By Sarah Vitali, Special Writer
Even amidst the horrors of genocide in troubled regions such as Darfur, one individual can make a difference through personal and political activism, humanitarian John Prendergast told a Princeton University audience recently.
In acknowledgment of his lifelong dedication to ending genocide, Mr. Prendergast was selected to receive the prestigious Crystal Tiger Award, an annual prize given by Princeton undergraduates to “an individual who has had a transformative impact on their lives.”
Mr. Prendergast, senior advisor to the International Crisis Group and co-founder of the ENOUGH Campaign, a worldwide a movement to end genocide, accepted the honor in front of a crowd of over 100 students, faculty, and community members in Princeton University’s McCosh Hall on April 21.
He used his acceptance speech as a platform to urge more community involvement in his and other causes.
”Part of the reason why so many don’t get involved in the issues that somehow affect them or that somehow they care about is that many of these world problems seem somewhat hopeless,” he said. “I think that this is especially true of the continent I’ve devoted my life to, the continent of Africa.”
Mr. Prendergast stressed the importance of individual contributions to larger civic movements, suggesting that community members take time in order to perform simple actions such as joining mailing lists, recruiting friends and family members, and contacting politicians and the media on behalf of a worthy cause.
”If you don’t write, if you don’t vote, you’re not going to count for much,” he said. “If you do harass your elected officials, if you do vote, you actually count disproportionately to your one vote.”
The political scene can be highly and directly influenced by public opinion, said Mr. Prendergast.
”Electoral politics in the United States is a supply and demand initiative,” he said. “Just as in business, if we demand something loudly and strongly enough, our elected officials will supply it.”
Mr. Prendergast took a dim view of current U.S. policy regarding countries with human rights violations, stating that too much politics enters into the selection of foreign governments for aid and support.
”We have a new Cold War, the War on Terror,” he said. “Simply by virtue of a country supporting our position, even if only in terms of rhetoric, we will give them money and the ability to suppress opposition within that country.”
Mr. Prendergast weighed in on the 2008 presidential candidates, expressing his satisfaction with the frontrunners.
”I’m feeling fairly confident that we’re going to have a much more dedicated, much more competent effort unfold in the next four years,” he said.
Each of the political parties has put forth a candidate with a progressive stance on the situation in Darfur, showing the bipartisanship and universality of the issue, said Mr. Prendergast.
”The cream rose to the top on this issue,” he said, referring to Sen. John McCain’s success in the Republican primaries. As for the Democratic candidates, both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama show potential for effective human rights leadership, according to Mr. Prendergast.
”Both of them are strong in actions and words,” he said, citing experience working with each on human rights issues.
Despite his confidence that a change of administration will improve United States involvement in improving conditions in Darfur and elsewhere, Mr. Prendergast said he is convinced that keeping these areas visible is a priority.
”We know something about the broken places of the world, whether they’re next door or whether they’re thousands of miles away, and because we do know, we must do something,” he said.
