The first 100 days of any presidency are extremely important in setting the tone and pace for the next four to eight years. As we told you last week, we believe that repairing relations with the ICC should be a top priority for President Obama, and over 800 of you agreed and sent a note to the President stating as such.

We are now asking you, as global citizens, to take action on another priority - ending the intensifying violence in Darfur. A military standoff between the Sudanese government and rebel forces in the village of Muhajiriyah is threatening the lives of more than 30,000 civilians.

This looming catastrophe makes it starkly clear: it's time that President Obama names a point person with the stature, mandate and authority to take charge of US efforts to end the violence in Darfur.

This may be the largest battle in Sudan in more than a year, and the civilian casualties could be massive. Another ominous sign: the Sudanese government has refused to allow more UN peacekeepers access to the town. The new administration must name a person to lead U.S. efforts to resolve the larger Darfur conflict this crisis represents.

Every day without progress toward peace is measured in lives lost, so we must act today.

Take a minute to write to your members of Congress and to our President to ask them to appoint an official for U.S. Sudan policy . This is the first step in solving the crisis in Darfur and helping restablish the U.S. as a champion for ending and preventing genocide. Click on the link above to send an email in less than 30 seconds.