South Sudan will become an independent country.

Thanks to your support this year, Stand Canada has spent the months leading up to the election reminding the Canadian government that we care about the future of Sudan. We have met with Members of Parliament, submitted petitions, and sent letters and emails. Hundreds of calls have been made to 1-800-Genocid(e) reminding the Canadian government that we care.

Our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Members of Parliament have answered our calls and emails, contacted us about our petitions, and listened to witnesses about the importance of the upcoming referendum. The Government of Canada recently announced funding upgrades to the Southern Sudan Police to ensure a peaceful referendum process. Our efforts have ensured that Sudan stays on the Canadian government’s list of things to address in the coming year.

This holiday season, I ask that you continue to support our efforts by giving a gift to Stand Canada. Your donation will keep our advocacy efforts alive by helping to ensure our 1-800-Genocid(e) hotline continues to run in 2011. As a volunteer-driven advocacy organization, one hundred percent of your donation will be used for our advocacy tools and resources for our members to continue to meet with MPs and make action against genocide a priority. Please click here to donate directly.

Better yet, start your own Stand Gift Campaign to reach out to friends and family. If 10 of us raise $50 this holiday season, we can keep 1-800-Genocid(e) running for over a month; if 100 supporters do it, we can keep it running for over a year.

Not sure how? It’s easy! To start your own Gift campaign, go to www.pincgiving.com. Register, and create your own pledge page. Enter in your details to create a campaign – make sure to choose Stand Canada as your organization and http://www.standcanada.org as the website! You can set your goal to whatever you like – I set mine to $100. Share the link on Facebook, Twitter, and via email. Keep us updated on your progress! As thanks, we will feature the top fundraisers in our newsletters and blog.

These small steps of support are what Stand Canada is all about. Thank you for supporting Stand Canada’s efforts – together, we can ensure that 2011 is a year which brings peace to Sudan.

Wishing you all a peaceful holiday season,

Elham
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Elham Bidgoli
Principal Director