WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Actor George Clooney premiered a new documentary Wednesday on Darfur made with his father with hopes of shedding more light on the troubled Sudanese region.
The film, "A Journey to Darfur," will be aired by AmericanLife TV on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, network officials said.
Appearing via videolink from Los Angeles during a Washington screening attended by his father, veteran journalist Nick Clooney, George Clooney said it was necessary to draw more attention to a region undergoing what he called the first genocide of the 21st century.
Clooney promoted the deployment of a strong U.N. peacekeeping force, increased humanitarian aid, guaranteed access for aid delivery and the establishment of a no-fly zone.
In the documentary, the Clooneys visit a number of refugee camps for a first-hand look at those devastated by conflict. The Hollywood star said he felt his life was in danger every day.
In a statement at the AmericanLife Web site, Clooney said: "The people of Darfur are balanced on a razor's edge," adding that "if the legendary know-how and goodwill of the American people are unleashed, these brave Darfuris will go home to live their lives out in peace."
Conflict has stricken Darfur for over three years, resulting in an estimated 200,000 people killed and more than 2 million civilians forced to flee their homes to live in refugee camps where they are reliant on international aid for survival.
The outbreak of violence began in 2003 after a revolt by ethnic Africans against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum.
