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‘Dream For Darfur’ Torch Light
Ceremony: Olympian Ideals Should Never Be Tarnished in Blood
By Andy Turpin
 BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)—On Oct. 7, the Massachusetts Coalition
to Save Darfur held its “Massachusetts Dream for Darfur
Olympic Torch Relay and Rally” torch-lighting ceremony at
Boston’s City Hall Plaza.
Boston was part of a multi-city world tour to pressure the
government of China—host of the 2008 Olympic Games—to stop
sending arms to Sudan and indirectly supporting the genocide
in Darfur. The theme of the Olympics has already been
announced as “One World, One Dream,” and the Massachusetts
Coalition to Save Darfur has been urging China to “bring
this dream to Darfur.”
 Towns across Massachusetts had organized “torch relays” that
morning and carried their own torch to Boston. Over 30 other
U.S. cities are slated to do the same. The torch relay began
in Darfur on Aug. 9, and went through Rwanda and later
Armenia on Sept. 25. The torch will go next to Berlin, then
to Sarajevo in Bosnia, and then to Beijing.
Coalition co-chair Eric Cohen introduced the event in
Boston. “During the ceremony, we will unite the flames from
those [relay] events to create one flame of hope and peace,”
he said. “It is our hope that agents of good will combine to
end the genocide. We have a responsibility to make this
dream come true.”
 He stated the mantra of the coalition, “Keep the pressure
on!”
“China waters down resolutions and blocks effective action
in the UN,” he explained, urging activists to continue
pressing China to use its influence in Sudan. “These
pressure is beginning to work,” he said, “but only
beginning. A demanding public strengthens the hands of U.S.
negotiators.”
Cohen ended by quoting Unitarian church pioneer Theodore
Parker: “‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it
bends towards justice.’ We must bend the moral arc towards
justice for Darfur,” he said.
U.S. Congressman John F. Tierney (D-Mass.) spoke next, and
said of the Armenian, Jewish, Cambodian, Rwandan, Sudanese
and Bosnian genocide survivors present as speakers, “We are
honored to be here in their presence today.”
Tierney cited the Congress’s “Darfur Accountability and
Divestment Act,” and assured that crowd that “Congress is
taking action.” But, Tierney admonished, “The U.S. could do
more. China could do more. Russia and the EU could all do
more.”
He continued, “If anyone has leverage in the Sudan it is
China, and we must ask them to speak out. It’s about living
up to the Olympic ideals as their temporary host.”
Tierney urged the crowd to engage others. “I have written to
the corporate sponsors of the 2008 Olympics and you should
do the same,” he said. “They need to recognize that there’s
a corporate citizenship and put humanity before their
almighty dollar.”
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian spoke as representative of the
Boston-Armenian community alongside Genocide survivor Peter
Bilezikian of Newtonville. Aykazian said to the youth in the
audience, “I just flew thousands of miles from Armenia and I
am so happy to see so many young faces here today. You are
the future of the world. You could bring justice to the
world. I trust you. I trust you. I trust you.”
He challenged, “Let us come together, fight together,
struggle together against those who deny the Armenian
genocide and the Holocaust. God bless you and God bless
Darfur.”
Jill Savitt, director of the “Dream for Darfur Campaign”
recounted the history of the movement, which started in New
York last year. “People and groups started coming to us. The
Italians, Canada contacted us. Massachusetts said, ‘We want
to end the Genocide!’”
She told of her most recent travels to visit Darfur
refugees. “I was in Africa in August and the camps were
wretched,” she said. “There are less people in the camps
because there are fewer left.” She stressed renewed and
increased activism by the crowd, saying, “You’re a part of
something that is big and important.”
“China is addicted to oil,” she said. “It’s given billions
of dollars to its dealer [Sudan] and it’s profiting, too.
You can’t sponsor a genocide in Africa and an Olympics at
home. … We cannot let [the Games] be tarnished.”
Following the ceremonial torch lighting by survivors of all
the genocides of the 20th century, the “Voices of Mercy”
singers from the Berklee College of Music provided a
rendition of “We Are All Connected.”
The “Community Flame” torch lighting ceremony then commenced
as representative flame bearers from throughout
Massachusetts approached with their flames. They hailed from
Cape Cod, Attleboro, Westborough, Northborough,
Southborough, Northampton, Shrewsbury, Phillips Andover
preparatory academy, Peabody, Brockton, Waltham, Winchester,
Newton, Medford-Somerville, Brandeis, Northeastern and Tufts
University and Cambridge.
Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, co-founder of the My Sister’s
Keeper NGO, and premier activist for Americans for Darfur
and Postcards for Darfur, delivered concluding remarks. She
rallied, “Because of your commitment, government leaders can
no longer plead ignorance. The flames of our desire to stop
mass atrocities will never be quenched! We will save Darfur!
We will just do it!”
For more information or to stay abreast of online petitions
and upcoming actions go to www.MADreamForDarfur.com.
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