News & Updates (Category: SUDAN NOW)
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August 18, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
MEDIA ADVISORY: Anti-Genocide Advocates Provide Reaction and Commentary on Radical Shift in U.S. Policy for Sudan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 18, 2010
CONTACT:
Julia Thornton, 650.587.2016, Julia@humanityunited.org
Jonathan Hutson, 857.919.5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Ann Brown, 301.633.4193, abrown@annbrowncommunications.com
Susan Morgan, 617.797.0451, susan@paxcommunications.org
Allyson Neville, 202.559.7405 extension 415, neville@genocideintervention.netWASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama could be deciding a severe shift in U.S. policy toward Sudan at this very moment—nearly 100 days before a critical referendum vote that could divide Africa’s largest country. An internal debate within the administration recently ended with a look toward shifting the U.S. relationship with Sudan to one that favors appeasement and incentives, instead of a balanced policy of both incentives and pressures. The policy now sits on the president’s desk waiting for his reaction, which should come in the next few days or weeks.
This potential shift comes at a perilous time for Sudan. In the past few months, the security situation in Darfur has been deteriorating precipitously. Aid workers are being threatened and expelled. On August 7th, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir warned aid groups and the United Nations, including the peacekeeping force in Darfur, UNAMID, that, “anyone who exceeds these boundaries or their mandate can be expelled the same day.” In addition, the referendum between north and south Sudan is looming, currently scheduled for January 2011. Many of the agreements ensuring the vote and security afterward have not yet been decided upon. It is critical that President Obama and his administration take the lead in ensuring that war does not return to Sudan.
Before President Obama makes his decision on the new course of U.S. policy on Sudan, experts within Sudan Now, a coalition of anti-genocide organizations, are available to discuss the conflict with your listeners to provide background and analysis of the current situation.
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:
Mark Hanis, Genocide Intervention Network
Mark Lotwis, President, Save Darfur Coalition
John Prendergast, Co-Founder, Enough ProjectSudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country. Organizations participating in the current campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Save Darfur Coalition, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
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June 18, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
Sudan Now Ad Campaign Urges Vice President Biden to Help Prevent Africa’s Largest Civil War
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julia Thornton, 650.587.2016, julia@humanityunited.org
Susan Morgan, 617.797.0451, susan@paxcommunications.org
Jonathan Hutson, 857.919.5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Andrea Clarke, 202.460.6756, andrea@savedarfur.org
Mame Annan-Brown, 347.564.2936, annan-brown@genocideintervention.netWASHINGTON, D.C.—Sudan Now, a campaign launched by leading U.S. anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations, announced today the release of the latest in its series of ads targeting Obama administration officials guiding the U.S. policy on Sudan. The new ad, set to appear in Sunday’s Washington Post Outlook section, targets Vice President Joe Biden following the return of his recent trip to Africa, where he made several statements on the increasingly dangerous situation in Sudan. The country faces a vote on southern secession in January 2011, which could trigger Africa’s largest civil war.
Vice President Biden’s remarks made him the highest-ranking member of the Obama administration to express support for Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended civil war in 2005, and the peace process in Darfur. The Sudan Now ad, which will publish on World Refugee Day, asks the vice president to work with President Barack Obama to:
• Make Sudan a centerpiece of their personal diplomacy.
• Step up U.S. support for full implementation of the peace agreement between North and South Sudan, and the pre-referendum negotiations now underway.
• Play a more direct role in revitalizing Darfur’s peace process, ensuring access for humanitarian access for humanitarian assistance and promoting accountability.In addition to the ad, Sudan Now is asking activists to use Twitter and Facebook to personally thank the vice president and ask for continued engagement on Sudan. Previous Sudan Now ads have targeted President Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Ambassador Susan Rice, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and members of the National Security Council Deputies Committee, among others.
View latest ads at SudanActionNow.com.
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Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country. Organizations participating in the current ad campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
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May 24, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
Sudan Now Facebook Campaign Urges Congress To Press Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice with Leading U.S. Policy Implementation in Sudan
For Immediate Release: May 24, 2010
Contact:
Vanessa Parra, Humanity United, 650-587-2006, vparra@humanityunited.org
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, 857-919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Gabriel Stauring, Stop Genocide Now, 310-415-2863, gabriel@stopgenocidenow.org
Susan Morgan, Investors Against Genocide, 617-797-0451, susan@paxcommunications.orgWASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) took a stand for Sudan at a May 12th hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Senators demanded more direct involvement from Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice regarding implementation of the U.S. Sudan policy. The U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Maj. Gen. Scott Gration (Ret.), testified at the hearing, avowing that he has everything he needs to get the job done. “You need increased leverage,” Senator Kerry, Chairman of the SFRC, told the Special Envoy.
In response, Sudan Now is using the social advocacy power of Facebook to pressure President Obama to task Secretary of State Clinton and Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice with implementing U.S. policy in Sudan, including the Obama administration’s promised consequences and pressures on all parties for backsliding away from peace and towards a return to full-scale, national war.
Sudan Now developed a series of 19 Facebook ads — one for each member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — to run in each of the senators’ home states. The interactive ads link to a petition that asks the senators to keep up the pressure on President Obama, empowering Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice to provide their personal, sustained leadership in implementing the Obama administration’s Sudan policy, including a renewed diplomatic push for peace backed by pressure-based leverage.
According to Gabriel Stauring, Director of Stop Genocide Now, Congress can play an important role in influencing the Obama administration to effectively implement U.S. Sudan policy. “The millions of people in Sudan that are in grave danger, especially given the real possibility of a return to all-out war, need Congress to demand action from the Obama administration, including tough pressures and consequences on those opposing peace,” said Stauring.
The Sudan Now campaign maintains that the current implementation of U.S. Sudan policy has not addressed a number of extremely concerning developments on the ground including Sudanese government attacks on Jebel Marra that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in recent months, ongoing obstruction of access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur by the government in Khartoum, and clear indications that the presidential election was neither free nor fair.
The Obama administration’s Sudan policy, announced in October 2009, clearly stated that tough benchmarks would be applied to Sudan, and that a committee of deputies from various cabinet agencies would assess progress “based on verifiable changes in conditions on the ground.” However, neither the administration nor the deputies’ review process have addressed the many concerning developments on the ground. These developments also include ongoing violence and clashes in South Sudan that have claimed more than 2,000 lives in the last year and driven a quarter-million people from their homes, ongoing violations of a U.N. arms embargo on Darfur by both the Government of Sudan and rebel groups, and the resistance of the Government of Sudan to cooperate in any form with the International Criminal Court investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Sudan.
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Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
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April 29, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
How Sudan Is Backsliding on Benchmarks Crucial to Peace: Rights Groups
Why the U.S. Must Bring Pressure to Head Off Full-Scale War
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jonathan Hutson, Enough Project, 857-919-5130
jhutson@enoughproject.orgJulia Thornton, Humanity United, 650-587-2016
jthornton@humanityunited.orgAndrea Clarke, Save Darfur Coalition, 202-460-6756
andrea@savedarfur.orgJoshua Berkman, American Jewish World Service, 212-792-2893
jberkman@ajws.orgMame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network, 202-559-7409
annan-brown@genocideintervention.netGabriel Stauring, Stop Genocide Now, 310-415-2863
gabriel@stopgenocidenow.orgSusan Morgan, Investors Against Genocide, 617-797-0451
susan@paxcommunications.orgBen Greenberg, Physicians for Human Rights, 617-510-3417
bgreenberg@phrusa.orgREAD the strategy paper by eight leading Sudan advocacy organizations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A return to full-scale war can be headed off, say eight leading anti-genocide and Sudan advocacy organizations, but only if the Obama administration quickly implements its policy to pressure parties who are backsliding on benchmarks crucial to a durable peace in Sudan. The Obama administration has stated that the parties in Sudan would be held accountable and incentives and pressures would be deployed in response to their measure of progress or backsliding on the ground.
Now, almost six months after the Obama administration’s initial Sudan policy review, which promised an assessment of certain leading indicators of progress – or lack thereof – the Obama administration has yet to make clear that it is actually pursuing its policy as stated while holding the parties accountable for their actions on the ground. To that end, an eight-member group of Sudan advocacy organizations has released an independent accounting and action plan, entitled Grading the Benchmarks.
“Grading the Benchmarks” argues that President Obama must own Sudan policy far more directly, and actually implement pressures and incentives where appropriate, or face growing risk that violence in Sudan will spiral.
The group includes the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Humanity United, American Jewish World Service, Genocide Intervention Network, iACT/Stop Genocide Now, Investors Against Genocide, Physicians for Human Rights, and the Save Darfur Coalition.
“A clear assessment of the situation on the ground in Sudan reveals a number of disturbing trends and the continued potential for much broader, renewed violence,” states Enough Project Executive Director John Norris. “However, we have yet to see a firm response from the administration despite its promise to bring a new approach to Sudan policy based on deeds, not rhetoric.”
The Obama administration built a diplomatic approach to Sudan around periodic, hard-nosed policy assessments of the situation on the ground. Yet to date, there are virtually no indications that the administration has held any of the parties to account for their actions.
“It’s been six months since President Obama’s Sudan policy went into effect and there has been no demonstrable progress towards peace, security, or justice in Sudan,” said Mark Lotwis, Acting President of the Save Darfur Coalition. “It’s time for the administration to back its words with deeds and increase the pressure on all parties in Sudan to end the conflict in Darfur, ensure a peaceful referendum for the South, and advance democracy and human rights throughout Sudan.”
READ Grading the Benchmarks.
Also this week, Sudan Now, a campaign by anti-genocide and human rights organizations, has rolled out an ad campaign calling on President Obama to empower Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice to take charge of implementing U.S. policy on Sudan. The organizations are running a series of print ads in the Washington Post and Washington Express, and in Politico.
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Enough is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on crises in Sudan, eastern Congo, northern Uganda, and Somalia. Enough’s strategy papers and briefings provide sharp field analysis and targeted policy recommendations based on a “3P” crisis response strategy: promoting durable peace, providing civilian protection, and punishing perpetrators of atrocities. Enough works with concerned citizens, advocates, and policy makers to prevent, mitigate, and resolve these crises. For more information, please visit www.enoughproject.org.
Humanity United is a philanthropic organization committed to building a world where mass atrocities and modern-day slavery are no longer possible. By helping to build permanent constituencies to end atrocities and slavery, supporting efforts that empower affected communities, and addressing the root causes of conflict and injustice, Humanity United seeks to help restore human dignity in places where it has been lost and to help create a lasting global peace. To learn more, visit www.HumanityUnited.org.
American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is an international development organization motivated by Judaism’s imperative to pursue justice. AJWS is dedicated to alleviating poverty, hunger and disease among the people of the developing world regardless of race, religion or nationality. Through grants to grassroots organizations, volunteer service, advocacy and education, AJWS fosters civil society, sustainable development and human rights for all people, while promoting the values and responsibilities of global citizenship within the Jewish community. Visit www.ajws.org.
Genocide Intervention Network empowers individuals and communities with the tools to prevent and stop genocide. Currently focused on conflicts in Sudan, Burma and Democratic Republic of Congo, among other areas of concern, Genocide Intervention Network envisions a world in which the global community is willing and able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities. The organization is building a permanent anti-genocide constituency, mobilizing the political will to prevent and stop genocide. For more information, please visit www.genocideintervention.net.
i-ACT/Stop Genocide Now seeks to empower individuals within communities, institutions, and governments to take personal responsibility to act on behalf of those affected by genocide, mass atrocities, and crimes against humanity. i-ACT is a global team dedicated to putting a face on the numbers of dead, dying, and displaced while creating mutually enriching relationships between those in danger and those willing and able to act, fostering a new culture of participation. For more information, please visit www.stopgenocidenow.org.
Investors Against Genocide is a non-profit organization dedicated to convincing mutual fund and other investment firms to change their investing strategy so as to avoid complicity in genocide. The organization works with individuals, companies, organizations, financial institutions, the press, and government agencies to build awareness and to create financial, public relations, and regulatory pressure for investment firms to change. The ultimate goals are that the Government of Sudan ends its deadly genocide in Darfur and that investment firms avoid investing in genocide. For more information, visit www.investorsagainstgenocide.org.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes the health professions to advance the health and dignity of all people by protecting human rights. As a founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, PHR shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. For more information, visit www.physiciansforhumanrights.org.
The Save Darfur Coalition –an alliance of more than 190 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations – raises public awareness about the ongoing crisis in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to promote peace throughout the Darfur region and all of Sudan. The coalition’s member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Sudan. Please join the movement at www.SaveDarfur.org.
“Read “Grading the Benchmarks”“:http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/grading-benchmarks
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April 26, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
Sudan Now Campaign Calls on Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice to Make Sudan a Priority and Personally Lead U.S. Policy for Africa’s Largest Country
State Department officials’ leadership needed to guide Obama administration’s stalled policy on Sudan
For Immediate Release: April 26, 2010
Contact:
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, (857) 919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Andrea Clarke, Save Darfur Coalition, (202) 460-6756, andrea@savedarfur.org
Julia Thornton, Humanity United, (650) 587-2030, jthornton@humanityunited.orgWASHINGTON, D.C. – Following this month’s flawed national elections in Sudan, a group of anti-genocide and human rights organizations is calling on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice to increase their oversight of the faltering U.S. policy on Sudan. The organizations are making the call as part of the Sudan Now campaign, which is running a series of print ads beginning today in the Washington Post and Washington Express, and in Politico on Wednesday. Sudan Now is concerned that the current implementation of the six-month-old U.S. policy on Sudan has not addressed a number of troubling developments, including clear indications that the national election held earlier this month was neither free nor fair, ongoing government attacks in recent months have killed hundreds and displaced thousands, and ongoing obstruction by the Government of Sudan in access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur. Meanwhile, the country faces a vote for southern independence in January 2011—a possible trigger to a return to civil war.
“Sudan is entering into a critical period, with the aftermath of the elections still upon us and a referendum on southern Sudan’s independence immediately ahead. Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice need to get personally engaged if the United States wants to avoid a return to widespread bloodshed in Sudan,” said Randy Newcomb, president and CEO of Humanity United. “Only high-level engagement can ensure that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement is fully implemented and the international community acts together to ensure peace in Africa’s largest nation. The administration laid out a promising policy last year—it is time for President Obama and his top advisers to fully implement it.”
The Obama administration’s Sudan policy, announced in October 2009, clearly stated that tough benchmarks would be applied to Sudan, and that a committee of deputies from various cabinet agencies would assess progress “based on verifiable changes in conditions on the ground.” However, neither the administration nor the deputies’ review process have addressed the many disturbing developments on the ground:
- National elections that were neither free nor fair.
- A continuing offensive in Jebel Marra in Darfur that has killed hundreds and displaced thousands, and continued inability for relief organizations to access this area.
- Ongoing violence and clashes in South Sudan that have claimed more than 2,000 lives in the last year and driven a quarter-million people from their homes.
- Ongoing violations of a U.N. arms embargo on Darfur by both the Government of Sudan and rebel groups.
- The resistance of the Government of Sudan to cooperate in any form with the International Criminal Court investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Sudan.
“Any fair reading of the situation on the ground in Sudan should make clear that the benchmarks established for Sudan by the Obama Administration simply have not been met,” said John Norris, executive director of the Enough Project. “If the administration turns a blind eye to such backsliding, the likelihood of greater conflict will only grow.”
“Looking to the future, Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice must push hard for a peace process that not only includes the government of Sudan and rebel leaders, but also the voices of Sudanese civil society. Concrete and lasting peace that addresses the root cause of the conflict can only be achieved by including all those who have a stake in the outcome—not just armed parties,” said Mark Lotwis, acting president of the Save Darfur Coalition. “One step the United States must insist on immediately is for the new government in Khartoum to open its doors to independent human rights monitoring and to stop harassing domestic human rights activists.”
Organizations participating in this week’s campaign include “Humanity United“http://www.humanityunited.org, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Save Darfur Coalition, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
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Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country.
Find Sudan Now on Facebook
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April 15, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
ADVISORY: As Voting in Sudan Ends, Advocacy Groups Discuss How Obama Administration and Congress Should Fix Faltering U.S. Policy
For Immediate Release: April 15, 2010
Contact:
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, 857-919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Mame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network, 347-564-2936, annan-brown@genocideintervention.net
Andrea Clarke, Save Darfur Coalition, 202-460-6756, andrea@savedarfur.org
Julia Thornton, Humanity United, 650-587-2030, jthornton@humanityunited.orgWASHINGTON, D.C. – As polling concludes in Sudan, amid continued reports of electoral rigging and widespread political oppression, leading human rights organizations are conducting a series of press briefings hosted by Sudan Now, a campaign led by several of the participants.
Friday’s call will include speakers John Norris, Executive Director of the Enough Project at Center for American Progress; Mark Lotwis, Acting President, Save Darfur Coalition Omer Ismail, Enough Project Advisor; Mohamed Suleiman, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition and moderator Eric Cohen, Chairperson of Investors Against Genocide.
Sudan Now’s press calls are being held each day this week at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The calls are largely devoted to questions from journalists after very brief opening statements from the guest speakers. According to the Sudan Now campaign, the current implementation of the U.S. policy on Sudan has not addressed a number of extremely concerning developments including clear indications that the national election is neither free nor fair, ongoing government attacks that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in recent months, and ongoing obstruction by the Government of Sudan in access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur.
WHEN:
Friday, April 16 at 10 a.m. Eastern TimeWHO:
John Norris, Executive Director, Enough Project
Omer Ismail, Advisor, Enough Project
Mohamed Suleiman, President, San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition
Eric Cohen, Chairperson, Investors Against Genocide
Mark Lotwis, Acting President, Save Darfur CoalitonDIAL IN NUMBER:
US/Canada Dial-in #: (877) 210-8943 – Conference ID # 68487901
Int’l/Local Dial-In #: (706) 902-0621 – Conference ID # 68487901Please note: Link to audio tape of call will be available at approximately 1 PM ET. Photography and broadcast quality recent b-roll from IDP camps are now available for general use at http://bit.ly/bgjPYr. Photography of Monday’s student protest at the State Department is available at http://bit.ly/c4ueOb.
####Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to Sudan’s people. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
Find Sudan Now on Facebook
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April 13, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
ADVISORY: Mia Farrow, John Prendergast and Osman Hummaida featured in third press briefing on Sudan election by human rights organizations
For Immediate Release: April 13, 2010
Contact:
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, 857-919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Mame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network, 347-564-2936, annan-brown@genocideintervention.net
Andrea Clarke, Save Darfur Coalition, 202 460 6756, andrea@savedarfur.org
Julia Thornton, Humanity United, 650-587-2030, jthornton@humanityunited.org
Susan Morgan, Investors Against Genocide, 617-797-0451, susan@paxcommunications.orgPlease note: Link to audio tape of call is available here. Photography and broadcast quality recent b-roll from IDP camps are now available for general use at www.savedarfur.org and on Flickr. Photography of Monday’s student protest at the State Department is also available on Flickr here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to provide journalists with timely commentary on the latest developments in the pivotal Sudan elections, leading human rights organizations have launched a series of press briefings hosted by Sudan Now, a campaign led by several of the participants. Wednesday’s call will include Mia Farrow, actress and Sudan advocate; John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project; and Osman Hummaida, executive director of the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies, a group that has been tracking violations of electoral procedure and incidents of irregularities committed by the National Elections Commission (NEC) and officials present at polling centers.
Sudan Now’s press calls are being held each day this week at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The calls are largely devoted to questions from journalists after very brief opening statements from the guest speakers. Additional organizations participating in Wednesday’s call include the Save Darfur Coalition, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, and Investors Against Genocide.
According to the Sudan Now campaign, the current implementation of the U.S. policy on Sudan has not addressed a number of extremely concerning developments including clear indications that the national election is neither free nor fair, ongoing government attacks that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in recent months, and ongoing obstruction by the Government of Sudan in access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur.
WHEN:
Wednesday, April 14 through Friday, April 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (daily)WHO:
Mia Farrow, Actress and human rights advocate
John Prendergast, Cofounder, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress
Osman Hummaida, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
Sam Bell, Executive Director, Genocide Intervention Network
Eric Cohen, Chairperson, Investors Against GenocideDIAL-IN NUMBER:
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US/Canada Dial-in #: (877) 210-8943 – Conference ID # 68487901
Int’l/Local Dial-In #: (706) 902-0621 – Conference ID # 68487901Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to Sudan’s people. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
Find Sudan Now on Facebook
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April 12, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
ADVISORY: Second call in series of press briefings on Sudan elections by human rights organizations features Director of African Centre for Peace and Justice Studies
For Immediate Release: April 12, 2010
Contact:
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, 857-919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Mame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network, 347-564-2936, annan-brown@genocideintervention.net
Andrea Clarke, Save Darfur Coalition, 202 460 6756, andrea@savedarfur.org
Julia Thornton, Humanity United, 650-587-2030, jthornton@humanityunited.org
Susan Morgan, Investors Against Genocide, 617-797-0451, susan@paxcommunications.orgPlease note: Photography and broadcast quality recent b-roll from IDP camps are now available for general use at www.savedarfur.org and on Flickr. Photography of Monday’s student protest at the State Department is available on Flickr.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to provide journalists with timely commentary on the latest developments in the pivotal Sudan elections, leading human rights organizations have launched a series of press briefings hosted by Sudan Now, a campaign led by several of the participants. Tuesday’s call will include Osman Hummaida, executive director of the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies. The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies is dedicated to promoting human rights and the rule of law in Sudan through ongoing monitoring of human rights violations in the country and promotion of legal reform. The group has been tracking violations of electoral procedure and incidents of irregularities committed by the National Elections Commission (NEC) and officials present at polling centers.
Sudan Now’s press calls are being held each day this week at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The calls are largely devoted to questions from journalists after very brief opening statements from the guest speakers. Additional organizations participating in Tuesday’s call include the Save Darfur Coalition, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, and Humanity United.
According to the Sudan Now campaign, the current implementation of the U.S. policy on Sudan has not addressed a number of extremely concerning developments including clear indications that the national election will be neither free nor fair, ongoing government attacks that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in recent months, and ongoing obstruction by the Government of Sudan in access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur.
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 13 through Friday, April 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (daily)WHO:
Osman Hummaida, Executive Director, African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
Omer Ismail, Advisor, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress
Mark Lotwis, Acting President, Save Darfur Coalition
Sam Bell, Executive Director, Genocide Intervention Network
David Abramowitz, Director of Policy and Government Relations, Humanity UnitedDIAL-IN NUMBER:
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US/Canada Dial-in #: (877) 210-8943 – Conference ID # 68487901
Int’l/Local Dial-In #: (706) 902-0621 – Conference ID # 68487901Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to Sudan’s people. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
Find Sudan Now on Facebook
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April 01, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
Sudan Now: Demand Congressional Leadership on Sudan
Sudan Now launched a new social media campaign on April 1, targeting the four members of Congress who oversee the foreign affairs committees in the House and Senate and have the power to shape U.S. policy.
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April 01, 2010
- SUDAN NOW
MEDIA RELEASE: As election crisis unfolds, Darfuris and U.S. advocates call on Congress to exercise more oversight over faltering Sudan policy
For Immediate Release: April 1, 2010
Contact: Susan Morgan, Investors Against Genocide, 617-797-0451, susan@paxcommunications.org
Jonathan Hutson, the Enough Project, 857-919-5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Mame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network, 202-559-7409, annan-brown@genocideintervention.netWASHINGTON, D.C. – As Sudan’s national election descends into crisis amid growing opposition boycotts, U.S.-based Darfuris and policy experts from Sudan Now, a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights organizations, are calling for Congress to step up its oversight of the current U.S. Sudan policy. The group is launching a social media campaign today to encourage leading members of Congress to privately and publicly engage with the Obama administration on Sudan.
“At this critical moment for Sudan, Congress should hold the administration responsible for faithful implementation of the Sudan policy released last October,” states Sam Bell, Executive Director of the Genocide Intervention Network.
According to the Sudan Now campaign, the current implementation of U.S. Sudan policy has not addressed a number of extremely concerning developments on the ground including Sudanese government attacks on Jebel Marra that have killed hundreds and displaced thousands in recent weeks, ongoing obstruction by the national government in access for aid workers and UN investigators to Darfur, and clear indications that the nationwide elections scheduled for April will be neither free nor fair.
“There have been any number of disturbing developments on the ground in Sudan, yet the reaction from the administration has been remarkably muted,” states John Norris, Executive Director of the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress. “A wide range of a Sudanese and international experts have clearly determined that the national election scheduled for this month will be neither free nor fair, and recent government attacks in Darfur have driven tens of thousands of innocent civilians from their homes. Yet, senior administration officials appear badly divided on their approach to Sudan at a time when coherent international leadership toward Sudan is more vital than ever.”
The Obama administration’s Sudan policy, announced in October 2009, clearly stated that tough benchmarks would be applied to Sudan, and that a committee of deputies from various cabinet agencies would assess progress “based on verifiable changes in conditions on the ground.” However, neither the administration nor the deputies’ review process have addressed the many concerning developments on the ground. These developments also include ongoing violence and clashes in South Sudan that have claimed more than 2,000 lives in the last year and driven a quarter-million people from their homes, ongoing violations of a U.N. arms embargo on Darfur by both the Government of Sudan and rebel groups, and the resistance of the Government of Sudan to cooperate in any form with the International Criminal Court investigating war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Sudan.
“It is time for the United States Government to support, encourage, and assist the ICC in moving forward on its indictment of Omar Bashir to afford both accuser and accused their rightful day in court, “states Abdelgabar Adam, President of Darfur Human Rights Organization. “Justice needs to be served through open to public scrutiny on the issues of whether human rights violations were committed by Mr. Bashir.”
“The people of Darfur want nothing more than to lead a normal life,” states Mohamed Suleiman, a Darfuri and the President of the San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition. “They’d like to see their children grow up in a secure and peaceful Darfur. The international community, for eight consecutive years, has failed to make that possible. In fact, as each year has passed, Darfuris have come to realize that the international community caters to the need of the brutal regime in Khartoum rather than working in earnest to see a lasting peace in Darfur with security and justice for the people of Darfur.”
####Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country. Organizations participating in the campaign include Humanity United, the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.
