On January 22, 2012, two people (Shannon and Dan) from "United to End Genocide" left for South Sudan and Ethiopia. Their trip is meant to reveal something that the mainstream media hasn't: a first-hand look into the personal stories of tragedy, violence and courage experienced by the families in these regions. They will also be linking up with activists from the throughout the region to strengthen coordinated efforts to stop the violence and the horror.
It is hoped that the testimonials that Shannon and Dan bring back will shed light on the tumultuous situation there, and provide real insights into what the U.S. can be doing better--particularly how supporters can work most effectively in order to protect innocent civilians from harm.
Please read the reflection below from Shannon as she was preparing for the first steps of her journey. She also gives a way of keeping up with her.
Dan and I are making our final preparations for our trip to South Sudan, and to be quite honest, I know we are both filled with conflicting emotions. There is hope because we know that bringing back testimonials from South Sudanese activists and from families so affected by the violence will help put this nearly forgotten region back in the spotlight, and inspire needed action to halt ongoing atrocities.
But there is also trepidation. We know we will bear witness to appalling acts of violence and that we will hear personal accounts of brutalities against the innocent children, women and men who've endured them. I believe this trip will be life changing for us--my hope is that by amplifying voices of the Sudanese who are enduring Bashir's attacks and working courageously for peace, we can also make a difference.
We'll be on the ground for two weeks meeting with community leaders, refugees, and activists from across the region. We will meet with the leaders of advocacy organizations from many African nations on the outskirts of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa. Our goal is to build stronger ties with these courageous people to increase our collective voice and strengthen our ability to move the United States and key African nations into action.
From Addis Ababa we are off to Juba, South Sudan to learn more about the fighting in Sudan's South Kordofan and Blue Nile state. And finally, we hope to travel to Yida refugee camp on the border of Sudan--where more than 20,000 civilians from South Kordofan have fled--to hear more about their experiences and find out what we here in the United States can do to help.
Dan and I plan to post updates as frequently as time and technology allow — please tell supporters back at home that they can follow us on Twitter @EndGenocideDan and @Shannon_O for updates.
I'll write more soon.
Sincerely,
Shannon Orcutt
