The genocide in Darfur, Sudan is a genocide we can stop.
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November 19th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

More on Khartoum’s recent bombing campaign

The perpetrators announce a paper ceasefire, and then they go on bombing as usual. From the UN’s 10/19/2008 noon briefing:

“During the past few days, the United Nations has received troubling reports of aerial bombings near Kutum in Northern Darfur, as well as reports of fighting in the area of Tine, Western Darfur and along the border with Chad.”

“Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon takes these reports very seriously and calls on all parties to refrain from hostilities…”

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Continue Reading: More on Khartoum’s recent bombing campaign

November 19th, 2008 - OurPledge.org (AADG)  Permalink  View & Add Comments

UN experts urge wider arms embargo on Sudan, Chad

November 18, 2008
By Patrick Worsnip
Reuters

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 18 - U.N. experts have recommended that an arms embargo on Darfur be extended to all of Sudan as well as neighboring Chad to combat “flagrant violations” of the ban by Khartoum and Darfur rebel groups.

In a report for the Security Council, released on Tuesday, a panel of four experts said both sides in Darfur were bent on a military solution to the five-year conflict in the west Sudanese region and a peacekeeping force had so far been ineffectual.

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November 19th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

Brazen

This comes just after the big ceasefire announcement.

From the United Nations’ 10/18/2008 noon briefing:

The UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has received reports from various sources pointing to increased military activities throughout Darfur during the past few days. These include reports of aerial bombings by the Government of Sudan in the Kutum area; UNAMID is trying to confirm these reports.

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Continue Reading: Brazen

November 18th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

ACTION: Laying the groundwork

Yesterday we updated our “What Needs to Be Done Now” page with a new action alert and short backgrounder for Sudan advocates.

You can read the update here. (Or, download it in PDF format and share it with your networks.)

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Continue Reading: ACTION: Laying the groundwork

November 16th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

Russia continues to abet genocide

…Sells 12 more MiGs to Khartoum. Last year Amnesty International revealed a disturbing record of Russian and Chinese arms sales to the Sudanese government, in violation of a standing UN arms embargo. Those arms were used against innocent civilians in Darfur.

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November 16th, 2008 - OurPledge.org (AADG)  Permalink  View & Add Comments

From SDC: Sudan’s ‘Smoke and Mirrors Show in Overdrive’ Following New Peace, Ceasefire Proposals

In case you missed, a release from the Save Darfur Coalition last week:

Sudan’s ‘Smoke and Mirrors Show in Overdrive’ Following New Peace, Ceasefire Proposals

Fowler: ‘Experience has taught us that Bashir’s promises should be presumed empty until and unless they are proven true.’

WASHINGTON, NOV. 13, 2008 – The Save Darfur Coalition today cast a suspicious eye toward new promises and proposals from Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir - promises that included ending the Darfur hostilities and forging a lasting peace in the war-torn country. These promises and proposals come conspicuously close to pending action from the International Criminal Court, whose response to arrest warrant requests for the Sudanese president are anticipated in the coming months. Jerry Fowler, president of the coalition, said history clearly shows us that al-Bashir’s promises must be “presumed empty” unless proven otherwise.

“With their latest batch of hollow proposals and promises, Khartoum’s smoke and mirrors show is in overdrive trying to suspend the ICC case against President al-Bashir.

“We’ve been down this road before. Time will tell if the Sudanese regime is for the first time serious about abiding by their newly declared ceasefire and bringing an end to this shameful chapter in Sudan’s history. Hard experience has taught us, however, that Bashir’s promises should be presumed empty until and unless they are proven true.

“Only real, verified security on the ground, coupled with a just and inclusive peace agreement and justice mechanisms broadly acceptable to the Darfuri people, would justify any consideration of suspension of the ICC case. The suffering of Darfuri civilians must be brought to an end. Any who would continue to threaten that must be held to account.”

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Continue Reading: From SDC: Sudan’s ‘Smoke and Mirrors Show in Overdrive’ Following New Peace, Ceasefire Proposals

November 13th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

The time for multilateral sanctions is now.

It’s time for the Darfur movement to make sure strong sanctions are imposed against the Sudanese government.

The key policy recommendation from ENOUGH, the Save Darfur Coalition, and the Genocide Intervention Network’s recent, must-read open letter to President-elect Obama:

“The new president should work through or with selected members of the U.N. Security Council to bring a larger collection of nations on board with targeted sanctions against those most responsible for violence in Sudan. If the Security Council fails to pass these broader sanctions, then the new administration should build an international coalition to bring this pressure. Along with the ICC, these instruments can create much higher legal, financial, and political costs to those who are responsible for violence against civilians. If efforts to pass targeted sanctions through the Security Council fall short, a concerted effort should be made to work with the European Union to jointly apply U.S.-EU sanctions. In addition, the possibility of capital market sanctions for oil companies contracting with the Sudanese government should be explored.”

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Continue Reading: The time for multilateral sanctions is now.

November 13th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

Countdown

So Sudan’s President and top genocidaire Omar al-Bashir just announced a Darfur ceasefire.

How long will it take for Bashir to break his word for the umpteenth time?

Continue Reading: Countdown

November 3rd, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

Apply for GI-Net’s Carl Wilkens Fellowship

This sounds like a wonderful opportunity. I’m pasting below the short description from the Genocide Intervention Network:

GI-NET is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2009 Carl Wilkens Fellowship, the first and only anti-genocide leadership development program designed for busy adults. The Carl Wilkens Fellowship provides adults with leadership training, conflict and legislative education, and the organizing tools and resources to build sustained political will to end genocide. Learn more…

Our vision of a world without genocide begins with the creation of a constituency of educated and empowered Americans who believe that protecting men, women and children from genocide is everyone’s responsibility. Become a leader in the anti-genocide constituency — apply for the Carl Wilkens Fellowship today!

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Continue Reading: Apply for GI-Net’s Carl Wilkens Fellowship

October 29th, 2008 - Nikki Serapio  Permalink  View & Add Comments

ACTION: Help Doctors Without Borders and Darfur

In the words of Sudan analyst Eric Reeves, humanitarian efforts in Darfur are facing an “escalating war” by the ruling Khartoum regime.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) recently warned the international community that the Sudanese government has threatened to shut down MSF’s lifesaving activities in South Darfur. By all acounts, Omar al-Bashir remains absolutely confident that he can continue without punishment his brutal war of attrition against millions of internally displaced Darfuris.

Here’s what an MSF official said about the recent Sudanese government threats:

“We don’t understand why they are now trying to prevent us from providing medical aid to the population. It’s incredibly frustrating, when there are clearly still serious needs in Darfur.”

Read MSF’s full statement/warning here.

Over the last four years, Doctors Without Borders’ clinics and hospitals have treated hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur. At this urgent moment, MSF definitely needs all the help it can get from the advocacy and donor communities. Among other small but concrete actions, you can click here to help MSF win much needed funds from a TripAdvisor-sponsored contest.

Ultimately, though, donations and contests and vigilant humanitarianism aren’t enough. And that’s because they aren’t an effective answer to the source of all of these problems. The Sudanese government continues to get away with genocide. They are the executors of genocide. In this critical time, only a strict set of punitive measures — starting with (but no limited to) the imposition of targeted multilateral sanctions — can stop Khartoum’s now six-year-old campaign of slaughter.

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Continue Reading: ACTION: Help Doctors Without Borders and Darfur