Press Release: Aug. 5 Proclaimed 'Genocide Awareness Day'
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OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2009
CONTACTS:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER PROCLAIMS TODAY 'GENOCIDE AWARENESS DAY'
Joined by the Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action, Gov. Bill Ritter proclaimed today as "Genocide Awareness Day" during a news conference on the West Steps of Capitol.
"Genocide is not some abstract concept," Gov. Ritter said. "Genocide is a very real thing. Genocide has faces. They are the faces of people who are murdered, who are assaulted, who are raped. The tragedy is not just the murder, the assault and the rape. The tragedy is the trauma that ripples out from each of these events, that impacts communities, families and entire peoples."
Click here to listen to Gov. Ritter's remarks.
Today's event was focused on the deteriorating situation in the Darfur region of Sudan.
"Since March, a growing humanitarian crisis has occurred in Darfur," Gov. Ritter said. "The Sudanese government has expelled several non-governmental agencies that were doing relief work in Darfur, and that has led to the suffering of millions of people who have been forced to go without adequate food, clean water and basic health care. The recent actions of the Sudanese government to limit humanitarian aid have made a bad situation worse."
In 2007, Gov. Ritter signed legislation sponsored by former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, who also spoke at today's news conference, that called for state and local governments to completely divest themselves from companies that were financially involved with the Sudanese government.
"Today, two years later," Gov. Ritter said, "I'm happy to report that no public dollars from Colorado state government are invested in companies doing business with the Sudanese government."
Gov. Ritter concluded his remarks by saying "We as Coloradans can make a difference, and we begin today by raising awareness, but action is also important."
For more information on what you can do to raise awareness about genocide, contact Roz Duman, Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action, 303.856.7334, or rozduman@comcast.net, or visit www.ccgaa.org.
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