A Call to Action in Darfur
What should be done?
Three "P's": peacemaking, protection, and punishment. We need a much more focused diplomatic effort to bring the parties back to the table to get a real peace deal in Darfur. The U.S.has to lead. Second, this U.N.-African Union hybrid force has to be deployed. You punish perpetrators. That means targeted sanctions, asset freezes, the U.S. sharing intelligence with the International Criminal Court to help speed up indictments of some senior officials and rebels.
What about China's role?
China is the principal investor in the Sudanese oil sector and has provided tremendous numbers of arms. So their culpability, the blood on China's hands, is irrefutable.
Are you urging divestment campaigns?
Divestment is a really good tool for activists. You can say, "We don't want our funds going to facilitate what we view to be genocide." ... And we have a great, classic success story with South Africa.
What can individuals do?
Join an organization. Your voice gets multiplied by a thousand or ten thousand. Second, engage your elected officials. Call their office, or write letters.
Why collaborate with Don Cheadle?
If I wrote this book by myself ... it wouldn't be No. 6 on the New York Times bestseller list. [Celebrities] have raised awareness so far beyond what all us little band of human-rights activists ever could have done. They increase exponentially the pool of potential activists... . Don was an awesome partner. He brings such fresh insights to things that I've been struggling with for 20 years... . And he's a great deal of fun.
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