RIGHTS GROUPS RESPOND TO NEW GENOCIDE"ARREST WARRANT FOR PRESIDENT BASHIR International Community Must Bring Bashir and Other Indictees to Justice and Prevent Violent Retaliation by Bashir Regime:
July 12, 2010WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Four human rights advocacy organizations -
the Enough Project
at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, the Save Darfur Coalition, and the American Jewish World Service - jointly issued the following statement in response.
The issuance of a second arrest warrant for President Al-Bashir for
three counts of genocide requires the international community to fully support
the ICC and renew its efforts to apprehend him and all others wanted by the ICC
for crimes committed in Darfur. The Government of Sudan should immediately turn
over President al-Bashir to face trial in The Hague. Barring this unlikely
cooperation, the United States and the international community should work together
to ensure Bashir’s swift arrest.
After the ICC issued the first warrant for al-Bashir’s arrest in March
2009, President Bashir evicted more than a dozen international aid groups from
Sudan, putting thousands of lives at risk. The international community did
little to challenge this retaliation, and critically needed services, including
aid for survivors of sexual violence, were lost and never replaced in Darfur.
President Obama, the UN Security Council, and other world leaders must
make it clear to President Bashir that any new retaliation against humanitarian
efforts will be met with clear consequences. Sudanese civilians should not be
targeted as justice is pursued for those who have died and suffered in Darfur.
The Bashir regime's decades of crimes must end. While risk of
a return to full-scale, national war grows and a referendum for southern
Sudanese self-determination draws near, the Obama administration should put in
action the consequences and pressures it promised for the lack of measurable progress
and continued backsliding on key benchmarks by the Government of Sudan and
other parties. The United States also needs to intensify its diplomatic
efforts to find a path to peace in Sudan, with support from President Obama and
other senior members of his foreign policy team.
“Accountability is a fundamental component of sustainable peace in
Sudan,” says John Prendergast, Co-Founder of the Enough Project.
“President Obama should make abundantly clear his unequivocal support for peace
rooted in justice in Sudan by sending the message that consequences will result
from any retaliation against Sudanese civilians as a result of this warrant,
and by building stronger international support for this warrant.”
“The American people are expecting President Obama to fulfill his
campaign promises and forcefully support the ICC and protect civilians in
Sudan,” says Mark Hanis, President of the Genocide Intervention Network. “The
United States government should reaffirm its support for the ICC’s pursuit of
justice in Darfur and should work together with UN Security Council and ICC
member states to ensure the swift enforcement of this and all ICC arrest
warrants for those accused of atrocities in Darfur, including al-Bashir.”
“The United States and broader international community must vigilantly
monitor for any threats or acts of violence or other repression against
civilians, Sudanese human rights activists, aid workers or peacekeepers,” says
Mark Lotwis, Acting President of the Save Darfur Coalition. “While pushing for
al-Bashir’s apprehension, the Obama administration must lead efforts to prevent
a repeat of the merciless and cruel retaliation by the Khartoum regime last
year.”
“Today’s decision comes at a perilous time for the Sudanese people,”
said American Jewish World Service (AJWS) president Ruth Messinger. “The Obama
administration’s vigilance in implementing the accountability mechanisms
central to its Sudan policy is critical to ensure this decision is not used as
a pretext to punish civilians and interrupt life-saving aid.”
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT July 12, 2010 Pre-Trial Chamber I issues a second warrant of arrest against Omar
Al Bashir for 3 counts of genocide *Remember what happened after the ICC issued the first arrest warrant in March of 2009? President Bashir expelled more than a dozen international aid groups from Sudan. Little challenge was met by this action from the international community. Please consider taking action NOW by calling 1-800-GENOCIDE
United States Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Arrives
Juba for Official Visit Sudan Radio News, June 25, 2010 [Johnnie Carson] “We are here to look at the facilities and operations of the consulate here in Juba with the intent to determine what kind of facilities we would need for a diplomatic establishment here in the future. I’m also here to talk with the leadership of the Government of Southern Sudan. We are very much interested in hearing from them about the preparations that they are making for the referendum which is to take place here in January 2011.”
OBAMA'S SUDAN FUMBLE How the U.S. President is bungling Sudan's elections-and it will come back to haunt him later. By John Norris. Foreign Policy April 14, 2010
Draft framework agreement signed in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena
2/23 between the Government of Sudan and the Justice and Equality
Movement
leadership. Final version of
a deal that sets out the terms of their forthcoming negotiations over
peace in Darfur. Enough Project
“Allahu musta’an.” Mohamed Yahya, a refugee from Darfur and a human rights activist, looked at me with dark eyes. “It means, ‘God alone will help us.’ It is what the people are now saying in Darfur.”
Mr. Yahya, whose village was destroyed in a government-backed militia attack, is trying to educate the world about the genocide occurring in his home of Darfur, in the western region of Sudan. On this evening, he is talking with a group of students at Duke University, which I attend, about his country’s struggles. Of all the people present that night, only one other person is Sudanese: me.
I learned about the genocide in Darfur, where up to 400,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes, the same way everyone else did: from the news. My parents, both from central Sudan, had become so disillusioned with the Sudanese regime that they rarely discussed politics. Our family watched the Sudanese news stations, but the news is controlled by the government, so Darfur is rarely mentioned. When it is, President Omar al-Bashir, who was just indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, is made out to be the hero. During my high school years, I found out what was really happening in Darfur by reading stories on the Internet.
The reality of the situation is staggering: Arab militias called the “Janjaweed” have attacked Darfuri villages, killing women and children, in an ethnic cleansing campaign that continues to this day.
As a Sudanese Arab, I found it almost impossible to believe that my people are capable of such acts of cruelty and malice. But I have come face to face with people from Darfur and other regions of Sudan who have been victims of the government’s brutal policies, and the truth is undeniable.
I have met with photographers who have shown me evocative pictures of blasted villages and broken lives. I have met with Mr. Yahya. I have heard from the Lost Boys of Sudan, innocent victims of a previous war in Sudan that pit the Muslim government against the predominantly Christian south of the country. The Lost Boys risked their lives to escape the all-consuming warfare that had convulsed the region.
I am especially shocked by this violence because I am so familiar with the kind and gentle spirit of the Sudanese people. In my visits to see my family in Sudan, I have seen unemployment and poverty. But even in the midst of this economic trouble, complete strangers would offer me the food off their plates. Generosity is more than a character trait in Sudan: it is a way of life. During meals, extra food is always prepared, in case an unexpected guest arrives. Sudanese people do not hesitate to offer you all they have. To break this precept is to go against everything that makes us who we are.
That’s why the news about the current genocidal campaign by Sudan’s government against the people of Darfur, and previous wars that have targeted others in the south of the country, leaves me more than shocked; I am heartbroken. My heart aches, knowing that the people I love and admire, my own people, are engaged in destroying their brothers. When we lash out at other human beings, we dehumanize ourselves.
But I also know that the true values of Sudanese culture are peace and generosity, and that what makes us Sudanese is also what requires us to cry out against this genocide.
Omar al-Bashir and his government insist on fomenting ethnic conflict in order to keep their hold on power; without political change, the situation of the people in Sudan will not improve.
But I have hope for the future: There are so many Sudanese here in the United States, and in other countries, who are committed to going back to Sudan to use their skills to help our country. I myself cannot stand by and watch as Sudanese kill other Sudanese; I hold my people to a higher standard than that. We cannot do it alone; we will need a lot of help from the world. But I am a son of Sudan, and I tell you that I am up to the challenge: together, we can exert the pressure needed to get Sudan’s government to stop the genocide, end the conflict and help the people of Sudan.
Mohamed Bashir is a senior at Duke University where he is studying biomedical engineering.
An Open Letter to Obama's Deputies on SudanToday, senior U.S. Government officials are scheduled to meet to review Sudan policy. In an open letter to President Obama's deputies, Enough Co-Founder John Prendergast and Policy Advisor Omer Ismail make the case that Sudan is dangerously close to sliding back to war and recommend a course of action marked by much deeper diplomatic engagement, backed by more assiduous efforts to build a multilateral coalition of countries willing to impose consequences on those undermining the path to peace in Sudan.
Earlier this week, Enough and nine other Sudan advocacy groups called upon the Obama administration to apply firm benchmarks to Sudan to prevent much broader conflict in a major policy paper. Click here to read the paper.
In addition, Sudan Now, a coalition of Sudan advocacy groups, ran a new advertisement in the Washington Post and Politico. Click here to view the ads.Take Action1. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE (1-800-436-6243) today to ask your member of Congress to contact the Deputies and ask them to implement clear benchmarks for Sudan.
2. Update your status on Facebook with the following information, urging your friends to do the same.
"This week senior U.S. Government officials will meet to review Sudan policy. Become a fan of the State Department Facebook page and publicly urge Deputy Secretary Jim Steinberg and the other deputies on the National Security Council to be firm when holding Sudan's leading parties to their commitments to promote peace."
3. Join our petition on Twitter, urging the Deputies to be strong on Sudan benchmarks when they meet this week.
Sudan: Preventing Implosion Africa Briefing N°68 17 December 2009 Overview Sudan is sliding towards violent breakup. The main mechanisms to endconflicts between the central government and the peripheries – theComprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the Darfur Peace Agreement and theEast Sudan Peace Agreement – all suffer from lack of implementation,largely due to the intransigence of the National Congress Party (NCP).Less than thirteen months remain to ensure that national elections andthe South Sudan self-determination referendum lead to democratictransformation and resolution of all the country’s conflicts. Unlessthe international community, notably the U.S., the UN, the AfricanUnion (AU) Peace and Security Council and the Horn of AfricaInter-Government Authority on Development (IGAD), cooperate to supportboth CPA implementation and vital additional negotiations, return toNorth-South war and escalation of conflict in Darfur are likely. *Read Article click here
Lubna Hussein, the Sudanese woman found guilty of the crime of
wearing trousers, may not have won her case, but she has done one
important thing: made the Khartoum regime fear the world's response.
Ask The Expert- Sudan Policy ReviewJohn Prendergrast Co-founder of the Enough Project speaks out on this You Tube September 2nd message.
Story HighlightsAuthors: Obama, Clinton, Biden were champions of Darfur movementThey say a broad-based, anti-genocide movement was builtThey say the Obama administration hasn't followed through with a strong policyThey say Obama has a chance to set a strong precedent for dealing with genocidedocument.write(cnnRenderTimeStamp(1251897320971,['September 2, 2009 -- Updated 1315 GMT (2115 HKT)','updated 9:15 a.m. EDT, Wed September 2, 2009']));September 2, 2009 -- Updated 1315 GMT (2115 HKT)
Nicholas Kristof Podcast | New York Books Nicholas Kristof speaks with Sasha Weiss about his experiences reporting in Darfur, the International Criminal Court's indictment of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir on counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and what the Obama administration can do to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Date: 17 Dec 2008
TIMISOARA, Romania, December 17 (UNHCR) – After an incredible journey fraught with danger and hardship, a group of 97 Sudanese refugees from Darfur arrived in Romania Wednesday en route to a new life after years stuck in a desert camp in Iraq.
The Sudanese, most of whom fled Darfur in the late 1980s, arrived in the Romanian city of Timisoara after being flown by UNHCR from the Jordanian capital, Amman. They had earlier been taken by road from the makeshift K-70 camp in Iraq
Once in Romania, the group was transported in four buses to a new Emergency Transit Centre set up by the Romanian government, UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for people – like them – in urgent need of international protection.
"Our lives had been suspended while we were in Iraq," one of the refugees told a UNHCR staff member in Timisoara. "But this is a new beginning for us."
The refugees will stay in Timisoara until their applications for resettlement in other countries are processed. This first group will be followed by another 42 Sudanese refugees, who are expected to leave Iraq next month.
"The refugees are keen to get on with their lives. The children are playing football in the centre's courtyard," said Kahin Ismail, a UNHCR protection officer in Iraq, who accompanied them on the plane to Timisoara.
In Iraq, the refugees suffered abuse, blackmail, eviction and assault by militias following the 2003 downfall of the Saddam Hussein regime. A total of 17 Sudanese were killed between December 2004 and February 2005.
Because of this targeting, the refugees tried to flee Iraq but became stranded in the Al Anbar desert in the K-70 camp outside Al Rutbah town, some 75 km east of the Jordan-Iraq border. Conditions in the camp were described by UNHCR staff as "very harsh." The refugees lived in tents and endured desert sandstorms, soaring daytime temperatures and freezing weather at night.
"This is one of the most vulnerable groups of refugees in Iraq," UNHCR's Ismail said. There are some 42,000 refugees from various nationalities registered by UNHCR in Iraq.
Since the group departed Sudan, conditions in Darfur have deteriorated. The refugees said they did not want to go back to Darfur because they feared that they would end up being displaced.
The Emergency Transit Centre in Timisoara is the first of its kind in Europe. It can accommodate up to 200 people and will provide a temporary safe haven for individuals or groups who need to be evacuated immediately from life-threatening situations before being resettled to other countries.
Point and Counterpoint: Sudan's Expulsion of Aid Groups Escalates Crisis Read and listen to UN Ambassador Susan Rice and Alex de Waal, program director with the Social Science Research Council and author of Darfur:A New History of a Long War comment on the Government of Sudan's reaction to the ICC arrest warrant. March 6, 2009
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during talks with President Hosni Mubarak during their meeting at the Presidetial palace in Cairo, Egypt. February 22, 2009
During the campaign, President Obama pledged “unstinting resolve” to address the situation in Darfur, Sudan where an ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis is in it’s 6th year. To date, his administration has said little and done less.
As Georgians, we have a unique opportunity to make a difference. Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson serves as the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Africa Subcommittee. Senator Isakson has stated publicly “what’s happening in Darfur is unacceptable.” He went on to say that he “would stand ready as ranking member of the Africa subcommittee to work with you [the Obama Administration] in any way possible” to address the crisis.
March 4th marked an unprecedented day in history and in the ongoing crisis in Darfur. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir, which marks the first time that a sitting head of state has been indicted by the ICC. The arrest warrant was issued on 7 counts (5 crimes against humanity and 2 war crimes). Bashir was not charged with genocide, however it was made clear that the charges would be amended to include the crime if the prosecutor is able to uncover additional evidence to prove intent. The absence of the charge does not mean that genocide has not taken place since there is limited access to the country to collect evidence
According to the Administration, Sudan policy is “under review.” With envoys appointed to North Korea, the Middle East, climate change and South Asia, we wait with baited breath for appointments to the Sudan portfolio. Without a team – an envoy plus deputies –in place, it is hard to see how Obama will engage in effective diplomacy to prevent the near-term worst-case scenario or promote the long-term best-case scenario for Sudan.
While the young Obama Administration has to-date shown no evidence that securing peace in Sudan will be a top priority, the recent arrest warrant for Bashir should make it just that. It’s time for the international community to affirm its support for the ICC and insist that all countries cooperate as required by the UN Security Council.
The ICC's investigations have been celebrated by Darfuris, most of whom are now living in refugee camps. For them, an arrest warrant means justice and maybe even the possibility of a new beginning.
As advocates against genocide, the Darfur Urgent Action Coalition of Georgia (DUACG), a coalition of 100 member organizations, works to mobilize Georgians to take action against the atrocities in Darfur. As taxpayers, we embrace a cost-effective solution that will result in the diminishing need for the United States to continue to spend billions in Sudan to manage this crisis instead of effectively ending it. March 4th is “Dial for Darfur Day” and gives GA citizens an opportunity to take action towards achieving two of our main goals.
First, we urge Georgia’s citizens to contact Senator Isakson and thank him for calling on President Obama to appoint a high-level envoy for Sudan and urge him to continue pushing for the best hope for the people of Sudan – a diplomatic surge led by the U.S. that can forge a lasting peace.
Second, we ask you to contact your state legislators and urge them to support Senate Bill 170. Tell them the citizens of GA are longer willing to fund the ongoing government-sponsored genocide in Sudan. Sudan is highly reliant on foreign investment to fund its military and facilitate the mass atrocities in Darfur. Fortunately, we can change this with the passage of this bill, currently under review in the Georgia State Legislature. SB170 will prevent GA from entering into state contracts with the most egregious companies who are indirectly funding the genocide.
On March 4th, SB 170 unanimously passed through its committee hearing. Now, Georgians can make history by calling your State Senator, ask him to support this bill and make sure GA is not invested in the Darfur genocide. At www.gadarfur.org you will find more information, how to contact your state senator and a list of easy action steps you can take to get Georgia off the list of bystander states regarding the ongoing genocide in Darfur.
Melanie Nelkin Chair, Darfur Urgent Action Coalition of Georgia 2009 Carl Wilkens Fellow
The Obama Administration’s First 50 Days: No One at the Helm for Sudan?
March 10, 2009 will mark President Obama’s 50th day in office. After taking office on January 20, the Obama Administration has not taken the important first step of appointing a Special Envoy for Sudan. This inaction is unacceptable from a President and Secretary of State who pledged "unstinting resolve" in working to end genocide in Darfur.
Envoys have already been appointed and are working on Afghanistan-Pakistan, the Middle East, North Korea and climate change. Sudan is no less important and deserves its own high-level envoy. President Obama needs to send a clear signal to the Khartoum regime that Sudan is a priority and appoint someone who can negotiate and preserve a lasting peace.
Meet with your Senators and Representative! Congress was instrumental in persuading President Bush to appoint a series of envoys for Sudan. Now, Congress is needed to ensure that Sudan remains a priority for President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton by urging the Administration to appoint a high-level Sudan envoy.
Your voice is needed: Call now to schedule a meeting in April Members of Congress are on break from April 6th through the 17th and will be at home in your district. Call now and ask to schedule a meeting to discuss Sudan and the genocide in Darfur with your Senators and Representative during that week. Once your meeting is scheduled, let us know. We can work with you to develop an agenda, provide updates on the latest information and help by inviting others in your area to attend the meeting with you.
Talking Points for the Meeting By March 10th, the new Administration will have been in office for 50 days without appointing a high-level envoy for Sudan. Let your Senator/Representative know that: Peace Process: Efforts to forge an inclusive peace agreement for Darfur have been ineffective. Further, the implementation of crucial provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement—between north and south Sudan—are at risk. The only way to ensure an end to violence in Darfur and the continued peace between the north and south is if effective peace agreements are adopted and fully implemented. Violence against Civilians Continues: In Sudan, the first 25 days of the Obama Administration were marked by an aerial attack in which the government of Sudan dropped 29 bombs on the village of Muhajiriya in south Darfur. Justice and Accountability: An indictment of President Bashir by the International Criminal Court is expected on March 4th and the government of Sudan has threatened to respond with violence. Time is Critical: A high-level envoy for Sudan is needed now.
Have you scheduled your meeting or do you need help scheduling one? If you need help calling the offices of your elected officials or scheduling a meeting in April, please email Allyson Neville at Neville@GenocideIntervention.Net or call 202-481-8220.
Sudan Asks Peacekeepers to Leave a Town
Associated Press: Feb. 1, 2009 ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Sudanese officials asked international peacekeepers on Sunday to leave a rebel-held town in Darfur in advance of a possible military attack, the United Nations and Sudanese officials said.
The request, which represents a challenge to the United Nations’ effort to prevent fighting in Darfur, is the first time the Sudanese have asked international peacekeepers to vacate a specific place in the troubled region.
Josephine Guerrero, a spokeswoman for the United Nations mission, which is known as Unamid, said the request concerned the town of Muhajiriya in southern Darfur, with a population of about 30,000.
That is where Sudan wants to begin an offensive against rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement, a group that is known to have occasionally received Chadian support and that has held the town since mid-January, said Akuei Bona Malwal, Sudan’s ambassador to the African Union.
He said the Sudanese government was requesting — not demanding — that peacekeepers leave.
“It’s sort of like informing them something will be happening here,” the ambassador said.
Senior officials with the United Nations will meet with Sudanese officials in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, to discuss the latest request, Ms. Guerrero said. She said the request did not specify when the Sudanese government wanted the peacekeepers to leave the town.
Ms. Guerrero said the peacekeeping force would like to remain in place.
“Our mandate is to provide protection to civilians and we would like to continue doing that,” she said.
Suleiman Sandal, a rebel commander, said his forces were anticipating a government attack on the town and had warned peacekeepers about the possibility.
“We have warned the Unamid,” he said by satellite telephone from Darfur. “We told them it is up to them. We care about their safety.”
Reed Brody, a Brussels-based lawyer with Human Rights Watch who attended an African Union summit meeting in the Ethiopian capital, said that if Unamid complied with the Sudan government’s request, the peacekeeping mission could be weakened.
“The critical test for any decision like this is if it exposes civilians to attack by the government,” he said. “And if it is, it is an undermining to Unamid’s key mandate. Unamid is not there to affect the military balance of power or to take sides, or even to facilitate attacks. They are also not there to protect the rebels or protect the government.”
Rebels took up arms in Sudan’s western Darfur region in 2003. So far, an estimated 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million have been displaced.
Sudanese forces frequently bomb rebel areas in Darfur, despite a United Nations Security Council ban on military flights over the western region.
Genocide Prevention Task Force Releases Report December 8, 2008 | Press Release
The Genocide Prevention Task Force today released its final report on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The report makes the case for why genocide and mass atrocities threaten core American values and national interests, and how the U.S. government can prevent these crimes in the future.
Jointly convened by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, The American Academy of Diplomacy, and the United States Institute of Peace, the Task Force began its work last November with the goal of generating concrete recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s capacity to recognize and respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities.
“The world agrees that genocide is unacceptable and yet genocide and mass killings continue,” said Madeleine K. Albright, former Secretary of State and Co-Chair of the Genocide Prevention Task Force. “We believe that preventing genocide is possible, and that striving to do so is imperative both for our national interests and our leadership position in the world.”
Visit this site to view the top 10 stories you may have missed in 2008.
November 20, 2008 ENOUGH PROJECT RESPONDS TO ICC PROSECUTOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DARFUR WAR CRIMES PROSECUTIONWASHINGTON, D.C.
The Enough Project today issued the following statement in response to an announcement by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
The statement, which follows, is from John Prendergast, Co-chair, John
Norris, Executive Director, and Omer Ismail, Policy Advisor:
Today the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, or I.C.C., Luis Moreno-Ocampo, applied for an arrest warrant for war crimes
against several members of a splinter rebel faction in Darfur related
to the September 29, 2007, attack on African Union peacekeepers in
Haskanita. The Chief Prosecutor's actions are a powerful reminder that
the Court will pursue justice with an even hand and follow the chain of
evidence with regard to crimes against humanity wherever it leads.
Today's move by the prosecutor makes clear that repeated claims by the
Sudanese government that it is being unfairly targeted by the Court are
without merit. Now that government officials, rebels, and militia
leaders all have been subject to I.C.C. actions, it is clear that the
Court is pursuing its work in a professional and impartial manner.
Further, this balanced pursuit of accountability underscores the
importance of all sides in the conflict partaking in credible peace
talks and forging a lasting solution. While the United Nations Security Council
can invoke Article 16 to defer specific cases on a rolling one-year
basis, it only should do so in the overwhelming interest of peace.
Efforts by parties, including the Sudanese Government, to build support
for invoking Article 16 will not be taken seriously until there is a
peace to keep in Darfur.
To read the I.C.C. Chief Prosecutor's statement, click here.
Separately, the Court is still waiting to determine if it will issue an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir
for charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. We
believe these charges to have merit, and the issuance of an arrest
warrant coupled with a change of administration in Washington can
combine to create a transformative opportunity for Darfur. Many
governments that had earlier expressed unqualified support for Bashir
are backing away quietly, making it increasingly plausible that it will
be politically feasible for Bashir to be replaced as president of Sudan
if his fellow party members follow the letter of the law in Sudan, hold
him accountable for his actions, and push him to the side. An arrest
warrant would also present a golden opportunity to use the regime's
desire to suspend these judicial proceedings as leverage not only in
forging a peace agreement in Darfur but in getting implementation of
the existing North-South peace deal back on track.
The Enough Project, Save Darfur, and the Genocide Intervention Network jointly have called on President-elect Obama and his transition team to develop a new strategy for Sudan, or a peace surge,
built around strong diplomacy, improved civilian protection, escalating
pressure on the parties to the conflict, and justice. President Obama
can help lead an international effort to construct a viable, sustained,
high-level peace process that addresses the fundamental issues in
Darfur and Sudan more broadly. The time is right also for a concerted
multilateral effort to see an indicted Bashir resign the presidency and
face extradition to The Hague, which would have a profound effect on
the domestic political situation in Sudan. Peace remains possible in Sudan, and today the Chief Prosecutor took an important step in helping the international community fulfill that goal.
National Conference on Darfur, Washington, DC Nov. 7-9 This
conference was attended by roughly 800 STAND members representing 45
states and 3 countries. The Adult Activist conference hosted by The
Save Darfur Coalition was attended by dozens of adult activists in the
Darfur anti genocide community in addition to dozens of Darfuris who
are actively involved in assisting the efforts of this tremendous
grassroots movement. Many were hopeful that the Obama administration
will fulfill his pledges by acting swiftly and decisively on Darfur
upon assuming office. Please go to the Save Darfur Coalition web
site for a more updated position paper on the specifics of what we
should expect from the president elect and his Administration.
Tents of Hope Event on the National Mall where over 300 tentsfrom all over the country were on exhibit before being shipped to the war torn region of Darfur.
A historic US election means moving forward into a new era in race relations
and halfway across the world another government continues to move
backwards in time by censoring the press. Press Protest in Sudan
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: November 4, 2008 KHARTOUM, Sudan
- Two Sudanese daily newspapers said Tuesday that they would suspend
publication for three days and that their journalists would go on a
24-hour hunger strike to protest state censorship. The journalists said they were resisting a mounting crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of elections expected next year.
Salah
Kajam, publisher of the independent Ajras al-Hurria, said state agents
regularly removed articles critical of the government and reports of
violence in Darfur, among other things. http://www.nytimes.com
Special Dispatch Series November 17, 2008 Sudan Liberation Movement Leader Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nur Supports Relations
with Israel: An Israeli Embassy in Khartoum Will Serve Interests of the
Sudanese People The following are excerpts from an interview with Sudan Liberation Movement leader Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nur. The interview aired on Al-Arabiya TV on October 10, 2008.
"People from Darfur and Sudan Have Gone to Israel - And They
Are There Now, Studying, Eating Israeli Food, and Living... We Will
Open an Israeli Embassy in Khartoum"
Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nur: "There are two types of
normalization. There is normalization between peoples, and this has
already happened. People from Darfur and Sudan have gone to Israel, and
they are there now, studying, eating Israeli food, and living among
them. This has already happened.
"As for political normalization, the Sudan Liberation Movement
says loud and clear: If we come to power, we will open an Israeli
Embassy in Khartoum and consulates next to the Palestinian Embassy and
consulates, because we believe that people should resolve their
problems by peaceful means. As for the war between Israel and the
Palestinians, we are against the killing of civilians, whether in
Israel or in Gaza..."
Interviewer: "But Israel kills Palestinians, and you accept this by your presence there."
Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nur: "Let me finish. We are against the
killing of innocent civilians - whether in Israel or the Palestinian
territories. But as I previously said, we would open an Israeli Embassy
because this would serve the interests of the Sudanese people in terms
of politics, industry, agriculture, and investments." [...]
"I Haven't Seen Any Israeli Who Killed a Sudanese... [But] Our Government Killed Its People by the Hundreds of Thousands"
Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nur: "Tell me, how can you compare Sudan
to Israel? I haven't seen any Israeli who killed a Sudanese, or who
interfered in Sudanese affairs. In Sudan we have a saying: 'You see an
elephant, but you attack its shadow.'
"Our government killed its people by the hundreds of thousands
- sorry, by the millions. In the name of religion and race, it turned
tens of thousands of families into refugees with its 'Public Interest'
system, by means of the Islamic Front, and it killed people during
Ramadhan. In the name of development, it drove hundreds of thousands
out of their homes everywhere - and then it creates the smokescreen of
hatred of Israel.
"Resolve the problems of the Sudanese people first, and then
talk about Israel. Start with yourself, and stay away from the problems
of others."
With the Arrest Warrant for Al-Bashir, "The Rule Of Law Has Been Transferred From This Failing, Illegal Government To The ICC"
Interviewer: "Are you pleased about the issuing of the
arrest warrant against the Sudanese president? As a Sudanese, do you
feel that this is a political victory for you?"
Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nur: "First of all, this is a legal
matter, and as a lawyer, I am very pleased that Al-Bashir and his
government now know that the world is no longer a jungle of wild
beasts, and that it will not allow them to kill their people and remain
at large. The issue of the warrant is purely a legal matter. Every
nation in the world has the right to protect its citizens and bring
them justice.
"In Sudan, we have an outlaw government. Instead of protecting
its citizens, it annihilates them. Therefore, the rule of law has been
transferred from this failing, illegal government to the International
Criminal Court."
Sudan Advocacy and Action Forum- Situation Update/Bill Andress SAAF Update 30-2008 November 10, 2008
Topics in this update:
* Sudan's General Elections * Southern Sudan: Referendum, self-determination, independence * Darfur: Humanitarian Access * South Sudan establishes bureau for civilian disarmament * UN representative arrested near Merowe Dam, Sudan * Media Absence - Southern Sudan
Sudan's General Elections:
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement which ended the 21 year war between
the Government of Sudan and its Southern citizens requires that
Presidential and parliamentary elections on national and state levels
must be held before July 2009. Recently, the Sudan People's Liberation
Movement (SPLM) Secretary-General Pagan Amum warned that the SPLM would
not accept any delay in the date of general elections.
John Ashworth, a long time observer, analyst, and advocate for a just peace in Sudan, notes that the SPLM faces a real dilemma:
*
Any attempt to delay the elections will cause suspicion, and will be
perceived as playing into the hands of the NCP's attempts to delay and
undermine the implementation of the CPA. * Alternatively, if the
elections take place in July 2009 as planned, there are huge problems.
The electoral commission will find it hard to complete its preparations
in time, holding elections during the rainy season will mean that many
parts of the south will not have proper access to the ballot box, and
of course Darfur remains a problem due to security.
Without a
great deal of wisdom on the part of the SPLM, this could become a
lose-lose proposition. (Sudan Tribune and Personal Correspondence)
While
the viewpoints differed, it was clear that South Sudan's
first public lecture held October 29, on preparations for the
referendum on self-determination in the year 2011 was welcomed.
Politicians, civil servants, SPLA Officers, and international
observers, joined Southern Sudan's President Salva Kiir in discussing
the event. Noting that the road to the referendum would be bumpy, Kiir
emphasized the absolutely essential need for the referendum.
"Although
I am always very optimistic, I am slightly worried that some elements
in Sudan will try to deny the people of southern Sudan to exercise this
fundamental right," Kiir said. Many in the south are deeply
distrustful and would challenge Kiir's expression of slight worry.
Some saw the meeting as the first steps in "A Near Unilateral
Declaration of Independence." (South Sudan Nation, Sudan Tribune and
other sources)
Darfur: Humanitarian Access
SAAF Note:
In personal correspondence the program director of one humanitarian
effort in Darfur observes that indigenous Sudanese humanitarian efforts
and those international efforts which maintain a low profile
experience much less interference than highly visible efforts. In our previous update we noted the methods whereby humanitarian access is restricted. Prof. Eric Reeves explains the reason.
"The
long, brutal war of attrition directed at humanitarian aid efforts in
Darfur is again accelerating, as Khartoum seeks to effect a permanently
destructive status quo prior to further UNAMID deployment. These
immensely destructive efforts are also meant to deter the ICC from
issuing an arrest warrant for National Islamic Front regime head Omar
al-Bashir."
Let one example suffice. For more than four
months the Khartoum regime refused to allow entry to 5,000 metric tons
of sugar bound for Darfur. What is the role of sugar in food aid to
Darfur? Sugar is part of a primary food tool called "premix" to
manage malnutrition in children under 5. What goes into this "premix"?
Corn-soya blend, dried skimmed milk...and sugar. This delay in
releasing a large quantity of a key ingredient in sustaining the lives
of young children was a direct assault on their ability to live---it
represents another in a long and continuous history of genocidal
actions by the NIF regime, going back to well before the outbreak of
organized rebellion in Darfur in early 2003.
More simply,
precluding humanitarian access is the natural progression of a strategy
of genocide against targeted civilians once they have been put in a
situation in which they have no options for survival except
humanitarian intervention. (ST, 10/28/08)
South Sudan establishes Bureau for civilian disarmament
The
Government of Southern Sudan established a bureau under the Ministry of
Internal Affairs for the sole purposes of developing and coordinating a
policy for small arms control among the civil population in the
semi-autonomous region. The Bureau will develop comprehensive
strategies and plans to address community insecurity and the misuse of
small arms. Donors and UN agencies have promised to financially and
technically support the Bureau. (ST 11/01/08)UN Representative Arrested near Merowe Dam, Sudan
Dam
authorities closed the gates of the newly constructed Merowe Dam in
Northern Sudan in late October causing a major humanitarian disaster in
the affected area. Thousands of people who had resisted displacement
to sites in the desert were flooded out of their homes, without access
to shelter, sufficient food or medical supplies.
Uta Simon, a
representative of the UN's Khartoum Monitoring Mission, and two
traveling with her, were arrested October 30th while they were visiting
the area. The Sudanese authorities have closed off the affected
area to aid agencies, journalists and apparently the UN. The arrest of
Uta Simon and her colleagues is a scandalous attempt to prevent any
relief and support from reaching the people whose tribal lands are
directly affected by the Merowe Dam. (http://internationalrivers.org/en/africa/merowe-dam-sudan)
Media Absence - Southern Sudan
An
as-yet unpublished report by media experts on the state of the south's
media says that much of the region has no media at all. Other than the
government radio there are only a few radio stations. Many people
gather around the few televisions in the capital to watch the single
government TV channel. Three dailies dominate the press but are often
very similar in content: financial pressures and low capacity mean
much of the papers' content is cut and pasted from the internet.
Without
mass media even basic information has not filtered far into the rural
South. "Many people don't even know about the CPA. They know maybe that
the war has ended. But they don't know their rights," a senior civil
society member said. (Inter Press Service, 11/1/08)
November 06, 2008 A Peace Surge for Sudan
The
message of Sudan activists all over the United States is clear: Don't
try to contain the damage from the war in Darfur--end the war. Don't
just declare that genocide is taking place--end the genocide. Don't
just try to manage the consequences of crisis after crisis in
Sudan--end these crises.
In
a letter to President-Elect Barack Obama released today, Enough Project
Co-Chair John Prendergast, Executive Director John Norris and Save
Darfur Coalition President Jerry Fowler spell out a practical roadmap to end the crisis in Sudan.
"President-elect
Obama has a very important opportunity to bring a new approach to how
the United States, and the world, deals with Sudan," said John Norris,
the Executive Director of the Enough Project. "It is clear that
the new president will need a comprehensive approach that looks at all
the pieces of the puzzle at the same time, including the situation in
Darfur, the role of potential International Criminal Court indictments,
and looming struggles over possible southern Sudanese independence.
Rigorous diplomacy will need to be backed by well-conceived and
consistently escalating pressure on Khartoum and other belligerents to
translate peace from rhetoric into reality." Read the report here.
Sudan: Preventing Implosion
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
For up to the minute NEWS, OPINIONS, PRESS RELEASES and DOCUMENTS on the War in Darfur 
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during talks with President Hosni Mubarak during their meeting at the Presidetial palace in Cairo, Egypt.
During the campaign, President Obama pledged “unstinting resolve” to address the situation in Darfur, Sudan where an ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis is in it’s 6th year. To date, his administration has said little and done less. 
Genocide Prevention Task Force Releases Report
National Conference on Darfur, Washington, DC Nov. 7-9
