Darfur in the State of the Union

Dear all
I received this important message from Africa Action asking us to contact the White House, Congress members and organization and urge them to request from President Bush to include Darfur's humanitarian issue in his State of the Union speech.
Please spread the word.

Nuraddin
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From : Africa Action
Sent : Tuesday, January 24, 2006 10:08 AM
To : "Nuraddin Abdulmannan"
Subject : Darfur in the State of the Union

Darfur in the State of the Union

Dear Nuraddin,
On January 31st President George Bush will address the nation in the annual “State of the Union” speech. This historic speech falls on the eve of the U.S. presidency of the UN Security Council. Violence continues to rise in Darfur, and Sudan is teetering on the edge of open conflict with neighboring Chad. Leaders in the United Nations (UN) and the African Union are discerning the best action to take in Darfur. This is the critical moment when leadership from the U.S. could empower the international community to protect the people of Darfur. Please send a message to President Bush and ask him to use this moment to promise America that he will take the action necessary in the UN to stop genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

The “State of the Union” address is one of the most widely watched political speeches every year. Mandated in Article II of the U.S. Constitution, this annual address is made before a joint session of the Congress. It has become the moment with the President outlines what he believes to be the national priorities and sets the legislative agenda of the year. What could be a greater priority, than to stop genocide?

Other organizations have also been alerting their constituents to ask that Darfur be included in this important address. Please join us today to echo these requests and specify that President Bush must outline his plans to work in the United Nations during the U.S. presidency of the Security Council next month to achieve an international peacekeeping intervention in Darfur.

Don’t forget to MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the National Call-in Day to the UN on February 1st and the Protect Darfur rally on February 2nd. For more information and analysis about the need for U.S. leadership on a UN peacekeeping intervention, please see our fact sheet and statement.

Sincerely,

The Staff @ Africa Action