Activist in front of White House. Copyright: Martha Bixby

On July 23, 2011, Darfuri Diaspora and American activists participated in a Peace in Sudan Rally at Lafayette Square in Washington, DC.  The rally, which was co-sponsored by Fur Cultural Revival, GI-Net/SDC, and Sudan Now, was held in front of the White House in order to draw the attention of the U.S. government and the international community to the dire situation in Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, Abyei and other parts of Sudan.  The rally was held on July 23 to mark the 7th anniversary of the recognition of the crisis in Darfur as genocide by the United States Congress.

Youth activism. Copyright: Martha Bixby

Demonstrations began at 1:00 p.m. following the conclusion of the hunger strike and lasted until 3:00 p.m. Speakers included policy makers, genocide survivors, leaders of advocacy movements, musicians, and media correspondents.

Speaker. Copyright Martha Bixby

The speakers called upon the U.S. government for immediate protection of civilians, unimpeded humanitarian access, the arrest of al-Bashir and other suspects for crimes committed in Darfur, accountability for the Sudanese government, and justice for victims of genocide and other atrocities committed in Darfur and Sudan at large.

Tom Andrews, president of Genocide Intervention Network/Save Darfur Coalition. Copyright: Martha Bixby

Click here to view the embedded video.

Over 150 people participated in the DC rally, despite the unbearable heat. Activists and Diaspora traveled to the rally from across the country including from Eastern states such as Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Connecticut, and from as far away as Texas, South Dakota, and California.  In addition to the DC rally, hunger strikes and rallies were held in other U.S. states including: South Dakota, Indiana, Arizona, and Nebraska and internationally in the UK, France, Egypt, Uganda, and South Sudan.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The united action of the advocates this weekend shows that there is a strong commitment from people from all walks of life to end the genocide in Darfur.  They have made it clear that impunity is not an option and that there is a consensus that protection of civilians in the Nuba Mountains and Darfur should be a priority for both the U.S. government and the international community.

Protestors. Copyright: Martha Bixby

Click here to view the embedded video.

On July 22, 2011, Darfuris Against Genocide initiated a global hunger strike to stand in solidarity with the victims of the Darfur genocide, who have endured unimaginable suffering over the past 8 years.  Darfuris Against Genocide is a group of activists who stand for protection, peace, and justice in the face of the deteriorating situation in Darfur.  Most of its activists have fled from genocidal attacks in their homeland and are currently residing in the United States.  They have experienced first hand the atrocities of the crisis and demand that the United States end President al-Bashir’s campaign to slaughter their people.

The 24 hour hunger strike began at 12:00 p.m. on July 22 and lasted until July 23 at 12:00 p.m.   Over 4000 people signed up on Facebook, where they wrote comments and uploaded videos on an hourly basis.  Videos were also uploaded on YouTube by a variety of individuals including human rights activists, Darfur Diaspora, GI-NET/Save Darfur Coalition and Enough employees, and government officials.  All videos from the 24 hour campaign can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Hunger+Strike+for+Darfur+Hour&aq=f

Click here to view the embedded video.

The global hunger strike demonstrates once again that there is a united movement to end the targeted bombing of civilians, blockades of humanitarian access, arrests, and the torture and rape of women that have become commonplace in the lives of the people of Darfur.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Don’t forget to tune in at noon Eastern (9 a.m. Pacific) for a live Twitter Q&A with Tom and Dan from Juba.

Rally attendees created a Wall of Unity with posters.

The argument that there is still work to do in Sudan was underlined by messages from Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland, GI-NET/SDC’s Niemat Ahmadi, and others saying that the U.S. can not reward Khartoum until there is peace in Sudan.

Click here to view the embedded video.

A drummer leads the way to Lafayette Square

The rally started with prayers at A.M.E. Church. People then walked to Lafayette Square outside of the White House to the sound of beating drums. Personal stories from genocide survivors, and Christian, Muslim, and Jewish prayers led by survivors and faith leaders also highlighted the event, along with music performed by Kevin Skolnik.

Kevin and a fellow activist ask for peace in Sudan

Reverend Derrick Harkins spoke to the power of the movement saying, “There is nothing like the human spirit on fire to cause change.” Mark Hanis, founder of Genocide Intervention Network, told the crowd to call 1-800-GENOCIDE and tell policy makers to ensure that Khartoum is not rewarded prematurely.

The Hope for Darfur-Justice in Sudan Rally was organized by the Darfur Interfaith Network and SDC/GI-Net. The Darfur Interfaith Network brings together people of faith dedicated to helping the victims of genocide in Darfur and the South Sudanese people who continue to suffer from decades of civil war. The group raises money for humanitarian aid for Darfuri people who live in I.D.P. camps. Whether or not you were able to make it to the rally, you can donate to the rally organizers or join D.I.N. the third Sunday of each month as they hold a monthly vigil at the Embassy of Sudan. For more information contact Laura Cutler at mbcutler@aol.com.

Next week, the people of South Kordofan will vote in state elections that could result in an outbreak of violence in the region if they are not viewed as legitimate.

We are currently ramping up efforts to raise awareness about these issues and inspire more people to take action. In the past year alone, we’ve gotten more than 100,000 signatures on petitions to the Obama administration and worked with activists to hold dozens of events across the country. We’ve sponsored ads in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, on Facebook and across the internet, and now we’re even in… drum roll, please… Times Square!

If you’re in NYC, you might see our billboard, running 18 times a day from now through the end of June. We’re excited to be reaching more people with our message.

And for those of you who can’t see the real thing, check out this video of our PSA, courtesy of Investors Against Genocide’s Eric Cohen:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Please join us! Visit the Sudan Now website and ask the U.N. and U.S. to prevent violence in South Kordofan.

For the dead and the living, we must bear witness. For not only are we responsible for the memories of the dead, we are also responsible for what we are doing with those memories.

- Elie Wiesel, Holocaust Survivor

Bloggers across the nation are uniting to spread the word about genocide prevention.  While we often hear about horrific crises in Darfur, Bosnia and Rwanda, rarely do we hear about the important work that can keep these atrocities from happening in the first place.

Please help us prevent genocide by writing your own blog with the resources below.  Through our blogs, we hope to educate communities on upcoming genocide prevention efforts in Congress. Despite its commitment to end atrocities, the U.S. government often fails to protect civilians during crises such as those in Rwanda and Darfur. These missed opportunities to save lives demonstrate that the United States does not have the right tools, structures and resources to effectively prevent atrocities.

Click here to view the embedded video.

To address this shortfall, Congress will consider legislation to improve early warning systems, reinforce cooperation between government agencies, and authorize flexible funding that enables a timely civilian response.  In order for their efforts to succeed, however, we need your help to ensure that your Senators and Representatives turn this important bill into law.

Please join our genocide prevention efforts and write a blog article that asks your readers to join as well.

You can use our short video and the talking points and petition link below to explain genocide prevention.  The links and organizations in the ‘Survivor Stories’ section will help you find survivor testimonials that demonstrate why this legislation is so important.  Or use your own creativity, insight, and passion to promote the fight against genocide.  Whichever you choose, please share your work with us!

Ask Your Readers to Take Action:

Encourage your readers to sign the petition at the link below.  The petition calls on the U.S. Congress to support efforts toward a genocide prevention bill.

Petition Link: https://secure3.convio.net/sdc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=657

Use Talking Points to Explain Genocide Prevention:

• Years of underinvestment in civilian tools like diplomacy, development, and international cooperation have crippled the U.S.’ ability to help prevent atrocities across the world.
• In December 2010, the Senate passed a resolution (S. Con. Res. 71) calling for specific steps to improve US capacities to prevent genocide and atrocities.
• The Obama administration has stated US commitment to prevention of genocide and mass atrocities in the National Security Strategy, Quadrennial Defense Review, and Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. Yet, the practical policy steps needed to transform these words into action and ensure sustainable policy change are not yet being taken.
• Leadership and pressure from Congress is needed now to ensure that the policy gaps and capacities in the US government are filled and maintained beyond any one administration.
• The 112^th Congress should prioritize genocide prevention by introducing bipartisan legislation that would strengthen US civilian capacities to detect potential atrocities, rebuild the diplomatic corps, improve the methods of delivering development assistance, use security assistance to protect civilians, and improve international cooperation.
• Twenty-five years after Senate ratification of the Genocide Convention, its time for Congress to take the lead again in making the promise of “Never again” can a reality.

Make Your Work Resonate with Survivor Stories

Written testimonials:

• Holocaust survivors: http://www.ushmm.org/research/collections/oralhistory/
• Contemporary genocide survivors: http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/act_now_for_darfur_testimonies_from_past_genocides
• Contemporary genocide survivors: http://www.ushmm.org/genocide/take_action/gallery/portraits -

Organizations with access to survivors:

• Armenian Assembly of America
• Armenian National Committee of America
• Bosniak American Advisory Council for Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy
• Jewish World Watch
• Save Darfur Coalition/Genocide Intervention Network

Genocide Arrest Warrant For Bashir

• ICC Genocide Warrant: What does it mean?
  What the ICC’s new arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir really means
• ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for Omar al-Bashir on Charge of Genocide
  The International Criminal Court’s Statement
• Reactions from the Sudanese Government
  Government of Sudan’s response
• US says Sudan’s president should go to Hague (AFP)
  U.S. State Department response
• Rights Groups Respond To New “Genocide” Arrest Warrant For President Bashir
  Save Darfur Coalition and partners response
• TAKE ACTION: Protect Civilians and Support Justice
  Tell the Obama Administration to prevent a repeat of last year’s merciless retaliation against civilians by the Khartoum regime

Referendum on Southern Secession

• Opinion: In Sudan, War Is Around the Corner (New York Times)
  Dave Eggers and John Prendergast write about the United States’ responsibility to prevent a return to war in South Sudan
• South Sudan religious leaders back independence (AFP)
  Christian and Muslim leaders in south Sudan call for people to choose independence in January’s referendum
• South Sudan Envoy Calls Talks With Khartoum ‘Peaceful Divorce’ (VOA)
  Voice of America on negotiations between the SPLM and GOS

Other Important Sudan Related News

• PROMISES, PROMISES: US fails to punish Sudan (AP)
  The Obama Administration’s response (or lack thereof) to Khartoum’s bad behavior
• Darfur violence kills 221 in June: peacekeepers (Reuters)
  Another deadly month in Darfur
• US, Britain, Norway ‘deeply concerned’ on Sudan (AFP)
  Sudan Troika express concern over the deteriorating security situation in Darfur and the repressive behavior of the Sudanese Government since April’s rigged elections.
• Sudan’s Army Says It Has Driven Rebels From New Darfur Base (Bloomberg)
  Sudan’s army claims to have driven JEM from their base in western Darfur
• Sudan to close border with Libya (BBC)
  Sudan shuts it’s border to “protect travelers from ‘rebels and outlaws’”
• Escalating Violence In Post-Election Sudan
  The situation in Darfur has rapidly deteriorated since Sudan’s April elections

TAKE ACTION NOW: Protect Civilians and Support Justice

Below are answers to some fundamental questions about the meaning of today’s ICC decision and how the United States and international community must respond.

Background: Why a second arrest warrant?

On March 4, 2009, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber 1 judges directed that a warrant be issued for al-Bashir’s arrest on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. At that time, the judges rejected the ICC prosecutor’s request to include three counts of genocide in the warrant. The ICC prosecutor appealed this decision, leading to a subsequent ruling by the ICC’s Appeals Chamber that the Pre-Trial Chamber had applied an incorrect standard of evidence in their original decision. After applying the correct standard, the Pre-Trial Chamber has concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe al-Bashir is responsible for genocide. The new arrest warrant does not replace the first warrant for al-Bashir’s arrest issued by the Court for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Rather, the ICC judges have requested international cooperation to seek the arrest and surrender of al-Bashir for the counts contained in both the first and second arrest warrants.

What does (and doesn’t) today’s news mean?

The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber 1 judges have found reasonable grounds to believe that Omar al-Bashir is criminally responsible for genocide. The evidentiary standard of “reasonable grounds to believe”, necessary to issue an arrest warrant, is a lower evidentiary standard than the one that would need to be met for the ICC to confirm charges against al-Bashir at a preliminary confirmation of charges hearing, and than the still-higher standard needed to convict on these charges in a future trial. It is important to note that the new arrest warrant does not mean that the ICC has declared genocide has occurred or is occurring in Darfur.

What happens next with the case?

If al-Bashir is arrested or otherwise appears before the ICC, a confirmation of charges hearing would be scheduled. At this hearing, ICC judges would decide whether to uphold the charges included in the two arrest warrants. If charges are upheld, a trial would be scheduled. At the conclusion of a trial, ICC judges could find al-Bashir guilty or not guilty of any of the charges he faces. Only if al-Bashir is found guilty of charges of genocide could we then say that the ICC judges have found that genocide has occurred in Darfur.

What does the genocide warrant mean for the peace process?

Justice and accountability are critical components of the comprehensive solution that will be necessary to end the conflict in Darfur and build a lasting peace in Sudan. Justice and peace in Sudan can and must be pursued simultaneously. While the ICC has sometimes been accused of jeopardizing peace efforts in Darfur, in reality there has been somewhat more progress made toward peace since ICC Prosecutor Ocampo first announced he would seek al-Bashir’s arrest in July 2008.  At that point in time, there was no set forum for dialogue or direct negotiations between the Government of Sudan and the various Darfuri rebel movements. Ocampo’s announcement seemed to push the African Union, League of Arab States, and others in the international community to provide new support to the peace process. Doha, Qatar ultimately emerged as the generally accepted venue for negotiations, and various rebel movements – most notably the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) – signed two ceasefire agreements with the Government of Sudan in February and March 2010 respectively. While the talks have stalled and even broken down in the last few months, this recent history demonstrates the lack of merit in arguments that peace and justice are conflicting goals and cannot be pursued in parallel.

After the first arrest warrant, al-Bashir kicked out humanitarian groups.  Does this warrant put Darfuri civilians in danger again?

After the first ICC arrest warrant was announced in March 2009, al-Bashir expelled over a dozen international aid groups and disbanded three Sudanese aid organizations, forcing an emergency response from the United Nations and international community to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. In addition, the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) detained and tortured prominent Sudanese human rights activists in the weeks before and after the decision. It is important to note that it was not the ICC warrant that endangered civilian lives in Darfur and in Khartoum, but rather the calculated response of a regime that has time and again proven willing to endanger the lives and livelihoods of its own citizens.

How should the United States respond?

The Obama Administration must send a clear signal to the Government of Sudan that any acts that threaten civilians, Sudanese human rights activists, aid workers or peacekeepers in Darfur will not be tolerated.  You can take action now to urge the US to work to prevent any retaliation by al-Bashir’s regime.

As a leader in the international community and a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), which referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC in 2005, the United States should publicly reaffirm its support for the ICC’s pursuit of justice in Darfur and work together with the UNSC and ICC member states to ensure the swift enforcement of this and all ICC arrest warrants for atrocities in Darfur.  Finally, the United States must intensify its diplomatic efforts to negotiate a just agreement that addresses the root causes of the conflict in Darfur and to press for the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in its last stages. The Government of Sudan must not be allowed to manipulate the ICC warrants in any way to disrupt or distract from the fragile Darfur peace process or preparations for the upcoming referendum on southern secession.

For more information, check out the Genocide Intervention Network’s Frequently Asked Questions page.

A Soldier Serving with Darfur's Beleaguered Protection Force (Photo: AFP/Getty)

Security in Darfur continues to deteriorate, as evidenced by reports of intense fighting over the weekend and the armed kidnapping of three aid workers on Tuesday. Amid a faltering ceasefire, deadly attacks against peacekeepers, violence in Jebel Marra, and troubling news of a military build-up, the Save Darfur Coalition has written to the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations  – this month’s president of the Security Council – to address the escalating crisis and its impact on the lives and livelihoods of Darfuri civilians. Today, the UNSC is due to discuss UNAMID in a briefing this morning and consultations in the afternoon.

The text of the letter is below, and can also downloaded it as a PDF.

May 17, 2010

H.E. Dr. Nawaf Salam

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of Lebanon
to the United Nations in New York
866 UN Plaza Suite 531-33
New York, NY 10017

Via Facsimile: +1 212 838 2819

Your Excellency Dr. Salam:

We are writing to you on behalf of more than 190 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations that make up the Save Darfur Coalition on the occasion of your term as president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to urge that you make the increasing security concerns in Darfur a top priority during the month of May.

We appreciate your recent reflection that this month presents Lebanon with the opportunity to enhance its global image, in part through assuming a key role on issues relating to Sudan. We also believe that the leadership of Lebanon can deliver renewed international attention and political momentum toward addressing the crucial challenges that face Sudan and its tumultuous region of Darfur, where hostilities have recently escalated. The Save Darfur Coalition is gravely concerned about current insecurity in Darfur, particularly with regard to the situation in the central region of Jebel Marra and a faltering ceasefire between a leading rebel movement and the Sudanese government. Just this past weekend, fierce clashes are reported to have taken place in Jebel Moon, with potentially serious implications for the plight of local civilians, border security with neighboring Chad, and prospects for peace talks scheduled to resume this week. These developments – in addition to small arms proliferation and an increase in tribal conflict – pose a significant threat to the lives and livelihoods of thousands of civilians.

While we commend recent efforts by the United Nations and the African Union to reach full deployment of the joint peacekeeping operation in Darfur, we are disappointed that the mission has been unable to prevent, monitor, or intervene in most of the recent fighting. Likewise, we would like to express our significant dismay that UNAMID has been unable or unwilling to protect humanitarian operations in Jebel Marra, forcing the withdrawal of aid groups and resulting in a severe lack of information regarding the humanitarian and human rights consequences of the clashes.

The Save Darfur Coalition welcomes that the UNSC Programme of Work for this month – which concludes with the International Day of UN Peacekeepers – includes several sessions dedicated to UNAMID. We hope that as President of the Security Council, you will ensure these briefings and consultations conclude with a concrete plan of action to improve UNAMID’s effectiveness in responding to ongoing violence in Darfur, and to secure its access to recent sites of fighting, which has left thousands of civilians without humanitarian assistance or military protection.

Specifically in relation to this insecurity, we recommend the following UNSC actions:

• Demand accountability and transparency in all investigations of attacks against humanitarian and peacekeeping operations and their assets, and actively participate in bringing perpetrators to justice in accordance with the rule of law;
• Demand that all parties live up to their commitments as outlined by the framework agreements signed in Doha and encourage their return to the negotiation table;
• Ensure the Sudanese government’s full cooperation in permitting UNAMID forces to broadly interpret their mandate to protect civilians and humanitarian operations through the robust and proactive implementation of the applicable rules of engagement;
• Demand repercussions for any obstruction to operations of UNAMID forces by the Sudanese government and Darfur’s armed movements;
• Urge UNAMID commanders to expand the range of security zones patrolled by peacekeeping forces;
• Demand adherence of the Sudanese government, all armed parties, and states to the UNSC arms embargo, per UNSC Resolution 1591; and
• Continue to fully resource and finance all operational needs of the force.

Finally, it is important to note that as instability and insecurity continue to put lives of civilians at risk in Darfur, there are growing concerns about the lack of protection for civilians in South Sudan. In the first four months of 2010, inter-communal fighting resulted in the deaths of at least 450 civilians and the displacement of an estimated 40,000 others. Furthermore, over the past few weeks the post-election clashes between soldiers loyal to Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) General George Athor Deng and other units of the SPLA have sharpened fears that violence in the South may only increase in the months leading up to the critical referenda scheduled for January 2011. Given these concerns, the Save Darfur Coalition calls upon the UNSC under Lebanon’s leadership to monitor this precarious situation closely and provide the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) with the political support needed to respond rapidly and effectively to this evolving crisis.
Many in the human rights advocacy community are looking to the Council to act vigorously and strategically in addressing the challenges facing Sudan and Darfur, in particular by robustly confronting the current shortcomings in civilian protection throughout the country during this critical period.

Sincerely,

Amir Osman
Senior Director, Policy and Government Relations
Save Darfur Coalition

Sudan365 Logo

Sudan365 is a yearlong global effort to raise awareness about preventing the catastrophe of a return to widespread violence in Sudan. Activists from around the world and in DC, San Francisco and New York on the eve of the elections Saturday, April 10 called for Sudanese parties to uphold their responsibilities to the people of Sudan.

On April 11th, Sudan held its first multi party elections for over 20 years. It was an important part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement – which formally marked the end of Sudan’s twenty-two year civil war. However, there are still fears the elections will bring an increase in human rights violations and violence against civilians.

See below the film footage for the Saturday, April 10, Sudan365: “A beat for peace” from DC, San Francisco and New York.

San Francisco – On Saturday, April 10, The SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition and award-winning filmmaker Jared Callahan released a short film, “Sudan 365: A Beat for Peace in San Francisco,”.  The film, features local citizens and artists “drumming for peace” in well-known locations throughout San Francisco.

Sudan365.org presents Beat for Peace – San Francisco from Jared Callahan on Vimeo.

New York – New York City Coalition for Darfur, STAND, UBUNTU: Students for a World without Genocide, the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, the Darfur People’s Association of New York City and the International Refugee Rights Initiative organized the drumbeat for peace at Union Square, South Plaza, by the George Washington Statue. Percussionist Gary Fritz and members of New York area drumming circles led the drum beat.

Washington, DC - Save Darfur Coalition helped organize a gathering of activists and members of the Rhythm Workers Union drumming group in drumming up a “beat for peace” for Sudan. The drum beat took place in front of the Capitol.

Sudan365: A Beat for Peace in Washington, DC