Abuja deal is not enough – Darfur needs UN Peacekeepers

Contact: Ann-Louise Colgan (202) 546-7961

June 20, 2006 (WASHINGTON, DC) – On World Refugee Day, Africa
Action drew powerful speakers and scores of activists for a rally and
die-in outside the White House to recognize the continuing humanitarian
crisis and worsening security conditions in Darfur, Sudan. Africa
Action and its allies called on the U.S. to take new and urgent action
to achieve a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission to protect the
people of Darfur. In addition to the action in Washington, DC, rallies
on Darfur were held in several other U.S. cities today, including New
York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Guest speakers at the Washington, DC rally this afternoon included
members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Congressman Major
Owens (D-NY), Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Congressman Donald
M. Payne (D-NJ), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Africa of the
Committee on International Relations.

Marie Clarke Brill Acting Co-Executive Director of Africa Action, said
today, “These rallies illustrate that a diverse cross-section of
Americans believe the U.S. and international community have failed to
take sufficient action to stop the genocide in Darfur. The people of
Darfur continue to live in fear and insecurity. The movement to end
genocide in Darfur is diverse, but it is unified in its demand to keep
the pressure on the Bush Administration until a UN protection force is
on the ground.”

Also today, Africa Action released a new “Chronology of International
Failures on Darfur,” documenting the international community’s
inadequate response to the genocide in Darfur over the past fourteen
months. This new report highlights the deteriorating security situation
in Darfur and the urgent need for a UN peacekeeping mission to protect
civilians and humanitarian operations. The new chronology can be found
here,
http://africaaction.org/resources/page.php?op=read&documentid=1932&type=6&issues=1024.

Elnour Adam of the Darfur Rehabilitation Project, said today, “As
Darfuris living in the U.S., we appreciate the solidarity being
expressed in rallies such as those held across the country today, and we
hope to move the U.S. to take new action to protect the people of Darfur.”

“The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) was the first to declare genocide
in Darfur,” noted U.S. Representative Melvin L. Watt (D-NC), CBC Chair.
“Since that time, the Caucus has repeatedly called on the Bush
Administration and the international community to end the violence and
the humanitarian nightmare in that region. The time is now for the
world community to raise the ante on the government of Sudan.”

Other speakers at today’s rally in Washington, DC included Anyango
Reggy, Howard University graduate student in the African Studies Department.

For Africa Action’s latest policy statement, “Next Steps on Darfur”, see
http://www.africaaction.org/newsroom/index.php?op=read&documentid=1905&type=15&issues=1024