War in Darfur Over

According to the out-going commander of the UN and African Union troops in Darfur, the war between rebel forces, the government-allied janjaweed militia, and government military forces is over. According to Gen. Agwai:

Banditry, localised issues, people trying to resolve issues over water and land at a local level. But real war as such, I think we are over that.

For the full story, see the BBC article.

There is no news, however, on what will happen regarding the out-standing arrest warrant for President al-Bashir.

Shalom,
Drew

"You are the ones who have to speak out."

Secretary of State Clinton is in the Democratic Republic of Congo right now speaking out about the mass atrocities being carried out in the region, including those by the LRA.

Speaking to a group of Congolese students, she says:

You are the ones who have to speak out. Speak out to end the corruption, the violence, the conflict that for too long have eroded the opportunities across this country.

Read the full article from the BBC here.

It's that time again...

That wondrous time when you drop four digits on text books, school fees, and the like; when freshmen roam campus with that lost/scared/excited look on their face; when you check OASIS every hour to see if that class you want has opened up; when you throw everything in the car and make the long (or short) trip back to Athens.

So here's a list of things you can do to make yourself feel better about the coming school year:

1. Well, ok, I can't think of anything to make you feel better about how much school fees are, but;
2. When you see that terrified freshman, invite them to IC. It's a great way to get involved and meet people.
3. All of that time on OASIS? Well, if you're going to spend that mad money on attending here, you may as well take a class you like, right?
4. As you pack up to come back to school, remember to bring your totally awesome Invisible Children shirts to look cool and promote the club at the same time.

And if you're still not excited, then just think of all the good you can be doing when you get back up here! The LRA Disarmament Bill is being debated in Congress right now! (By the way, if you wanted to write a letter to your representatives and senators, this would be a great time to do it.) And if you missed Lobby Days, like I did, you can catch up by reading former-fearless-leader Meredith's blog post from the event. And while you're there, you can read up about what she did in Uganda.

See you soon.

Shalom,
Drew

Chicago Rescued

Chicago has been rescued by none other than the queen of media herself, Oprah Winfrey.

They'll be on the show today.

Chicago

Gavin DeGraw rescued Richmond, VA, which means that Chicago is the only city left.

Two Cities Left

There are only two cities left to be rescued: Chicago, IL and Richmond, VA.

They've been at it for nearly four days now.

Head on over to the White House website and send President Obama a message encouraging him to rescue these cities.

And be sure to stop by the Rescue "Night Of" site to check for updates.

Shalom,
Drew

Rep. John Lewis Arrested

If you were at The Rescue on Saturday, you probably saw John Lewis, the congressional representative for Atlanta's fifth district.

Well, his support of peace in the African Great Lakes region didn't stop there.

Rep. Lewis and five other members of Congress were arrested during a protest in support of the Save Darfur Coalition. In a bold act of civil disobedience, the congressmen crossed a police line at the Sudanese embassy and refused to move.

Link.

Shalom,
Drew