Author: DWAG Communication

Darfur Women Action Group, in partnership with Genocide Watch, The Genocide Prevention Program at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR), and the Global Women’s Institute at The George Washington University cordially invites you to attend our 

5^th Annual National Symposium on Women & Genocide

in the 21st Century: The Case of Darfur

Building Strategies for Sustainable Change in Sudan

October 21^st–22^nd, 2016

For the past seven years, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) has been working with its allies to bring awareness to the magnitude of the genocide in Darfur and particularly its impact on women. DWAG educates the public about these issues, empowering survivors and enable them to bring their voices to regional and international forums.

From Friday, October 21st to Saturday, October 22nd, we, along with hundreds of anti-genocide activists, women’s rights advocates, survivors, experts, artists, celebrities and concerned leaders will come together to address genocide, it’s impact on women, and build strategies for sustainable change in Darfur.

 

WHO:

Activists, students, and, distinguished keynote speakers, survivors testimonies and experts on genocide and women’s issues from around the world.

WHAT:  

By addressing genocide and its impact on women, we will define challenges and develop strategies for ending violence against women and the use of rape as a weapon of war. Our goal is to empower activists and affected communities, set strategies for meaningful inclusion and justice for victims, and influence effective policy reforms that will bring a sustainable end to genocide in the 21st century.

WHEN:

Friday, October 21^st 8AM – 6PM: Speakers & Panel discussions for sustainable change in Sudan with Sudanese Diaspora and activists

Saturday, October 22^nd 8AM – 4PM: Strategy Session to build effective partnership for genocide prevention with experts and leaders from the anti-genocide movement

WHERE:

1313 New York Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20005

WHY:  

We are building a global alliance to end genocide and work towards women’s empowerment in Darfur, Sudan at large, and worldwide. Together, we will educate, engage, and empower citizens to enable them to contribute to ending genocide in Sudan and elsewhere for the people of Sudan!

 

SPEAKERS: Professor Greg Stanton- President of Genocide Watch, Niemat Ahmadi Founder and President of DWAG and Dr. Irvin Erickson, Director, The Center for Genocide Prevention, GMU

More speakers and detailed program of the event will be updated soon.

 

Students: $25 Non-Students: $60

[A light lunch will be served on both days}

*Scholarships and group discounts are available upon request. For more information, email us at info@darfurwomenaction.org.

 

REGISTRATION

Link: click here to register

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

On behalf of Darfur Women Action Group, Genocide Watch, The Genocide Prevention Program at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR), and the Global Women’s Institute at The George Washington University, the Sudanese Diaspora, and the resilient women of Darfur, we hope you will join us in supporting our mission to mobilize, educate, engage and empower women and end genocide. For a full description of the symposium, including travel and lodging, please visit our event page.

Equip yourself with the tools to make a difference in your community as well as in the lives of your brothers and sisters in Darfur!

 

Thank you for your consideration.

 

With gratitude,

 

Niemat Ahmadi, Founder and President of  Darfur Women Action Group               

Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch

Dr. Douglas Irvin-Erickson, Director of S-CAR’s Genocide Prevention Program                                                                    

Dr. Mary Ellsberg, Director of GWU’s Global  Women’s Institute 

 

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram!

Visit us at darfurwomenaction.org

Contact us at info@darfurwomenaction.org

Darfur Women Action Group in Partnership with Genocide Watch, The Genocide Prevention Program at the George Mason University School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (S-CAR), and the Global Women’s Institute at The George Washington University.

 

A news release sent out on Wednesday, the 4^th of May 2016 has called for President Obama to ramp up American pressure on Sudan to ease the suffering of those targeted by the government, particularly those in Darfur. Since 2003, Sudanese government forces in the region have used various forms of violence against the population to intimidate, humiliate and murder to the point of genocide. The call for action by more than 100 lawmakers, led by Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern, urges Obama to take greater action in an attempt to end the humanitarian crisis which has plagued Darfur for more than a decade.

The waning media coverage over time has allowed Sudanese forces to act with impunity, while increasing levels of violence in recent years support this notion. By doing little or nothing, the Obama administration has appeared to give its tacit approval towards the Sudanese government, as their actions go largely unpunished due to US’ focus on other geopolitical priorities. Therefore, the Darfuris and other conflict-affected Sudanese are subjected to the mercy of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, the only sitting head of state to ever be indicted by the International Criminal Court. Despite this, al-Bashir has continued to travel freely to many countries, while continuing his campaign of terror which has come to characterize life for many in Darfur. Two days before the release on May 3^rd, the Sudan Air Force was implicated in the killings of six children in the Nuba Mountains, while air raids continued in Darfur, further exemplifying the opinion that continual systematic violence will not end without international efforts. The bipartisan request compels Obama to use American resources to ensure a lasting peace can be realized. This would be a formidable foreign policy success during his last year in office.

We at Darfur Women Action Group advocate for not only stronger US pressure on the Sudanese government to halt their relentless violence, but also to provide support to those displaced by the conflict. Furthermore, the use of sexual violence and rape as a tool of war has had a detrimental impact on Darfuri society, as the female population are forced to suffer in silence. Local civil society organizations are understaffed, underfunded and constantly undermined, meaning that women and girls are rarely truly safe. Therefore, the Obama administration must place more pressure on the Sudanese government to halt their actions. Secondly, the US must also place pressure on countries that allow al-Bashir to travel freely to limit his diplomatic leverage as much as possible. Thirdly, the US must allocate greater funding to local civil society particularly from the historically excluded and reinforce international support networks for affected communities to enable them to rebuild their lives.

With these measures, violence can be reduced, perpetrators can begin to be punished, and the marginalized populations can begin a transition to a more peaceful co-existence. Though the conflict will not cease overnight, the Obama administration possesses the means to begin that process and would be a clear demonstration of the responsible use of resources, at a time when American global leadership has been overshadowed by failures and setbacks.

 

 

Deadline Extended:  12:00 PM Noon, Friday, April 29^th –

Keep Sudan a Priority – Join Bipartisan Letter to President Obama

Signatories to date (77):  Jim McGovern, Joe Pitts, Mike Capuano, Michael McCaul, Barbara Lee,Jeff Fortenberry, Eliot Engel, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alcee Hastings, John Lewis, Danny Davis, Yvette Clarke, Raúl Grijalva, Gwen Moore, André Carson, Krysten Sinema, Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson lee, Michael Doyle, Earl Blumenauer, Joe Crowley, Randy Weber, Greg Meeks, Charlie Rangel, Stephen Lynch, John Yarmuth, Peter Welch, Donald Payne, Jr.,  Jim McDermott, Gerald Connolly, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio, John Conyers, Jr., Carolyn Maloney, Tim Huelskamp, Robin Kelly, Sanford Bishop, Jr., Donna Edwards, Ted Lieu, Corrine Brown, David Cicilline, Seth Moulton, Julia Brownley, Sam Farr, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Anna Eshoo, Bobby Rush, Katherine Clark, Hank Johnson, Jr., Mark DeSaulnier, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Hakeen S. Jeffries, Chellie Pingree, Bill Flores, Alan Lowenthal, Betty McCollum, Dina Titus, Elijah Cummings, Donald Beyer, Jr., Cedric Richmond, Brenda Lawrence, Ryan Costello, Karen Bass, Jan Schakowsky, Chris Van Hollen, Barbara Comstock, Daniel Lipinski, David Scott (GA), Emanuel Cleaver, Frank Pallone, Al Green, Joyce Beatty, Frederica Wilson, Tom Emmer, Brad Sherman, Chaka Fattah, William Keating.

National NGO Support: Act for Sudan, American Friends of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan and Sudan, Carl Wilkens Fellowship, Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, Darfur Interfaith Network, Darfur Women Action Group, Dear Sudan-Love Marin, Enough Project, Harry Potter Alliance, Humanity United, i-ACT, Institute on Religion and Democracy, International Justice Project, Investors Against Genocide, Jewish World Watch, Jews Against Genocide, Nuba Mountains Advocacy Group-USA, Nuba Mountains International Association-USA, Nubia Project, Sudanese Marginalized Forum-USA, Sudan Unlimited, STAND: The Student-led Movement to End Mass Atrocities, Stop Genocide Now, United to End Genocide — State/Local NGOs: African Freedom Coalition (NY), Beja Organization for Human Rights and Development (Herndon, VA), Brooklyn Coalition for Darfur & Marginalized Sudan (Brooklyn, NY), Darfur Action Group of South Carolina, Darfur and Beyond (Phoenix, AZ), Darfur People’s Association of New York, Genocide No More-Save Darfur (Redding, CA), Georgia Coalition to Prevent Genocide, Hawa Abdalla Salih/Human Rights and Women’s Rights Activist/Recipient-2012 US Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award (Philadelphia, PA), Humanity is Us (NY, NY), Jewish Federation of Greater Austin (TX), Joining our Voices (Baton Rouge, LA), Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur, Never Again Coalition (Portland, OR), Nuba Christian Family Mission (Denver, CO), NY Coalition for Sudan, Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition (PA), San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition (CA), Sudan Advocacy Action Borum (Birmingham, AL), Unite for Darfur (MD), Use Your Vloice to Stop Genocide (RI), World Peace & Reconciliation (Arlington, VA)  

 

Keep Sudan a High Priority for Leadership and Action

Join Bipartisan Letter to President Obama

 

Dear Colleague,

We ask that you join us on sending the letter below to President Obama urging him to re-prioritize peace, accountability and protection of civilians in Sudan during his final year in office.  The human rights and humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to deteriorate. Rape, murder, the burning and looting of villages and mass displacement are, once again, commonplace in Darfur.  Bombing and starvation are the weapons of war used against the civilian populations of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.  And with the attention of the world so focused on other crises, including in South Sudan, the nightmare suffered by the people of Darfur, Blue Nile, South Kordofan and indeed throughout Sudan has faded from the front pages.  The United States needs to exercise its leadership in condemning Khartoum’s actions and coordinating a more effective international response.

Today, over 5 million people are in need of life-saving aid across Sudan.  Violence has intensified in recent years, with at least half a million people newly displaced in the last two years.  USAID’s Famine Early Warning System reports almost 4 million people at crisis levels of food insecurity and warns of increased food insecurity in 2016.  In Darfur, U.N. agencies report extreme levels of child malnutrition, and in South Kordofan, food insecurity is at emergency levels, which is just one level below famine.  These are a result of deliberate policies by the Sudanese government to deny life-saving humanitarian aid to communities in conflict areas.  Violence has also escalated over the control of gold mining, including local mines in northern Darfur, to continue to fund the conflict and its many atrocities.

As you are aware, the conflicts in Sudan have a long history.  As described by Congressional Research Service, rather than forging an identity that accommodated the country’s diverse peoples, customs and institutions, the Northern-led regimes espousing Islamist ideals have powered Sudan’s political history, forcing distant provinces to conform to the Arab-dominated center.  Khartoum chose to exacerbate racial, religious, cultural and linguistic differences.  For over 60 years, the Sudanese government has waged a series of wars, predominantly against “African” blacks, many of whom are Christian or practitioners of traditional religions, as well as Muslims.  Years of fighting in the southern part of the country led to the deaths of 2 million people and eventually the push for the independence of South Sudan in 2011.  But other parts of Sudan have remained under siege. The current regime, led by President Omar al-Bashir, has carried out a campaign of terror and murder against Sudan’s border states so severe that the U.S. government, in 2003, recognized that acts of genocide had been committed against the population of Darfur.  In October 2006, President Bush signed into law the bipartisan-supported Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, in which Congress gave the Administration additional tools to address this crisis, including the ability to sanction Sudanese officials considered to be contributing to the violation of human rights in Darfur.  In 2009, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, and in 2010 it added genocide to the list of charges.  As the investigation leading to the arrest warrant makes clear, the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are focused mainly on black African communities and peoples in Darfur, and those same acts have now been spread to other border regions, like Blue Nile and South Kordofan.

As it has in the past, the U.S. can make a difference in Sudan.  But it requires sustained efforts at the very highest level of our government.  To join us on the letter to President Obama, or for more information, please contact Cindy Buhl (McGovern) at cindy.buhl@mail.house.gov; Carson Middleton (Pitts) at carson.middleton@mail.house.gov; Eliza Ramirez (Capuano) ateliza.ramirez@mail.house.gov; Brandon Batch (McCaul) at brandon.batch@mail.house.gov; Diala Jadallah (Lee) at diala.jadallah@mail.house.gov; or Diana Cloutier (Fortenberry) atdiana.cloutier@mail.house.gov.

 

Sincerely,

 

James P. McGovern

Member of Congress

 

Joseph R. Pitts

Member of Congress

 

Michael E. Capuano

Member of Congress

 

Michael T. McCaul

Member of Congress

 

Barbara Lee

Member of Congress

 

Jeff Fortenberry

Member of Congress

 

————

 

Dear Mr. President,

Darfur has not gone away. As you know, the crisis has spread to other parts of Sudan, particularly South Kordofan and Blue Nile, as lifesaving aid has been blocked and aerial bombardments have targeted civilians and their crops exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. Across Sudan severe human rights abuses continue.

Public and media attention may have waned, but the suffering of civilians has not. We urge you to enhance the U.S. approach to this conflict, and re-prioritize peace, accountability, and protection of civilians in Sudan in your last year in office.

We appreciate the efforts you have made with the Sudanese government to address and resolve the crisis in South Sudan, and the recent opening of Sudanese southern borders is a welcome development.  Such engagement, valuable on its own merits, must not preclude or overshadow the need for strong U.S. leadership and advocacy on the grave abuses and humanitarian crisis that persist and continue to worsen inside Sudan itself.

Today, over 5 million people are in need of life-saving aid across Sudan including at least 1.5 million who have been continually displaced since the Darfur genocide began in 2003. Violence has intensified in recent years, with at least half a million people newly displaced in the last two years. USAID’s Famine Early Warning System reports almost 4 million people at crisis levels of food insecurity and warns of increased food insecurity in 2016.  In Darfur, U.N. agencies report extreme levels of child malnutrition, and in some parts of South Kordofan, food insecurity may reach emergency levels, just one level below famine. While we welcome the fact that the United States remains the largest supplier of humanitarian aid to Sudan, those efforts are hollow if that aid cannot get to the people who need it most, or if the conflict continues to rage on indefinitely.

The Government of Sudan is directly responsible, bombing civilian targets and blocking or delaying both life-saving aid and supplies for UN peacekeepers. This intransigence is well documented. Violations of UN Security Council Resolutions including the ongoing bombing of civilians are consistently reported by the UN Panel of Experts. Nuba Reports, a local group of journalists reporting from within Sudan, has documented over 4,000 bombs dropped on civilian targets in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2012.

The United States has a number of ways that it can help influence the behavior of the Sudanese regime through the use of financial tools at its disposal. We urge the Obama Administration to enhance the current sanctions regime so that is focused to impact the calculations of the Sudanese regime’s top-level officials, by targeting  top level officials, financial institutions and other facilitators of the conflict. Similarly, the U.S. should utilize the good relations that the U.S has with countries in the Arab world that support Khartoum financially, to pressure  countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are investing in Sudan and lending the regime money, to turn off the spigot until true reform and change occurs on the ground.

Additionally, we urge the administration to counter gold as a major source of funding for the conflict in Sudan, allowing it to continue its atrocities.  Please prioritize efforts to encourage industry associations to designate Sudan’s gold as conflict-affected. Gold has emerged as a top revenue earner for the Sudanese government after the secession of South Sudan deprived the regime of oil proceeds. The bulk of this gold is mined in the conflict region of Darfur and its extraction bears the hallmarks of grave human rights abuses. Penalizing the trade in Sudanese gold can help deprive the regime of a major source of revenue for its war machinery.

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir continues to travel with near impunity despite arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. This includes visits to India, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa with no apparent consequences. The lack of accountability has emboldened the Government of Sudan. Despite the documented uptick in violence and displacement the Government of Sudan has announced plans for dismantling displacement camps and has been demanding the removal of UN peacekeepers.

The United States can make a difference in Sudan by making it more difficult for the regime to continue to wage war against its own population. With sustained urgent attention and multilateral efforts, the United States can significantly contribute toward peace, accountability, and protection of civilians in Sudan. The genocide in Darfur is an issue you championed as a Senator and as you came into office as President.

The current situation in Darfur and throughout Sudan requires sustained efforts at the very highest level of our government.  Now, as much as ever, the people of Sudan need you to be a champion today.

 

By Jahna Paige, DWAG volunteer

Resentment from last year’s debacle, which injured South Africa’s reputation still lingers. South Africa’s assistance in helping al-Bashir flee instead of sending him to the ICC has caused the government to relinquish its role as a member of the ICC. While many have seen the country as a prime model of one that successfully challenged Apartheid with the likes of those such as Nelson Mandela, now criticisms can only be expressed. If the destruction of South Africa’s legitimacy and efficacy was not bad enough, the decision to withdraw South African troops from UNAMID before the scheduled rotation is worse. This outcome will only help to feed al-Bashir’s already monstrous ego and appetite by encouraging him to continue to disregard humanity, international law, and commit gross human rights violations.

Reasons for leaving

Money. Maintaining the South African troops’ deployment in Darfur is estimated to cost around $24 million. UNAMID is already overstretched and overburdened as it is.

Zuma has planned for the 850 South African troops to be deployed elsewhere- CAR, the DRC, and Burundi, where the brewing of a genocide is starting to take shape. While it is true that other areas in Africa are in need of attention and assistance, the urgency of situation in Darfur and the possibility of the spillover to the entire region are greatly worth South Africa rethinking its pathetic decision. Consequently, the lack of a continued international effort in Darfur will only exacerbate the problem. It will acknowledge that Darfur is in a peaceful state and that the international community should look elsewhere to solve the worlds’ worst human rights violations. Thus, it will allow Khartoum to continue its war campaign on the innocent civilians of Darfur without interruption or interference.

Issue of Timing

Feb 21, 2016- a child burns to death in the Jebel Marra raids. March 1, 2016- 9 raped, including minors, near North Darfur camp. March 7, 2016- More than 240 people starve to death in South Kordofan. As violence continues to escalate, one can only imagine the impact of Zuma’s decision. According to UN Reports, within the last 6 weeks of heavy fighting, more than 90,000 people have become displaced. Note that this figure is on top of the 3+ million people already displaced. Although UNAMID has not been particularly effective in its peacekeeping mission, the sheer presence of the force reinforces the fact that the situation in Darfur is still appalling and has not yet produced favorable results. It alerts al-Bashir that all eyes are on him and the situation in Darfur. Without a doubt, South Africa has chosen the worst time to withdraw its troops from an incredibly fragile setting combined with an unspeakable suffering Darfuri people face.

What does this mean for South Africa as an important regional player and a as a new democratic state advancing human rights within the global stage?

As mentioned above, South Africa has failed several times within the course of a year in terms of upholding the standards of international cooperation and human rights violations.

While South Africa will remain involved in the mission, in the form of a chief of deputy, it is unlikely that it will yield any positive result from the situation. Many perceive South Africa’s withdrawal as bowing to the Sudanese government. South Africa’s reputation was already tarnished, and its decision to withdraw only adds insult to injury. Governments and international organizations are becoming increasingly confused of South Africa’s position- a country known with a long struggle to defend the human rights of its own people, and as an accomplice of the gross human rights violations affecting Africans victims in Darfur.

The situation in Darfur is not better or worse than the system of Apartheid in which President Zuma and many ANC members fought to defeat. It is quite imperative that South African leaders be conscious in connecting their past, present and the future of their struggle to the struggle of their fellow African victims in Darfur, rather than sidelining with the perpetrators simply because they are powerful.

 

Please read this interview by Nuba Reports featuring Adriane Ohanesian, a photojournalist who snuck into Darfur to take photographs of the current situation in Jebel Marra, Sudan.

 

Last week, one of the photos Ohanesian shot on her trip received international attention: The image, The Forgotten Mountains of Sudan, shows a 7-year-old boy who was burned by a bomb. It won the second prize in the prestigious World Press Photo’s contemporary issues category.

Thank you Adriane for creating awareness of the situation in Darfur and for exposing these atrocious crimes to the world.

 

Darfur needs you now more than ever before – Speak up; Silence kills more people every day!!!!

Thirteen years into Darfur’s catastrophe and civilian casualties increase each day while the world remains SILENT!!!

Violence, rape, arrest and torture have devastated the lives of the innocent civilians in Darfur. Countless men, women, and children lost their lives while the living endure unimaginable suffering and have nowhere to turn.  In spite of the alarming rate at which the violence continues to be perpetrated, world leaders have faced the situation in Darfur with silence. Those who have spoken up have not moved beyond words of condemnation.

As you may have seen, 2015 was a very difficult year for our people in Darfur and we were hopeful that 2016 might be different. Unfortunately, the attacks continue at an alarming rate and the international community is, once again, failing Darfur. The Sudanese government falsely declared a ceasefire in the fall, only to prepare for the largest offensive in years.

The Urgency of the Situation:

During the month of January 2016, violent attacks, killing, rape, arrest and torture have devastated the lives of the long suffering innocent civilians of Darfur.  Many men, women and children have lost their lives, and those who have been forced to flee have nowhere to turn, as humanitarian aid has been restricted and controlled by the government of Sudan.

From January 1, 2016 through the 2^nd week of January, the people of Mouli area and the city of El Geneina (the capital of West Darfur) have been subjected to a brutal attack by the Janjaweed militants (Rapid Support Forces). Fourteen people have been reported killed and over 150 have been reported wounded inside El Geneina. A majority of the victims are high school students. For more than two weeks, civilians were terrified by the attacks and severe human rights abuses and more than 5000 families have been forced to flee. Sadly, they are people who have been displaced several times during the last 13 years.

Consequently a new surge of violence continues in Central Darfur today, one in which the government of Sudan has renewed and intensified attacks as well as aerial bombing in Jebel Marra. The targeted areas are inhabited by civilians, a majority of whom are women and children. According to sources on the ground, about 124 villages around Jebel Marra have been completely destroyed and over 50,000 people have been forced to flee, some to the caves at the top of the  Marra Mountains. The remainder have been driven to camps and nearby cities where the UN has estimated that about 34,000 are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. They are sadly facing the harsh winter without shelter or food. Reports also confirmed that many women and girls were raped and some taken hostage by the Janjaweed and the Government forces; their fates remain unknown.

The Ongoing Tragedy:

As you know, 2015 was a very difficult year for our people in Darfur as about 233,000 have been reportedly displaced in the 1^st quarter of the year, adding to those who were already displaced. Over 3 million people still remain in camps and have been there for 13 years as violence escalates and humanitarian efforts are severely restricted. Rape and all forms of sexual violence continue at an alarming rate in the displacement camps where women are the majority. Millions of Darfuris remain displaced and have been without a permanent home for 13 years while the number of newly displaced people continues to grow exponentially. Many of the targets also include college students that are being abducted, imprisoned, and killed. The genocide continues unabated.

The Challenges Facing Darfur:

President al-Bashir, the mastermind behind the genocide in Darfur and a man indicted and wanted by the ICC, is still actively pursuing his genocidal policy in Darfur and other regions of Sudan. Despite the alarming situation in Darfur, the international community has chosen to ignore it. Similarly, the mainstream media has failed to cover the current situation and the ongoing genocide is no longer making headlines at the New York Times or Washington Post as it had in the past.

The government of Sudan has made every effort to isolate Darfur from the outside world. For example, President Obama’s special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan has never been to Darfur since his appointment. The Representative of the UN Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones has also failed to visit Darfur in recent years, even though rape continues unhindered and unreported.

UNAMID, the forces that have been put in place to protect civilians, have failed to carry on their mandate and remain under severe restrictions. They have been characterized by impartiality, incompetence and have not reported deaths and sexual violence committed by the regime forces which were previously reinforced by the former UNAMID spokesperson, Aicha Albasri .

Al-Bashir, the indicted genocidal criminal, has successfully blocked access to information from Darfur in order to continue his crimes and get away with murder.

Change in the Narrative:

Many advocates have moved away from Darfur or condone the change of narrative that the government of Sudan and its allies want to hear, replacing the word “genocide” with “atrocities” in order to water down the urgency of the situation. This has let the international community treat Darfur with less urgency and allows the world to move away from focusing on Darfur.

The world may think the crisis in Darfur has ended because it is not being reported in the news, but the truth is that over 460,000 Darfuris were displaced in 2013, another 500,000 were displaced in 2014, and over 233,000 people were displaced in the first quarter of 2015. In one day alone on October 31st , 2014, 221 women and girls were raped in Tabit village and the perpetrators have suffered no consequences. This is not an isolated incident but it is a systematic tactic and deliberate policy of the regime, which continues to use rape as a weapon of war in Darfur.

On December 18th and 19th, 2015, 700 Darfuri refugees, who had escaped the genocide, were suddenly and forcibly deported from Jordan back to Sudan to face the very genocidal regime that they had fled for protection. At the beginning of 2016, a new surge of violence, using the same strategy of the Sudanese government’s “scorched earth” campaign has already begun and is on the way to  kill more people. The government of Sudan has declared a plan to end displacement by 2017, which means wiping out even those who are helpless within the internally displaced camps in Darfur.

A date for a referendum in Darfur has been scheduled for the upcoming  2 months from now by the government to decide on the future of Darfur, even while Darfuri victims are under attack and still struggling for survival with no ability to vote.  There is a strong possibility that there will be a distribution of Darfuri land to Arab tribes and new settlers who were bought by the government of Sudan to overtake the Darfur region. This is a dangerous move which represents the final stage of the Darfur genocide, if it is allowed to happen. What is going on in Darfur today is very systematic and directed toward the same group whom the government has singled out for extermination since 2003; it is Sudan’s “Final Solution” within its genocide.

This is why we need you, your voice, and your support.

With the all persisting challenges, Darfur Women Action Group and its supporters remained vigilant and refuse to stand idly by. We say NO to the silent conspiracy on Darfur and decided that we must empower the survivors and the ordinary citizens to speak up.

We called upon our supporters and volunteers to stand with us. We are currently mobilizing and organizing the Diaspora within the United States and across the globe to use their voices, bring more attention to this terrible situation, and demand that our leaders act now before it’s too late.

We can’t do this without your support and that is why we are calling on you to stand by our side. We know you care and you will not be a bystander in the face of these horrific crimes. DWAG believes that in the face of genocide, we must not let our leaders turn a blind eye or look the other way. We need you to add your voice and speak with us and mobilize the masses.  If we can reach out to more people, we will definitely compel our leaders to act promptly.

We at Darfur Women Action Group are determined to continue to fight against these horrific crimes. We will continue to expose al-Basher’s crimes to the world and will continue to fight for justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators of the world’s worst crimes.

We need you all. Together, we must continue to remind the world and must not let al-Bashir and his cronies get away with murder.

In the coming days, we will continue to share with you our updates and provide you with opportunities to take action. Please help us spread the word and get more people involved.

Do what you can from where you are to empower us to continue to fight for justice in Darfur and across Sudan. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Time is always right to do the right things”.

We are grateful to have you all by our side.

With gratitude,

Niemat Ahmadi

President, Darfur Women Action Group