CONTACT PRESIDENT OBAMA NOW PLEASE - ESCALATION IN DARFUR, SUDAN

In coordination with the Massachusetts Save Darfur Coalition, I forwarded the email text below to my Darfur list just now:

My suggestion: do make the call or email/write our President and add contacting the Secretary of State as well. But I suggest to make your message personal and maybe don't just read the text provided word for word.

Genocide Ends

When Enough of Us

Stand Up Against It

JOIN US

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Write President Obama
www.whitehouse.gov/contact
You can also call or write to the President:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Comments to President Obama: 202-456-1111

or

1-800-GENOCIDE

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Secretary of State Clinton

Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000

Email:
Select the topic: Secretary of State

contact-us.state.gov

Main address:
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520


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Here is the State Department's Sudan page link:
www.state.gov/p/af/ci/sudan

Sudan

Ambassador: Vacant

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* This weekend the Government of Sudan escalated its attacks on civilians. Please take this urgent and easy action to help Darfur.

On Monday or Tuesday, 9 AM - 5 PM EST,
call the White House at either 202-456-1111
or 1-800-GENOCIDE, with a version of this message:

I'm calling to ask President Obama to quickly and decisively address the escalating violence in Darfur. Omar al-Bashir has threatened and is now escalating attacks against civilians. The potential for massive loss of life is enormous. President Obama, please issue immediate warnings to Bashir and the NCP specifying consequences of more attacks and prepare an emergency response plan to address further violence.

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GENOCIDE STOPS WITH US - LET'S MAKE IT PAST HISTORY

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This is an email text received Sunday from
Stop Genocide Now

Dear friends and family:

Disturbing news is coming out of Darfur. Attacks on innocent civilians have increased, and threats of more violence are coming from the Government of Sudan.

President Obama and his new administration must act decisively and immediately to save innocent civilians from violence and displacement. Although many members of the new administration have spoken strongly on Darfur, we cannot take anything for granted. Our leaders must be pressured--and given the backing--to take strong action that goes beyond words. As President Obama has made it clear over and over again, it is us, regular people, that must take an active role in demanding change.

This week, Call the White House, between 9 AM and 5 PM EST, at either 202-456-1111 or 1-800-GENOCIDE, with this message (or with your own words):

"I'm calling to ask President Obama to quickly and decisively address the escalating violence in Darfur. Omar al-Bashir has threatened and is now escalating attacks against civilians. The potential for massive loss of life is enormous. President Obama, please issue immediate warnings to Bashir and the NCP specifying consequences of more attacks and prepare an emergency response plan to address further violence."

Call every day, and ask many friends and family to do the same. Those innocent civilians that are dying are no different than your friends and family. They deserve and have the right to a peaceful and dignified life.

Peace,
Gabriel and the Stop Genocide Now Team

P.S. We at SGN strongly believe that individuals, groups, and organizations must step up activism and go beyond traditional advocacy actions. Phone calls and letters are still needed, but we must do more and demand more from our leaders. We will continue to explore ways to push harder and would greatly appreciate your input in to how we can do this together. Let us know at iact-info@stopgenocidenow.org

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And this email text came from a Sudanese expatriate:

Dear ALL,

1- South Darfur:
- In Muhagiriah area: GoS bombing heavily with
Antonoves, Migs, and new Sokhois. Many homes burnt,
many civilians dead, losses among rebel groups (
mainly JEM).

- Village of UmSaona: Compltetly destroyed and burned
down by GoS troops, Janjaweed, Airplanes, and for the
first time massive Tanks raids on civilian villages.
Reports of unknown death tolls.

2- North Darfur:
-Heavy bombing in Goz Har area ( near Anka and Bir
Mazza). Antonove airplane raided water wells area.
Many animals killed. Civilian casualties not known
yet, but people were fleeing in panic to the
mountains.

- Janjaweeds are attacking villages of Ain Siero and
Hashaba areas, terrorizing the civilians, killing
owners of livestock and steeling them.

3- New trends in the latest attacks:

a- The Aerial Bombardment is stepped up in
quantities, frequencies, duration. People are saying
that many people are killed by night bombings. They
said that these planes fly now by night without lights
and alot of people are caught off guard. They suspect
that the airplanes use night vision because where
gathering of people and/or animals are targeted.

b- The Janjaweeds steeped up their raids. People say
lately they use threating words like" you peole are no
longer muslims because you chose the side of the
infidels" or " Al-Bashir told to get ready to clean
Darfur of you the agents of the infidels".
Few days ago Al-Bashir stated publicly that " Darfur
problem is 100% Zionist conspiracy".


Mohamed Suleiman

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PLEASE MAKE A COMMITMENT TO TAKE THIS ACTION

PEOPLE'S LIVES DEPEND UPON IT

www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net
www.standnow.org

www.miafarrow.org

DARFUR AND OUR NEW PRESIDENT ~ YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY SIGNING A POST CARD

Responsible Citizens Need Responsible Journalism

I don't know how the majority of USA citizens feel about the news coverage for our consumption and knowledge. I know how I feel. I think we are fed pabulum. Stories that we are provided with on television often fall on a scale of importance of 1 to 10 near the 1 mark. Time that could be spent on real stories is given to entertainment ticklings, irrelevant stories instead of what is important and the mind-numbing repetition of the same sentence - sometimes just after it has been said the second before. Example? The plane in the Hudson River today. And the news stories from outside our borders are slim to none. That seems wrong. In this age of the internet, it would be relatively easy to find stories from around the world and put them on our TV screens.

An example of lack of substance and continual loop reporting is the dog choice for Malia and Sasha. It gets way too much air time. Malia and Sasha are adorable and I hope they are safe, healthy and happy, but priorities of the stories that we are fed are needed. The dumbing down of the USA citizens is not a good thing. Not good for our emotional health, our economy or our cultural possibilities. And our journalism, print and televised, plays a huge part in dumbing us down.

Personally, I have been an activist for the cause of ending genocide since 2004. I know that may not sound like a long time to some (except to those directly affected), but during this time, I have watched our government do very little toward ending genocide in Darfur. And I have not seen the news coverage give the weight to this story that it so warrants.

I wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper last July about this point. To enlarge it, click on it

Images of Darfuris

Mia Farrow's Darfuri photo ~ Abu Shouk camp

News from a Sudanese expatriate

Dear All,

- Yesterday (Wednesday 1/14) there were
demonstrations in the camp of Abu Nbag,
refuge for over 2000,protesting lack of
food and medical supplies. A convoy
of food from WFP is moving from Libya
boarders across the desert. The convoy
is not expected to reach the
camps in Eastern Chad before the end
of the month (unpaved roads through
the Desert).

- Yesterday (Wednesday 1/14)GoS airplanes
bombed the village of Hashabah in North
Darfur. No reports yet of casualties.

and

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LE347055.htm


A relative in Elfasher lives near the
Airport says the GoS Military planes
are busy taking off and landing
for weeks. He says 2 large airplanes
(I guess Antonoves) take off in the
wee hours of the day and land back by
night. 3 small jets ( I guess Migs 29 )
continously take off and land during
the day, for many
many days.

Mohamed Suleiman

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This email came today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: press@savedarfur.org

January 15, 2009

Allyn Brooks-LaSure

Ashley Roberts

SAVE DARFUR NOTES RICE’S ‘STRONG’ DARFUR TESTIMONY, PRESSES FOR SWIFT ACTION TO END CRISIS

WASHINGTON – The Save Darfur Coalition today applauded U.N. Ambassador-designate Dr. Susan Rice’s continued commitment to end the Darfur genocide, following her testimony today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Coalition president Jerry Fowler, in a statement, urged the Obama administration to swiftly begin acting on this commitment, particularly by identifying the high-level official who will have day-to-day ownership of Sudan policy and responsibility for actions to end this genocide.

“The Save Darfur Coalition was heartened by Dr. Rice’s continued commitment to end the Darfur genocide. It is imperative that the U.S. Mission to the United Nations lead efforts to expand protection of Darfuri civilians and establish a viable peace process for Sudan. We recognize that the UNAMID civilian protection force is a critical component to providing on-the-ground security for the millions of internally-displaced persons in Darfur. UNAMID alone, however, will not deliver a just and lasting peace for the people of Sudan. The United States should pursue other options to bring peace to the region, including a sustained diplomatic initiative.

“The coalition urges President-elect Obama to identify the high-level official who will have day-to-day ownership of Sudan policy and responsibility for actions to end this genocide – on or before Inauguration Day. At the same time, Dr. Rice and her team in New York must maintain American support for UNAMID, the International Criminal Court’s war crimes investigation, and full implementation of all U.N. resolutions pertaining to Sudan. Also, the United States must be prepared to lead a strong international response when the ICC judges issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Bashir, which will likely come in the first weeks of the Obama administration.”

###

About the coalition – The Save Darfur Coalition – an alliance of 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations - 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. 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.

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This email was sent to 96 members of Darfur Activist Leaders

This also came today:

Dear Sandra,

The ICC is expected to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir in the coming weeks—creating a chance for either great progress or great peril for the Darfuri people.

We must ensure that President Obama and his team hit the ground running to capitalize on this unique opportunity for peace, or we could see a dramatic resurgence in violence against civilians.

It's up to us to build public support for Day One action. That's why we're introducing the 10 in 10 for Darfur Challenge, asking our strongest supporters to get ten friends to sign a postcard to President-elect Obama.

Inauguration Day is less than a week away, so click here to get started now. Get ten friends to sign our postcard to President Obama within the first ten days of his administration, and you'll be entered to win a Save Darfur Inauguration Apparel collection, including our limited-edition Inauguration Day t-shirt.

You've already sent a postcard yourself—thank you. But ending the genocide will require a nationwide grassroots movement demanding leadership on Darfur, so we need your help again. It couldn't be easier to recruit your friends:

1. Click here to join the 10 in 10 for Darfur challenge
2. Enter the email addresses of friends and family members, asking them to join you in signing the postcard.
3. Use our tool see who's responded to your invitation and track how close you are to your goal.
4. When you reach ten, you'll automatically be entered in our contest to win Save Darfur Inauguration gear, including a limited-edition t-shirt (otherwise available only to Inauguration Day volunteers!), Save Darfur hat, and set of "Be A Voice for Darfur" stickers.

And there's no reason to stop at ten! Recruit even more people and increase your chances of winning. You get one contest entry for every ten people you bring on board. But the deadline is January 30, ten days into the Obama presidency.

Last month, ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo bluntly told the United Nations that nearly six years after the violence first erupted, "the genocide continues." At her confirmation hearing Tuesday, Hillary Clinton promised to "sound the alarm" on Darfur. And today Susan Rice, a strong voice for Darfur and nominee to be the next ambassador to the United Nations, decried the "deficit of determination" to resolving crises like Darfur during her confirmation hearings.

This is a potential moment of promise or peril—so we need your help. Get 10 friends to ask President-elect Obama to show leadership on Darfur. You could win limited-edition inauguration apparel.

We could never have gotten this close to a major breakthrough without committed supporters like you. We can't afford to let up now. Thank you for all you've done.

In solidarity,

Allyn Brooks-LaSure
Save Darfur Coalition

Donate to Help Save Darfur
Help build the political pressure needed to end the crisis in Darfur by supporting the Save Darfur Coalition's crucial awareness and advocacy programs. Click here now to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation.

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I don't need another Darfur t-shirt. I have something around 50 Darfur t-shirts now. And I don't like to wear t-shirts, though I will wear one of my many Darfur t-shirts just because of the reason. Won't you use your sense of justice, your freedom and your voice and sign the post card? add your voice

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Daily News: Thursday, January 15, 2009

Reuters: Darfur rebels say clash with militias near key town. Rebels and government-backed militias clashed close to a strategic town in Sudan's South Darfur state on Thursday, insurgents and peacekeepers said, leaving an unknown number dead. The latest outbreak of fighting stoked tensions in the region ahead of a decision by the International Criminal Court on whether to issue an arrest warrant against Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur. The rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) told Reuters militia fighters loyal to a former insurgent leader attacked its forces close to the south Darfur town of Muhajiriya, a town 80 km (50 miles) from south Darfur's capital, Nyala.

Reuters: Sudan Army Bombs Darfur Rebels. Sudan's army said on Wednesday it had bombed rebel positions in Darfur, a rare admission of air attacks in the western region. A statement said planes bombed near Muhajiriya in south Darfur, targeting rebels who had rejected a 2006 peace agreement and the unconditional ceasefire declared by Bashir last year. No one was immediately available from Sudan's government to comment on whether the attacks broke the ceasefire or other agreements. Bombing is forbidden under terms of the 2006 deal and U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Reuters: UN council authorizes force to replace EU in Chad. The Security Council authorized on Wednesday a 5,000-strong U.N. military force to take over peacekeeping duties in turbulent eastern Chad from European Union troops who have been there for the past year. A Security Council resolution said the new force, whose mandate will initially run for a year, would contain a maximum of 5,200 military personnel and 300 police. It will take over from the 3,300-strong EUFOR on March 15 and, like the EU force, operate in part of the neighboring Central African Republic, which has also been affected by spillover from the Darfur conflict.

Reuters: Sudan detains opposition leader after Bashir remarks. Sudanese security agents arrested an influential opposition leader late on Wednesday, his family said, two days after he called on Sudan's president to hand himself into the International Criminal Court. Hassan al-Turabi, the first significant political figure to urge Bashir to surrender, was taken from his Khartoum home just after 11 p.m. (2000 GMT) his son Siddig al-Turabi told Reuters. "He is being arrested now. It may be for interrogation. It might be for long term internment," he said, adding the security officials had not explained the reason for the arrest.

Gurnee Review: Darfur Hero. Ethan Barhydt was honored recently by The Save Darfur Coalition as a "Darfur Hero" for his efforts organizing youth to raise awareness about the ongoing genocide. Barhydt's recent endeavor helped organize a benefit concert for a Sudanese Community Center in Chicago that featured the nationally acclaimed band State Radio. The event raised more than $3,000 for the community center and collected hundreds of pounds of school supplies for local Sudanese refugee children.

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Daily Press Briefing: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

WHITE HOUSE

The press briefing by Press Secretary Dana Perino did not mention Darfur.

STATE DEPARTMENT

The January 14, 2009 daily press briefing did not mention Darfur.

UNITED NATIONS

The United Nations noon briefing contained the following announcement about Darfur:

UNMIS

Daily Media Monitoring Report can be found at http://www.unmis.org/english/2009Docs/mmr-jan14.pdf.

DOWNING STREET

The morning press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman did not mention Darfur.

Richard M. Stazinski

National Outreach Coordinator

Save Darfur Coalition

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Dear Sandra,

A new feature on Change.gov lets you bring your ideas directly to President Obama.

It's called the Citizen's Briefing Book, and it's an online forum where you can share your ideas, and rate or offer comments on the ideas of others.

The best-rated ones will rise to the top, and after the Inauguration, we'll print them out and gather them into a binder like the ones the President receives every day from experts and advisors. If you participate, your idea could be included in the Citizen's Briefing Book to be delivered to President Obama.

Visit the Citizen's Briefing Book now and share your ideas:

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Genocide Ends

When Enough of Us

Stand Up Against It

JOIN US
1-800-GENOCIDE
www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net
www.standnow.org

www.miafarrow.org
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WHILE WE DELAY ~ GENOCIDE CARRIES ON

DARFUR UPDATE

Sudan President al-Bashir's repeated threats to escalate violence against, and completely cut off humanitarian aid to, Darfuris and other marginalized people of Sudan if the International Criminal Court issues the arrest warrant against him, remain unanswered by the US, other nations, and the UN.

The ICC arrest warrant may be issued as early as January 15, 2009. We cannot wait for the Obama administration.

Please address an email to President Bush at comments@whitehouse.gov and to US Special Envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson at williamsonRS@state.gov with the subject Heading "Need Your Urgent Attention on Darfur" and copy and paste the following as the message:

"Dear Mr. President and Mr. Williamson:

I respectfully urge you to use all diplomatic means available to prevent Sudan President Al-Bashir from carrying out his threats to escalate violence against, and cut off all humanitarian aid to, Darfuris and other marginalized populations of Sudan if the ICC issues the arrest warrant against him. As you know, the warrant may issue as early as January 15, 2009; your immediate attention is needed. Please ensure that an emergency response plan is in place if the GoS follows through on its threats."

and sign your name and indicate your state of residence.

Feel free to use the above text or make your own personal message.

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Press Release

Investors Against Genocide

Draw the line at investing in genocide

Susan Morgan – Investors Against Genocide (001) 617-797-0451, susan@paxcommunications.org
Phillip Honour – Act for Darfur - +44 7979 541520, philhonour@googlemail.com

PETROCHINA ACCUSED OF COMPLICITY IN GENOCIDE BY OVER 80 CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS
Groups ask UN Global Compact to remove PetroChina as a participant unless it acts to help end genocide

Boston, MA – January 7, 2009 - Today, over 80 civil society organizations including human rights, corporate accountability, and religious groups from 25 countries, as well as government officials and actor, Mia Farrow, submitted an open letter to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in support of a formal complaint against PetroChina, a Global Compact participant. (See letter at investorsagainstgenocide.org/ungcandpetrochina2.) PetroChina, the publicly traded arm of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), is Sudan's largest oil industry partner and has financial links to the regime perpetuating the six-year humanitarian crisis in Darfur which many consider to be genocide.

The UN Global Compact’s founding principles call for businesses to support and respect human rights, and its “Integrity Measures” define steps to safeguard the reputation, integrity and good efforts of the Global Compact and its participants. The complaint, which was submitted under these Integrity Measures, asks the UNGC to use its “good offices” to influence PetroChina to engage with the government of Sudan on behalf of the Darfuri people. If, after three months, there is no satisfactory resolution of the issues raised, the group requests that the Global Compact “consider PetroChina’s participation to be detrimental to the reputation and integrity of the Global Compact and remove the company from the list of participants.”

“The UNGC must take a strong stand against the abuse of its founding principles,” states Eric Cohen, Chairperson of Investors Against Genocide. “PetroChina is in violation of UNGC principles for its failure to respect human rights, its lack of due diligence in avoiding human rights violations, its continuing refusal to correct the abuses and the widespread recognition that it is a major contributor to the conflict in Darfur.”

The Government of Sudan has a well-documented history of susceptibility to economic pressure. It is highly reliant on foreign direct investment not only to pay its debts and subsidize government expenditures, but also to fund its military and finance the conflict in Darfur. The government’s financial dependence on PetroChina/CNPC creates a unique opportunity for the company to influence events in the region.

Although PetroChina has claimed independence from CNPC, the two companies are inseparable. In a May 2007 report on the relationship between PetroChina and CNPC, KLD Research & Analytics, an independent research firm, concluded that “investors should treat CNPC and PetroChina as if they were a single entity.” Comprehensive research by the Genocide Intervention Network reaches the same conclusion. The Multinational Monitor named CNPC as one of the worst companies of 2008 as a result of its role “fueling violence in Darfur”.

This request for the UN Global Compact to engage with its participant, PetroChina, follows the UN’s year-long campaign in 2008 to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UN Global Compact derives the first two of its ten principles from the UDHR. The first principle of the UN Global Compact states that businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights. The second principle requires that businesses ensure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

In his remarks on December 15, 2008 to the Global Compact Board at a meeting in New York, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “When we met for the first time in this room more than a year-and-a-half ago, I called on you to ensure that the momentum of the Global Compact is not lost on the slippery slope of the lowest common denominator. This is now more urgent than ever. In particular, I will be relying on you to further refine the good measures that have been taken to strengthen the quality and accountability of the corporate commitment to the Compact. As we move forward, it will be critical that the integrity of the initiative and the credibility of this Organization remain beyond reproach.”

In order to follow up on this request by the Secretary-General, the UNGC must address the allegations made against PetroChina using the processes defined by its own Integrity Measures.

In an April 2008 report, John Ruggie, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for business and human rights, specifically addressed the issue of financial support for genocide. The report states, “The Global Compact also suggests that businesses establish clear safeguards to ensure that if financial or material support is provided to security forces it is not used to violate human rights.” Similarly, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has written, “A company is complicit in human rights abuses if it authorizes, tolerates, or knowingly ignores human rights abuses committed by an entity associated with it.”

The Global Compact is currently the world’s largest and most widely known voluntary corporate responsibility initiative, with nearly 5,000 corporate participants. It is often criticized by civil society organizations because of its purely voluntary nature. Bart Slob, a senior researcher at the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), said: “Unfortunately the Global Compact has admitted companies with dubious humanitarian and environmental records. These records are in stark contrast to the principles advocated by the Compact. Those Compact participants, such as PetroChina, who merely pay lip service to the principles, will inevitably be denounced by civil society organizations and will have to abandon the UNGC. The public image of the UN should not be used by companies to cover up irresponsible behaviour.”

Today’s open letter follows an earlier letter (available at investorsagainstgenocide.org/ungcandpetrochina) sent May 12, 2008, which was also signed by numerous civil society organizations. Since May, representatives of Investors Against Genocide (IAG) and Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), have privately engaged with representatives of the UNGC in an effort to address the concern. On December 15, 2008, after more than seven months and with still no response from PetroChina, IAG and SOMO submitted a formal complaint (available at investorsagainstgenocide.org/ungcandpetrochina2) against PetroChina to the UNGC of “systematic or egregious abuse” of the Global Compact’s overall aims and principles.
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Investors Against Genocide is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending investment in genocide. The organization works to build awareness of this problem and to advocate for investment firms and companies to change. The ultimate goals are that the Government of Sudan ends its deadly genocide in Darfur and that companies and investment firms avoid investing in genocide. For more information, visit www.investorsagainstgenocide.org.

The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) is a Dutch non-profit research organization. Established in 1973, SOMO undertakes research on the impact of multinational enterprises and the consequences of the internationalization of business, particularly for developing countries. For more information, visit http://somo.nl/

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January 7, 2009 I received the following email from an expatriate of Sudan

Dear All,

1-I got many calls from North Darfur - Area of Anka
and Donkey Housh. They said Antonov plane is dropping
bombs for hours. Itis circulating an area where many
villages are there. One eye witness said he could see
fire all over around Donkey Housh. He said he is
afraid that there may be casualties because the
bombing is around a water source (wells) where natives
come with their animals to get water.

Another source said his place is far from the ;ocation
of bombings but he can hear and feel the loud
explosions.

The last caller said the Antonov kept making rounds of
bombings while circulating for hours.

2- Sources in 2 camps ( Kassap in North Darfur and
Shangel Tobai in central Darfur) said the Government
troops made mock raids on the camps ( stayed outside
the camps but took pictures), 2 days ago. In Shangel
Tobai a gunship Helicopter flew over the camp and kept
criss-crossing over the camp for close to an hour.

3- I am trying to have Radio Darfur to broadcast these
news to alert UNAMID and other NGO's in North Darfur.

This evening I will be travelling ( family emergency)
but I will keep you posted.

Mohamed Suleiman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editorial - Action in Darfur

Los Angeles Times

January 7, 2009

After years of standing on the sidelines and making ineffective threats about punishing Sudanese leaders for slaughtering the people of Darfur, the Bush administration finally took concrete action this week. Its decision to airlift vehicles and heavy equipment to an undersupplied United Nations peacekeeping force was a welcome, if largely symbolic, gesture, but more interesting was the timing of the move.

In his announcement of the airlift Monday, National Security Advisor Stephen J. Hadley took pains to point out that it was "further evidence that Nicholas Kristof's portrayal last week of this administration's response to the genocide in Darfur was inaccurate." Hadley was referring to a Dec. 28 column in the New York Times in which Kristof cited a leaked memo by Ambassador Richard Williamson, the U.S. special envoy to Sudan, that laid out three possible military responses aimed at the Sudanese regime: The U.S. could jam all communications in Khartoum, the nation's capital; it could blockade Port Sudan, from which the country exports its oil; or it could destroy Sudan's air force.

Kristof reported that these options were ruled out by Hadley and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Hadley acknowledged Monday that military responses had been considered and rejected, but he said the decision was driven by pleas from leading church, advocacy and humanitarian organizations that feared such actions would only make things worse for Darfuris. That came as news to the Save Darfur Coalition, an umbrella organization for Darfur advocacy groups that has long favored a tougher response by Washington, and whose spokesman told this page on Tuesday that the coalition hadn't been consulted by the administration.

It's perfectly true that implementing any of Williamson's recommendations would have dangerous repercussions. A blockade would infuriate China, Sudan's main oil buyer. Attacks on communications or aircraft could result in the expulsion of humanitarian aid workers. Yet the weak sanctions imposed so far by the U.S. have done nothing to stop Sudanese soldiers and government-backed Arab militias from murdering, raping and displacing Darfuri civilians, and it's obvious that tougher measures are needed. Fortunately, they're probably on the way.

In 2007, Susan E. Rice, President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for U.N. ambassador, advocated strong actions against Khartoum in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including a bombing campaign against Sudanese aircraft and other military assets. The fact that Obama almost certainly will take Darfur more seriously than President Bush did might explain the timing of the airlift, a last-minute attempt to show that a president whose positive legacy rests largely on his generous approach to Africa didn't entirely ignore the crisis. Too bad it's much too little, too late.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Defusing Sudan's Ticking Time Bomb

In a matter of weeks, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is widely expected to issue a warrant for the arrest of Sudan's genocidal president, Omar al-Bashir. The ICC prosecutor has charged him with ten counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. Bashir has openly and brazenly threatened to accelerate violence against innocent Darfuri civilians and completely block humanitarian aid if the warrant is issued. Last week, the Sudanese army unveiled new fighter planes and missiles in a "parade" seen as a show of strength aimed at critics supporting the ICC prosecution.

With 2.7 million displaced Darfuri people vulnerable in IDP camps and the UN estimating that at least 300,000 Darfuris have already been killed, threats of "more violence and blood" from Bashir are deeply concerning.

Is the world prepared? Have we established consequences that will be imposed on Bashir and his murderous sidekicks in the National Congress Party (NCP) if the violence escalates? Have we proactively communicated those consequences to the NCP as a deterrent to this unacceptable course of action? Have we developed a rapid response plan that will enable us to live up to our responsibility to protect innocent civilians if deterrence is unsuccessful?

On December 8th, the Genocide Prevention Task Force, a prestigious group co-chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary of Defense William Cohen, and jointly convened by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the American Academy of Diplomacy, released a ground-breaking report which makes recommendations to enhance the U.S. government's capacity to recognize and respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities.

The report states, "Even when signs of preparation for genocide are apparent, there are opportunities to alter leaders' decisions and interrupt their plans. By improving our crisis response system, we will be better prepared to mount coherent, carefully calibrated, and timely preventive diplomacy strategies."

Today in Sudan, the signs are not only apparent, but explicit. What is our "coherent, carefully calibrated, and timely preventive" strategy?

In the USIP press release announcing the report, Albright states, "We believe that preventing genocide is possible, and that striving to do so is imperative both for our national interests and our leadership position in the world." Yet as Richard Solomon, president of the USIP wisely points out , a key part of getting genocide prevention beyond a worthy goal will be stepped-up international diplomacy and more capacity for multilateral organizations like the UN to stop mass atrocities before they occur.

Omar al-Bashir has given the world loud and clear warning signs of his intent to commit more mass atrocities. Sudan is precisely the type of situation that calls out for this stepped up diplomacy and multilateral cooperation.

It is therefore urgent for the outgoing Bush administration and the incoming Obama administration to work quickly and decisively, together with the UN and other international partners, to formulate a plan to deter and prevent any actions by Bashir that would pose an immediate threat to the lives of the millions of completely vulnerable Darfuri citizens.

President Bush will host two meetings this week which present opportunities for discussion on this urgent issue. On Monday, he will meet with Salva Kiir, president of the semi-autonomous southern Sudan as well as national vice president. The White House said that the two will meet to discuss the situation in Darfur as well as the troubled Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended two decades of civil war between the north and south in Sudan and established the foundation for democracy in Sudan. On Tuesday, President Bush will have his final meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. According to White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe, the two leaders will discuss Darfur among other topics.

In the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, world leaders, including former president Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Susan Rice, incoming US Ambassador to the UN, expressed remorse and regret over the failure, on their watch, of the world community to react swiftly to save hundreds of thousands of lives during the Rwandan genocide. The current and future US administrations, as well as the world community, must act now to ensure that the nightmare of Rwanda is not replayed again and again in Sudan.

Source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-morgan/defusing-sudans-ticking-t_b_155029.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sudan says indicting president would risk bloodshed

Jan 5, 2009

Source: Reuters

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Sudan's government accused Darfur rebels on Monday of planning to launch attacks if President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is indicted for war crimes and said that would bring a new round of bloodshed. Sudan has been trying to head off a possible International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Bashir after the court's prosecutor accused the president of genocide in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Khartoum's rule since 2003. Foreign ministry undersecretary Mutrif Siddiq said rebels were building up forces just over the border in neighbouring Chad, ready for an attack on Sudanese cities and oil fields in South Kordofan, a region neighbouring Darfur. The international court's judges are expected to decide later this month on whether to issue a warrant against Bashir. "If this happens it is going to have a very negative impact," Siddiq told Reuters and the BBC. "The rebellion in Darfur will escalate. (The rebels) will feel jubilant... They will say they are fighting a legitimate cause against a criminal government and a criminal president." Nobody was immediately available for comment from the rebel Justice and Equality Movement but leaders have repeatedly said they were preparing to attack "anytime, anywhere" in Sudan. Siddiq said Sudan had solid information from inside Chad on the preparations for a possible attack by the rebel faction, which was driven back last May after an assault that reached the gates of Khartoum. "We are preparing for such a step -- we will never allow it to happen. Definitely it will cost us lives and some publicity," said Siddiq, referring to possible further damage to Sudan's reputation abroad. In July, the international court's chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo accused Bashir of orchestrating genocide and other war crimes in Darfur. Sudan has rejected the accusations. Siddiq said the government also suspected "political forces" in Khartoum could create instability if Bashir is indicted, adding that it might also fuel anti-western sentiment. He promised to warn westerners if there was any danger. "If at any moment we feel we are not ready or able to protect them we will tell them to leave peacefully," he said, accusing western countries of using the court case decision to try to put pressure on Sudan. Arab and African countries want any indictment for Bashir put on hold, believing it would damage hopes of peace in Sudan, but western states with permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council have the power to veto any postponement.

International experts say 200,000 have died since rebels took up arms against Sudan's government in 2003 accusing it of neglect. Khartoum puts the death count at 10,000.

Source: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L5223746.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1-800-GENOCIDE
www.savedarfur.org
www.genocideintervention.net

GENOCIDE STOPS WITH US

Convention_on_the_Prevention_and_Punishment_of_the_Crime_of_Genocide

GENOCIDE - WHEN NEVER IS NOW - SUPPORT THE ICC

IT TAKES COURAGE APPARENTLY TO END GENOCIDE
AND WE ARE PROOF THAT COURAGE IS RARE

About our fellow human beings.....

I received this text in an email today from another Darfur activist community leader.

* Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy has received very
disturbing news from different sources this weekend confirming that a
“Kasha” is taking place right now in the three cities of the capital
of Sudan, particularly in the marketplaces and shopping centers.
“Kasha” is a term in Arabic which loosely means, “Clean the capital of
dirt”. This term has been used since the time of former President
Nimery, during which time the security personnel and the police would
ask people in the streets for their IDs and where they came from. If
they found out that these innocent, unsuspecting people were from the
South, or Darfur, or Nuba, they forced them on trucks and sent them to
jail. In Jail, they would ask them to return to where they came from,
but only after inflicting extreme brutality.

When al-Bashir’s government came to power, he used the same term,
“Kasha”. At first the word was used figuratively, however it
eventually took on a literal meaning. Al-Bashir took on all the same
tactics as Nimery’s regime, only worse. Al-Bashir’s regime eventually
changed the term “Kasha” to “Al-Nizam” which means to organize or to
make tidy. While the actions behind the term remained the same, or
possibly worse, al-Bashir’s regime chose this particular term to
change the connotation of the process. By a simple turn of phrase, al-
Bashir managed to make his actions sound innocent, potentially good
even, and completely unrelated to genocide.

The act of “Al-Nizam” has escalated dramatically within a few days of
the indictment of al-Bashir. The escalation began when the security
personnel in mufty interrupted people in the marketplace, on the
streets and in various other public spaces. Once it is discovered that
a person is Darfuri, they are beaten up and taken to ghost houses
where they are beaten further and then tortured. These incidents
remind us of when the Justice and Equality Movement attacked Khartoum
and the government killed dozens of women and children, and tortured
several others. This time the government of Al-Bashir is apparently
sending a new message to the ICC and to those who are in support of
the indictment by taking action against the innocent Darfuris who live
in the capital. It is very interesting that al-Bashir has contradicted
himself. He claims that Darfuris are supporting him in Darfur, yet he
is abusing them in the capital city.

Damanga condemns segregation based on racism and the denial of
freewill to the citizens of Sudan that comes in tangent with that. We
urge the ICC to continue its effort against this tyranny, and bring
the tyrant to justice soon. We hope that all of the African leaders
will stand up and cooperate with the ICC, not with the perpetrators
and killers, so as to assure justice and dignity for the people of
Sudan. We urge the U.N. Security Council to continue its efforts to
enable the ICC to do its job, to bring al-Bashir and his cabinet who
committed genocide and war crimes, to justice. We also advise the U.N.
Security Council not to impede the efforts of justice and
accountability, and to continue to support the justice that the ICC is
trying to bring, until those perpetrators are all accountable, and
sent to The Hague. We applaud the arrest of former Yugoslavian
genocide criminal, Radovan Karadzic, and we hope that the arrest of al-
Bashir will follow suit. Date: July 29, 2008


* Mission of Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy
Through non-partisan research, analysis and public education, Damanga promotes the human rights of the people of Darfur, Sudan and elsewhere in the world. We educate the people of the region, the United States of America and beyond about their rights to freedom, equality and participation in government. Damanga seeks to aid the disempowered, including the victims of the Darfur conflict, through charitable work supporting education and livelihoods, so these people can work for the preservation of their communities.

Damanga works toward these objectives through publication on our web site of non-partisan research and analysis and presentations based on this research and analysis. Damanga makes these presentations at academic institutions, faith-based groups, human rights events and responds to invitations from concerned individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.

Furthermore, Damanga seeks to protect the people of Sudan whose lives have been violated and marginalized because of their ethnicity, religion, gender, culture or language. Damanga wishes to improve the lives of the 8 million Massaleit, Fur, Dajo, Zagawa, Bargi, Tama, Gimir, Berty, and other displaced peoples in the Darfur region of Sudan. Damanga will continue to contact people in cities, in villages, and in refugee camps, to advocate in the world community on their behalf, and to establish a center for the purpose of gathering and disseminating information about the current crisis in Darfur.

By creating and maintaining a link between the oppressed people of Darfur and Western organizations, governments, and the media, Damanga hopes to coordinate a movement to end the genocide in Darfur, stop the oppression, and to establish the foundations of democracy. In order to accomplish this the founders of Damanga recognize that the following conditions must be met:

An international tribunal must be established to prosecute all those who have committed war crimes against the people of Darfur;

All internally displaced persons must be guaranteed the right to return to their towns and villages, they must be given free and full access to humanitarian aid, even in the most remote areas of the region, and they must be compensated for lives and property lost;

Once the people of Darfur are returned to their land they will need basic resources in order to build houses, schools, hospitals and other basic necessities of life;
Finally all of Sudan's people must be allowed equal political rights, which includes sharing in the power and wealth of the country.

>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:

The term Diaspora (in Greek, διασπορά – "a scattering or sowing of seeds") refers to the forced or voluntary dispersal of any population sharing common ethnic identity to leave their settled territory, and become residents in areas often far removed from the former.'

>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:>:

An email text that I received July 26, 2008:

Some members in U.N. security council are preparing a
resolution to defer ICC case against al-Bashir.
Libya, South Africa, and Russia are working on a
resolution language.
France and Britain must stop these efforts.
U.S. is in awkward position
since it is not a member of the ICC.

The link to the story in NY TIMES :
U.N Debates Court Efforts to Prosecute Sudan Chief
a part of the article:

......John Prendergast, co-chairman of the Enough Project, which campaigns against genocide, said the Security Council’s ability to put off Mr. Bashir’s prosecution could provide the Council with its best leverage to influence Sudan. But he criticized the current talk of a suspension, saying the Security Council could squander its power by dangling the prospect prematurely.

“Faced with this extraordinary opportunity, the Council is ready to give it away without anything in return,” Mr. Prendergast said.

If the Security Council does vote on a resolution to defer the pursuit of Mr. Bashir, it could put the United States in a tricky position. The United States has been notably strong in its criticism of the situation in Darfur, going so far as to call it genocide. But it has not signed on to the International Criminal Court, and vehemently opposed its establishment...

Another email that I received today:

 The Special Courts of al-Bashir have just handed down
death sentences to 8 individuals allegedly
participated on May 10th attack on the Capital (Khartoum) by
Darfur rebel movement - Justice and Equality Movement - JEM.

......................................

......................................
I'LL REMEMBER YOU
Performed by Grayson Hugh
(Featuring clips from the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes"
starring Jessica Tandy, Kathy Bates,
Mary-Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterson.)
From: FanfromPR

I'll Remember You

By Bob Dylan

I'll remember you
When I've forgotten all the rest,
You to me were true,
You to me were the best.
When there is no more,
You cut to the core
Quicker than anyone I knew.
When I'm all alone
In the great unknown,
I'll remember you.

I'll remember you
At the end of the trail,
I had so much left to do,
I had so little time to fail.
There's some people that
You don't forget,
Even though you've only seen'm
One time or two.
When the roses fade
And I'm in the shade,
I'll remember you.

Didn't I, didn't I try to love you?
Didn't I, didn't I try to care?
Didn't I sleep, didn't I weep beside you
With the rain blowing in your hair?

I'll remember you
When the wind blows through the piney wood.
It was you who came right through,
It was you who understood.
Though I'd never say
That I done it the way
That you'd have liked me to.
In the end,
My dear sweet friend,
I'll remember you.

www.savedarfur.org

1-800-GENOCIDE

IGNORING GENOCIDE AS A POLICY

IGNORING GENOCIDE
AS A POLICY

That is what we have.  Denying the fact ~ is just another
form of ignorance.

If the economically leading countries of the world tried
to form plans on how to avoid stopping a known genocide
they could not do any more than they have done for
the last 5 years.

Stopping genocide is not impossible.  It just takes a moral
stand.  And a political will with intelligent plans and
knowledge of what would be the best way to stop it.
And it takes money.

Genocide stops with us.
Or it goes on with our complicit and enabling silence.

Into its 6th year, the Sudanese government is committing
and supporting genocide on its own people of the Darfur region.
China is supporting it with money provided to President
Omar al-Bashir of Sudan for buying Sudan's oil, selling
Sudan its weapons to use on the Darfuri people and blocking
U.N. actions to stop the genocide.

As an activist I receive emails from different organizations
about the genocide of the Darfur people, including those
with direct interest in Darfur and Sudan because they are
from Sudan.

Today I received the following email:

"This is what is happening now:

1- At check points Darfurians ( mainly from Zaghawa
tribe) are dragged from busses and cars, beaten in
public before shoved into security covered vehicles.

2- paramilitary and security forces went from house to
house in darfuri predominant neighborhoods (Umbada,
Fitaihab, Libiya Market in Omdurman), arrest male
darfurians ( mainly from Zaghawa tribe), beaten and
kicked in front of their families and children, some
are beaten by the end of assault rifles, then thrown
on the back of security trucks and taken away ( not
known where).

3- There were summary executions of Darfuris ( mainly
Zaghawa) and this some of the numbers reached us up to
now:

- 17 were executed in Umbada ( Omdurman)
- 5 were executed in Libya Market ( Omdurman).
- 3 were executed in Fitaihab ( Omdurman).
- 2 were executed in Khartoum Stadium ( Khartoum).

I get names of disappeared. I am trying to put updated
list. I get calls from all over the world from
Darfuris with relatives in Khartoum area - all night.

Update on Darfur:
The Government unleashed the Janjaweed in central
Darfur. I got news that Tawila village and surrounding
villages were burnt in a fresh attack ( revenge to
Khartoum incident). Still waiting on number and names
of casualties among the villagers."

And I received today, the link to the following USA Today article.
Because of copyright restrictions,
I have included a portion of the article, but I encourage you
to go to the link provided to read the entire article.
 
Sudanese Troops round up suspected rebels

By Charles Levinson, USA TODAY 
To read the entire article go to the link
usatoday.com/news/world/2008-05-11-sudan

'Living in panic'

"If you are dark and resemble the people of the Zaghawa tribe … they will take you away," said Fatema Daoud, 22, who belongs to a Darfur rebel faction. "If they hear you speaking the Zaghawa dialect, they will arrest you. My people are living in panic."

Sunday, government pickups circulated through Khartoum loaded with suspects, almost all of whom had dark skin. Soldiers pumped their fists into the air as jubilant onlookers cheered...

...Daoud said she knew of a dozen families whose sons had gone missing in the past 24 hours.

Minutes after she spoke from the sitting room of her family's single-story mud home, gunfire erupted one street over. Government forces descended upon a small laundry and dragged off a pair of suspects, said Mohammad Hassan, a shop owner who said he witnessed the arrest.

Hassan said the suspects were unlikely rebels. "They've lived here for years," he said...

Rebel movements 

The threat posed by the rebels may be difficult to completely defuse. The rebels reached Khartoum after crossing about 400 miles, including vast tracts of desert, in a short time with relatively little opposition from the government.

Sudan's government accused neighboring Chad of aiding the rebels and severed ties with the country Sunday...

...They met up with rebel forces that had slipped into the city in preceding weeks and months and marched on the government's radio and television headquarters, according to rebel leader Hagar Abdallah.

The rebels also marched on an artillery and tank depot where they hoped to seize the heavy weapons that would allow them to conquer all of Khartoum, Abdallah said.

The government was never in serious danger of collapse Saturday, but Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has faced increased pressure in recent months from a strong opposition and disloyal factions in his own ranks.

Mutrif alleged the rebels received help from within the army. Many of the army's rank and file are from Darfur...

Source: usatoday.com/news/world/2008-05-11-sudan
.........................................................

.........................................................
Bernard Henri Levy and Umberto Eco talk about Darfur on Charlie Rose

About:
Bernard-Henri Levy
Umberto Eco

Want to do something?
www.genocideintervention.net
www.savedarfur.org


Call 1-800-GENOCIDE

CALL PRESIDENT GW BUSH
1-202-456-1111