During Pacific Union College's weekly colloquy meeting on Feb. 7, students heard firsthand stories of the atrocities taking place in Darfur. As part of "Voices from Darfur," a national speaking tour sponsored by the Save Darfur Coalition in Washington, D.C., Ibrahim Musa Adam shared his nightmare of losing 20 family members in one day.
Adam lived in northern Darfur in the village of Jadara. His village of about 3,000 was attacked in July 2003 by the Sudanese army and members of the Janjaweed militia. Eighty villagers, including 20 of Adam’s family members, were killed. Adam still has more than 100 relatives in six different refugee and internally displaced persons camps, and more than 80 villages have since been attacked.
Today Adam lives in Rockford, Illinois. He hopes to one day return to Darfur and help rebuild the region. Meanwhile, he shares his experience with the “Voices from Darfur” speaking tour and takes part in activist organizations.
The second speaker at the colloquy program, veterinarian and author Abu Asal, grew up in Al-fashir near western Darfur. Asal was arrested and tortured while participating in the Darfur Students Association as a college student, and later exiled because of a short story he wrote that was considered insensitive of the Sudanese government.
Asal worked for the Sudan Organization Against Torture, Refugee Legal Aid Project, and the Africa and Middle East Refugee Assistance while living in Egypt. He moved to Massachusetts two and a half years ago, and works on his third novel when not touring with “Voices From Darfur.”
Young adults have traditionally been at the forefront of social justice movements, and Asal told PUC students he hopes Darfur will be no different. “We need volunteer workers in Sudan, and we need pressure placed on our government. It’s an election year, and these candidates can help turn the focus on the victims.” Asal’s last few words reminded the audience of a familiar belief. He urged that they think of the people of Darfur as their own kin. Human beings are all part of the same race, all connected by bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood.
As the morning program came to a close, both speakers stayed to answer questions from the audience. Asal mentioned that both sides of the conflict are from the Muslim faith. The conflict is over power, and while Sudan is surrounded by nine different countries, no Muslim or Arab country is willing to help. “Governments are not always concerned with human rights,” Asal reiterates. Some countries are even trying to protect the Sudanese government because of economic ties.
"Voices from Darfur" features first-hand accounts from refugees who escaped the conflict region. Speakers Adam and Asal were invited to the college by the PUC chapter of Amnesty International. The student chapter works to spread information and awareness about injustice and social issues, as well as taking action by writing letters to political leaders. The club has monthly meetings and information sessions open to the campus.
