Darfur Fasters Begin Week Four

For Immediate Release October 27, 2006

West Chester, PA. Thursday, October 5, 2006, the first four fasters began their daily decrease in food to roughly half the calories required for health, 1000 calories per day on average. This is more than two to four million native African Darfuries receive from the aid organizations working at the starvation camps created by their Arab government. That government in Khartoum, Sudan is now killing those same aid workers.

"Darfur is Dying for heroes," said Rosemary, a mid 40's conservative, Christian writer in California (www.capitalistrosie.blogspot.com/ Causes of Interest) who is on a 400 calorie per day Hunger Strike. "During the Holocaust, Jews were saved from extermination by 10,000 plus "rescuers," citizen heroes that risked everything, including their immediate families to save others. 'Never Again' means nothing if not 'Never Again so few heroes in the face of Genocide'; Darfur is Dying for Heroes."

Rescue Darfur Fast-Till-Genocide-Stops is a call to we-the-people-of-the-world to a global Fast. This is a form of a mass Hunger Strike. It is a way to finally, forcefully and unmistakably make our mandate to the world's governments known, so as to end the genocide in Darfur, now. More information at: DARFUR: Dying for Heroes.

"This Rescue Darfur Fast is my way of fighting with commitment, paying a high price to stop the Genocide. When I find an even more committed way in which I can stand against this slaughter of our family in Darfur, I'll take it," Rosemary explained.

"For me, the global Rescue Darfur Fast is a first step in understanding the pain of those in need," said David, a mid 20's small business owner in New Jersey. "My fast is about 1,300 calories per day but I find this a meaningful commitment because in addition to working seven days per week I am an avid athlete. It is pretty tough, I'm frequently hungry. But so is my family Darfur."

Since early 2003, the government of Sudan has been waging a campaign of genocide against targeted African communities in Darfur, western Sudan. In September 2004, the Bush Administration courageously recognized that genocide was taking place in Darfur, yet the world has failed to respond to this crisis with the urgency that is required.

Over 450,000 people have lost their lives in Darfur since the genocide began. More than 2.5 million people have been displaced, their livelihoods and villages destroyed by government forces and their proxy militias, and many thousands of women and girls have been raped by these forces.

Recent reports confirm that the government-sponsored violence continues in Darfur, and that the security situation is deteriorating. The humanitarian crisis that forms part of the genocide is escalating, as the government of Sudan continues to obstruct humanitarian operations, creating famine conditions for millions of vulnerable people (source: Africa Action.)

"I always believed if I were faced with the Holocaust in my lifetime, I would take a stand and try to stop it," said Mary Rachel a mid 20's Catholic, business woman, athlete, wife in Pennsylvania. "Today, I am faced with the Genocide in Darfur and I must stand. Although a small effort, this fast connects me to my family in Darfur and it may be the loudest way I can fight this atrocity."

The fourth of these initial Rescue Darfur Fasters, Jay, is a mid 50's business executive turned full time volunteer activist. Jay joined the Fast following his four month White House Vigil and a two months water only Hunger Strike for Darfur (Stand With Darfur White House II.) "The Community that supports me needs my support now, so regretfully I must leave the White House Vigil for a time," said Jay.

"Even more than my continued blogging and other publishing regarding Darfur, the Rescue Darfur Fast is the way I can pay more than 'lip service' to my family Darfur's need without abandoning others in my immediate family here in the US who also depend on me."