Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir is slaughtering people in South Kordofan and doing everything he can to keep the outside world from finding out. So far, his strategy is working. Why? Because the U.S. government and the United Nations are quite literally choosing to ignore his brutal attacks.

A report released yesterday by our friends at Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International related this disturbing news: “The relentless bombing campaign is killing and maiming civilian men, women, and children, displacing tens of thousands, putting them in desperate need of aid.”

These are the stories and the images that Omar al-Bashir is trying to hide from the world. Watch the video and then be sure to share it with your friends and family.

The U.S. government is doing nothing to stop Bashir’s attacks on the people of South Kordofan. The United Nations suppressed its own reports of ethnic targeting. And the media – just like with Darfur – is silent.

We can’t allow the world to ignore the horrors in South Kordofan. Watch the video now – then share it with everyone you know. We can’t let history repeat itself and wait until the government, the media, or the international community decide it’s time to intervene. By that time thousands more will be dead or displaced.

Thank you for watching and sharing the video – be sure to check back soon to learn more about what you can do to help the people suffering in South Kordofan.

In September 2010, the Obama Administration presented a package of incentives to the Government of Sudan in exchange for progress on the full implementation the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), credible and peaceful referenda on Southern secession and the future of Abyei, an agreement on post-referendum arrangements, and the resolution of the Darfur conflict through a peace agreement that is credibly implemented.

If the Government of Sudan makes tangible progress to ensure sustainable peace, the package of incentives the United States can award would include:

• Renewal of diplomatic relations
• Removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List
• Lifting of economic sanctions
• Support for debt relief

However, since the United States introduced these incentives, Sudan has not made significant progress and has in fact regressed on several key issues including CPA implementation, post-referendum arrangements, and resolution of the Darfur conflict. Despite negative progress, Khartoum still expects to receive these rewards.

While the referendum in South Sudan went exceedingly well and the National Congress Party (NCP) led by President Omar al Bashir did not obstruct the process, one positive step is not enough to merit extensive rewards. The removal of Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List (SSTL) and the normalization of diplomatic relations should go forward as long as they are in accordance with key stipulations including resolution of Abyei and certification that Khartoum is not supporting the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

In light of a military build-up around Abyei in violation of the CPA and continued aerial bombardments and denial of humanitarian access in Darfur, granting further rewards to Khartoum would be unconscionable.  The United States must not lift sanctions or provide debt relief until the Government of Sudan (GoS) achieves the following:

• Makes concrete progress towards the resolution of the conflict in Darfur by implementing a peace agreement that addresses the fundamental grievances of the Darfuri people;
• No longer conducts or sponsors violence against civilians in Darfur or elsewhere in Sudan;
• Fully implements the remainder of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement;
• Resolves remaining post-referendum issues such as the status of Abyei, demarcation of the borders, as well as disagreements over citizenship, security, oil revenue, and currency.

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.

On Sunday, February 20^th, 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

Reuters Photo: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and General Salva Kiir (L), first vice-president of Sudan and governor of Southern Sudan, is seen at the presidential palace in Khartoum in this video frame grab taken February 7, 2011.

Today’s announcement by the South Sudan Referendum Commission confirming  that 98.83 percent of southerners voted for independence, is an historical accomplishment.  It marks the official end of the referendum process and the informal beginning of the post-referendum period.  Acceptance of the results by Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir adds further confidence that southern independence will be realized.

The Genocide Intervention Network/Save Darfur Coalition today congratulated the people of Sudan, but urged sustained U.S. and international attention to the interim period before South Sudan’s official independence in July. Many tensions will have to be addressed before the vision of a peaceful separation can be realized.  In the time between now and official independence on July 9th a host of post-referendum issues remain to be resolved and preparations must be made for the effective emergence of two new states, one in the north and one in the south.  Already there are troubling signs in both.

Tensions in the South

In the south, development numbers are daunting.  There are only around 67 miles of paved roads across a country the size of France.  Over 4 million vulnerable people required food assistance last year.  Some 85 percent of the population is illiterate, and a South Sudanese girl is more likely to die in childbirth than to learn to read and write.

Adding to development challenges are internal tensions in the south where tribal rivalries, free-flowing arms, renegade militias, and rampant cattle raiding threaten to spark violence.  More than half of the Government of South Sudan goes toward defense and promises of government cash to would-be defectors will only add to the financial strain.  Last week, southern militias making up Joint Integrated Units refused to give up weapons and move north, leading to the deaths of at least 50 people.

Violence in the North

In the north, violence and violations of basic rights continue, leaving concerns about what a newly constituted north will look like when the south secedes and its most prominent opposition group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement is no longer a part of the government.  Just last week there were troubling reports of mass arrests of human rights activists planning protests inspired by high food prices and recent events in Egypt.  One student participating in protests was reportedly beaten to death.

Beyond Khartoum, Darfur continues to be ravaged by instability.  Over 40,000 people have been displaced in Darfur since December.  UNAMID has been repeatedly denied access to areas in Darfur and a Sudanese Armed Forces Commander recently threatened to burn down a UNAMID mission team site and the camps of internally displaced persons.

Need for Sustained U.S. and International Engagement

Recent violence underscores the importance of continued U.S. and international engagement in both the north and the south.  The south will require support in facing internal tensions and managing the high expectations that come with independence. The government in the north must be held accountable for addressing the grievances of regions beyond Khartoum, starting with Darfur.  In particular, Darfur peace efforts must continue in a neutral, internationally mediated location, not in country as asserted by the Government of Sudan.  Credible progress in Darfur defined by cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access, must be seen before normalization of relations between the United States and the government in north Sudan can be realized.

High-level U.S. and international attention must be sustained if the milestone of independence is going to be reached and the vision of a peaceful Sudan realized, both in the north and the south.

Among 60,000 Sudanese refugees and expatriates living in the United States, there are 8 designated polling places to cast votes. In Omaha, refugees are braving snow and cold to cast their votes–some have come from as far away as Fargo, North Dakota to vote.

The news has been less positive in the border region of Abyei, however. A referendum planned to run in parallel to the South Sudanese referendum has been delayed and tensions between rival Misseriya and Dinka tribes have exploded into violence that have claimed between 23 and 33 lives in the past three days. UN Peacekeepers are being sent to the region to investigate the incidents of violence.

If the Abyei Referendum does not take place, it signifies the failure of the international community to implement a key provision of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement’s (CPA) Abyei Protocol. Recognizing Abyei’s status as a traditional bridge between north and south Sudan, the Abyei Protocol called for a referendum, in which its residents would vote to retain its special administrative status in the north, or join an independent Southern Sudan.  This vote was to be held simultaneously with the Southern Sudan self-determination referendum on January 9, 2011.

Despite the requirements of the CPA and the 2009 Abyei Referendum Act, little progress was made to prepare for the Abyei referendum.  Even though it was imperative to come to early agreement on important prerequisites, including the establishment of an Abyei Referendum Commission, voter identification and registration, and the physical preparations for the balloting, none of these provisions have been implemented.

It now appears that Abyei’s future status will be decided as part of a “political solution” agreed on between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).  Already, the issue is being discussed at the level of President Omar al-Bashir and First Vice President Salva Kiir, through the assistance of former South African President Thabo Mbeki and the African Union’s High Level Implementation Panel.

Genocide Intervention Network/Save Darfur Coalition and its partners have considered the necessary next steps in the event of a delayed Abyei referendum.  In November, we released a memo detailing indispensible parts of any political settlement surrounding a delayed referendum.

“if the Abyei referendum does not happen on time, transfer administrative control of Abyei to the South, using boundaries defined by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. There are a number of options that could support the Misseriya population living north of Abyei and passing through on their grazing routes: a) a dry season integrated police force composed of both Misseriya and Dinka; b) a border security fund to support traditional and new mechanisms of cross-border conflict management and ongoing reconciliation efforts between the Dinka and Misseriya; c) a percentage of Abyei’s oil revenue that would accrue to the Misseriya community; d) a development fund to which contributions are made by the GOSS, GOS and international community; e) internationally guaranteed (and possibly internationally monitored) rights of grazing passage across the border into the South during the dry seasons; f) some form of autonomous administrative arrangements for the areas which the Misseriya inhabit seasonally in the northern part of Abyei; and g) a possible delay or interim period before the transfer of administrative control to the South.”  (More details here: http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/open-memorandum-elements-possible-peace-deal-sudan)

We at Genocide Intervention Network/Save Darfur Coalition are disappointed that the CPA’s signatories were unable to implement this key provision. Any solution that the parties reach must accurately reflect the hopes of Abyei’s residents and embody the spirit, if not the letter, of the CPA’s Abyei Protocol.

• Bashir Travels To Kenya
  • Kenya hosted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir at a ceremony celebrating the promulgation of the the country’s new constitution despite an international warrant for his arrest
  • The Save Darfur Coalition, Genocide Intervention Network and Enough Project released a statement condemning Kenya’s decision to host a fugitive from international justice
  • The White House released a statement from President Barack Obama expressing disappointment that the Kenyan government hosted Bashir despite its obligation to arrest him
  • Kenya’s Prime Minister calls Bashir’s invitation “ill-advised”
• Kidnapped Aid Worker Freed
  • An American aid worker in Darfur was released after four months in captivity
• Southern Sudan To Purge Child Soldiers From Army
  • The government of Southern Sudan pledges to remove child soldiers from the ranks of its former rebel army
• Weekend Reading
  • Nicholas Kristof discusses Obama’s “failure” in Sudan in his Sunday column and accompanying blog post
  • The Washington Post reports on the Obama Administration’s “intensifying” efforts in Sudan
  • Bec Hamilton writes about student activists in Khartoum
  • The UN Dispatch’s Mark Leon Goldberg on what Bashir’s trip to Kenya means for the ICC and the U.S. Policy in Sudan

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a second warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for three counts of genocide. When the first ICC warrant for al-Bashir’s arrest on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes was issued last year, the Khartoum regime retaliated, putting millions of civilians at risk. Take action today to prevent new retaliation, protect Darfuri civilians and support justice for Darfur.

2. Call Secretary of State Clinton through 1-800-GENOCIDE.

Ask Secretary Clinton to ensure that the United States leads the world in preventing the Government of Sudan from retaliating against civilians, peacekeepers, and aid workers in Darfur.

3. Spread the word about this new arrest warrant.

Tweet about it: The ICC issues a 2nd arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir – for crimes of #genocide http://ow.ly/2aaO0 #Sudan cc: @statedept & @whitehouse

Post a link to the ICC’s press release on your Facebook page: http://blogfordarfur.org/archives/4693 and include this quote from the press release: “there are reasonable grounds to believe [Omar al-Bashir] responsible for three counts of genocide committed against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups, that include: genocide by killing, genocide by causing serious bodily or mental harm and genocide by deliberately inflicting on each target group conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s physical destruction.”

4. Support members of the Sudanese Diaspora gathering on Wednesday to protest Bashir’s continued flaunting of international justice.  More about the DC event is available here.

From the Sudanese Embassy:

The Real Threat to Justice Is the Political Tool That Disguises Itself as a Court

WASHINGTON, July 12

The so-called International Criminal Court (ICC) has resurfaced from its rightful place of insignificance to announce charges of genocide against President Omer al-Bashir, adding absurdity to the dubious accusations previously leveled against the president.

Mired in its dazzling hypocrisy and not in the least bit apologetic of this glaring double-standard, the caricature of a court mocks true justice as it has proven to uphold nothing more than a perversion of the universal values it pays lip service to. It wields no credibility, an essential component of any legitimate institution. Its constant cowering from the pursuit and condemnation of those who pose the real threat to justice has gained it nothing but contempt from the world’s majority and Africa, which has so far been the exclusive preying ground for the ICC.

Sudan deeply regrets that such a farce has to compound the more important issues the country is dealing with, especially when one considers the fact that we, like many others, aren’t signatories to the statute and therefore don’t recognize the court.

CONTACT:  Embassy of Sudan Press and Information Office, phone: +1-202-338-8565, or fax: +1-202-667-2406

Column Lynch and Bec Hamilton quote the Sudanese Ambassador to the U.N. in the Washington Post:

Sudan’s U.N. ambassador, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, dismissed Monday’s ruling as another politically motivated effort by the court to undercut prospects for peace in Sudan and vowed never to surrender Bashir. “We condemn this in this strongest terms; it will only harden our resolve,” he said in an interview. “This court’s objective is to destroy chances for peace in Sudan; we’re not going to be bothered by it.”

Reed Stevenson has more for Reuters:

Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem, Sudan’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the new arrest warrant a “malignant and desperate attempt” to destabilize the country.

“We are confident that the Sudanese people and all peaceloving nations will ensure the demise of this criminal institution,” Abdalhaleem said in a statement, referring to the ICC.