Eight student organizations are teaming up today to educate students on human injustices in Darfur.
The UNM community is invited to participate in Darfur Awareness Day from noon to 3 p.m. in Cornell Mall.
Junior Katrice Grant, who helped organize the event, said the genocide in Darfur has been going on since 2003.
"It started when rebel groups organized against the government because they were being oppressed," she said. "They were living in poverty and without food."
The government responded by slaughtering anyone associated with rebel groups, Grant said. Since 2003, 90 percent of the villages in the country have been looted or destroyed and more than 400,000 people have been killed.
"The killing is still ongoing, and people have been displaced and are now living in refugee camps," she said.
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Senior Michaela Brown, a member of Hillel at UNM, was the lead organizer for the event. She said it is important that people understand the gravity of the situation in Darfur.
"We don't think many people know, and we want to educate and make people aware of what is going on," she said.
Brown said student organizations have been excited to get involved.
"I reached out and asked them if they wanted to be part of this group, and so far everyone has said yes," she said.
Each student group will have a booth at the event with informational literature. Between noon and 1 p.m., representatives will speak about different aspects of the genocide.
Documentaries on the conflict in Darfur will be screened all day in the African-American Student Services Center.
Grant said conditions for people in Darfur are still dismal. Women in refugee camps are often raped when they leave to get firewood, she said.
At the event, students can donate money that will go toward buying solar cookers for families in refugee camps.
Brown said students will be invited to sign postcards to send to President Obama, as well as petitions to put an end to the genocide.
"After Rwanda, we said there would never be another genocide that we wouldn't do something about," she said. "This has been going on for over five years, and we have done nothing about it."
Senior Morris Esmiol said students need to be aware of what is happening in Darfur and take initiative on the issue.
Esmiol said the best thing for students to do is educate themselves and join groups that work to help causes like this.
"I think if students knew the gravity of this situation, they would be interested in helping," he said.
Junior Nathan Daron said he is glad student organizations are hosting the event because he didn't know the details of the conflict in Darfur.
"I had no idea that is what is going on," he said. "It's disturbing and needs to stop."
Grant said she wants the event to inform people and compel them to participate.
"People need to look outside their own concerns and realize this is a big deal," she said. "It's easy to come for 10 minutes and learn about what is going on. It is our responsibility."
Darfur Awareness Day
Today, Noon-3 p.m.
Cornell Mall>
