Fueled By Faith: Ending the Genocide in Darfur
Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, M.D.
Chairperson, Save Darfur Coalition
2009 marks the seventh year of the ongoing genocide in Darfur – seven years of constant killing, rape, destruction and displacement in Sudan – a nation at war with itself. For the last month, activists, religious leaders and survivors of some of the world’s most horrific genocides have come together at events across the country for Genocide Prevention Month in order to advocate for a global effort to stop this, and future, atrocities.
For many of us involved with this effort, our dedication, resolve and belief in a light at the end of the tunnel, is fueled by our faith. Our confidence in the power of persistent faith is inspired by stories from our sacred texts and informed by accounts in our history books.
The New Testament gospel writer, Luke, recounts the parable of the persistent widow who seeks justice from the unrighteous judge. She declares victory when the unrelenting tenacity of the grassroots activist eventually wears down the uncaring judge. The passage ends with a rhetorical question. If the reprobate judge eventually acquiesces and does the right thing, won’t the God who is righteous and caring, respond to our advocacy by doing likewise?
The Hebrew Bible is also replete with accounts of activists whose persevering faith led to justice despite oppressive leaders and overwhelming odds. What if Moses had abandoned hope in the face of the hard-hearted Pharaoh? What if Queen Esther, seized with fear, indecision or indifference, failed to petition the king—thereby enabling the extermination of her people?
The power of activism energized by faith is also reflected in the subsequent success of contemporary social movements. The power of activism energized by faith is also reflected in the success of more contemporary social movements. Throughout their campaigns, persistent activists embodied the confidence that determined faith coupled with decisive action would tip the scales of justice in favor of the oppressed—sometimes quickly, but more often slowly, painfully slowly.
Gandhi devoted thirty years to the arduous struggle for Indian independence. Throughout the years of arrests and imprisonments, he found inspiration in the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita for the movement that would eventually shake India and the British Empire. “When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad-Gita. I find a verse here and a verse there, and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies.”
From the early days of the movement, Gandhi collaborated with Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a devout Muslim who recruited over 100,000 nonviolent activists and armed them with “the weapon of the Prophet—patience and righteousness.”
The same indefatigable faith sustained Nelson Mandela and his fellow freedom fighters through four decades of warfare against legalized racism before the walls of apartheid collapsed and came tumbling down.
Such faith enabled civil rights workers in America to hold fast to the vision of the Hebrew prophet, Amos, for a day when “justice [would] roll down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Activists could hardly imagine the immense changes wrought in America because of their sacrifices—changes that resulted in the election of the first African American president fifty years later.
Genocide Prevention Month and the coming together of this ‘constituency of conscience’ at events across the world are more relevant than ever before. Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity – along with several other Darfur advocacy leaders – to meet with President Obama and Special Envoy Scott Gration to share our insights on the region and provide recommendations on how to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis. President Obama recognizes that those who are continuing to fight for Darfur are not defined by a single religion, community or calling. What unites these activists is the singular desire to stop genocide from occurring anywhere ever again.
In the Jewish tradition, the seventh year is the year of jubilee when captives are set free and land is returned to its original owner. We are wise enough to know that the battle to end genocide follows no set timetable; but we are “faith-fueled” enough to believe that jubilee for Darfur and all victims of genocide is well on its way.
Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, M.D.
Chairperson, Save Darfur Coalition
Dr. White-Hammond’s work as a humanitarian has achieved global impact. She has worked as a medical missionary in several African countries including Botswana, Cote D’Ivoire and South Africa. Since 2001 Dr. Gloria has made seven trips into war-torn southern Sudan where she has been involved in obtaining the freedom of 10,000 women and children who were enslaved during the two decades long civil war. In 2002 she co-founded My Sister’s Keeper (MSK), a humanitarian women’s group that partners with women of Sudan in their efforts toward reconciliation and reconstruction of their communities. MSK has developed two grinding mill projects and supports the Akon School for Girls in Gogrial County. In February 2005, Dr. White-Hammond traveled into Darfur, western Sudan to listen and learn from female victims of genocide in Internally Displaced Persons camps. She recently served as the National Chairperson of the Million Voices for Darfur campaign and currently is the Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur. She was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Boston University, a Doctorate of Medicine from Tufts Medical School and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School.
