Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy commends the impressive, benevolent initiative of Mr. Joey Cheek, Olympic gold medalist in the 500 meter speed-skating, in his decision to donate his $25,000 award to aid the tens of thousands of children displaced by the genocide in Darfur. The money will reach those in Darfur through Right to Play, an organization which uses sports and play as a means of development for the worlds neediest children.

Individual acts like that of Joey Cheek aid the people of Darfur not only because of the benefits of financial support, but also because they help build public awareness of the neglected situation on the ground in Darfur. An estimated 60,000 children have been displaced, along with hundreds of thousands of adults. An unknown number of children have also been killed in this ongoing, unanswered tragedy.

Damanga hopes that initiatives like Mr. Cheek's will encourage other individuals and organizations to act to help end the devastating situation which continues in Darfur to this day. Damanga also hopes that these acts will influence the United States government and the United Nations and convince them to finally intervene to save the lives of Darfurians.

Damanga wishes to emphasize the importance of contributions, which individuals and groups can make through advocacy, awareness, and action, towards halting the genocide in Darfur. We must keep the genocide in Darfur on the agenda of governments and of the United Nations. Damanga strongly urges that inexperienced and ineffective African Union troops be replaced with United Nations peacekeepers (see Damanga statement of 2/3/2006: Security Council Orders Planning for Possible Takeover of Darfur Peacekeeping Mission) in order to prevent further deaths among the children, women and men of Darfur.

Damanga extends a great thanks to Mr. Joey Cheek and all of those who are working to protect the people of Darfur.