Speaking up for Darfur: 28,000 voices at UN headquarters

IRC president George Rupp delivers petition to John Holmes (Photo: UN/OCHA)

Thanks to all of you who signed the IRC Petition to Keep Humanitarian Aid in Sudan. Amazingly, more than 28,000 people from around the world added their names during the petition drive from March 4 to April 6. Together we protested the Government of Sudan’s decision to close lifesaving aid programs in Darfur, calling on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the international community to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the millions of people in Sudan whose lives are at risk. We recently had an opportunity to deliver this petition containing over 28,000 signatures to the United Nations. IRC president George Rupp and director of humanitarian affairs Gerald Martone met personally with John Holmes, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, and hand-delivered the petition to him. They discussed the urgency of humanitarian aid in Sudan, as well as the safety of humanitarian aid workers. Today the Sudanese people continue to endure a terrible humanitarian crisis. The sudden impact of IRC’s expulsion has put in jeopardy the lives of 1.75 million men, women, and children who rely on our programs for water, health care, and education. Your gift to IRC's emergency response efforts will help victims of the Darfur crisis who are taking refuge in Chad and surrounding countries, and will ensure that we are fully prepared to serve other refugees and displaced people elsewhere around the world. Lives are hanging in the balance. Thank you for speaking out and supporting our lifesaving work. We will keep you informed of new ways to take action in the future.