WHY THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT: The humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan is now affecting some 2.2 million people. Approximately 1.2 million people are displaced inside Sudan and an estimated 180,000 refugees have fled into neighboring Chad. Tens of thousands of people have died.

At the same time, humanitarian relief efforts in the region have been difficult because of limited access to affected areas. If conditions do not improve, experts project that 300,000 people may be dead by year’s end due to lack of security, insufficient relief supplies and personnel as well as the looming rainy season which will make relief efforts very difficult. Take action now! Click here and enter your zip code in the TAKE ACTION box! http://capwiz.com/catholicrelief/issues/alert/?alertid=6176836&type;=ML
Continue reading for other ways to get involved.

To date, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has pledged $1 million in private funds to assist the large numbers of refugees and displaced people and is supporting refugee camps for Sudanese in neighboring Chad. CRS President Ken Hackett and Most Reverend John Ricard, SSJ, Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee and Chairman of the International Policy Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are traveling to Darfur this week to assess the situation firsthand. CRS is preparing to significantly expand its humanitarian assistance work into the Dafur region in the upcoming weeks.

BACKGROUND: Years of clashes between Arab nomadic tribes and black African ethnic groups in Darfur came to a head in February 2003 when two rebel groups, the Sudanese Liberation Movement/Army (SLMA/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), took up arms against the Sudanese government claiming unjust treatment by the government over land and resources with their Arab neighbors. In response, the Government of Sudan along with a government-backed militia known as the Janjaweed have undertaken systematic attacks against villages linked to the two rebel groups reportedly including aerial bombardments, burning of buildings and crops, widespread killings, rapes of women and children, and looting.

In July, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan visited the region and held high level talks with the Sudanese government. They produced concrete steps the Sudanese government must take to disarm the Janjaweed, provide access for humanitarian relief and bring an end to the conflict.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: CRS encourages the U.S. Catholic community to join us in our call for immediate international action to prevent catastrophic loss of life in Darfur and among the refugees in Chad.

1. Please call President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and your members of Congress to thank them for their efforts to bring the Darfur crisis to an end and encourage them to continue their work on this issue. Emphasize the following:

• Our great appreciation for efforts by President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell to address the crisis in Darfur as well as the $95 million Congress recently approved to fund humanitarian relief in the region.
• Urge them to consider the United Nations (UN) appeal for additional funds to adequately address the great need of the affected population. The UN recently stated that their appeal for funding is some $350 million short.
• Urge them to stand ready to provide logistical, financial and other support to the African Union team put in place to monitor the ceasefire and to expand their protection force to protect civilians and humanitarians workers as well

To call your your elected officials, click here and enter your zip code to find their contact information. http://capwiz.com/catholicrelief/dbq/officials/

To email your elected officials directly from our website,click here and enter your zip code in the TAKE ACTION box http://capwiz.com/catholicrelief/issues/alert/?alertid=6176836&type;=ML

2. Visit the CRS website http://capwiz.com/catholicrelief/issues/alert/?alertid=6176836&type;=ML to forward this action alert to your family, friends, and fellow parishioners by clicking on TELL-A-FRIEND!

3. Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Darfur and Chad, for a prompt end to the conflict and lasting peace and stability in the region. Click here to download a prayer service. http://www.catholicrelief.org/get_involved/advocacy/grass_roots/dafur.cfm

4. Contribute to CRS’ efforts to expand our response in Darfur. Click here to make a gift today. https://www.catholicrelief.org/make_a_gift/contribute.cfm

5. Sign up for the legislative network! http://www.crs.org/legislativenetwork.cfm

For further information contact: Tina Rodousakis, Legislative Network Specialist, 1-800-235-2772 x 7462; trodousa@catholicrelief.org

Rowena Gono, Advocacy Communications Specialist, 1-800-235-2772 x 7496; rgono@catholicrelief.org

Catholic Relief Services' advocacy efforts flow from the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, especially the call to protect the dignity of people, uphold rights and responsibilities, safeguard the common good and to act in solidarity with people in poverty.