We must not stay silent!

Hawaii Family Forum/Hawaii Catholic Conference is among the key participants in the newly-formed Hawaii Coalition for Darfur, which is calling on Hawaii’s people of faith to observe the worldwide weekend of prayer and action for Darfur, Dec. 8-10.

Darfur has been described as the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. Approximately 400,000 people have lost their lives and 2.5 million Sudanese people have been displaced. Millions more are at risk of starvation.

Sudan is the largest country in Africa and the destruction in Darfur has been perpetrated by the Sudanese government and its allied Janjaweed militias. The United Nations Security Council resolution calls for replacing an inadequate African Union force with a much larger U.N. force, which would be able to finally bring protection to the civilians in continued danger. However, this resolution has met with strong resistance from Sudanese authorities. Even the most recent hopeful signs of an agreement seem again to be slipping away as resistance continues.

And the people of Darfur continue to die. We can stay silent no more.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops warned in early 2004 that Darfur was “rapidly becoming the newest symbol of human depravity and ethnic cleansing.” In an Easter plea from Pope Benedict XVI, the international community was urged to “bring relief and security ... to the peoples of Darfur, who are living in a dramatic humanitarian situation that is no longer sustainable.”

Once we truly understand the depth and nature of tragedies like Darfur, we often feel helpless and believe we are inadequate to make any difference. The antidote to those feelings: prayer and action for the people of Darfur. Jesus loves the people of Darfur and has commanded us to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Here are some concrete steps we can take together as a community of faith.

Proclaim Sunday, Dec. 10, to be a “Day of Prayer and Action for Darfur” at your parish.

Log on to the Hawaii Family Forum — www.hawaiifamilyforum.org — for a complete toolkit for involvement. The toolkit includes background information, sermon notes, USCCB statements and links to other resources. It also includes information about contacting government officials to urge immediate and strong U.N. action to stop the genocide.

You may also check out the national Save Darfur Coalition website at www.savedarfur.org to register your voice with the countless others beginning to take a stand for the victims in Darfur.

If your church does get involved, please contact Eva Andrade at HFF/HCC at 203-6704, or e-mail her at info@hawaiifamilyforum.org to let us know you joined in the Dec. 10 worldwide day of prayer and action. Mahalo.

The only scandalous response to what may be your new awareness of the genocide in Darfur: Silence. Let’s be silent no more!

See www.hawaiicoalitionfordarfur.com