WASHINGTON -- April 28 -- Today, Africa Action and students from the George Washington University (GWU) chapter of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur (STAND) continued their 24-hour vigil and fast outside the State Department to urge immediate U.S. action to stop the genocide in Darfur. The action, which began on Wednesday afternoon, will continue until 5:30pm today at the intersection of 22nd and C Streets, NW.

Africa Action and GW STAND are calling attention to the ongoing genocide in Darfur and demanding U.S. support for an immediate international intervention to protect the people of Darfur and to reinforce the efforts of the African Union. Guest speakers at the 24-hour event - including Salih Booker (Africa Action), Emira Woods (Foreign Policy in Focus), David Rubenstein (Save Darfur Coalition), and Adotei Akwei (Amnesty International) - highlighted the devastating situation on the ground in Darfur and the necessary steps required from the U.S. to stop the genocide.

Salih Booker, Executive Director of Africa Action, said today, "As the genocide continues in Darfur, we must recognize that we have the power to protect the people. We have gathered here at the State Department to assert this power and to demand urgent U.S. action to stop the genocide in Darfur. Unless there is an immediate international intervention in Darfur, up to a million people may be dead by the end of this year."

Also this week, Africa Action launched a major new grassroots petition, urging President Bush to assert U.S. leadership through the United Nations to establish a mandate for an international force to protect civilians in Darfur, and to deploy such a force in support of existing African Union efforts on the ground. Africa Action aims to gather 400,000 signatures on this petition in the coming weeks. The petition is available at http://www.africaaction.org/

Nir Kutz of GW Stand said today, "GW STAND has taken an active part in the growing movement among university and high school students eager to speak out and take action to stop the genocide in Darfur. During this 24-hour fast and vigil, students are writing letters to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, demanding that the U.S. take specific actions through the UN to stop the genocide in Darfur." To learn more about STAND, see www.standarfur.org.

Africa Action today noted the recent report from the Coalition of International Justice (CIJ), which revealed that 400,000 people have died as a result of the genocide in Darfur in the past two years. As the death toll mounts, Africa Action continues to highlight the need for urgent multinational intervention in Darfur to protect the people and
facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance.

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