San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition

The Beat for Peace continues in San Francisco as we approach another monumental moment in the journey of Sudan. The Sudanese are calling out to the international community to be vote monitors during the April elections. Watch the video and visit Sudan365.org for more information.

Sudan365.org presents Beat for Peace – San Francisco

SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition, Award-Winning Filmmaker to Premiere “Sudan365: A Beat for Peace in San Francisco” on Saturday, April 10, 2010

-Sundance Award Winning Filmmaker Jared Callahan Brings his Talents to Bay Area Activism-

SAN FRANCISCO (1 April 2010) – On Saturday, April 10, The SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition and award-winning filmmaker Jared Callahan will release a short film, “Sudan 365: A Beat forPeace in San Francisco,” to mark the national elections being held in Sudan April 11-18 and call on the global community to ensure the protection of all Sudanese. The film, which features local citizens and artists “drumming for peace” in well-known locators throughout SF and elsewhere, is the San Francisco Bay Area’s contribution to a coordinated global action during which activists around the world will call attention to the first multi-party elections in Sudan in 24 years.

SF Bay Area citizens have participated in global events for Sudan since 2006 at rallies in Crissy Field, Justin Herman Plaza and the SF Civic Center; interfaith calls for peace at multiple local houses of worship; a die-in at Oakland Civic Center Plaza; and at numerous college and high school campuses throughout Northern California. These actions demonstrate that local SF Bay Area citizens are part of a global movement calling for peace and security for the Sudanese people. This year, Sundance award-winning filmmaker Jared Callahan directed a short film, made exclusively with Bay Area citizens to mark the April 10 day of global action, that will reaffirm the SF Bay Area’s place in a global community calling for peace and security in Sudan.

WHAT: The release of a short film in coordination with the global Sudan365 campaign, which advocates for civilian protection during Sudan’s April 11-18, 2010 national elections.

WHERE: www.darfursf.org

WHEN: Worldwide release: April 10, 2010

Available to the media: April 8, 2010

WHO: Award winning filmmaker, Jared Callahan, directs San Francisco City Supervisor Eric Mar; Fija Reed, a University of San Francisco student and the daughter of Allan Reed, the former USAID Representative to Sudan; and members of the Lost Boys of Sudan refugee community who live in San Jose as they share their concerns about Sudan’s upcoming elections, while San Francisco drummers, Brian Fruechtenicht, owner of Dynamic Drumming Studio, and Jake Stueckle, a freshman at SOTA (School of the Arts), provide San Francisco’s contribution to the global beat for peace. More>>

By Alex Whiting

London (AlertNet) Theres a deafening silence over the humanitarian crisis in Sudans Darfur region. Few on the ground are talking and the powers that be are pushing out a single line the war between Darfur rebels and the government is over.

This statement does not tell the whole story, experts say. Widespread fighting may have eased, but the humanitarian crisis continues and insecurity poses serious problems for aid workers and peacekeepers. Fighting is still uprooting thousands of civilians, and another 2.6 million are living in worsening conditions in displacement camps.
Those who could challenge the government line are international aid agencies, but they fear being expelled, while Western governments and the media have shifted their focus to the fragile north-south peace process as it reaches a critical stage.

The countrys first multi-party elections in 24 years are due next month and in January 2011 south Sudan is to vote on whether to secede from the north. If the oil-rich south does vote for independence, many experts say the north may not give up without a fight despite government assurances to the contrary. More >