About CSFDarfur
Mission Statement
Canadian Students for Darfur is an organization founded and operated by
students whose mission is to increase public awareness throughout Canada
about the ongoing crisis in Darfur, fundraise to assist aid agencies working
in Darfur, and urging the Canadian government to become further involved in
resolving the crisis.
Background
Canadian Students for Darfur is an organization made up of a coalition
of Canadian students, committed to creating public awareness throughout Canada
on the plight of the Darfurian population.
The citizens of Darfur are struggling to survive the continual warfare and
crimes against humanity. More than two million people have fled their homes and
the number of people who have been killed in the conflict exceeds 400,000. In the
process, citizens, mostly women and children, endure some of the worst forms of
human torture. This atrocity is unacceptable and we are demanding further
international involvement in achieving an end to the crisis and holding those
who are involved in these crimes accountable.
Goals
- Educating Canadians on the issues facing the people of Darfur and engaging
them in discussions around possible solutions to the crisis.
- Promoting a national fundraising campaign to support aid agencies that are
doing relief work for the people of Darfur during the present conflict as well
as continuing support in post-conflict situations.
- Pressuring the Canadian government for continuous involvement in the
resolution of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
- Urging the international community to hold accountable, those responsible
for the crimes against humanity committed against the people of Darfur.
What have we done?
To Date, Canadian Students For Darfur has undertaken or participated in many
advocacy initiatives. For future
events click here.
Some of our activities gained media attention, click
here to see media reports.
CSFDarfur Founder
Clement Apaak founded “Canadian Students for Darfur” (www.csfarfur.net) to
increase awareness about the unfolding tragedy in the Darfur region of western
Sudan. Apaak was the President of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) in
2005-06, one of few international students to hold that position. Apaak is a
founding member of the International Students Group (ISG) of Simon Fraser
University, formed to advocate for international students.
Apaak is a PhD Candidate and an instructor in archaeology at Simon Fraser
University. He is from Ghana and has held many positions, local, provincial and
national including; International Students Commissioner, Canadian Federation of
Students; TSSU Coordinator, SFU; Chair, Louis Riel Tenants Association, SFU;
African Students Association, University of Bergen, Norway; Leader, Tenants
Union, Fantoft Students Hostel, Bergen, Norway, President, International
Students Union, University of Bergen, Norway.
He is one of few long serving student senators in SFU and has been elected
to the SFU senate four times since 2002. His involvement in the Vancouver
African community is reflected in his position as a member of the board of
Africa Awareness, UBC. Apaak is also the host of “African connection” a show
devoted to African issues on CJSF 90.1FM.
Apaak has been working to change policies both in BC and Canada to make the
international experience worthwhile; in particular, he has led the advocacy on
changing immigrations laws to allow international students work off university
campuses, and stay in Canada longer after graduation. His advocacy for changes
in provincial laws, university polices and student union government structures
to allow international students to run for and sit on all bodies of decision
making in their institutions led to the repeal of section 23c of the British
Columbia University act in March 2006.
In 2002, he participated in National Forum on Africa, organized by the
Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy Development. Apaak has studied and lived in
Ghana, Norway, the US and now Canada. He has always espoused his belief of a
better world in which we can live in peace and tranquility, free of oppression
and intimidation.
|
