Darfur Tents Pitched At Santa Clara University

Darfur Tents Pitched At Santa Clara University

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KCBS) -- This week many students plan to move from their warm dorm rooms into tents where they will fast to call attention to genocide on another continent.

Sophomore Beth Tellman is one of the students who will occupy a replica of the tents being used by refugees fleeing from the violence in the Darfur region in eastern Sudan, where ethnic violence has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 and forced more than 1 million from their homes.

“It’s not going to stop unless there is international outcry,” Tellman told KCBS reporter Matt Bigler, “so part of that effort, we have to make ourselves aware, make our local community aware.”

President Bush has called for U.N. troops in the region, a measure opposed by another member of the Security Council, China, on grounds that it would violate Sudan’s sovereignty. China is one of Sudan’s largest oil customers.

Tellman and the other students also plan to limit themselves to 1,000 calories a day while they sleep out on the campus green, trying to emulate the average diet of most Darfur refugees.

“It’s going to be a hard week, but I’ll get through it,” she said, “with lots of coffee.”

The students plan to donate the money they would normally have spent on food to international relief organizations.
(jro)

Copyright 2006, KCBS. All Rights Reserved.

SEE ALSO:

Students take to a tent for DarfurSan Jose Mercury News, USA - 3 hours ago... McKenzie and about a half-dozen other Santa Clara University students this week are fasting and sleeping in a replica of a tent used by Darfur refugees to show ...

Students raise money, awareness for genocide in Darfur, sleep in ...Media Newswire (press release), NY - 20 hours ago... 16, 2006. Students at SCU are taking a stand against the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. ... Students at SCU are taking a stand against the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. ...

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