Darfur, Sudan

This was a letter I sent to Secretary General Bin Ki Moon regarding Darfur, Sudan back in August Ban Ki-Moon Secretary General United Nations 1 United Nation Plaza NY, NY 10017 RE: Poverty in Sudan and Ethiopia Dear Mister Secretary: I am writing to you to voice my concern over Darfur, Sudan. A while back, I saw pictures that made me angry. I saw pictures though a forward of a oil sheik’s home that was quite grand, opulent and ornate. I saw a lifestyle that was very luxurious. I also saw pictures of this oil sheiks car made out of silver. I understand that this affluence comes only from sky rocketing oil prices. I am like everyone else, struggling to make ends meet because of the oil prices. As I understand, the oil prices before September 11, 2001 were only $20.00 a barrel, and now after the downfall of the Hussein regime, oil is up to $140.00 a barrel. This is also effecting the whole economy of the United States. I believe that the war in Iraq was one of the causes of the oil crisis we are now facing. But, I also believe this is a new form of terrorism of the Islamic world toward the western countries. I thought this was extreme considering the poverty that was only a thousand miles away. After researching the area, Saudi Arabia is only a thousand miles east of Darfur, Sudan and Ethiopia. I know from seeing pictures over the years of the poverty in these two countries. Yet the Saudi Arabians live in utter ornamented luxurious pleasure. I cannot understand that in the United States, I am getting letters from UNICEF and of other international relief organizations at how terrible the plight of the Sudanese people are living in utter poverty and here are the Saudi Arabians living in utter excellence. Saudi Arabia is so close to Darfur, Sudan and Ethiopia. My small donation can only go so far since I am getting back to work after being unemployed for five months. Poverty page 2 I went to the bookstore to see in what proximity the area of Darfur, Sudan and Ethiopia is to Saudi Arabia and I was shocked. They are only a thousand miles away from each other. It is like going from Chicago to Connecticut. I cannot understand why the oil sheiks, who are also Muslim cannot try through diplomatic negotiations, have the fighting cease and desist. These oil sheiks, who live in r ornate opulence, cannot help with relief aid to this poverty stricken area of the world. I also cannot understand why they cannot mediate in the fighting and poverty going on in the Sudan. These countries are both Muslim countries. It breaks my heart to read and see little children and families starving while the oil sheiks of Saudi Arabia live in utter luxury. I am writing to voice my concern over this area of the world and would hope this letter can point some relief to the starving children of Darfur, Sudan and Ethiopia. I would love to hear from you and hear what you have to say about this concern. I am enclosing a copy of the UNICEF letter that was sent to me and an email from the United States Holocaust Museum. I believe the desperate plight of the people in Darfur can be relieved but I am sure how. Sincerely, Kellie Cameron