Youth take stand against genocide

Living in a somewhat isolated corner of Northwest Montana doesn’t have to mean isolation from the rest of the world. Even in a conflict half a world away, local people can make a difference.

That’s the belief that drives the members of STAND, Whitefish High School’s student anti-genocide coalition.

The eight students in the club are doing what they can to raise awareness about genocide and ethnic cleansing around the globe.

On Tuesday, they will share information about the conflict in Darfur. STAND is showing “Sand and Sorrow,” a documentary about genocide in Sudan, at 7 p.m. in the Whitefish Middle School auditorium.

The movie, narrated by George Clooney, follows the Darfur conflict. It takes viewers inside refugee camps and lets them hear about the conflict from people all over the world, including Sudan scholars Alex de Waal and Gerard Prunier, rebel leader Minni Minawi, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, and then-Sen. Barack Obama.

Admission is free, but the group will sell food, beverages and “Save Darfur” wristbands. All proceeds will go toward another STAND project: sponsoring a child in Ethiopia, another country torn apart by ethnic cleansing.

Josh Schott, president and founder of Whitefish’s STAND club, said the movie is intended to make people aware of the atrocities that have been committed in Darfur.

Average citizens can make a difference by being aware of where their money goes, Schott said. Some companies in which governments — including the state of Montana — and individuals invest support the Sudanese government.

“We can ... advocate to average citizens who are invested in companies to be aware of where their money is going, so they’re not making money on bloodshed,” Schott said.

“The government gets money from contracts with companies that operate in Sudan,” he explained. “The Sudanese government uses that money to fund genocide. If you stop that flow of money, then you stop the genocide.”

Schott also hopes people will pressure government officials to step up by imposing harsher sanctions on and increasing diplomatic efforts in Sudan.

Even high school students can have an impact on the conflict, club member and Whitefish junior Sydney Gillette said.

“It’s the best way I can [help] here, so that’s why I’m in it,” she said of her involvement with the club. “A lot of people say it just kind of helps you sleep better at night, knowing you tried doing the best you can.”

While he acknowledged that the immediate impact of STAND’s eight members might be small, Schott said he was hopeful that the group could ultimately have an impact on a global scale.

“We live in this corner of the world. We need to make sure our corner is socially and economically aware about the situation and try to do something about it,” he said. “The initial product might not be great, but the ripple effect can have a larger difference.”

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com