US envoy to Sudan to join a fast for Darfur

Oct 4, 2006 (WASHINGTON) — U.S. special envoy to Sudan Andrew Natsios said on Wednesday he would join thousands of U.S. students in a fast to raise money to support victims of war-torn Darfur.

Students from more than 300 colleges and schools are expected to join the fast on Thursday, either giving up food for the day or a luxury item. Money that would have been spent on that item would be donated to helping people in Darfur.

Appointed special envoy to Sudan last month by President George W. Bush, Natsios said in a conference call he would give up meat and dessert and make a donation to the cause.

He urged students to follow the call to fast and said the money would go to helping people on the ground in Darfur, particularly women who faced rape and daily attacks.

Natsios said he hoped to visit Darfur soon, adding he put in his application on Wednesday for a visa to go to Sudan and was optimistic it would be granted.

One of his main goals will be to convince Sudan’s government to drop its objections to a U.N. force going into Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have died since 2003 and over 2.5 million have been displaced by the fighting.

(Reuters)