Members Of Congress To Fast For Darfur

(AP)  Inspired by actress Mia Farrow, members of Congress announced Tuesday that they were beginning a limited hunger strike to show solidarity with the people in Sudan's Darfur region and demand President Barack Obama's help in ending the suffering there.

"Among President Obama's priorities, Darfur has to take its place," Farrow, 64, told reporters on the Capitol campus, just after following her doctor's orders and ending her own 12-day hunger strike.

More than a dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus appeared alongside her to announce that they, too, were taking up the "Fast for Life" campaign - going a few days at a time consuming only water - through Congress' adjournment in August.

Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., chairman of the House subcommittee on Africa, said he had fasted last week for three days and said the group has requested a meeting with Obama.

Farrow's hunger strike, which inspired a similar protest by Virgin Group Founder and Chairman Sir Richard Branson, began after the Sudanese government expelled international aid agencies from the country earlier this year.

The war in Darfur began in early 2003 when rebel groups rose up against the government, complaining of discrimination and neglect. U.N. officials say up to 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million have fled their homes.

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If congress wants to send ANY more money out of this country,,,,they can start giving away their lobby dollars they have collected over the years ....BILLIONS of them ...makes you wonder .....why don't they pay taxes on all that money? OH Yeah I forgot politicians DON'T pay taxes,,,they just waste ours , while NOT representing the people.,,,,The people in EVERY office in Washington right now and for the last 50 years,,,have been greedy, low life scum, who have betrayed the people of this country, by selling us out to the corporate lobby dollar, they ALL deserve to be charged with TREASON.