9-09-05, 8:59 am

To mark the one-year anniversary of the Bush Administration’s declaration of genocide in Darfur, Sudan, hundreds of activists joined leadership figures at a rally outside the White House today to denounce the continuing failure of political leadership from President Bush on this crisis. The death toll in Darfur now stands at more than 400,000 people, with a further 2.5 million people displaced and left homeless as a result of the ongoing government-sponsored genocide.

Salih Booker, Executive Director of Africa Action, said today, 'As Americans struggle to cope with the President’s failure of leadership on the domestic front in the horrific aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we must also condemn the President’s failure of political leadership on the international front, where he has failed to act to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur, and the death toll continues to mount.'

Speakers and activists at today’s event emphasized the urgent need for protection for the people of Darfur, and called on President Bush to take every step necessary to ensure an immediate multinational intervention to support the African Union and provide security to Darfur.

Ruth Messinger, President of American Jewish World Service, said, 'As Jews who understand the consequences of silence and indifference in the face of genocide, we must respond to the crisis in Darfur and increase pressure on the international community to end the violence and suffering. No-one can stand silently by.'

Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, said, 'It is unacceptable for us to sit idly by as people die. This is true whether it is in the Deep South or Darfur, Sudan. This genocide is one of the greatest horrors of our day. We urge people of conscience everywhere to call on our leaders to take action now before events force us to one day have to confess our sin of negligence and complicity.'

Today’s event also saw the release of a petition signed by many tens of thousands of Americans, calling on the President to act urgently to provide protection to the people of Darfur. Across the country, citizen engagement on the crisis in Darfur continues to grow, as Americans raise their voices to emphasize that genocide cannot be ignored.

Rev. Jim Wallis, Founder an Editor-in-Chief of Sojourners Magazine, said today, 'People of faith are united in their call for bold and immediate Presidential leadership in order to restore hope and security to the people of Darfur. Now is the time to put real meaning behind the words 'never again'.'

Fatima Haroun of the Sudan Peace Advocates Network said today, 'The people of Darfur have suffered more than enough already. It is time for international action to stop the violence and bring relief and peace to this troubled region.'

David Rubenstein, Coordinator of the Save Darfur Coalition, said today, 'The Save Darfur Coalition’s 134 member organizations represent more than 130 million Americans. We call on President Bush – one year after he recognized the genocide in Darfur – to take decisive and effective action to end the violence that is brutalizing innocent civilians in Darfur.'

Today’s event was organized by Africa Action, American Jewish World Service, Armenian National Committee of America, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Faithful America, Greater Washington Jewish Task Force on Darfur, NAACP, National Council of Churches, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Save Darfur Coalition, Sojourners, STAND, Sudan Peace Advocates Network, TransAfrica Forum, and the United Methodist Church.