The Rally To Stop Genocide in Washington DC last Sunday was a great success by the usual measures of success in the 21st century - great sound bites, glamorous attendees, articulate and passionate speakers and a motivated and excited crowd. It was the first event organized by the Save Darfur Coalition that grabbed national and international attention. They deserve credit for pulling it off.
Celebrity speakers included George Clooney, Elie Wiesel, Senator Barack Obama, Rev. Al Sharpton and Olympian Joey Cheek. A publicist back stage nearly floored the mother of one speaker trying to get to Chris Rock for a photo opportunity with Clooney. Backstage was a laminate ogle-fest with attendant security and hoopla. For me the rock stars of this movement were those who spoke early or not at all: Samantha Power and John Prendergast - the duo who went to Darfur back in 2004 and brought images of genocide into our living rooms on 60 Minutes and who have been tirelessly informing the world of this crisis ever since; Brian Steidle (a former US Marine Captain) who spent 6 months living and working in Darfur armed with a camera and a pencil and bore witness on a daily basis to murder, rape and genocide; an aid worker, who must remain nameless, who is working in Darfur now, but took leave to come home to this rally to support the effort of those who are trying to help here. Four of my heroes who have been there (and I mean to Darfur itself) and really walk the walk.
When I reflect on Sunday's rally, I keep coming back to the words of Romeo Dallaire, after he had failed to stop the genocide in Rwanda: "I cannot find solace in statements like I did my best." A rally does not stop genocide, action does. We must all do what we can to do right in the face of evil. Perhaps President Bush should take advice from Dr Philippe Gaillard, one of the heroes of the Rwandan Genocide who said: "When we deal with mass killing the only way to save lives is to talk with the people who want to kill".
President Bush has not gone to Sudan, but at least both Under Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and UK International Development Secretary Hilary Benn are in Abuja now, helping with peace negotiations, hopefully talking to those who want to kill. Shame it wasn't Bush and Blair - maybe they can schedule something for the next genocide!