The Queens College branch of STAND, the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network, held an emergency vigil to avert a renewed outbreak of genocide in Darfur on August 17 in Union Square Park.

Responding to news reports that President Barack Obama is preparing to make an important policy decision on Sudan, the STAND Queens contingent swung into action with a 25-person “lie-in,” where speakers displaying pictures of Darfuri refugees read their personal story letters aloud and distributed literature on the issue.

Reports say there is a difference on diplomatic strategy on Sudan between General Scott Gration, President Obama’s Sudan envoy who is focused on an upcoming independence referendum in South Sudan, and the U.S. United Nations Ambassador, Susan Rice, who favors a broader solution to solve the fractured country's political woes.

“The Gration option will allow renewed genocide to break out,” said Jenn Polish, a member of the Queens College STAND group. “Just as we can't truly address the Darfur genocide without addressing the rest of the country, we can't solve North-South issues without addressing Darfur. Susan Rice's option is more of what we think is needed.”

STAND is a national student-based coalition of over 700 chapters whose mission entails action to prevent and stop genocide through education, advocacy and fundraising for civilian protection.

The student lie-in, complete with campus-made tombstones, dramatized the ongoing genocide in Darfur. U.N. figures indicate this year’s violent deaths in Darfur already surpassed those of 2009, with 400 deaths recorded in May alone.

Holding an image of a Darfuri teenager in a refugee camp, STAND member Deborah Lolai implored onlookers to take notice.

"How many of you fear being raped while going out to find water or firewood? Anybody?” she asked. “ Zaineb does. Every time she goes out for firewood, she has to fear being raped.

“So what's the point of me telling you these stories,” she continued. “Sometimes we go to these kinds of actions and are really inspired, but then we go home and forget. What we're trying to do this time is not forget.”

“A lot of people looked on curiously at our action and one person after reading our flyer laid down with us,” Polish said. “To me that was a powerful, moving display of support.”

Refugee Ahmat Nour, president of the Darfuri People’s Association, also participated in the lie-in action.

“He made the moving statement that our action gives him hope,” Polish said. “But his presence here represents hope itself.”

The STAND activists took encouragement in a recent House resolution that stressed the importance of full implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement.

“The point is that we have to obligate our politicians to see that the Sudan government stops these violations with strong measures like international trade and asset freezes and denouncing President al-Bashir’s blockage of humanitarian operations in Sudan,” said Polish.