Colorado Lutherans advocate for more funding for Darfur

by Annie Lynsen, ELCA Washington Office

Members of three Colorado congregations of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) advocated for more federal
funding that would support the African Union peacekeeping force
in the Darfur region of western Sudan. The congregations also
learned about how they can be involved with the National Week of
Prayer for Darfur April 2-9 and rallies throughout the country
for Darfur on April 30. Kim Stietz, interim director for
international policy, ELCA Washington Office, presented advocacy
training sessions to groups March 25-26 at St. Paul Lutheran
Church, Denver; Atonement Lutheran Church, Denver; and Trinity
Lutheran Church, Boulder, Colo.

Some estimate that as many as 400,000 people have died in Darfur,
and approximately 2 million people have been forced to live in
refugee or internally displaced camps resulting from a situation
that U.S. officials have described as "genocide." About 3
million people are dependent upon humanitarian aid for survival.
Stietz advised the group to advocate with their members of
Congress for three things:
+ For at least an additional $100 million in President Bush's
2006 supplemental appropriations for the African Union force, to
enhance its capabilities to protect innocent civilians
+ For the United States to continue playing a lead role in
meeting the humanitarian needs of people displaced and dependent
on the international community for food and shelter
+ For continued pressure from the United States for a United
Nations peacekeeping force in Darfur and greater U.S. involvement
in the Darfur peace process

After each session those attending wrote letters advocating on
behalf of the people of Darfur. Fifty letters were delivered to
U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) immediately following the
training session, asking him to fully fund the president's
request of $514 million for Sudan in the supplemental
appropriations bill to be considered by the U.S. Senate during
the first week of April, and urging Allard to support any
amendments that include at least $100 million in additional
funding for the immediate needs of the African Union peacekeeping
force in Darfur. Allard is a member of the Senate Appropriations
Committee.

Links:

Darfur region of western Sudan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darfur

National Week of Prayer for Darfur April 2-9
http://www.savedarfur.org/faith

ELCA Washington Office
http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy/federal/

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Denver
http://www.stpauldenver.org/

Atonement Lutheran Church, Denver
http://www.atonement-denver.org/

Trinity Lutheran Church, Boulder, Colo.
http://www.trinityboulder.org/

U.S. officials have described as "genocide."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040909-10.html

U.S. Senator Wayne Allard (R-Colo.)
http://allard.senate.gov/public/

Senate Appropriations Committee
http://appropriations.senate.gov/