Students camp out to stop genocide
Students build refugee shelters, raise funds for Genocide Intervention Network


Vietfil Do, vice president of OU's STAND chapter, explains why students should donate to the Genocide Intervention Network.

Students built mock refugee shelters representing several areas of the world afflicted by genocide during the fourth annual Campout to Stampout Genocide on Tuesday, April 20. STAND, a student-led anti-genocide coalition, sponsored the event and invited several fraternities and sororities to hand out fliers and take donations. Beta Chi Theta, Delta Phi Omega, Phi Delta Alpha, Lambda Phi Epsilon, Delta Gamma, and Delta Delta Delta all built shelters and raised funds.

Students used cardboard boxes to build camps, spray-painting either Burma, Darfur, or Congo on their shelters. OU STAND chapter vice president Vietfil Do said students should donate to the Genocide Intervention Network even if they are discouraged by the continuance of highly publicized genocides. "If people in other places are continuing to donate and do those kinds of prevention, like civilian protection programs like the radio intervention network, it can save a life," Do said. "If it's your spare change, it doesn't hurt you and everyone wins."

Do said OU STAND is using 25 percent of the funds raised to put on future events, and giving the other 75 percent to the Genocide Intervention Network. She said the Genocide Intervention Network is using the money for a civilian protection programs in Burma and Darfur. STAND will announce next week how much money the event raised.