(AP) WASHINGTON Two Massachusetts representatives are among five congressman[sic] arrested and led away from the Sudanese Embassy in plastic handcuffs today.
They were protesting the Sudanese government's role in atrocities in the Darfur region and were expecting to be taken into custody.
Representatives Jim McGovern and John Olver were among the eleven protesters willingly arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly.
Olver says the Sudanese government needs to be held accountable for attacks on their own citizens.
Dozens of demonstrators carried signs, some reading "Stop the slaughter."
The protesters called on the Sudanese government to accept a U-N peacekeeping force in Darfur and allow humanitarian relief organizations full access to victims.
Some of the lawmakers issued news releases in advance about their expected arrest.
But, on a day when ordinary people are outraged about gas prices and a new Republican sex scandal, I doubt the fact that the UN has had to cut food rations for Sudanese refugees due to a lack of funding will get much attention. After all, shady sex and issues about me, me, me and how bad off I am are just far more important to too many people. I know those gas prices hurt and are causing financial hardship. Imagine if one million people decided to use public transit for one day and gave the money they saved from doing so to help these refugees.
If you would like to help the people of Sudan and are able to afford to do so by making a donation, please contact The World Food Programme. They desperately need your help. Governments are not honouring their commitments and the only thing left is citizen advocacy and action. The Sudanese refugees do not deserve to suffer from malnutrition on top of all they have already gone through. We can and must do better as a global community. Put pressure on your government representatives to take emergency action today.
UPDATE: Politics TV has video of the arrests of the congressmen.
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