On Darfur and other things

Promoting a Violence-Free Environment for Children Affected by Conflict

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and actress Mia Farrow was Wednesday, June 28, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss her recent trip to Darfur with her son Ronan to support feeding centers, families affected by HIV/AIDS and demobilization centers for children affected by armed conflict. And yes, she will discuss her acting roles, including her latest, as Mrs. Baylock in "The Omen."

A transcript follows.

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Mia Farrow: Hello, I am Mia Farrow, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and I am here to talk about my recent trip with UNICEF to Darfur...

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Shirlington, Va.: There's always a question of the aid money and whether it gets to where it's intended. Is this a problem with Darfur?

Mia Farrow: I can vouch first hand that UNICEF, along with other humanitarian agencies are using every penny they receive from the public to keep people alive

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Tenleytown, Washington, D.C.: I've been involved in Darfur awareness campaigns for two years now. What do you think the people in Darfur need the most right now? Is anyone providing it? Thank you!

Mia Farrow: The people of Darfur need security above all, after that of course, water, water, water. 3.9 million people are reliant on the World Food Programme for food to survive. They are not even getting the recommended minimum because of underfunding.

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Baltimore, Md.: You've adopted many children. Have you adopted any from the Darfur region? And your son Ronan accompanied you. What did he do?

Mia Farrow: Ronan is the spokesperson for Youth for UNICEF. Ronan met with the young people at refugee camps and is bringing their message back to young people here. He has had op-eds published on Darfur and is in fact writing one now. He attending Yale Law School with the intention of working in the field of human rights. Ronan is also actively involved in raising awareness in Darfur among students throughout America.

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Balltson, Va.: A lot of celebrities are being very public with their involvement in causes for Africa. George Clooney was just there with his father; Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are there and have visited places; singer Bono's very vocal.

Is this a trend? Is it good for celebrities to get involved in all of this?

Mia Farrow: I cannot speak for other celebrities and what they should and should not do. I do think that George Clooney and his father brought the terrible conflict on the Chad/Darfur border to people's attention and I think Angelina Jolie has been wonderful. She has given not only her time, but her own money to help those who need it the most.

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Mia Farrow: As for Bono, he is a shining example of how a performer can turn his celebrity towards helping people. He has singlehandly influenced and cajoled governments around the world to relieve national debt of the poorest countries and he has been so effective in addressing other problems in Africa. I have put his picture up on our refrigerator.

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Columbia, Md.: How many effective organizations are there in place right now helping with the Darfur relief efforts? I worry that, whether in Darfur or elsewhere, we are complacent that "someone" is taking charge of this, but that, in fact, nothing effective is in place. In other words, it seems to me that there's always either too much or too little help with no central organizing body for distributing needed goods and services. What's your sense of this?

Mia Farrow: UNICEF and other Aid organizations (you can look up which ones are active in the Darfur region) are literally keeping millions alive. At this moment in Darfur, AID workers are the only ones providing support of any kind for this utterly helpless population. We need to support AID Agencies, who are risking their own lives to help the people of Darfur.

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Potomac, Md.: How cooperative is the Sudan government to the UNICEF efforts?

Mia Farrow: UNICEF's priority is to maintain access to keep people alive. The Sudan Government is allowing us to operate in the majority of Darfur. But this access cannot be taken for granted as our permission to work in the region has previously been withdrawn or denied.

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College Park, Md.: What about the rebel movements over there? Do they endanger humanitarian efforts? Have you had any bad experiences with different factions?

Mia Farrow: We went to Galap and met with SLA leadership there who were in favor of the signing. We also met with SLA leaders in the Jebel Marra Mountains who are against the peace agreement. Both factions were eager for the UN peacekeeping force to come and bring security to region.

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Bethesda, Md.: Do you find yourself, when you're over there in Africa, welcome by the people and the government? Do they question the reason you're there?

Mia Farrow: In Africa, I met the kindest most generous and courageous people in my life experience.

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Arlington, Va.: Are there a lot of orphans over there?

Mia Farrow: Yes, there are far too many orphans in Darfur. Many children have seen their parents and siblings slaughtered. Mothers and sisters raped and mutilated.

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Washington, D.C.: Hello. I work for a faith-based advocacy organization in the U.S., and am most often asked the following questions.

From the point of view of someone who has been on the ground in Darfur, what is the single most important material need? Food, water, shelter, blankets, etc?

Are the people of Darfur aware of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA)? If so, do they express positive or negative feelings about the DPA? Do they feel that their safety and security are ameliorated by the DPA?

Thank you very much for your time.

Mia Farrow: The priority for all the women in Darfur is security..they are not safe at any time of the day and night. After that, they all mentioned the need for water. There is just not enough. They are not getting even the minimum food ration. Education and healthcare are barely existent.

For example, one doctor for 40,000 people at Zam Zam refugee camp.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: It is sad that we do not act to prevent genocide. It is my understanding that our military presence is not necessary, but that our backup support for African Union soldiers to protect the public and our humanitarian assistance is what is most needed. Why do you think we have been so slow to respond with what is required?

Mia Farrow: The international community left the job of protecting the people of Darfur to the African Union. But the world utterly failed to provide the African Union with any kind of meaningful support, training, resources and they are near bankruptcy.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: While people are dying of starvation and being slaughtered by soldiers, there has arisen a cry that we need to stand up, not to take sides in a dispute, but to respond to prevent genocide. This has led to an academic debate in this country as to whether calling this "genocide" is correct or not. Do you have any opinion on whether it is fair to label what has happened in Darfur as genocide?

Mia Farrow: My personal opinion it is nothing less than a genocide but the semantics are less relevant. What we have is a defenseless, civilian population of 6 million being attacked by their government. You can call it what you like. But bottom line, it is unacceptable and we need to get in there and help.

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New York, N.Y.: Officials in the city of Washington, D.C. are urging everyone to get tested for HIV/AIDS. We know this is a problem in Africa. Is such a program being proposed there? What is the feeling about testing and prevention?

Mia Farrow: The people of Darfur are in survival mode and there is only one tiny AIDS clinic in all of Darfur. There is very little education or capacity for testing at this time.

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Munich, Germany: I've recently read that infighting in the refugee camps between the Fur and Zaghawa tribes has made a no-man's land out of some areas of Darfur Camps. The ensuing crime and violence has prevented aid workers, police and peacekeepers from entering the area.

After all the hardship they've endured, isn't there a way to talk to the leaders of these groups to make peace for the greater good of the refugees?

Mia Farrow: It is definitely true that the infighting in refugee camps has made the situation even more volatile with innocent women and children in the crossfire. This is happening not only in the camps but across the region.

It is crucial that all parties come to the table to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

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Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: There are some people that think we should worry about our own country and that Africa should do the same. Why do you favor Africa instead of helping out those at home here in the U.S?

Mia Farrow: Apart from the compelling humanitarian reasons...I would like to say we are after all members in the human family. But on an international security level...we have already seen this crisis spill across the Darfur boarder, destabilizing Chad. If we leave this situation to plunge into chaos, we could see an entire region collapse. Sudan was home to Osama Bin Laden for years, it is the last place we want to see as a failed state, in this post 9/11 world

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Alexandria, Va.: As a person studying Arabic I have several questions about the language used in Dafur. Do the people of Dafur speak Arabic? Do you speak Arabic? Did you learn the basic greetings for Hello (Aasalaamu Aleikum? Who were your translators? Were they government-supplied translators or independent translators?

Mia Farrow: Our translators were trusted UNICEF staff. The Arabic spoken in Darfur is not classic Arabic but basic phrases are exchanged and understood.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: What are the level of illnesses in Darfur and approximately how much medical staff and supplies is available? What health care responses are most urgently needed?

Mia Farrow: While we were in Darfur there was an outbreak of Cholera. Disease and malnutrition are threatening hundreds of thousands of lives.

For example one camp had only one doctor to treat 40,000 people. Humanitarian agencies badly need your support. For example, UNICEF has only 20% of funding it needs to continue its work in Darfur.

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Silver Spring, Md.: I have seen signs stating "A Question of Conscience - Save Darfur". We were complacent during the Rwandan genocide, and have not done enough to stop the killing in Darfur. Many people feel terrible about what happened in Rwanda - but our conscience seems to have kicked in too late. My theory is that they don't have any oil or business potential, so our government doesn't consider it in our best interests to be more involved. What is your theory?

Mia Farrow: I could not agree more. Clearly the political will has not been there and up to a half a million people have perished because of this.

Some called Darfur, 'Rwanda in slow motion'...this is accurate.

But we still have time to intervene in this catastrophe and we must do so.

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Fairfax, Va.: How long have you been doing this type of work and what is your main concern in Darfur?

Mia Farrow: My main concern of everyone in Darfur is the issue of security. People are being killed, raped and mutilated. They are also dying of disease and hunger. My two priorities are protection for the people and support for our humanitarian agencies.

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Washington, D.C.: Who specifically doesn't want the U.N. in Darfur?

Mia Farrow: All across Darfur and in the villages, people were pleading for the UN to come and rescue them. The big question is why has it taken so long and here we have to look at the security council who makes this decision. Sitting on the security council are China and Russia who have oil interests in Southern Sudan. It is not in their interest to make waves with the Government of Sudan.

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Washington, D.C.: When you're there, do the authorities provide security for you and your entourage? Is it dangerous when you go around and visit and speak with people? Does your guard always have to be up?

Mia Farrow: Traveling around Darfur, I am always with UNICEF humanitarian workers. No one in Darfur any security these days...we are no exception.

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Woodbridge, Va.: What drives you to be so passionate about a country and people so far away?

Mia Farrow: We are all members of the human family. When one of our brothers or sisters are suffering then we all feel it.

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Omaha, Neb.: Water for People is a program that people in the U.S. may choose to participate in addition to UNICEF and the ONE campaign.

Recognizing the enormous issues involved, could you expand on your personal experiences just recently in the region?

Mia Farrow: We traveled to South and North Darfur visiting refugee camps and rebel held territories. 18 months ago I was able to visit West Darfur..but this time it was deemed too dangerous.

Since I was last there in 2004, the situation is even more deplorable. The camps are swollen beyond capacity. They do not enough water or food and they are terrified day and night. Just in the last four months, 250,000 have newly arrived in the camps.

It is outrageous that a political solution has not been reached that addresses this crucial issue of protection and security for the people of Darfur, so that they can safely return to their land and rebuild their homes and their lives. This is all they want to do.

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Alexandria, Va.: Thank you for your good works. I was wondering if you have found in the years since you began your work with UNICEF [that] America is more or less concerned with the plight of Africa?

Mia Farrow: Africa seems so far away from America and its problems are so enormous, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or helpless, I understand that. But I have had the privilege of going to several African countries and I have witnessed a level of suffering that I can scarcely describe. But I have seen such courage and resilience in the face of all this and such generosity of spirit. Clearly Americans have big hearts and if they know what is happening, I believe they will respond.

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Annandale, Va.: What was it like doing The Omen? Did it remind you of Rosemary's Baby, the subject matter, etc? You got good reviews whereas the movie didn't so much. What did you think of the movie?

Mia Farrow: It was fun doing The Omen. I loved my cast mates and we had a great time Prague.

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Mia Farrow: Thanks everybody. I so appreciate the informed questions on Darfur.

Bye

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