Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, arms trafficking and violence against women will all be points of conversation at the Amnesty International National Conference to be held in Milwaukee this weekend.

The conference, at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, 509 W. Wisconsin Ave., serves as the annual general meeting for Amnesty International USA, said Robert Schultz, Wisconsin field manager.

Two former "prisoners of conscience" will speak at the conference. "Prisoners of conscience" are defined as defenders of human rights who have been imprisoned by their governments because of their beliefs.

According to Schultz, Amnesty International has written letters and freed 40,000 prisoners since its inception in 1961.

The conference marks the beginning of the National Week of Student Action, when students will be urged to write to their congressmen and sign petitions for more action in Darfur.

On Friday, Pere Marquette Park will host "Make some Noise," the national kickoff rally for Amnesty International. Supporters will rally for United Nations troops in Darfur from 4 to 5 p.m.

Gregory Jackson, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and co-founder of the Marquette Chapter, said students could support Amnesty International's efforts by going to the rally. Participants will meet outside the Alumni Memorial Union by the Brew Bayou at 3:30 p.m. and are encouraged to wear blue shirts and boots and to bring whistles.

Darfur is located in the western area of Sudan. The current situation started in 2003.

"Western farmers accused the Sudanese government of political and ethnic marginalization of resources," said Scott Edwards, Amnesty International USA specialist for Sudan. Edwards said the farmers then took up arms.

The government began fighting the western farmers but also supplied weapons to Darfur nomads, who are now known as the Janjawid.

According to Edwards, the nomadic Janjawid have a history of conflict with the western farmers over rights to graze animals on the farmland.

"The Sudanese government began a pattern of bombing farm villages," Edwards said. "It is a counter-insurgency tactic to attack the civilians who are supporting the rebels."

After a village was bombed, the heavily-armed Janjawid would sweep through the village, killing men and boys and raping and abducting women and girls, said Edwards.

There are 2.5 million people displaced from Darfur in either Sudan or the neighboring country Chad.

"The refugee camps are in terrible condition and are basically bursting at the seams with people," Edwards said.

Security in refugee camps is Amnesty International's short-term goal.

"Security is so bad that aid organizations are having to pull out for their own safety," Edwards said. "Over a dozen (aid workers) have been killed since the conflict began."

A force of about 7,000 U.N. and African troops are in Darfur, but the small force has to defend an area the size of Texas against the Janjawid, said Barrett McCormick, professor of political science and faculty coordinator for the Darfur Action Coalition.

"The current news is saying there is an increasing level of violence in Darfur," McCormick said.