Japan pledges to extend $200 million in aid for Sudan in the next four years

Earlier this month Japan pledged to extend $200 million in aid for Sudan in the next four years.

Tokyo is eager to take part in U.N. operations in Sudan in an effort to back up its long-running ambition to win a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.

Resource-poor Japan, which hosts a conference of 45 African nations next week, wants to play a higher-profile role in the resource-rich region ahead of the G8 summit on the northern island of Hokkaido in July.

"Apart from a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council, Japan must look at what other countries, particularly China and India, are doing in Africa now," the second official said. "Unless we do something, we will certainly be left behind."

As part of its effort to win the hearts and minds of Africans, Japan announced on Tuesday a plan to double annual foreign aid to Africa by 2012 despite budget constraints caused by the country's bulging public debt.

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New Design Solutions Provide Hope for Darfuri Women

Researchers have found a solution to prevent Darfuri women from being raped while foraging outside of the borders of refugee camps for Firewood. Normally Darfuri woman have to leave the camps daily to search for firewood, walking 7 hours outside of the safety provided by the camps, which has put them at great risk of violent attack. The Darfur Stove project has a new design for a woodburning stove reduces this risk.


Read more in the pdf and through the Darfur Stoves project site

Cheaper Safer Fuel for Refugees:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/
db900SID/EGUA-7EPR6T?OpenDocument

Watch this Pbs show to learn more:

http://www.kqed.org/quest/
television/view/923

Thankyou Cooper for the Intel and for sharing your valuable voice with us so we can learn and remain informed. You're greatly appreciated.

PZ says:

This is a beautiful and necessary solution. It lends alot of hope. I look forward to the introduction of solar panels to re-developing countries, which would eliminate the need to collect firewood for these stoves, altogether.

Related Intel:
Africa Action to Host Darfur Rally Demanding Leadership From The Current Administration

Crossposted at UU

Petition For The Arrest Of Suspected War Criminals in Darfur

As we continue to stand, we make our voices heard.

Ahmad Harun, Sudan’s former Minister of the Interior and current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Janjawid leader Ali Kushayb, are charged with multiple counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur. Amnesty International is campaigning for their arrest and surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) the Government of Sudan continues to refuse to do so. Call on U.S. authorities to take action to press the government of Sudan to arrest and surrender Harun and Kushayb to the ICC

-Amnesty USA

Sign the Petition so that suspected war criminals in Darfur are arrested.
Please spread the word.

Bloggers Unite- Protect The People of Darfur

Support House resolution to secure the Darfur conflict region
The human rights situation in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) has grown significantly worse since a rebel attack on Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, in late January 2008. But widespread human rights violations in Chad and CAR, including the targeting of opposition leaders, journalists and human rights defenders in Chad, and kidnappings of civilians—including children—in CAR, are long-standing and pervasive.
-Amnesty International

Please Sign this Petition

Hunger Crisis Comes Home

In continuing our fight of against hunger in the world and at home, we ask for your help and support... Eddie Griffin

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunger Crisis Comes Home

On Saturday, May 10, there will be a National Food Drive. The National Association of Letter Carriers has taken the initiative to end hunger in the world, beginning in our own backyard.

There are 7 million people in America that need food assistance. Over 20 million people need Food Stamps each month in over to survive; but in 2002, more than 16 % were turned away. Some 35 million people, today, risks falling into a state of hunger.

With Mother's Day on Sunday, May 11, it is time to think to poor struggling mothers who are squeezing their week food budget, trying to feed their children, in the face of rising food prices. Working mothers are doubly hurt by the escalating cost of food and rising gas prices.

With no end in sight of this global crisis, it is time to start feeding those who cannot feed themselves. Millions of children are going hungry everyday without notice. Most receive their only food through local public school breakfast and lunch assistance programs. But what happens when school is out?

Give a Mother's Day struggling mother a little help. When the postman shows up on your doorstep this Saturday and hands you a plastic bag, please fill the bag with food items.

[For more information, link to http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/]
[Give Food, Donations, or Volunteer through the Tarrant Area Food Bank link to http://www.tafb.org/]

Darfur: In Living Color

Danielle found an important article that imparts needed food for thought with a focus not often given attention in articles covering the crisis in Darfur. It is still as relevant today as when it was written. Please take the time to visit Scheme Mag and read:

Darfur: In Living Color by Zaynab Aden

Let's Unite Our Pens (Roots of Humanity Ebook Accepts Submissions)

Roots Of Humanity is accepting Ebook submissions.
They may include:

Relevant interviews and editorial
Art (including relevant literary art)
Experimental Focuses


All works should focus on areas that require a remembrance of Humanity
including our primary focus of Darfur|Tibet.
Send them to: RootsofHumanity@gmail.com
Or to the contributors in the sidebar

Thankyou for your consideration.
The pen is most certainly mightier than the sword.