SHS students raise awareness about Darfur conflict
SHS students raise awareness about Darfur conflict
By Amanda Estes
Staff writer
More than 200 students at Scarborough High School spent last Thursday in silence, relying on notebooks, hand gestures and head nods to communicate to their classmates and teachers.
A student group, “SHS for Darfur Relief,” challenged students to stay silent from the moment they woke up to the time they went to bed in an effort to spread awareness about the conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
Since 2003, the Sudanese military and a government supported militia group, the Janjaweed, have been fighting two rebel groups – the Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement. The rebels want the Sudanese government to take action to increase development in the country. The military and the Janjaweed have reacted by attacking rebel supporting civilians and ethnic groups including the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
Allison Brusie, a junior at Scarborough and co-founder of the group, said she learned about Darfur three years ago, as the conflict was just beginning.
“I read two articles about it in a class and attempted to convince my youth group to help, but the kids were young and couldn’t grasp what was happening, so nothing was done,” she said.
So Brusie, along with classmate Camille Jania, started her own group. About a month ago, the two learned that another classmate, Sam Andrews, was doing a day of silence for Darfur on his own, so they invited him to attend their next meeting.
With the support of the administration and the teachers, the group spent the week trying to educate students about the conflict. On Monday, the group asked teachers to allow their students to draw stick figures in their second period classes.
“We had them each draw 20 stick figures, (with) each one representing 20,000 people who had died, and then we displayed them on the wall,” said Brusie.
On Tuesday, students signed up for the silence event and received an armband and a piece of paper to demonstrate their participation. Brusie said that nearly 275 students signed up.
“It was a lot more difficult than most people thought it would be,” said Brusie. “No one, not even me, actually stayed silent the whole day. But the amount of people who signed up and the amount of people who participated was encouraging.”
When asked what she thought people should know about Darfur, Brusie said, “I think they should simply realize just how bad it is. Global warming has dried up Darfur’s water source…and without water, food is hard to come by. It contributes largely to the deaths caused by malnutrition and dehydration.”
“Also, I don’t think people understand just how brutal the killings are,” she said. “Women are raped, then cotton is stuffed in their mouth and set on fire. Castrations are common. Entire villages are burned.”
“I think if people just do a little bit of research on the topic, they won’t be able to ignore it any longer,” she said.
Although she hopes the conflict in Darfur will be resolved soon, Brusie hopes the group will continue on in some aspect after she graduates next year. She said Kate Thomas, co-president of the group, suggested that the group join Amnesty International so they can help others in different areas of the world.
“Our next project is to have a fundraiser, possibly an open mic night, concert or dance,” she said.
Brusie also said she would like the group to write to Maine senators and attend a rally together.
By Amanda Estes
Staff writer
More than 200 students at Scarborough High School spent last Thursday in silence, relying on notebooks, hand gestures and head nods to communicate to their classmates and teachers.
A student group, “SHS for Darfur Relief,” challenged students to stay silent from the moment they woke up to the time they went to bed in an effort to spread awareness about the conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
Since 2003, the Sudanese military and a government supported militia group, the Janjaweed, have been fighting two rebel groups – the Sudanese Liberation Army/Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement. The rebels want the Sudanese government to take action to increase development in the country. The military and the Janjaweed have reacted by attacking rebel supporting civilians and ethnic groups including the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
Allison Brusie, a junior at Scarborough and co-founder of the group, said she learned about Darfur three years ago, as the conflict was just beginning.
“I read two articles about it in a class and attempted to convince my youth group to help, but the kids were young and couldn’t grasp what was happening, so nothing was done,” she said.
So Brusie, along with classmate Camille Jania, started her own group. About a month ago, the two learned that another classmate, Sam Andrews, was doing a day of silence for Darfur on his own, so they invited him to attend their next meeting.
With the support of the administration and the teachers, the group spent the week trying to educate students about the conflict. On Monday, the group asked teachers to allow their students to draw stick figures in their second period classes.
“We had them each draw 20 stick figures, (with) each one representing 20,000 people who had died, and then we displayed them on the wall,” said Brusie.
On Tuesday, students signed up for the silence event and received an armband and a piece of paper to demonstrate their participation. Brusie said that nearly 275 students signed up.
“It was a lot more difficult than most people thought it would be,” said Brusie. “No one, not even me, actually stayed silent the whole day. But the amount of people who signed up and the amount of people who participated was encouraging.”
When asked what she thought people should know about Darfur, Brusie said, “I think they should simply realize just how bad it is. Global warming has dried up Darfur’s water source…and without water, food is hard to come by. It contributes largely to the deaths caused by malnutrition and dehydration.”
“Also, I don’t think people understand just how brutal the killings are,” she said. “Women are raped, then cotton is stuffed in their mouth and set on fire. Castrations are common. Entire villages are burned.”
“I think if people just do a little bit of research on the topic, they won’t be able to ignore it any longer,” she said.
Although she hopes the conflict in Darfur will be resolved soon, Brusie hopes the group will continue on in some aspect after she graduates next year. She said Kate Thomas, co-president of the group, suggested that the group join Amnesty International so they can help others in different areas of the world.
“Our next project is to have a fundraiser, possibly an open mic night, concert or dance,” she said.
Brusie also said she would like the group to write to Maine senators and attend a rally together.
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