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The world’s leaders Failed Darfur women by their inaction

Friday, March 25th, 2011

The world’s leaders Failed Darfur women by their inaction

March 8 was International Women’s Day, a very special day for me personally as a Sudanese woman from Darfur. It’s an important moment in which I stand in recognition of the struggle of the Darfuri women and as part of women’s struggle worldwide. Despite the suffering, Darfuri women have demonstrated outstanding resilience and strength and have served as leaders and spokesperson’s for their communities during the ongoing genocide in Darfur, for which they have to be recognized, particularly those who are still living in the camps.

March 8th was the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. In 1911 – the year the holiday was first celebrated internationally – women could not yet vote in most countries. It is worth noting that women have accomplished a lot globally since then , however, that is  not because the world have changed or opened its arms for women to come forward and have access to the different levels of participation, no, this is not simply the case! It’s because of women’s unspeakable struggles. Despite the fact that today a number of women serve as presidents and in other positions of power, there is still a long way to go if women are to enjoy the same access and rights as men. Looking at UN’s  this year’s theme for International Women’s Day, “Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women,” indeed it is a very vital goal to be accomplished, however it’s extremely overwhelming when I look back and see the challenges ahead for women like those in Darfur.

For 8 years, while women around the globe have celebrated International Women’s Day, Darfuri women endure horror and fear every single hour of their existence. Since 2003, women in Darfur have been crying for security, protection and decent life with dignity as their minimum very basic rights, only to see handful promises from the international community.

Today as I am writing, rape and all forms of sexual violence has become part of the Darfuri women’s daily life, following news coming from on the ground in Darfur, at least 10 women are raped every week and these reports are only from those who can be able to speak or find someone who can speak for them. There are many more uncounted cases of those out of reach who can’t speak for themselves. After 8 years of suffering and oppression, it’s very unfortunate to see how the world leaders have failed the Darfuris by their inaction.

Listening to the Netherlands based Radio Dabanga, women have been asked in this occasion to describes  their situation, as one woman from Zalingi said, “in this special day we are not celebrating , because we have been deprived from  life, we are constantly oppressed and set to live in fear for being attacked at any time. The government has oppressed us through rape, starvation and forced us to live in salience, this is happening within the watch of the United Nations/African Union Mission (UNAMID) that is suppose to protect us”.

In Sudan today, the systematic rape have been extended by the government’s security apparatus to target even Darfuri women in the capital Khartoum as in case of Safia Ishag who was arrested following the students uprising and brutally raped by three national security agents. The government has also integrated violence against women into its state laws which legalize the flogging of women in public because of their choices such as of wearing pants.  On March 8th Sudanese women in Khartoum went out to denounce these state laws, leading a peaceful protest against women’s oppression and demanding legal reforms. Sadly over 40 women have been beaten, arrested, and forcefully kept for further interrogation.

As one of the first-hand witnesses to the horror against women in Darfur and Sudan at large, I am determined to continue to speak for them to remind the world of the forgotten plights of my fellow people in Darfur. We must remind those leaders who have not kept their promises and call upon women leaders, particularly in the United States such as Secretary of the State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the US ambassador for global women’s issues, who have shown commitment to women issues that Darfuri women need your voices and demand your commitment to lead and rally the support for ending the tragic conditions that have surrounded their make shift camps for 8 years in Darfur. As women leaders, with competence and capability it’s imperative that you become the voice for those who are left voiceless in Darfur, and you should not allow the indicted genocidal criminal Al-Basher to rule over their destiny.

I urge the attention of women leaders worldwide, those who have devoted themselves to fight for women’s rights, to tell the world that Darfuri women need protection, security and safety. I call upon those who have committed to fight impunity that achieving justice and accountability for the crimes committed against the Darfuri women is morally imperative.

Finally, I can’t let this moment goes without recognizing the remarkable role played by Netherlands based Radio Dabanaga,  which lunched special radio program devoted to give Darfuri women a voice. It does not only give them the hope that they can now make their voices heard, but it will bring their plight to the attention of the world community. If a little radio can give a woman a voice, then why not the United Nations with its huge operation, or why does the United States not take such practical steps that can substantially benefit women? It’s evident that if we can’t do everything we can still do something that can tangibly improve the life of women in some areas that they need the most.

 

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Posted in Activism, Activist Stories, African Union, China and Sudan, Congress, Darfur, Darfuri Stories, Emerging Crises, Events, genocide prevention, Human Rights, Humanitarian Aid, ICC / Justice, IDP Camps, Obama Administration, Omar al-Bashir, Peacekeeping, United Nations, Violence Against Women | No Comments »

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Darfur Interfaith Network demands attention to Darfur

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

“No impunity for genocide crimes committed in Darfur”

On Sunday, February 20th, I joined a dedicated group of American activists from diverse faiths, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, that united to protest in front of the Sudanese embassy in Washington D.C.   We were there to call for an end to the systematic violence against civilians in Darfur. For each month in the past four years, the Darfur Interfaith Network (D.I.N.) has come to stand with the victims of genocide in Darfur and support the right of self-determination for the people of South Sudan.  On the Sunday that I attended, the group celebrated the peaceful completion of the South Sudan Referendum and called on the United States government and international community to turn their attention to the escalation of violence in Darfur.

Laura Katz Cutler, the founder of D.I.N. said, “We have been doing this for four years, and will never, ever stop until the genocide victims in Darfur are freed and they can live in peace and with dignity. We are committed to stand here every third Sunday of the month to tell our government that the war in Darfur is not over and it is too early to normalize relations with Khartoum or lift sanctions or remove their name from the state sponsors of the terrorism list, while the genocide is ongoing in Darfur.”

I shared with the activists the heartbreaking news about the current situation in Darfur, including the continued attacks against civilians, which killed over 2,300 Darfuris and displaced over 300,000 more, and the increased cases of sexual violence that are being reported nearly every day. December’s indiscriminate bombings in Jebel Marra, Thabit, Shangle Tobai, and many more areas in North and South Darfur displaced over 40,000 people and left thousands without critical aid. Unfortunately, the UNAMID troops that are there to protect civilians are hogtied by the Sudanese government’s obstructionism and the unwillingness of the international community to hold Khartoum accountable.  I told the group “Sadly, despite the devastation and the tragic situation for our people in Darfur, the Obama administration announced its plan to normalize relations with the al-Bashir regime and to take Sudan’s name off the list of the state sponsors of terrorism.”

Jimmy Mula, the President of Voices for Sudan and originally from South Sudan, said “We are grateful that the referendum went peacefully, however our task has not yet been completed as long as Darfur is still burning and the indicted president is still dictating over the Sudanese people affairs. The time has not yet come for America to normalize relations; we must write to the Obama Administration to tell him that we are against the normalization with Bashir and that his policy toward normalization should be revisited.” Mohamed Yahya, a Darfuri American and the Executive Director of Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, stated, “It’s very unfortunate that this great country is planning to reward the regime that killed millions of people, in both the civil war in South Sudan and the current genocide in Darfur.  It’s known to the world that he has been indicted for genocide, and shame on us, the American people, if we can’t tell our government not to do so”.

Miss Katz Cutler said, ”From what we have seen in the recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa, it’s proven that only the will of people can remain the power that can bring the change. Therefore there is no reason for us not to continue support the will of the people of Darfur to live in peace.”

At the end of the vigil, we gathered and prayed together and reiterated our commitment to continue to do whatever it takes to stand with the victims of the Darfur genocide. I left with much hope and energy.

I am convinced that the promise of “Never Again” can only become reality if ordinary citizens work for it. Groups like the Darfur Interfaith Vigil are not hesitant to tell their government and the world that they demand that President al-Bashir be held accountable for the crimes against humanity and genocide.

I believe that those of us who are lucky to have escaped the ongoing genocide in Darfur are obliged to be the voice for our people who have been oppressed and silenced. We must stand firm, build strong alliances with all people of conscience to fight against genocide and mass atrocities everywhere, and continue to defend the rights of all the oppressed and their equal access to justice and human rights.

Niemat Ahmadi, Diaspora Outreach and Advocacy Coordinator, Genocide Intervention Network/Save Darfur Coalition

About http://www.hope4darfurmarch.org/darfur-interfaith-network

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Posted in Activism, Activist Stories, African Union, Bush Administration, Congress, Darfur, Darfuri Stories, Emerging Crises, Events, Faith, genocide prevention, Human Rights, Humanitarian Aid, ICC / Justice, IDP Camps, Media, Obama Administration, Omar al-Bashir, Peace Process, Peacekeeping, Referendum, South Sudan, United Nations, Violence Against Women | No Comments »

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Renewing the Pledge – joint paper released

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

In a joint paper released today titled Renewing the Pledge: Re-engaging the Guarantors to the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement, 25 signing organizations including the Save Darfur Coalition call for more intensive political involvement by the international community in the final six months leading up to the referendum on southern secession, scheduled for January 9, 2011.  The paper emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to the multiple political concerns in Sudan and outlines concrete steps that CPA guarantors can take to help ensure adequate preparations for a peaceful and credible referendum.

The executive summary is below; read the full paper here.

The clock is ticking fast towards what might be the most important date in modern Sudanese history – two referenda in Sudan that are likely to result in the breakup of Africa’s largest state. With six months remaining until 9 January 2011, the scheduled date of the referenda, the run-up to, and outcome of, the vote must be managed with extreme care. The Guarantors to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA ), who invested considerable effort in obtaining the CPA on 9 January 2005, have both a responsibility and an ability to help Sudan implement the CPA and prevent further conflict. It is imperative that the Guarantors urgently redouble their efforts to ensure adequate preparations for the referenda, and help secure agreements on sensitive issues such as border demarcation and oil sharing.

The experiences of recent years have demonstrated that focusing on one part of Sudan at the expense of another complicates the situation in both. Focusing too narrowly on the challenges of securing a peaceful post-CPA transition in Southern Sudan could backfire. The CPA Guarantors must not relegate the situation in Northern Sudan – especially the conflict in Darfur, where violence in May 2010 claimed the highest number of lives since 2008 – to the second tier of priorities.

As the Guarantors step up their political involvement, we hope to see generous donor support. More needs to be done now to bring in the requisite diplomatic, financial, and technical resources to put in place the requirements for the referenda and, after the vote, to improve Sudan’s stability and dire state of human development.

1. Use the upcoming Consultative Forum meeting in Khartoum on 17 July 2010 to agree to an urgent expansion of international efforts to prepare for peaceful, credible and timely referenda in Southern Sudan and Abyei.

2. Restate publicly, clearly and collectively the internationally recognized right of the people of Southern Sudan to self-determination. At the July 2010 AU Summit in Uganda, African Heads of State should reaffirm their unequivocal support for this right and pledge to recognize the outcomes of two free and fair referenda. The League of Arab States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) should follow suit, and be encouraged to do so by the Troika (US, UK and Norway) and the UN Secretary-General.

3. Appoint a high-level individual to travel to Abyei, Blue Nile, and Southern Kordofan consistently over the next six months to ensure adequate preparations for the referendum in Abyei and the popular consultations in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan.

4. Call on the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) to build up its civilian capacity in Abyei and facilitate inter-communal dialogue on the future of the area and call on the UN Development Program (UNDP) to consider extending its Southern Kordofan conflict prevention program to Abyei.

5. Persuade the National Congress Party of Sudan (NCP ) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM ), the two parties to the CPA , to make public commitments that the rights to freedom of movement, residence and property currently afforded to all Sudanese citizens will be preserved regardless of the outcome of the referenda.

6. Provide technical assistance to the CPA parties to reach an equitable agreement on oil sharing, to be backed up by independent third party monitoring.

7. Encourage UNMIS to carry out a careful assessment of its civilian protection capabilities, including identification of the weakest links, leading to preventive UNMIS deployments in flashpoint areas to deter future violence.

8. State clearly and publicly that international human rights standards must be respected in Northern as well as in Southern Sudan, and that the Guarantors will uphold their commitment to the goals of democratic transformation in Sudan.

9. Call on the African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAM ID) to focus on its primary objective of protecting civilians and to increase and make public its human rights reporting.

10. Call on donors to Sudan to revisit the present plan to hold a large donor conference only after the announcement of the referenda results and consider additional closed-door resource mobilization meetings to ensure adequate resources are available in time. Guarantors should encourage investment in renewed South-South dialogue, conflict prevention and strengthening local peace-building capacities.

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Posted in African Union, Human Rights, Peace Process, Peacekeeping, Referendum, United Nations | No Comments »

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Darfur Needs Leaders, Not Rulers

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Former South African President and AUPD Chairman Thabo Mbeki (Getty Images)

When former South African president Thabo Mbeki was appointed to lead the African Union’s High Level Implementation Panel on Darfur (AUPD), many Western governments and rights groups feared his work would undermine efforts to secure a peace agreement that could deliver justice to the people of Darfur and help Sudan on its way toward national reconciliation.

Instead, far from letting Sudan’s government and its indicted leader Omar al-Bashir off the hook for atrocities committed in the country’s war-torn region, the panel’s highly anticipated report—made public last fall—challenged the Sudanese government to take responsibility for war crimes prosecutions, and included a nuanced appeal to address the ongoing political and economic marginalisation of Darfur, cited as the conflict’s key causative factors.

Neither justice nor peace, it makes clear, can be realized without the Sudanese government’s full participation in promoting accountability for atrocities committed in Darfur and in reforming the country’s hitherto centrifugal and divisive political system, including the inequitable distribution of power and wealth in Sudan.

Mbeki in Darfur (SSRC: Making Sense of Sudan)

Mbeki’s report stated clearly that a peace agreement followed by Darfur’s full participation in free and fair national elections should be part of this solution.

But Sudan’s historic nationwide polls have closed. Bashir has declared overwhelming victory as a new chapter in the country’s troubled narrative begins—one that will ultimately determine the nation’s continued existence. Amidst the declarations of triumph and denunciations of a stolen vote, it seems the election process has done little to address the root causes of Darfur’s troubles.

Just the opposite, in fact.

(more…)

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Posted in African Union, Elections | No Comments »

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UNAMID Under Fire – Peacekeepers Killed in Darfur

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

UNAMID Soldiers Mourn the Death of Fellow Peacekeepers (REUTERS/Stuart Price/2008)

The last six months have been both difficult and deadly for UNAMID. On Friday, the targeted slaying of two peacekeepers served as a troubling reminder of that fact.

Although the operation has made significant progress toward full deployment, and it has finally received six of its desperately needed tactical helicopters, the mission’s peacekeepers remain under direct threat from Darfur’s rampant lawlessness and insecurity. Numerous incidents consistently underscore the reality that greater troop numbers, more materiel, and sporadic donations of force multipliers are not the only elements necessary for a robust and effective operation capable of implementing its mandate to protect civilians and humanitarian aid efforts.

As we wrote late last year, the UN-AU hybrid mission in Darfur has been called many things, from being described as a pawn or a proxy to being dismissed as incompetent or irrelevant. But the truth is almost ignored: these peacekeepers are quite literally the only force standing between a vulnerable, victimized population and criminally rampant insecurity. In December, five Rwandans gave up their lives as part of that important effort. Last week, two Egyptian soldiers were killed as they served to bring peace to Darfur. Three others were seriously wounded.

The peacekeepers were travelling near Katila on Friday when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen not far from Edd al-Fursan in South Darfur. The assailants launched their attack without warning, indiscriminately shooting at the Egyptian convoy. They fled after the contingent returned fire.

AU and UN officials have expressed outrage at Friday’s attack, from describing it as “cowardly” to denouncing it as a “war crime.” In a statement, UNAMID confirmed its “undaunted and unwavering” commitment to its mission, while calling on the Government of Sudan (GoS) to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

This incident comes not long after the results were announced in Sudan’s historic nationwide elections. Last month, shortly after the polls opened, four South African peacekeepers were kidnapped in an apparent attempt by their abductors—newly formed militia —to demonstrate that the necessary security conditions for elections to take place in Darfur did not exist. Just before the voting took place, the European Union withdrew its observer team over staff safety concerns.

But banditry and kidnapping are not the only threats facing both the local population and the force tasked with its protection. Fighting between the GoS and rebel group Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has been confirmed in Jebel Moon, near the Chadian border, amid a faltering ceasefire between the two sides. In the central region of Jebel Marra, regular clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan Liberation Army – Abdel Wahid faction (SLA-AW) have killed an estimated 400 civilians and displaced tens of thousands more. Obstructionism by all parties involved – notably the Government of Sudan and the SLA-AW – has left the local population without access to military protection or humanitarian assistance. In March, a UNAMID convoy was attempting to verify the clashes and the civilian toll when its 60 peacekeepers were ambushed, detained overnight, and robbed of their vehicles and equipment. The Government of Sudan chastised the mission for failing to heed its advice by attempting to undertake their investigation.

In response to Friday’s attacks, the GoS appears to have acted quickly. Wire services are reporting that Sudanese police have arrested two suspected perpetrators and are looking for five others also believed to have taken part in the assault. It remains to be seen whether these men will be held to account in a transparent manner consistent with the rule of law.

If Sudan is committed – as it claims – to ensuring UNAMID’s success and protecting its citizens from criminal violence, these suspects should be interrogated and tried with full UN and AU involvement. When the Rwandan peacekeepers were killed last December, Khartoum announced the arrest of the six men responsible, but little information has been publicly available about the process by which they have been tried for these crimes. This is, after all, a government that – through embracing impunity – has historically not simply failed to deter, but has effectively provided incentives to opportunistic criminals and looters to rob well intentioned peacekeepers of their equipment and, more importantly, their lives.

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Posted in African Union, Peacekeeping, United Nations | No Comments »

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Gunships Can’t Save Darfur Alone

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

UNAMID Mi-35P

Newly deployed M-35P in Nyala. Photo: UNAMID/Albert Gonzalez Farran

It’s been a painfully long time coming, but last week, five Mil Mi-35P gunships settled in to their new home in Nyala, South Darfur. The Ethiopian helicopters – whitewashed for peacekeeping service – will in theory greatly enhance UNAMID’s aerial capacity. They represent a key force multiplier, essential in developing the mission’s rapid reaction capability, including emergency response and tactical intervention.

But after celebrating their long overdue arrival, the first thing on Force Commander Nyamvumba’s agenda was to ask for more. He has made it very clear that this is only one step in a series of many that UN and AU member states must take to provide his peacekeepers with the very best odds possible as they confront endless challenges in Darfur, an advantage they have not thus far enjoyed.

This means giving them the mobility and muscle needed to successfully confront hostile operating conditions, the adversities of which have been compounded by continued obstruction by both the government and rebel groups, as well as by violent attacks directly targeting the mission and its assets.

Amid reports of civilian deaths and mass displacement, recent events illustrate the complex reality of a place far from peace. The use of indiscriminate aerial bombardment by the Sudan Armed Forces against rebel positions in Jebel Moun and Jebel Mara has a disproportionately devastating effect on local populations. Rebel movements have likewise hurt Darfuri civilians by restricting both UNAMID investigations and humanitarian access. In at least one battle – which resulted in more than a dozen deaths, 31,000 displaced civilians, and serious human rights abuses, including sexual violence – highly placed military sources told me that “helicopters and aerial reconnaissance units would have helped…prevent the incident.”

In fact, over the last three months, fatal incidents have repeatedly highlighted the essential role of helicopters in life-saving medical evacuation, rapid investigations and assessment following clashes, tactical intervention and quick reaction capacity, aerial reconnaissance and monitoring, as well as troop and equipment deployment. The Mi-35P is only capable of fulfilling a small number of these tasks.

The Mi-35Ps – with their powerful 30-mm twin-barrel automatic cannons – bring exciting new strength to an operation consistently criticized for being weak and ineffective, but they are in reality only a few items on a long list of aircraft that UNAMID desperately needs to implement its protection mandate. The gunships, while important, have limited impact on the mission’s ability to negotiate Darfur’s harsh terrain, rampant banditry, and prohibitive lack of infrastructure necessary for the efficient movement of troops and equipment to the region’s hotspots. For that, UNAMID requires many more utility and transport helicopters.

(more…)

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Posted in African Union, Peacekeeping, United Nations | 1 Comment »

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Rebel Contraindication

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
UNAMID/UN Photo

Former UNAMID Force Commander Meets SLA Field Commander (UN Photo/Stuart Price)

Without excuses and without exception, when humanitarian and human rights are threatened, there must be independent monitoring; when violated, there must be an investigation. This applies as much to oppressive government forces as it does to their challengers. When clashes threaten the lives and livelihoods of civilians, the rebel cause is weakened. SLA-AW, take note.

Obstructionism – sometimes enforced by hostile threats – against Darfur’s embattled peacekeeping mission (UNAMID) has become a serious problem. Despite recent advances toward full deployment, other factors have severely limited its troops from implementing their mandate to effectively protect civilians. Perhaps most troubling of these is the extent to which all key belligerent parties continue to restrict UNAMID’s monitoring patrols and access to the sites of ongoing or recently concluded clashes, most of which have resulted in the limitation of humanitarian assistance and direct abuses against local populations—including human rights violations, civilian deaths, and mass displacement.

Though this is far from an emerging problem in Darfur, it requires renewed attention and must be addressed with the rigorous application of impartial standards to all groups involved, while acknowledging responsibility is not shared equally. The reality – which varies over time depending on military and political strategy –  is some are worse offenders than others. In December, we highlighted the role of the Government of Sudan (GoS) in impeding the work of UNAMID and the UN Panel of Experts. Today, we single out the SLA-AW for obstructionist actions that have complemented, rather than counteracted, GoS destabilizing activities and have further eroded civilian security while promoting impunity in Darfur.

(more…)

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Peace and Security in Sudan

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Ahead of the 14TH Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Amnesty International called on the African Union to:

  • Call on the government of Sudan to protect the civilian population in Darfur and to call on all parties in the conflict to stop directing attacks against civilians, including humanitarian staff.
  • Continue to support the reinforcement of national and international justice mechanisms in order to end the culture of impunity in Sudan by bringing to justice those suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.
  • Call on the government of Sudan, and the authorities of South Sudan, to protect civilians and provide UNMIS with the support it needs.
  • Call on the UN to urgently develop an action plan for UNMIS to strengthen the protection of civilians in Southern Sudan in light of the deteriorating conflict situation. This should include more long range patrols, more stations of peacekeeping troops – including in remote areas, and rapid deployment units that can respond to outbreaks of violence.
  • Call on the Sudanese government to bring the National Security Act in line with international human rights standards and with the Sudanese Bill of Rights. The immunity of NISS agents must be removed and allegations of human rights violations must be investigated and those responsible prosecuted in accordance with standards of fair trial.

In previous Ordinary Sessions, the AU debated issues related to international justice and peace and security. In December 2009, many African countries pledged to comply with their obligations under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and surrender anyone with an arrest warrant issued for their name. With the ICC decision on al-Bashir being announced tomorrow and today being the last day of the 14th Ordinary Session of the AU, we hope that the Commission honors its commitments to the ICC and that additional African countries join the pledge.

Chairperson Jean Ping, of the African Union Commission, recalled that 2010 was declared to be a year of peace and security. With the help of its neighbors and regional support let’s hope that 2010 is certainly a year of peace in Sudan.

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Posted in African Union, ICC / Justice | No Comments »

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Jerry Fowler Discusses The AU Panel Report On Darfur With VOA

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Earlier today, Save Darfur Coalition President Jerry Fowler appeared on Voice of America’s In Focus program to discuss the African Union panel report on Darfur. Check it out:

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Posted in African Union, Elections | No Comments »

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In Search of Peace

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

This week begins a crucial chapter in furthering a necessary response to the genocide in Darfur. The U.S. House and Senate will hold four hearings on Wednesday and Thursday of this week— undoubtedly, the most consequential in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, where U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan General Scott Gration will testify on a comprehensive strategy for Sudan.  We are hopeful that General Gration will demonstrate that the Obama administration is serious about completing its long running policy review and soon announce its strategy for promoting peace.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry talks with Ranking Member Sen. Richard Lugar

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator John Kerry talks with Ranking Member Senator Richard Lugar

In thinking about what that strategy should look like, it’s useful to recall what led to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended decades of conflict between Khartoum and south Sudan in 2005: a sustained investment in diplomacy, led in part by the United States, supported by relevant regional and international powers, and backed by significant incentives and pressures. The United States has another opportunity to provide strategic leadership to help create a space for the Sudanese themselves to resolve the country’s interlocking crises.

To be effective, there are four key components for U.S. Sudan policy, explained at greater length in the Blueprint for Peace that we published with our partners at the Enough Project and Genocide Intervention Network:

(more…)

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