Pink Crush

First it was a vision... now it's a reality...

YES, the "Global Night Commute'' is finally happening here in NZ on Saturday, 27th May. For those of you who have seen the movie and heard about the situation in Uganda, you would be aware of the daily plight of the Ugandan children who have to travel up to 27 miles every night to escape the clutches of the rebels. They do this out of fear, out of hope that they they'll survive. We are holding this event to give them hope. Hope that one day they can sleep peacefully in their homes without any fear or anxiety!

The GNC was held in the USA in April this year and more than 50,000 people participated. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey too lent their support to the cause! We hope to recreate a movement of our own in NZ to show our solidarity with the Ugandan children along with supporters of this movement all over the world!

Here are a few details about the event on Saturday:
VENUE: AOTEA SQUARE
TIME: MEET AT 7PM
DATE: 27th May, 2006 (Saturday)

AGENDA:
1) Assemble at Aotea Square by 7pm.
2) Approximate 2 hour walk around Queen Street
3) Screening of the movie and guest speakers
4) African dances (to add a cultural touch to the event)
5) Letter writing sessions and art projects (a campaign to pressurise the ugandan government to find a solution to the crisis).
6) Communing overnight!

TO-BRING LIST:
1) Blankets and something to sit on
2) Art supplies (paper, crayons, markers, envelopes and stamps)
3) A picture of yourself
4) Warm clothes
5) Snacks and water
6) Banners (if you can make some)

PLS WEAR SOMETHING RED OR BLACK!

Also incase you are late for the event, come along to aotea square and our volunteers can guide you where to join the group on the route. We are planning to have a banner making session in the Auckland University Quad on Saturday between 1-2 pm, come along if you are interested.

Lastly, let's make it a night to remember... Let's try being the change we want to see in this world. Let's show the Ugandan children, they are not alone, they are not forgotten, they are not invisible!

Please tell as many people about this event as possible - numbers do matter!

Hope to see you all on Saturday.

Thank you for your support,
Invisible Children Team, NZ

Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt breaking up becomes the biggest scoop of the year, 1000’s of African kids dying of starvation and poverty goes unnoticed. 9/11 creates huge media furore, people still talk about the effects, after effects and after effects, the same number of people die every year in Uganda- once again it goes unrealised! Everyone judges and comments on Paris Hilton’ ssex tapes, prince Charles and Camilla parker Bowles’ wedding or the US attacking Iraq but no one raises their opinion on the political instability in Uganda. WHY? Because believe it or not, accept it or not, we don’t care! We love to live in our well protected, well shielded environment in a state of “ignorance is bliss” while thousands of youngsters in Uganda live under fear wondering if they’ll wake up to see the sunshine next day?!

However, its time to wake up, show those Ugandan kids they are not invisible, “non-existent non-entities”. The first step has been taken by three American students who have shown us the unseen, become the voice of the unheard and generated concern for the uncared through their extremely “disgusting yet inspiring” documentary- ‘THE INVISIBLE CHILDREN”

For those completely oblivious, Uganda is a war torn country in the north east of Africa. The rebel army (LRA) and the government are at war with each other for several years now. In this fight for present and past, it’s the future generation- the children of Uganda who are suffering. The rebels abduct these kids; make them undergo intense, cold hearted training to join their forces. In simple words, these innocent, unassuming children are snatched off their childhood, their right to gain education and are turned into blood thirsty, brutal murderers. Apparently, one of the first duties of the soldier is to go kill his family because if you can shoot your family, you can kill anyone in the world! It is the most neglected humanitarian crisis in the world today.

The film basically elaborates on this messy situation in Uganda. It makes you cry, makes you think, makes you question but most importantly it makes you care! At this age, when we are too tied down with our own trivial problems such as university course load, money matters, complicated love and sex lives, the last thing we want to do is help some kid in country seven seas away! But that’s the beauty and passion of this movie. Those endearing, extremely affable kids with frozen tears and endless fear under those goofy grins carve a special place in our hearts. They make you wanna add them as a “hassle” of your busy life and work towards ending their plight.

What Uganda needs is “peace in the country and peace in every corner of the country”. How you can help? Firstly watch the movie, there will be a screening held very soon. Go to http://www.invisiblechildren.com/ and register yourself for the global night commute (a way of capturing the Ugandan child’s daily struggle in one night). Try helping out financially (a child’s education can be supported by giving up just a few beers at shads). The choice is in your hands! Be a benefactor and help a deprived child achieve his/her goals.

This is our chance to be the change we want to see in the world. Our chance to be a Good Samaritan and do our good for humanity, our chance to undermine corrupt governments, upcoming terrorism and atmosphere of hopelessness in Uganda. Our chance to show those children that’s YES they do exist and YES we care! In the words of Michael Jackson, “heal the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race”.

Rucha Sarma
May 2006