On Sunday 17th September 2006 students turned out en-mass alongside thousands of others outside the Sudanese Embassy calling for an end to the government sponsored ethnic cleansing making Darfur the host to the first Genocide of the twenty-first century. Following a motion passed at the National Executive Committee meeting, NEC members have been working with the Aegis Society and the Protect Darfur campaign.

The Rally and subsequent demonstration to Whitehall was organised by the Aegis Trust, Amnesty International and the Darfur Union. NUS and students were out in force shouting…

“Justice, justice for Darfur”

…making clear to London, the British Government and the United Nations (UN) that action is needed now and the rape, murder and suffering cannot continue with the international community sitting idle.

Richard Angell, a member of the National Executive Committee who attended the demonstration said, “Students are not going to let the first Genocide of their adult lives go unnoticed, without action and international solidarity. The thousands on the London demo made clear that students care about their world and will fight the injustices in it.”

NUS is supporting campaigns for action in Darfur and supporting the creation on Aegis Societies on campus to campaign against genocide, support the victims of previous genocides and call for action on Darfur. See the NEC Motion passed on 3rd August 2006 here: Download

Gemma Tumelty, National President said, “Students were pivotal in the ending of Apartheid, are at the forefront of campaigning on HIV & Aids in Africa and refuse to fall silent about the murder, rape and suffering that is happening in Darfur. NUS will be shoulder-to-shoulder with any action to bring about peace in Darfur as will students in their classrooms, campuses and communities.”

The photo is of students and members of the Darfur Union at the end of the Demo holding the NUS Banner to PROTECT DARFUR.

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