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Students set up camp to simulate Darfur

USC's CALPIRG and UNICEF chapters sponsor Camp Darfur to inform students of genocide.

Arin Mikailian

Media Credit: Alexis Hawkins | Daily Trojan Camping | Charlie Burgin, a high school student, lies on the ground in front of Tommy Trojan as part of Camp Darfur.

Twelve-year-old Lariska Theron didn't know much about 20th century genocides.

But her views changed Monday when she and her classmates from Rio Norte Junior High School stopped by Tommy Trojan to visit a makeshift refugee camp.

USC students and visiting high school students attended the exhibit throughout the day.

At various colleges and schools, "Camp Darfur" attempts to replicate the habitat of the 2.5 million displaced villagers from Darfur who call refugee camps in Chad home.

National Camp Darfur creator Gabriel Stauring came up with the idea to spread awareness of the crimes against humanity in Darfur after seeing the aftermath firsthand.

Stauring said that after a life-changing trip to Chad during fall 2005, he felt compelled to replicate the sights and sounds on American soil to incite action. But rather than writing and reciting speeches, he wanted people to care about the situation through interactive means.

"By stepping in the tents, you can get a feel of what's going on through the photos of past genocides," he said. "It's really showing through experience."

Stauring said he wanted to use tents similar to those found in refugee camps in Darfur to simulate their experiences.

Inside the tents, pictures, poems and the writings of genocide survivors decorated the walls.

But Camp Darfur didn't discuss only the crisis in Sudan; it also depicted genocides of the previous century. While some tents focused on Darfur, others told of genocides that occurred in Armenia, Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda, as well as the Holocaust.

Stauring said by doing this, he places the atrocities in Darfur in a historical context.

"We want to show examples of the inaction of the world," he said. "We just haven't learned how to respond to genocide."

Some local high school students who were also members of the Human Rights Watch organization volunteered to help by giving brief history lessons of each genocide.

Donesh Olyaie, a senior majoring in political science and theater, interned at the organization when he thought of bringing Camp Darfur to USC. He said he had a specific reason why he wanted high school students involved.

"They're very insightful," he said. "They're haven't been disillusioned by bureaucracy yet. They come with fresh minds."

Along with information and pictures of the Darfur crisis, students were also given a chance to view live feeds and satellite images of the damage done to the region.

"I knew things were that bad," said Max Berger, a freshman majoring in cinema-television critical studies. "It's different when you actually see it."

As the young students made their way through each tent, they learned a little about past crimes against humanity.

When Theron made her way to the last tent, about Darfur, she said she felt as though she understood the concept of genocide a little better.

"I think it's very sad," she said. "I don't know why people have wars and can't just talk about the problem."

As the event progressed throughout the day, the organization also collected signatures from students and faculty for a petition to be forwarded to Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

Olyaie commended Boxer for her efforts to bring awareness to the Darfur crisis and said the petition was just to remind her how much people still care about the issue.

Corey Jackson, a legislative aide to Boxer, stopped by to collect the signatures later in the afternoon.

"It is your job to focus on Darfur," he said. "If you remain silent, the issue will remain silent."

Camp Darfur was sponsored by USC's CALPIRG and UNICEF.

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