Would you drive to Arizona to vote?

Hi everyone,

If the only way you could vote in a national election was to drive to Arizona, would you do it? How about if you had to first drive to Arizona to register to vote, and then do it again two months later to actually cast your vote?  This is only one of the many complications facing the local Sudanese community seeking to have their voices heard in the upcoming January 9th referendum.

Last fall, one of the best and unexpected things that happened at one of our screening events was that several members of the Sudanese community in San Diego showed up.  That was the first time we had the incredible pleasure of meeting Wai John Wai, Isaac Mohamed and Ivan Augustino.  All three of them are originally from Southern Sudan and they will be part of our panel this Saturday, Nov 13th at an event entitled, Will the Sudanese Referendum Be Peaceful?

Several additional members of San Diego’s Sudanese community will also be joining us for the conversation Saturday evening, including a few originally from Darfur.  Just as there are varied opinions on politics in the U.S., same goes for the Sudanese.  We are looking forward to learning more about these diverse opinions Saturday evening.

Event details are below and on the website.  I really hope you will join us!

Barbara English
Living Ubuntu
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Will Sudan’s Referendum be Peaceful?
A discussion with our Sudanese friends from San Diego

“The 2011 referendum is a ticking time bomb of enormous consequence.”
– Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Saturday, Nov 13 2010
6:30p refreshments
7:00p discussion

St. Mark Presbyterian
2200 San Joaquin Hills
Newport Beach, CA 92660

Cost:
Free

In 2005, a peace agreement ended a decades-long war between the Arab government in the North and black Christians and animists in the South. Since that agreement, Southern Sudan has been somewhat peaceful. On January 9th, the South will decide whether to stay part of unified Sudan or have its own separate country.

Will the South choose to secede?  Will the Bashir government let them go? How will Darfur be affected? Join us as we discuss these issues with our Sudanese friends (Wai, Issac and Ivan) to gain a better insight into this momentous occasion in their country.

Visit http://livingubuntu.org/events for more information.
Please help us in planning for the event and RSVP on the website.

Partners include:
Orange County for Darfur, a project of Living Ubuntu
St. Mark Presbyterian
Mesa Verde United Methodist Church
Amnesty International, Irvine
Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange
Irvine United Congregational Church Advocates for Peace and Justice
United Nations Association of USA – Orange County

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