“Genocide kills!” one sign reads.

“What happened to NEVER again?” another asks.

About 150 people, including a number of University of Denver students, gathered at the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver on Saturday afternoon to rally for peacekeeping and human rights in Darfur, Sudan, where ethnic cleansing and human rights atrocities have been documented by the United Nations.

The rally was organized by the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) Center on Rights Development, Amnesty International and the Sudanese Community Center.

“It’s a really great turnout, considering the cold weather and snow,” said Lisa Schechtman, coordinator with the Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women. “This is an issue that not everyone realizes affects them.”

The rally began at 1 p.m. and included guest speakers from different organizations in an effort to draw media attention to the humanitarian crises. It also called for a U.N. peacekeeping force to hold Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement accountable to the comprehensive peace agreement they signed in January.

“Africa isn’t a priority in U.S. news or current events,” said Jenny Whitcher, a coordinator of the rally with Act Sudan and the Center on Rights Development (CORD).

“We were hoping to get more media attention,” said Sandra Sirota, another rally organizer.

Guest speakers included Ahmed Ali, secretary general of the Darfur Association; Claude d’Estree, a GSIS professor; Taj Ashasheed, a Shura member for Mountain State Islamic Association; Kirsten Osgood, founder of Denver for Africa, and Anita Sanborn, president of Colorado Episcopal Association.

“I stand here today on simply justice,” said Ashasheed during his speech, “because it is our nature. It is our purpose. It is our legacy. There is nothing worth more to stand on.”

Ali, a member of the Masalit tribe in Darfur, came to the United States in 2001 and is currently studying engineering. He still has family in Darfur.

“My brother was killed,” he said. “For me, it is difficult to explain what I feel. I am scared for my family. I would like to give the Colorado Senate a view of what it is like, and information that they could use to stop this in Darfur.”

Those attending the rally held signs and passed petitions for organizations such as the One Campaign.

Betty Goebel, a local area resident, circulated her own petition which she planned to send to Africa Action in Washington, D.C., after the rally.

“How long do we have to wait before something is done?” she asked.