Author: DWAG Communication

For the second time this week Sudanese civilians have been attacked in Darfur first in Nertetiti and now in El Geneina. The latest attack was in the capitol of the West Darfur State at least seven people are believed to have been killed including a prominent doctor Dr. Zakaria Yahya Ishag. The attack also resulted in the looting of livestock of that locals direly needs for their survival. The attack reported involved the use of hand grenades described by locals as “hand bombs” and heavy weapons these were likely acquired by the regime’s military. This comes seven days after the attack in Nertetiti that left 11 civilians killed many of them children.
Both attacks represent blatant disregards for human life and the well being of the Sudanese people as well as a breach of international human rights laws that prohibits attack against civilian population. This brings the total number of civilians in Darfur killed this year to 18 in the first 6 days of the year. These actions might unfortunately be just the beginning of things to come.

The recent attacks on Nertiti and Elgeniena are not isolated incidents; it’s apart of the government of Sudan’s systematical violence against civilians that the people of Darfur had to endure for well over fourteen years. Because of lack of accountability, Omar al-Bashir ‘s regime in Sudan has become emboldened to carry out more deadly attacks directly against civilians in particular throughout 2016 and as recent as September 2016 when Amnesty International reported they conducted 30 gas attacks against civilians throughout Jebel Mara, where women, men and children are still suffering with no medical treatment. It is time for action to be taken to stop the human suffering, hold the regime accountable and limit there ability to continue harming civilians. International community and the United State must make it clear to al-Bashir that he can’t continue slaughtering his own civilians and that his crimes can’t go unpunished.

DWAG President Niemat Ahmadi and team members attended the ICC prosecutor’s 24^th report on the Darfur case to the United Nations Security Council. During the briefing, ICC reinforced its commitment to arrest President al-Bashir for war crimes and genocide.

Carla Ruas

“What are we to say to victims who continue to suffer in Darfur?” Gambian lawyer Fatou Bensouda, a prosecutor with the International Criminal Court (ICC), asked the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last Tuesday, December 13. Ms. Bensouda was briefing the council for the 24th time about the the ICC’s ongoing investigation into the genocide in Darfur. And in the process, she wanted to know why they had not done more to help her office seek accountability. “Victims, including some that I h­ave met personally, are puzzled and dismayed by the council’s lack of action,” she stated.

Ms. Bensouda’s impatience is justified. The Darfuri genocide has been ongoing for 13 years and civilians have had little relief from the dire situation inflicted by the Sudanese government. Women and girls continue to suffer rape and sexual assaults. Civilians remain in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps far away from their homes. And men who oppose the government are summarily tortured and executed on a daily basis. “Time may lapse, but time does not erase the fact that serious crimes have been committed in Darfur,” the prosecutor stated, as members of the council and Sudanese activists in the audience listened attentively.

Since April 2016, according to Ms. Bensouda’s investigation, the situation has actually worsened in parts of Darfur. In the mountainous area Jebel Marra, hundreds of civilians have been victimized by government aerial bombardments. Also, a recent report by Amnesty International has indicated that the government may have deployed chemical weapons in the region earlier this year. At least 250 people, including children, have died due to the exposure to such chemicals. (Ms. Bensouda reassured the council that her office is investigating the allegations and working to prove the attacks, in spite of the Sudanese government’s efforts to isolate the region.)

As the situation worsens, so does the impunity for those responsible for the genocide. The ICC has issued five arrest warrants against Sudanese government officials accused of committing crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide in Darfur. According to Ms. Bensouda, all five suspects are still at large, and three of these men continue to have a prominent position in the Sudanese government. One of them, of course, is President al-Bashir, whose arrest warrant was issued a staggering eight years ago.

The prosecutor was not afraid to criticize the ICC member states and UNSC member states for not making an effort to arrest al-Bashir as he crosses international borders unimpeded. Since March 2009, the president has traveled on 131 occasions to attend events ranging from presidential inaugurations to international sporting events. On 14 of those occasions, al-Bashir traveled to ICC member states, and in 117 to non-member states. “His movements are traceable. The world knows where he is and where he travels to, often in advance, from the media. There is ample opportunity for Mr. al-Bashir to be apprehended if the political will exists among states and this council,” she pleaded.

Ms. Bensouda reminded those present that the ICC is only a judicial pillar; therefore, it has no police power. According to the United Nation’s Rome Statute, the states must reinforce the court’s decisions. And such reinforcement is not optional. South Africa, for instance, has recently been called to explain its refusal to arrest Mr. al-Bashir during his visit to the country in June 2015. However, let us not forget that the UNSC has its own share of responsibility in this case. Lack of action from the council has no doubt encouraged many states to host President al-Bashir without fear.

After the presentation, council members were asked to give their opinions about the report.

The overwhelming majority of members (including five permanent
members China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) expressed an unwavering support for the court and raised extreme concern about the escalation of violence in Darfur. Some states reinforced the urgency to act by referencing the ongoing sexual violence against women and girls in Darfur, where rape is often used as a weapon of war: “Attacks on civilians and sexual violence continue and must be brought to an end. We urge parties to resort to dialogue to achieve a lasting political settlement,” said the representative from Malaysia. Others expressed concern about the use of chemical weapons by the Sudanese government. “The use of chemical weapons should push this council to act even more,” said the representative from France.

Egypt, Angola, and China’s members sided with the Sudanese government, which was no surprise for the council, the prosecutor and us.

Lastly, the government of Sudan issued their own statement on the matter, shamelessly describing the prosecutor’s report as “pointless monologue and blatant lies.” The Sudanese representative claimed that there is peace in Darfur since September 2016, when in reality, Sudan continues to attack the Nuba Mountain and Blue Nile regions, violating the referenced peace agreement. Overall, Sudan’s representative used unprofessional language and made baseless accusations to the court. The statement was undiplomatic in its tune, which shows that the Sudanese government is desperate and lack confidence.

Following the briefing, Ms. Bensouda met with the Darfuri diaspora and NGO representatives who were watching from the gallery. Everyone was very eager to speak to her and show their support. In a passionate conversation, the prosecutor assured the crowd that “in spite of the challenges, my office is committed to continuing investigating and doing whatever is possible to deliver justice to the victims.” On their end, activists (some who came from NY, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., including our team) assured the prosecutor that they will do whatever it takes to help her office seek justice for victims.

At the end of the day, the briefing renewed the energy of council member to support the people of Darfur and the ICC. Our hope is that the council will go beyond words and actually take action to improve the situation in Darfur. On our part, as citizens, we must continue to speak up and make it clear to our leaders that justice is the only way to end the longstanding crises in Sudan. We must remind our representatives that it is their legal and moral obligation to step up. They must make it clear to al-Bashir that impunity for such heinous crimes is not an option.

Darfur Women Action Group is pleased to mark United Nations’ “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”. However, we would like to take this opportunity to call on the United Nations and member states to match their words with actions, and pursue accountability for the heinous crimes committed in Darfur.

We want to remind you that as we speak, violence, rape, arbitrary arrests and torture are devastating the lives of innocent civilians in Darfur. Countless men, women and children lose their lives every day, while the living endure unimaginable suffering and have nowhere to turn. In spite of the alarming rate at which the violence continues, world leaders continue to face the situation in Darfur with silence.Those who have spoken up have not moved beyond words of condemnation.

On this occasion, we would like to add our voice to the United Nations and other international bodies in remembering the past, but also urge world leaders that it is imperative to protect those who are STILL under threat of being killed, raped and dehumanized by genocide.

We urge you to use your voice to remind the United Nations and member states that president al-Bashir of Sudan is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the world’s worst crimes- genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, perpetrated against the people of Darfur. In spite of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC, the mastermind of the genocide in Darfur remains a fugitive, and continues to defy justice.

Please join us in marking this day by taking action. Share our #16Days Survivor Stories with 5-10 people in your network and urge them to demand justice. Also, please donate to our organization to enable us to continue to empower victims to speak for themselves, and to hold the international community accountable for the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

Support DWAG to fight for justice and to speak up for the forgotten people of Darfur. With a collective effort, we can make a difference and permanently end genocide in Darfur and elsewhere.

Thank you,

DWAG team

Lost And Helpless At a Camp In Chad

“My name is Amani E. and I am a refugee from Darfur currently living in the Cary Yary Refugee camp in eastern Chad. I was born in Amboro village, in north Darfur, and I used to work as an elementary school teacher. I loved my job. Now I am a widow, and I raise two beautiful daughters who have lost their dad.

On January 27th, 2004 , our lives changed forever. On that night, a plane dropped bombs on our  village, hitting people’s houses and public buildings such as schools and hospitals. Soon after, ground troops belonging to the Sudanese government and the Janjaweed (government-sponsored militia) came by foot and started shooting everyone and everything that moved – even a plastic bag blown by the wind. They wanted to ensure that the whole village was destroyed.  People started running in different directions, but were hunted down and shot to death. However I try to describe this scene, I certainly will not do justice to the brutality of the attack. Hundreds of people were killed. I lost two nephews, two other immediate family members, and 10 extended family members.

Some of us managed to run to the mountains for safety. Unfortunately, the soldiers followed us and set fire to the mountains. We continued running. Eventually we decided to flee all the way to the neighboring country Chad, where we would be safe. We had to walk for 7 days before we reached a city on the border called Bahai, where we settled. In the confusion, families were separated and many people went missing. We later learned that some people fled to different refugee camps, but most of them were killed.

Our new home was a dry desert with very few trees. It was windy and dusty. Many people felt sick and there was no medicine. We had to improvise in order to survive. We walked took daily walks to a nearby forest, where we gathered wood to make food and straws to use as clothes and sheets. It was much later when the humanitarian organization International Rescue Committee came to us offering basic aid such as food and health assistance. Even then we felt lost and helpless. We had lost everything.

Before the genocide began, life was beautiful and stable. We had limited resources and services, but we were happy. People in my village were productive. They were farmers, owners of livestock, civil servants, teachers, health professionals, and traders. Women were part of every occupation as active members of our community, working hand in hand with men and actively involved in all aspect of daily life. They were productive while still providing for their families. And we were lucky to have extended families that would help each other. Today that has become a distant dream.

Most of our people have now been uprooted from their place of origin, humiliated and  forced to  become homeless. We continue to count our losses, which include our social fabric, our culture and unique values. Life has become very different.  We have been oppressed, subjected to economic and social exploitation, psychological stress and trauma. Darfuri women have suffered unimaginably. Not only have we mourned the loss of husbands, children and loved ones, but also we have lost our power. We went from being productive to being helpless.

The overwhelming majority of the population in camps today are women and children. It is no way to live. We have no home, no property, no privacy and no protection. With many of the men gone to fight, we bear the primary responsibility of providing to our families. But there are limited options to make an income – and they are all risky. We can work in harsh labor, such as manual brick making or construction. Another alternative is to walk daily to the forest to collect firewood or straws to sell in a local market, which puts us at risk of being raped. It is humiliating, but many women have to accept this risk because it is the only mean of survival for their children and families.

Having watched the difficult situation of women for many years, I refused to stay helpless. I started a support group to empower women who live in the camps, and to encourage them to speak up about the dire conditions that they face on a daily basis. I wanted to teach these women how they can (and should) participate in the decision making of their communities, including the peace-building effort. We have been completely absent from all the regional and international peace forums, which is very disappoint to me. We have been sidelined and deprived from our rights to participate in whatever is happening regarding Darfur.

Since the group was created, we have reached out to regional and international actors who are working to bring peace to Darfur, including the British Ambassador, and the United States Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan. We explained to them that Darfuri women are the most affected by the genocide, and yet we are left behind in all the peace efforts. We told them that women are the backbone of our society in all aspects, including economic, political, and social, because of the role that we used to have in our communities, and the new roles that have emerged during the crisis.

Recently we heard some talk about an improved situation in Darfur and the return of many people to their villages. To me that is a big lie. As someone who has lived through all of the crisis and who is still living, the reality is that the conditions that forced millions of people to flee has not improved. In fact, it probably has deteriorated. Sadly, there is still no security in Darfur or any sign of lasting peace. At to make matters even worse, the humanitarian assistance that we use to receive in camps has been dramatically reduced, making our survival nearly impossible.

I would like to appeal to everyone to stand with the women of Darfur, and to help them fight for their rights and to restore their dignity.

My hope for the future is to obtain a master’s degree to continue my work educating women. I also want to educate the next generation of Darfuris, in order for them to have a better future. I hope want to raise my daughters to be strong, and to stand up for their rights and the rights of others. Thank you Darfur Women Action Group for giving me this opportunity to contribute. I hope we will continue to work together to empower women, so that we can all speak in one voice and fight for our rights.”

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TAKE ACTION. Please join us in taking at least one action that will help end violence against women in Darfur:

• Raise awareness by sharing our campaign content on social media, using the hashtags #16Days and #StopRapeInDarfurNow.
• Tag United Nations on social media and demand accountability for the 2014 mass rape in Darfur. Share it with 10 people in your network. Use @UN on Twitter and @UnitedNations on Facebook.
• Donate to DWAG to support a rehabilitation center for women survivors of sexual violence in Darfur.
• Join our Rapid Response Network, a group of community members who are on standby to help us with campaigns and petitions.
• Send a solidarity message that we can share with our supporters and the women in Darfur: communication@darfurwomenaction.org.

I Went to Jail Because I am Not Afraid Stand Up for Rape Victims

“I was born in Kurdufan, an area in Western Sudan. My family is from Darfur and still live there, so I consider myself to be a Darfuri as well. As a child, I used to enjoy watching movies on television, particularly the ones that had female characters that were journalists. They seemed so empowered and independent – everything that I wanted to become someday. As a teenager, I began imitating those characters by writing for school magazines and newspapers. I eventually went to college to study journalism. In 2001, I graduated and started working for a local newspaper in the capital of Sudan.

Soon after that, genocide broke in Darfur, and my job suddenly gained an importance that I never expected. In 2004 I traveled to Darfur to cover the violence and the humanitarian crisis that were unfolding. It was a very risky assignment, but the news coming from the area was so restricted that I needed to travel to Darfur in order to understand what was happening. Why was the government attacking its own people? Why were Darfuris being pushed out of their villages and forced to live in IDP (Internally Displaced Person) camps? There were so many questions on my mind. At the time, the conflict was still considered a civil war, but it became more and more clear that it was, in fact, a genocide.  

I traveled through villages and visited IDP camps, where I interviewed many women. I heard shocking stories of women who had been raped by government-sponsored forces. Others told me that their children were violated. Many more were struggling to provide for their families after being uprooted from their homes and moved into camps, where they did not have access to basic needs – such as education, health assistance, and security. The stories that I heard stayed with me. I was so touched that after the trip I decided to focus my career on women’s rights and human rights issues.

This decision soon got me into trouble. Every time that I wrote an article or column on the topic of violence against women, members of the Sudanese Security Services would take me into an interrogation room, question my reporting and motivations, and at times even detain me for a few days. It became clear that the government of Sudan did not want local journalists writing about what violence against women, particularly women in Darfur. Probably because often the perpetrators of such violence were army officers or members of government-supported militia groups. Through intimidation, they were trying to force me to write about other issues, that would not damage the government’s image.

The pressure intensified in 2011, when I wrote about Safiya Ishaq for the independent newspaper Al-Jareeda. Ms. Ishaq, a 24-year-old student-activist from Sudan University, was arrested for participating in a rally and handing out flyers. While in the custody of Sudanese Security Services, she was brutally beaten and repeatedly gang-raped. Her story evoked a lot of anger among Sudanese women and civil society leaders. I wrote a column praising her courage, requesting an investigation into her accusations and demanding accountability for the perpetrators.

The Sudanese government not only questioned me about my column, but also took me to court and unjustly charged me with the crime of “publishing false news”. A Sudanese court tried my case and ruled that I was guilty. A judge sentenced me to one month in jail, unless I paid a fine of 2,000 Sudanese pounds (US$ 300). Five other journalists were accused of the same crime at the time, but were released. Another female journalist was sentenced along with me, but she filed an appeal and was also released. I believe that I was particularly targeted because I have roots in Darfur – and the government does not look kindly on Darfuris.

I could have paid the fine, but I chose to go to jail because I wanted to show people that I was not afraid to stand up for rape victims. As a result, I was in Omdurman Women’s Prison for more than one month (my story even made international news headlines). While behind bars, I met many women who were suffering horrific human rights abuses. Those encounters inspired me to continue to write about women’s issues and human rights. I left prison even more convinced of the importance of my role as a journalist in Sudan and determined to continue my work.

My hope for the future is to further my education and upgrade my skills and knowledge. I already have a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution and another in Gender and Governance from the Ahfad University for Women, but I still have so much to learn. I also want to continue to advocate for women’s rights through my writing. Many still do not know the daunting challenges that Sudanese women face on a daily basis. Women are denied quality education and healthcare, they are oppressed by the law, and frequently undermined by the Sudanese government and by society. Life is very difficult, even in areas where there is peace. Of course, in conflict areas the situation is much worse. Women suffer with the bombing of their homes and the death loved ones. And they live in constant fear of being raped by the Janjaweed (government militia).

I am so happy to speak with you. Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) does such a great job of developing strategies to support and empower women from Darfur. I also admire that you speak up about genocide and pressure the international community to take action. Sudanese women need advocates all around the world to provide them with strength and support. I am very proud of DWAG and the work you do, and I sincerely thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute. I hope that your readers can support DWAG’s efforts to provide Darfuri women with opportunities for a better life.”

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TAKE ACTION. Please join us in taking at least one action that will help end violence against women in Darfur:

• Raise awareness by sharing our campaign content on social media, using the hashtags #16Days and #StopRapeInDarfurNow.
• Tag United Nations on social media and demand accountability for the 2014 mass rape in Darfur. Share it with 10 people in your network. Use @UN on Twitter and @UnitedNations on Facebook.
• Donate to DWAG to support a rehabilitation center for women survivors of sexual violence in Darfur.
• Join our Rapid Response Network, a group of community members who are on standby to help us with campaigns and petitions.
• Send a solidarity message that we can share with our supporters and the women in Darfur: communication@darfurwomenaction.org.

It Was The Happiest Moment, and I Will Never Have it Back

“My name is  Aisha Khalil and I am currently living in an internally displaced person (IDP) camp in central Darfur. I am here because my life changed in July 2003, when I was only 10 years old. It was a beautiful sunny day in my village. It was a market day, which was always the best day of the week because my mom, dad, and grandmother would purchase all sorts of fruits and snacks for my siblings and me. In the evening, we gathered outside as they distributed our gifts. Grandmother told us stories under the moonlight and pointed out this one star that was higher than usual. She said it was a sign that it wasn’t going to rain much this year. We all laughed and asked how she knew such things. It was the happiest moment, and I will never have it back.

Around midnight, we heard shouting, then multiple gunshots, and then heavy shooting – which sounded just like heavy rain. Suddenly, the entire village was engulfed in flames. We were under attack by the Janjaweed (a government sponsored militia). It was terrifying and we all started running away from the fire. My mom told us to run as far as possible and went back to get my grandmother. Other villagers told us to keep going, that my mother would join us soon.

We kept running for most of the night. A few hours before dawn, someone in our group said that we should stop, find a place away from the road and get some sleep. I was very thirsty, but luckily a woman who looked just like my mother had a gallon of water that she had been carrying on her back. She gave each one of us a sip of water – but just a little, because there was a long road ahead of us and the water had to last. People started counting their family members, and I found that my youngest sister and brother were missing. I cried, and decided that I could not go ahead without them. I wanted to go back to the village to find them. But others in the group convinced me that there was no one left in the village, and that when we reached the city I would be reunited with my family.

I had no choice but to carry on. I cried almost every day but a woman from my village offered to be my mother until I found my family. I slept with her very night and she was very kind to me. We finally reached another village and I hoped that we could stay there, but it was not safe. There was news of attacks on nearby villages, which meant that the Janjaweed was close by. We were given food, water and a couple of donkeys, and continued in our journey. To our dismay, as soon as we left we were ambushed by Janjaweed soldiers. They beat us and took our food. Sadly, they also took two young women from our group aged 16 and 14. We never heard from them again.

After five days of passing countless villages in ashes, we finally reached Kalma Camp in South Darfur. People at the camp were very kind, and received us with warm greetings. The camp leader saw me and told everyone in the camp that there was a girl alone, who was looking for her family. After that, more than one hundred women came to me, assuming that I was their missing daughter. When they realized that I was not, they cried and hugged me. I realized that many families had been torn apart. My new mother and I stayed in the camp for one month, but there was no news of my family. We eventually moved to Abushok Camp for another two months. Again, several women came to see me, assuming that I was their missing daughter. And every time I hoped that one of them would be my missing mother.

I learned to swallow my pain, but I did not lose hope of reuniting with my family. Someone told me that there were many IDPs living in the city of Kabkabiya, and that there was a chance that my mother was there. When we arrived, the Janjaweed had occupied the city, and they were shooting everywhere. We had to hide for about a month in a nearby camp named Elsalaam. In the meantime, my new mother went around asking people if they heard of my mother or siblings. There was no news.

One day, my new mother fell ill and was taken to a hospital managed by Doctors Without Borders. She never came back, and I learned later that she had passed away. I was so sad and in deep pain. That kind woman had left her children with a sister to help me find my mother. I wished that I had died instead. Another family took care of me for a while, but the food ratio that they received was not enough for everyone, and their shelter was very small. Eventually they started asking other families if they could take me.

I went to live with a nice family of five – father, mother and three children – who had a house in the city. They had a daughter about my age and I lived in her room. She was very happy to have someone to play with. And I was happy because for the first time after leaving my village I was not in a camp. They became like family to me. They took me to a nearby school and bought me clothes. I never talked to them about my missing siblings and mother. They thought that the women who lived with me in the camp was my real mother. I wanted to tell them, but it was a very sad story and I was afraid that I would start crying all over again. So I just kept it to myself. But they noticed that I had trouble eating. Every time I looked at a plate of food, I would think of my family. Were they hungry? Were they dead or alive?

After three months, a woman knocked on the door and told us that my mother and two siblings had recently arrived in Abu Shok, and that they were looking for me. I was so happy that I couldn’t hold my tears. For the first time my host family learned that my family had been missing and cried with me. They arranged for me to travel to a camp near  El- Fashir city on an NGO car. When I arrived, I met with my mom and we cried for about two hours. She told me that my dad and brother were killed when our village was attacked. And that my grandmother had struggled with burns on her body, and also passed away.

After two weeks, my mother and I moved back into the camp to be near relatives. I brought my books with me because I wanted to go back to school in the camp. But my mother fell ill and was soon paralyzed due to trauma.  I was only 12 years old, but I had to take on the role of raising my youngest brothers, who were 5 and 7. Today I am 23 years old and I am grateful that I could help them to grow. However, I wish that I was given the opportunity to finish my education.

I still live in the camp and I work to organize women to support each other. Life in the camps is hard. There is no security. Women are raped every day and many more are living with severe trauma. There is no medical treatment or any kind of support for them. I have also recently adopted two children whose mother was raped and shot to death. It will not be easy, but I will raise them and I hope that they will grow and find education.

My message to world  is that women in Darfur are strong and kind, and if they are free they can do much for their families. We need protection, education and support – especially for the ones who have been devastated by rape. Please tell the world that Darfur is still burning, that most men were killed and the women are left to suffer. Please share my story and tell everyone not to forget about us. I have long wanted to share my story. Thank you Darfur Women Action Group for giving me a voice.”

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TAKE ACTION. Please join us in taking at least one action that will help end violence against women in Darfur:

• Raise awareness by sharing our campaign content on social media, using the hashtags #16Days and #StopRapeInDarfurNow.
• Tag United Nations on social media and demand accountability for the 2014 mass rape in Darfur. Share it with 10 people in your network. Use @UN on Twitter and @UnitedNations on Facebook.
• Donate to DWAG to support a rehabilitation center for women survivors of sexual violence in Darfur.
• Join our Rapid Response Network, a group of community members who are on standby to help us with campaigns and petitions.
• Send a solidarity message that we can share with our supporters and the women in Darfur: communication@darfurwomenaction.org.