Darfur diaspora leaders urge UN action to end genocide in Darfur

May 21, 2007 (WASHINGTON) – Leaders of the worldwide Darfuri diaspora today wrote to members of the U.N. Security Council urging them to take immediate and effective action to end the genocide in Darfur. The group sent similar letters to the U.N. Security Council prior to the authorization of Resolution 1706 in August 2006 and to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon last January. The letter recognizes the past efforts of the U.N. Security Council and U.N. and AU envoys, but also highlights the need for urgent action to protect the millions forced to flee their homes to internally displaced persons and refugee camps in Darfur and eastern Chad.

“Unfortunately, nine months after the adoption of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1706/2006 and four years after the launch of this brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against our people, we and our friends and family members are still waiting for peace, protection, and justice,” the letter said.

Specifically, the letter calls for: the immediate deployment of a robust U.N. peacekeeping force to Darfur under Chapter VII of the U.N. charter, the immediate disarmament of the Janjaweed militia, an invigorated and inclusive peace process that addresses the concerns of displaced persons, the support of Darfuri rebel leaders and field commanders in their attempt to adopt a unified negotiating position, the compliance of the government of Sudan with the International Criminal Court, and a mandate that would allow the U.N. Mission in Sudan to arrest and hand over persons suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Since it began in February 2003, the genocide sponsored by the Sudanese government and perpetrated by its Janjaweed militias has claimed at least 400,000 lives, displaced 2.5 million people and left more than 3.5 million men, women and children struggling to survive amid violence and starvation.

The full text of the letter follows:

May 18, 2007

All Members of the United Nations Security Council

The United Nations

New York, NY 10017

Excellency:

We, the undersigned representatives of civil society groups from Darfur in the diaspora, are writing to urge you to take immediate and effective action to end the systematic ethnic cleansing and organized war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been perpetrated by the Government of Sudan (GoS) and its proxy Janjaweed militia against our people since the spring of 2003.

In August of 2006, on the eve of the UN Security Council discussion on Darfur that produced Resolution 1706/2006, many of us conveyed the same important message to Secretary-General Kofi Annan with a set of specific demands. We also wrote to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in January of 2007, asking him to make Darfur one of his top priorities in the first days of his tenure. As we have sought from many of your governments individually, we requested at the time that, in addition to the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur, that the UN in cooperation with the African Union undertake every proactive measure to reinvigorate the political negotiations in order to reach a just and sustainable political solution and ultimately peace in the country.

Unfortunately, nine months after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1706/2006 and four years after the launch of this brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against our people, we and our friends and family members are still waiting for peace, protection, and justice. We praised the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1706/2006 and appreciated the recent efforts of the UN and AU Special Envoys to help reinvigorate the political process for a negotiated settlement of the armed conflict. Nevertheless, more urgent action is needed for protection of millions of our people who are languishing in the miserable camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) or those forced to flee Darfur into refugee camps in eastern Chad.

To that end, we strongly call upon all members of the UN Security Council to use all its authority and ability to ensure the following:

The immediate deployment of a sizeable UN peacekeeping force in Darfur under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, with a robust mandate and appropriate means to protect the defenseless civilians and bring peace and stability in the region;

The immediate disarmament of the Janjaweed militia, as mandated in a series of UN Security Council Resolutions, as well as resolutions of organs of the AU;

A reinvigorated and inclusive peace process in Darfur that specifically addresses the legitimate concerns of refugees and internally displaced persons, which have
to date been ignored, and leads to a just and sustainable peace for all people in Darfur;

The UN, in cooperation with the African Union, assists and provides support to the Darfuri rebel leaders and field commanders in their serious attempts to adopt a unified negotiating position and speak with one voice in the political arena;

The GoS complies fully with the proceedings of the International Criminal Court, including by arresting and handing over the two suspected Sudanese war criminals, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs Ahmad Harun, and notorious Janjaweed leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abdelrahman alias Ali Koshyb; and

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) should also be mandated and equipped to arrest and hand over all persons suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Despite various diplomatic initiatives underway, some of which have heralded considerable – but ultimately unrealized – progress, President al-Bashir remains adamant in his resolve not to accept a credible and effective force – in whatever form – to protect the millions of Darfurians living in extreme danger. Furthermore, he continues to frustrate all regional and international efforts aimed at creating conditions for real negotiations and bringing the perpetrators of crimes against humanity in Darfur to justice. Aerial bombardments by Sudan’s military jets on our villages are some of the most serious and heinous aggressions that the GoS continues to carry on against our people in Darfur.

The GoS must face direct consequences for waging war against civilians in Darfur. For this reason, we call upon members of the Security Council to take punitive actions that reinforce the sanctions regime against GoS, including total arms embargo for the entire country, and adding new individuals to the list of individuals currently sanctioned with travel and financial bans. We also sincerely ask that members of the Security Council from Africa and the Muslim world, who have at times, blocked this body’s collective response to the tragedy in Darfur, stand with the people of Darfur and the international community in placing increased pressure on the GoS to end its campaign of ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity in our region.

With regard to our demand for renewed efforts from the UN in securing a fair and durable peace agreement and unifying the desperate rebel factions, we offer our full support to your work. We are in close contact with our communities in Darfur asking them to place faith in your efforts and wisdom. We believe that our collective voice for peace will send a powerful message to the GoS, the rebel leaders, the people of Darfur, and the international community that peace-loving people everywhere in the world cannot tolerate the ongoing situation in Darfur. As we pursue our own initiatives to advance the unification of the rebel parties and the overall peace process, we would look forward to assisting the UN and AU in their formal efforts at achieving these important objectives.

We, as Darfurians who have been provided refugee and safety in many of your countries, ask with all urgency that the Security Council takes every action necessary to end the incalculable suffering of our people. A unified and decisive commitment from this body can save the lives of our peoples, relatives and friends and spare them the wrath of the ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Sincerely,

Darfur Association of Canada

Ismail Adam

President

Darfur Call (The Netherlands)

Ahmed M. Mohamedain

Managing Director Human Rights and Advocacy

Darfur Community Association of Australia

Abdelhadi Matar

President

Darfuri Diaspora Association of East Africa

Niemat Ahmadi

Programs Coordinator

Darfur Peace and Justice Organization (Belgium)

Mohmadain Mohmad Eshak

President

Darfur People’s Association in Belgium

Abdel-Rahaman Adriss

President

Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre (Switzerland)

Abdelbagi Jibreel

Executive Director

Fur Association Europe

Idris Hasaballa

Chairman

Union of the People of Darfur in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland

Ishag Mekki

Vice Chairman

Darfuri Leaders Network (United States)

Consisting of:

Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy

Mohamed Yahya

Executive Director

Darfur Alert Coalition

Ibrahim Hamid

Treasurer

Darfur Association in the United States

Mahmoud Braima

President

Darfur Association of Alabama

Eman Eldin

Secretary General

Darfur Association of Colorado

Ahmed Adam Ali

Secretary General

Darfur Association of Illinois

Mohamed Abdel Rahman

Secretary General

Darfur Association of Nebraska

Adam Omar

Darfur Association of Texas

Bashir Gamous Abdelrasoul

Branch Leader

Darfur Community Organization (Nebraska)

Bakheit Shata

Executive Director

Darfur Human Rights Organization of the U.S.

Elgasim Salih

Vice President

Darfur Peace and Development Organization

Suliman Giddo

President

Darfur People’s Association of Iowa

Anwar Elnour

President

Darfur People’s Association of New York

Motasim Adam

President

Darfur People’s Union (Washington, D.C)

Bashir M. Ishag

President

Darfur Rehabilitation Project, Inc.

Elnour Adam

Projects Director

Fur Association of North America

Ishag Ahmed

President

Fur Cultural Revival

Mansour Ahmed

Secretary General

Western Sudan Aid Relief in the U.S.

Abdeljabbar Seddik

President

At-Large Members of the Darfuri Leaders Network in the U.S.

Amal Allagabo

Washington, D.C.

Fatima Haroun

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Suad Mansour

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Marwa Salah Eddin

Portland, Maine

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About the Save Darfur Coalition – The Save Darfur Coalition raises public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of people throughout the Darfur region. It is an alliance of more than 180 faith-based, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. The coalition’s member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Darfur. For more information on the coalition, please visit www.SaveDarfur.org. To obtain footage from the Darfur border region, coalition events, various interviews, and more, please visit the Save Darfur Coalition media gallery at http://media.savedarfur.org. All footage may be previewed in non-broadcast quality and may be purchased in broadcast quality by filling out the purchase request form provided on the site.