The Santa Fe New Mexican (New Mexico)
February 24, 2008 Sunday
MY VIEW: ‘NEVER AGAIN’ SLOGAN IS BUT PRELUDE TO ACTION
by HELENTY HOMANS
The 20th century saw more than its share of genocides. Six million
died in the Holocaust. More than a million died during the genocide
in Armenia. Estimates of the number who died during the Cambodian
genocide are around 1.7 million. Almost a million died in Rwanda.
Now, in the first genocide of the 21st century, hundreds of thousands
have died so far in Darfur. And although we have said "never again,"
people are continuing to die in that region. How many more are we
willing to let be slaughtered before we raise our voices in protest?
Taking inspiration from Margaret Mead, who said "Never doubt that a
small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed it’s the only thing that ever has," the Darfur Action
Committee and the organization Camp Darfur late last year brought to
the Santa Fe Plaza an installation of five tents about these
genocides.
That weekend more than 800 people signed petitions asking President
George W. Bush and United Nations Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad to take
leadership in bringing peace to Darfur; asking the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games Committee and Chinese President Hu Jintao to use their
influence in Sudan to persuade Khartoum to protect civilians; asking
New Mexico’s congressional delegation to co-sponsor the Genocide
Accountability Act; and asking all New Mexico managers of investment
funds to refuse to invest in targeted companies doing business with
Sudan.
If we really mean "never again," here are four things we can all do:
* Right now, the peacekeeping mission in Darfur does not have any of
the 24 helicopters it needs to protect the people of Darfur, even
though NATO countries have 18,000 helicopters they could contribute.
Call 202-456-1111 to tell President Bush to lead the world in making
sure the peacekeepers get the 24 helicopters they need.
* This month, the organization Save Darfur highlighted its January
heroes, a couple who on their wedding day asked their guests not to
give gifts, but rather to donate to the organization Save Darfur. We
can all do the same when we plan birthday parties, bar mitzvahs and
anniversary celebrations. Go to for more
information.
* We applaud the Educational Retirement Board for its commitment to
divest from worst-offender companies doing business with Sudan. Call
or write Thornburg Investment Management
(119 East Marcy Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501, 800-847-0200) and Public
Employees Retirement Association (1120 Paseo de Peralta, 87501,
505-827-4700) and ask them to do likewise.
* The Tent2Tent program is a variation of the sister city model. Any
club, church, neighborhood, school group, or other entity can be
connected with displaced Darfur refugees living in a tent, developing
a relationship through videos, letters, photos and personal messages.
Go to for more information.
We can no longer claim, as so many who did nothing during previous
genocides, that we are unaware of what is happening while others are
being systematically slaughtered. Let’s now take our awareness into
action.
This "My View" was
signed by Helenty Homans and five additional members of
The Darfur Action Committee in Santa Fe.