This Sunday, Sept. 17, thousands will gather in cities across the country and the world to rally against the continuing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. The rallies are being coordinated by the Save Darfur Coalition and will take place in more than 18 states and 20 cities, including a rally in Central Park, New York city. The National Council of Churches (NCC), of which the United Methodist Church is a member, is a founding member of the Save Darfur Coalition (SDC).

It is estimated that nearly a half of a million people have been killed in three years of genocide by Janjaweed, militants supported by the Sudanese government. While the United Nations passed a resolution in May authorizing the use of U.N. peacekeeping forces, the Sudanese government has yet to banish the militias and allow U.N. forces in.

African Union troops, a coalition of troops from around the continent, have been the only defense Darfurians have had against the genocide, yet the Sudanese government has asked for their withdrawal by Oct. 1. International aid workers have tried to set up refugee camps, but the lack of essentials means most of these camps are overrun with disease.

Similar rallies are set to take place throughout the United States, from Washington to North Carolina to Idaho to California. Indiana will be the site of two rallies on Sunday, one on the steps of the courthouse in Fort Wayne and the other in the chapel of North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis.

The Fort Wayne rally will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. There will be music from the Three Rivers Jenbe Ensemble along with speakers from all faiths, ethnicities and political spectrums.

The Indianapolis rally will start at 7 p.m., North Church is located at the corner of 38th and Meridian St.

The rallies will, among other things, help to promote the three main goals of the SDC. First, U.N. peacekeeping forces must be allowed into the country to protect the nearly 2.5 million refugees. Second, the U.S. must use diplomatic pressure to persuade the warring groups to stop killing innocent people.

Finally, U.S. companies (locally, Indiana companies) must be pressured to cut business ties with Sudan, Sudanese companies or other international companies that do business in Sudan. Sunday’s rallies beg the question, "Instead of mourning genocide, what if you could stop one?"

A bulletin insert, with words from Bishop Coyner on Darfur, a prayer and actions to be taken next week with Senator Lugar and President Bush, is available here. (Bulletin insert)