Today, 1,000 Sudanese people will die because of forced starvation and military slaughter. In a genocide that may have already claimed up to 400,000 lives, the government-supported Janjaweed militia continues to slaughter black Africans.

This is not a conflict about religion or ethnicity. It’s about power: The Sudanese government is attempting to create a tyrannical state and it sees black Africans’ tribal affiliations and moderate Islamic practices as a threat to its dominance.

In order to blur tribal identities and command fearful loyalty, Janjaweed has forced people from different tribes to rape each other, destroyed crops and cut off food supplies on a massive scale. This is in addition to tens of thousands of brutal military killings.

When a crisis of this magnitude occurs anywhere in the world, it tests the dignity of humanity. We must stand with courage against genocide. We must not stand idly by as witnesses.

History will remember the way in which our generation responds to the first — and, God willing, last — genocide of the 21st century.

But how can we help? How can we, on a college campus in the middle of the continental United States, effect change halfway around the globe?

It may seem impossible, but the opportunities are boundless. Several student groups, including Amnesty International, UNICEF and Circle K, plan programming such as benefit concerts, letter-writing campaigns and fundraisers for humanitarian relief.

Our elected officials do take into consideration correspondence from their constituents. Writing letters to our leaders makes a difference — it tells them that the Sudanese genocide is a priority to us.

The Center for Community Outreach is holding a letter-writing campaign called the Sudan Call to Action Project. It is one of many ways to make a difference.

On three nights, we are providing education about what is happening in Sudan and encourage participants to write letters to their elected leaders. The last event will take place on Thursday in the third-floor dining area of the Kansas Union.

A recent news story that has garnered a great deal of attention is the Terri Schiavo debate. It is a tragic situation in which Schiavo basically starved to death in a semi-vegetative state. This story inspired strong feelings and fervent debate.

Many priests and ministers included her in their homilies. It dominated the news for weeks. One thousand fully conscious people die each day in Sudan, mostly by forced starvation. Where is the public outcry?

I challenge religious groups to stand up and speak out against this modern-day Holocaust. I challenge our elected officials to take a stand as well. I challenge our Student Senate coalitions to get involved in the Call to Action Project. And I challenge each and every one of us to demand that our elected leaders — at the University of Kansas, in Topeka and in Washington D.C. — take action.

Lyda is a Centennial, Colo., senior in English and music. He is co-director of the Center for Community Outreach.