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Implications of Rwanda’s Threat to Withdraw Peacekeepers

September 2nd, 2010 by Shannon Orcutt

Earlier this week Rwanda threatened to withdraw its troops from United Nations peacekeeping missions if the UN moves forward with publishing a report detailing rights abuses committed by Rwandan forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This threat has serious ramifications for peacekeeping mission in Sudan since Rwanda is currently providing over 3,326 troops, experts, and police in the joint UN/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and another 298 in the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). Rwanda also has contributed police and advisors to peacekeeping operations in Chad, Haiti, and Liberia.

The UN report, which was leaked in draft form last week to a French newspaper, gives details on atrocities committed in the DRC from 1993-2003 that involved Rwandan troops along with many rebel groups and troops from neighboring countries. Rwanda denies these allegations and has demanded that the report not be released. According to Lt. Col. Jill Rutaremara, spokesman for the Rwanda Defence Force, the country has finalized contingency plans to withdraw troops from South Sudan and Darfur immediately if the UN publishes its report.  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Rwanda to reconsider and stated that “I hope that this contribution will continue for the peace and security of the region”.

Rwandan Soldiers in Darfur

If Rwanda does recall its troops, their withdrawal could have drastic consequences for peacekeeping operations in the country as well as the people of Darfur and South Sudan who rely on the UN for protection and aid. The Rwandan forces are located in some of the most unstable regions within Sudan – including Jebel Marra, which has seen heavy fighting between rebel groups and the government since the beginning of the year. The departure of the Rwandans would also be a symbolic blow, as they were the first peacekeepers deployed in Darfur and represented the Rwandan people’s solidarity with other victims of genocide and mass atrocities.  For all these reasons, the support of Rwanda to the peacekeeping missions in Sudan is indispensible. It is vital that the government reconsider its threat to recall peacekeeping personnel, as such a move would punish only the innocent people of Darfur and South Sudan.

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Weekend Round-up

August 30th, 2010 by Allen Combs

In case you missed it…

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President Obama Expresses Disappointment Over Bashir’s Trip To Kenya

August 28th, 2010 by Allen Combs

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir traveled to Nairobi earlier this week for a ceremony celebrating the promulgation of the Kenya’s new constitution. Bashir was allowed to enter and leave Kenya despite an international warrant for his arrest on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

On Friday, the White House released a statement from President Barack Obama congratulating Kenya on the enactment of its new constitution but expressing disappointment that the Kenyan government hosted Bashir despite its obligation to arrest him. From the White House:


The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 27, 2010


Statement by President Obama on the Promulgation of Kenya’s New Constitution

I congratulate Kenya on the promulgation of the new constitution, which was approved by a majority of voters on August 4, 2010. This historic approval and signing of the constitution is an important step forward, and demonstrates the commitment of Kenya’s leaders and people to a future of unity, democracy, and equal justice for all – even the powerful. With this Constitution, the people of Kenya have set a positive example for all of Africa and the world.

Today represents a moment of promise for Kenya, similar to the early days of independence – a new moment of promise that must be seized to usher in an era of progress for the Kenyan people. The United States looks forward to partnering with Kenya as it moves through the multi-year process of implementing the new constitution. We share the expectations of the Kenyan people that this process will usher in an era of deepened democracy and expanded economic opportunity for all Kenyans.

I am disappointed that Kenya hosted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in defiance of International Criminal Court arrest warrants for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The Government of Kenya has committed itself to full cooperation with the ICC, and we consider it important that Kenya honor its commitments to the ICC and to international justice, along with all nations that share those responsibilities. In Kenya and beyond, justice is a critical ingredient for lasting peace.

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Kenya Flouts ICC Obligations by Welcoming Bashir to Celebrations

August 27th, 2010 by Shannon Orcutt

For the second time in the history of International Criminal Court (ICC), Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been permitted entry into an ICC member country defying its obligations to execute the ICC arrest warrant. The court’s prosecutor has accused the Sudanese president of 10 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Darfur. Kenya invited al-Bashir to attend today’s celebration of its new constitution, demonstrating blatant disregard for its obligation under international law to arrest him if he enters its territory. This is especially disturbing since the Kenyan government has repeatedly pledged its support for and commitment to the ICC. Kenya’s welcome is not only an offense to the principles of international law but also to countless victims of the brutal tactics of al-Bashir’s regime. As a regional leader, Kenya must uphold its obligations to the ICC and international law and arrest President Omar al-Bashir.

President Omar al-Bashir

When questioned about Kenya’s intentions to allow Bashir to freely attend the constitutional celebration, Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula stated, “He is a state guest. You do not harm or embarrass your guest. That is not African.” However, that same logic would suggest that it is not humane for a government to kill its own people. Kenya’s adoption of a new constitution is an incredibly significant moment in the nation’s history and this defiance of international obligation undermines the spirit of the celebration. As Elise Keppler, Senior Counsel in the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch, remarked, “Kenya will forever tarnish the celebration of its long-awaited constitution if it welcomes an international fugitive to the festivities.” Kenya’s breach of the Rome Statute could also have repercussions for the ICC investigation into possible crimes against humanity committed there during the intense post-election violence in 2007-2008.

In late July, Chad became the first member state of the ICC to ignore its obligations to the Rome Statute by hosting Bashir during the Sahel-Saharan summit. While Chad’s decision did not come as a complete surprise since the two nations have recently strengthened their relations, it set a dangerous precedent which could undercut the effectiveness of the ICC. Over the objections of many African nations that are parties to the Rome Statute, the African Union passed a resolution last year vowing to demonstrate solidarity by not cooperating with the ICC and disregarding the arrest warrant for al-Bashir. Kenya’s welcome of the Sudanese president marks another dangerous step in this direction.

The Save Darfur Coalition, along with the Genocide Intervention Network and Enough Project, issued a press release condemning Kenya’s decision. Kenya has been a key player in the region and should not have allowed a war criminal to participate in its constitutional celebrations. The international community must hold Kenya to its obligations and ensure the swift enforcement of the arrest warrant for al-Bashir.

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REFUGEE CAMPus at Queens College

August 27th, 2010 by Jenn Polish

REFUGEE CAMPus 2010

What: Educational / engagement event with student activists and faculty from Queens College sleep in make shift tents to generate consciousness and peaceful action with refugees throughout the globe

When: August 30, 2010 – Sept 3, 2010

Where: Queen College (65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367)

Join STAND at Queens College as we host our second-annual REFUGEE CAMPus! We will be sleeping out on our campus quad for 5 days and 4 nights to raise consciousness and action about refugee crises worldwide, including: Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States, Haiti, Western Asia (Middle East), and environmental refugees.

Riding on the heels of 13 nationally-coordinated vigils to raise the level of U.S responsiveness to the urgency of the situation in Sudan, REFUGEE CAMPus will highlight the necessity of a White House policy on Sudan that does not sideline or ignore Darfur (but rather, address the country holistically), and that combines incentives AND diplomatic and economic pressure on the genocidal dictatorship in Khartoum.

Additionally, STAND at Queens College has partnered with Global Friends in Aid and learning to send 10 Congolese conflict-affected students to school in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Paying for the education of these ten students will in the near future also educate these students’ younger siblings, because in the Democratic Republic of Congo, older siblings take that responsibility.

The supplies being used during the week will be purchased from a group that supports girls’ education in India, so we will be helping in that regard, as well. Educational and open-mic events, freestyle Peace Jam, calling campaigns, letter campaigns, artistic expression events, and more will mark our REFUGEE CAMPus as an effective advocacy, awareness-raising, and empowering event.

REFUGEE CAMPus is going NATIONAL; Don’t Attend Queens College! Send a message our way and we can help you set up REFUGEE CAMPus at YOUR school!

For a schedule of events, email standqc13@gmail.com or visit http://www.standnow.org/event/refugee-campus-0

Click to printout or share flier

SEE YOU THERE!



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STAND at Queens College – August Darfur Hero all about student activism

August 26th, 2010 by Jenn Polish
"The Die-in"

Photo by STAND at Queens College

The Darfur Heroes honors individuals and groups who have done inspiring and important work in an effort to end the violence in Sudan. This August, Save Darfur Coalition is proud to honor Jenn Polish and the STAND Chapter at Queens College. Ms. Polish and the Queens College STAND group have engaged activists, the U.S and the International community to focus on the ongoing lack of security for Darfuris and the escalation of violence in all of Sudan. Here are some of Jenn’s thoughts on STAND at Queens College service towards the people of Sudan.

Students in the chapter of STAND at Queens College have various reasons for being involved in the anti-genocide movement: we have all had unique moments of clarity in which we decided to devote many of our lives to the cause. The vision that connects us, however, is unified and strong: a vision of a World without genocide, a common life of humanity that supersedes everything.

Every year, we host a week-long event called REFUGEE CAMPus, during which we sleep out on our campus quad and spend five days and four nights educating and empowering students and community members to take action on issues such as the genocide in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and our own refugee problems here in the US. This year, we are excited to host REFUGEE CAMPus between August 30th and September 3rd, our first full week of school. Any and all are welcome.

This past week, we also hosted a die-in and vigil at Union Square. It was very moving to see students from Queens College outnumbered by other members of our community that we have formed connections with: a mark of effective activism is how well we connect with and empower others to bring the movement beyond ourselves. The most inspiring thing about this event, however, was the fact that it was coordinated nationally in 12 other locations across the country: STANDers rose up for Sudan on 36-hour notice, and we did it with the support of our local Sudanese partners. Ahmat Nour, president of the Darfur People’s Association of New York, attended our vigil, even though it meant he would be home late for iftar (breaking fast for Ramadan). His presence gave our group so much awe and hope.

I can only speak for myself, but I think it’s safe to say that the rest of the chapter feels this way, too: it is a privilege to be able to STAND for Peace and against genocide whenever, wherever, and however we can.

Jenn Polish is a STAND student at Queens College in Flushing, New York.

STAND, the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network, envisions a world in which the international community protects civilians from genocidal violence. At its core, our mission is to empower individuals and communities with the tools to prevent and stop genocide.

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The President’s Crucial Decision on Sudan

August 25th, 2010 by Martha Heinemann Bixby

In response to potential changes in President Obama’s Sudan policy, Sudan Now, a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations, is running ads in The New York Times and the Vineyard Gazette to influence the president’s decision, expected soon, on the future direction of U.S. Sudan policy.

The president faces a critical decision on how to move forward on Sudan–including one that may result in a severe shift in approach in U.S. policy nearly 100 days before the referendum vote that could divide Africa’s largest country.

Additionally, a letter signed by 68 organizations is being sent to the president on the same topic. Both the ads and the letter advocate for a balanced Sudan policy that includes both incentives and pressures.

You can join the call for a robust, balanced Sudan policy by taking action today.

Please spread the word:

Tweet This:

Tell @BarackObama to make the right choice for #SudanNow. http://tinyurl.com/2a3wh6w @WhiteHouse

Share on Facebook:

Visit the White House Facebook Page and post: “Mr. President, please make the right decision on Sudan. Act on Sudan Now. www.SudanActionNow.com” or a message of your own.

And, take a moment to watch the new video from Stop Genocide Now.

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Coalition Letter to President Obama and Ban Ki Moon

August 22nd, 2010 by Shannon Orcutt

On Thursday, the Save Darfur Coalition and 59 signing organizations delivered a letter to President Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging them to convene a heads-of-state meeting on Sudan during the UN General Assembly gathering in September.  The letter calls for participation by Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) Guarantor countries as well as members of the UN Security Council and key African nations.

A meeting on this scale is needed to send a unified message that the international community fully supports the right to self determination in Southern Sudan, ensure that donors deliver on past pledges, and reiterate that human rights and good governance must be respected throughout the referendum and post referendum period in all parts of Sudan.

With the January referendum on southern secession rapidly approaching, the international community must take an active role to ensure voting occurs in a free and fair environment, the post-referendum period remains peaceful, and civilian protection remains a priority throughout Sudan.

Read the letter here.

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A Day for Those Who Save Lives

August 19th, 2010 by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Photo by Michael Graham

Cross posted on Preventing Genocide blog

Today, August 19, marks World Humanitarian Day, a time to honor those who have worked in dedicated live-saving service for displaced people and refugees around the globe. Often the first responders in crises, humanitarian aid workers not only deliver supplies and provide critical medical treatment, but they also become eyewitnesses to history.

In 1993, Eric Dachy, one such aid worker, joined a United Nations peacekeeping convey on its way into Srebrenica, a town under siege by Bosnian Serb forces that would eventually suffer genocide.

“We arrived in the night,” Dr. Dachy said, “in the snow, in Srebrenica, a completely dark place. There was no power at all. And then we saw in the light of the vehicles we were in, we saw thousands, maybe more, thousands of people completely silent watching us as ghosts… And obviously they were already, I don’t know, shocked by what was their future.”

Aid workers increasingly face threats to their own lives. The UN reports that 30 humanitarians were killed on the job in 1999. In 2009, fatalities for humanitarian workers increased to 102.

World Humanitarian Day is also an opportunity to reaffirm international commitment to protecting vulnerable populations, as well as the humanitarian workers, themselves. In Sudan, it is a message that carries particular urgency now, as the government in Khartoum threatens to expel a number of international aid workers from Darfur, and humanitarians struggle to gain access to Kalma displaced persons camp in South Darfur.

Learn more about World Humanitarian Day and the special meaning of its date, August 19.

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Turmoil in IDP Camps

August 19th, 2010 by Shannon Orcutt

During the final week of July, violence in the Kalma and Hamadiya internally displaced persons (IDP) camps developed after disagreements between displaced civilians who support the Doha peace process and those in opposition to the talks. The conflict became increasingly volatile after the Sudanese Liberation Army-Abdul Wahid faction (SLA-AW) began sporadically shooting in Kalma camp in order to intimidate those who supported the Doha talks. Over the following week the situation escalated after protests turned into rioting that resulted in the deaths of 13 IDPs and wounded another 45 in Kalma with at least 3 killed in Hamadiya camp near Zalingei. Many leaders fled to UNAMID-controlled headquarters to seek safe haven. While violence has begun to subside, the situation remains critical as a result of weeks of limited humanitarian access and resource shortages.

IDPs in Kalma Camp

Before the violence in late July and early August, the Kalma camp was the second largest IDP in the world with an estimated 100,000 displaced Darfuris residing within it; however, according to the Human Rights and Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND) up to 60% of civilians who lived in Kalma are reported to have fled to Nyala and the neighboring camps of Baba and Bilail after conditions worsened as a result of violence and resources limitations. Beginning on August 2nd the Government of Sudan blocked humanitarian organizations from providing aid to IDPs in Kalma. In a statement released on August 16th, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon expressed his concern about the turmoil and limitation of humanitarian access in Kalma. This obstruction continued until August 17th, when humanitarians were briefly given access to Kalma. Until this brief resupply, the camp was without fuel necessary to operate water pumps. The following day, aid groups were once again prevented from entering the camp by the Sudanese Government.

Today it appears that the government has once again opened up humanitarian access to Kalma; hopefully this time the access will be permanent. Despite the re-opening of access, two weeks without humanitarian aid led to a rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation inside Kalma. Resource shortages have increased drastically since June as access to fuel, food, water, and medical supplies were severely restricted.

In another blow to IDPs and civilians throughout Darfur, the Government of Sudan expelled five humanitarian officials from the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Sunday. This follows the recent expulsions of two officials from the International Organization for Migration in July. Such expulsions, threats of further expulsions, and the obstruction of humanitarian access in many areas of Darfur cannot be allowed to persist. If the Government of Sudan truly wants to prove its dedication to peacefully resolving the crisis in Darfur, it must immediately cease all restrictions and allow full humanitarian access not only to Kalma camp, but throughout Darfur.

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