Author: DWAG Communication

The 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, scheduled to open September 15th in New York, represents the fruits of a long and arduous journey world powers have made to advance peace and limit the outbreak of war. Yet the meeting of world leaders has the potential to cause a serious headache for American policymakers. Depending on the guest list, American officials may be forced to grant a visa to one of the most infamous fugitives in the world, a man accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of orchestrating a host of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In most cases such a fugitive would be on Interpol’s list of wanted criminals and wouldn’t dare apply for a visa to the United States. However because he is a head of state, Omar al-Bashir is only subject to arrest in countries that are parties to the Rome Statute (and even then his detention is not a sure bet, as illustrated by the government of South Africa’s shameless actions earlier this summer). While the U.S. isn’t part of the ICC, it has nevertheless been vocal about Sudan’s abysmal human rights record. Yet because of a headquarters agreement between the UN and the U.S., the American government must issue travel visas to persons who intend to travel strictly for UN business, regardless of any objections the State Department may have.

Should Omar al-Bashir seek to attend the opening ceremony of the General Assembly, the Obama administration would be put in an uncomfortable position. Under international law, it would be obligated to comply with al-Bashir’s visa request, yet hosting an accused war criminal would severely undermine the West’s efforts to bring the fugitive to justice, and would only cement al-Bashir’s legitimacy back home.

While al-Bashir may very well decide to obtain a visa, he would still need to deal with a chorus of opposition once he arrives. The embattled dictator has few allies on the international stage willing to publicly back him on key issues, ranging from the territorial disputes with South Sudan to its campaign in Darfur. Moreover, given the widespread international opprobrium his visit to South Africa’s African Union (AU) summit spurred, a trip to a world city like New York would incite a momentous backlash from civil society organizations of all stripes. While statesmen-like, his presence at the UN would invite more bad press than the autocrat would want.

It is unlikely that the dictator will make the trip. In 2013, al-Bashir threatened to attend the General Assembly repeatedly only to scuttle his travel plans. Nevertheless, the U.S. must revise its headquarters agreement with the UN and takes step to get behind the ICC if it genuinely seeks to advance a comprehensive human rights agenda.

Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

Justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators of genocide in Darfur must not be overlooked.

In commemoration of International Criminal Justice Day, Darfur Women Action Group would like to express its gratitude and wholehearted support to the International Criminal Court and highlight the failure of world leaders to fulfill their commitment to justice for the genocide currently being committed against the people of Darfur under the watch of the international community.

The Darfur genocide began 12 years ago and the case of Darfur was referred to the ICC by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2005. Despite countless challenges, the ICC successfully investigated the crimes and brought charges against four Sudanese officials, including Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir. Regrettably, to this date, the killings, mass rapes, displacements and all kinds of human rights abuses continue against the innocent men, women and children of Darfur while the perpetrators remain in power. Impunity for these heinous crimes is not only devastating to the affected communities but it is extremely detrimental to our world’s peace and security because it sends the message that perpetrators can get away with mass murder.

It’s quite dismaying that many countries and governments, including members of the ICC, have chosen not to act in the face of genocide, violating their oath of “never again” along with their legal obligation. Most recently, South Africa allowed President al-Bashir to leave the country despite a court order requiring him to stay. It’s worth noting that the ICC has fulfilled its duty but due to lack of support from UNSC members and the shameful failure of the States Parties to the Rome Statue to fulfill their legal and moral obligations, none of the indicted Sudanese officials have been brought to justice and the genocide rages on.

Since the international community has chosen to ignore the longest genocide in history, the ICC, as the court of last resort, is the only hope for the people of Darfur, who have been suffering at the hands of their own government for far too long. On this important day, it is crucial that we support the ICC and make our voices louder to remind our leaders that they must stand with the victims, not the criminals.

We recognize the fact that the United Sates is not a signatory to the ICC, however the case of Darfur was referred to the ICC by UNSC members under SC/RES 1593. The United States is a leading member of the UNSC and it is therefore obligated to support the UNSC referral and enable the ICC to proceed in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The United States has historically contributed to the creation of several ad-hoc international tribunals to pursue accountability and try perpetrators of crimes similar to those being committed in Darfur, such as the case of Liberia, Rwanda and the special court for Sierra Leone. Sudan should not be an exception. In this regard, the ICC has provided a unique opportunity for the international community to collaboratively pursue accountability through a permanent institution.

Regrettably, the Obama Administration, despite its rhetoric of bringing peace to Sudan, has not only failed to recognize the importance of accountability, but has chosen to remain silent in the face of the longest genocide in history. This silence is a huge roadblock to peace in Darfur and Sudan at large. President al-Bashir has been emboldened and allowed to continue orchestrating mass murders, rapes, and gross human rights abuses as a part of his deliberate policy to eliminate an entire population because of the impunity he enjoys and the international community’s failure to hold him accountable.

The world has said “never again” so many times and is currently allowing it to happen yet again. Genocide is happening this very moment and the entire world knows about it, yet they do nothing. In fact, they allow Omar al-Bashir to travel freely and participate in regional and international forums, ultimately enabling his genocidal policy.

We are gravely concerned by the inaction of world leaders and lack of cooperation from ICC member states, which are contributing to the prolonged suffering of Darfuri civilians and preventing the ICC from achieving justice. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to call on the United States, ICC’s member states, UNSC members and the International Community to fulfill their legal and moral obligations and demand that they take the following steps to ensure that impunity for the world’s worst crimes – genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity – is not an option.

– ICC states parties must uphold their legal obligation to provide cooperation and support for the ICC to continue its investigation into the ongoing crimes in Darfur.

– We urge the United States government not to invite or welcome Sudanese officials who are members of the current genocidal regime or grant them visas to enter their country.

– We demand that our leaders prioritize justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators and their accomplices who are aiding them in evading justice.

– We call on the ICC to continue investigating the past and current crimes committed in Darfur.

We call on world citizens and those who believe in justice to continue to support our effort and amplify our voices to fight impunity and hold our leaders accountable for ignoring and allowing horrific crimes to continue unabated. Our silence will not only enable the delay of justice but will allow more people to be murdered, raped, and attacked with impunity. We must speak up and continue our fight until the day in which the last criminal is brought to justice.

Join us to commemorate the International Criminal Justice Day on July 17th

Dear DWAG supporters,

Five years ago, on July 12th, 2010, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued the second arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan for three counts of genocide, which follows his first arrest warrant issued on March 4, 2009 for two counts of war crimes and five counts crimes against humanity.President al-Bashir remains a fugitive who has been allowed to travel with impunity and in defiance of international justice. World leaders have failed to stand by their words in supporting the ICC to hold the genocidal criminal accountable.

Between July 12th and the days leading up to International Justice Day on July 17th, we need your support to speak up to remind world leaders of their responsibilities and demand that they must support the ICC to achieve justice for the victims of genocide and accountability for the perpetrators of the world’s worse crimes.

What can you do?

– Continue to educate yourself about Bashir’s continued crimes and what needs to be done to stop him – www.bashirwatch.org and www.darfurwomenaction.org are just a few organizational examples who focus on what continues to happen in Darfur

– Add your voice – Help us urge the ICC to continue to investigate crimes and to strategize with a thorough enforcement mechanism to hold parties to the Rome Statute accountable for their actions

– Encourage the United States to support accountability for the world’s worse crimes of genocide, and to urge other UNSC members to support the ICC in its mission to prosecute abusers of human rights

– Help spread the word via social media- change your Twitter and Facebook profile pictures to the image provided in the link below, urge your friends to do the same, and use the hashtags #Respond2Darfur and #JusticeMatters to make your voices heard.

I hope you will join us!

With Gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi, President and Founder of Darfur Women Action Group

Stand up for Refugees of Darfur’s Forgotten Genocide

Washington, D.C. – As the international community prepares to mark World Refugee Day on June 20, 2015, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) seeks to direct the world’s attention to the dire conditions Darfuri refugees face around the world. According to a UN report, one in every 122 people in the world is a refugee. This troubling figure is what motivates us to speak up on behalf of the Darfuri people who have been brushed aside by the international media and who continue to suffer the ramifications of genocide.

The genocidal campaign in Sudan’s remote region has forced millions from their homes. Nearly one million people have crossed the border into neighboring countries, seeking a safe refuge from the genocidal bloodshed. An estimated 377,000 reside in Chad alone. In addition to the country’s socio-economic instability, Chad is hardly hospitable given the Sahel’s harsh climate. More worrying however is insecurity, coupled with the scarcity of resources, resulting in refugees and locals competing over limited food and electricity. Such feuding has the potential to lead to more violence and aggravate the humanitarian disaster refugees face. Moreover, an uncounted number of refugees have fled to Egypt, Jordan, the Central African Republic (CAR), Libya, South Sudan, Ghana and Syria, where many continue to live without recognition by the UNHCR. In many cases, host countries have been mired in conflict, as is the case in the CAR, South Sudan, Syria and Libya, ultimately leaving refugees stuck in another war zone.

Some refugees have lived for over a decade without the means to support their basic needs. For instance, Darfuri refugees in Jordan not only lack meaningful support from UN agencies, but are also barred from seeking employment. If discovered working, they are jailed by the Jordanian authorities and subsequently deported back to Sudan, where they face further persecution they once thought to have left behind. Finally, the refugee crisis has literally torn families apart. Because men and boys are primarily targeted for killing and kidnapping, women constitute the overwhelming majority of those who become displaced. Women and children flee with minimal means of subsistence. Furthermore, Darfuri refugees living in South Sudan have yet to be recognized as such by the UNHCR, leaving them vulnerable to a host of problems without any legal recourse to seek aid and protection.

We recognize the tireless efforts made by the UNHCR and many Western governments, including the United States in particular, to process, receive and provide protection to refugees. Nonetheless, these efforts have been limited in scope, and as a result refugees are unable to adequately integrate themselves in their new societies given the trauma years of repression has inflicted. Furthermore, countless refugees remain in transit countries for prolonged periods and are confined to a constant state of legal and socioeconomic precarity.

The impact of war has yielded more than physical harm, with many refugees suffering grave emotional and social repercussions that include but are not limited to: psychological trauma, cessation of academic study, family disintegration, social exclusion, exploitation and human trafficking, violence against women and child labor.

Our call:

In light of the widespread humanitarian crisis affecting Darfuri refugees, DWAG urges the following:

– The international community must redouble its efforts to provide protection to refugees persons as warranted by international humanitarian law. Political and economic assistance to countries that absorb vast amounts of refugees must be made on the condition that host countries guarantee legal and socioeconomic protections to displaced persons so that they have the opportunity to lead dignified lives.

– UNHCR must develop effective mechanisms to reduce the arduous process refugees and asylum seekers face when asking for legal status and recognition.

– International organizations working on refugee resettlement must incorporate a culturally competent approach to dealing with refugees who have suffered genocidal policies.

– Legal aid is urgently needed to assist refugees subject to arbitrary arrest and other threats.

We recognize the work done by international NGOs in responding to the needs of Darfuri refugees, yet there remains a profound misunderstanding of the calamity’s magnitude. We call on the US government and other international actors, particularly UN agencies, to develop enhanced services to refugees affected by genocide. Providing them with legal protections, counseling and socioeconomic assistance will allow refugees to lead a meaningful life. Nevertheless, binding solutions must be found to halt the unrestrained flight of Darfuris from their homeland.

About us

Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) is a U.S. based Darfuri women led anti-atrocities organization that works with victims and survivors of the Darfur genocide, both within the diaspora and back home in Sudan. We provide them with the means to address human rights abuses in their society and work with others to promote accountability and justice.

To support our work please visit: Donate

The widespread tumult afflicting various crisis areas has preoccupied the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) agenda of late. From the civil wars in Syria and Ukraine to the negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, the world powers that have permanent seats at the UN’s highest organ have spared no time in jockeying for their interests. Yet an issue that may not keep the foreign ministers of each UNSC member up at night is also an urgent one: renewing the mandate of the joint African Union (AU) and UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur, which is set to expire at the end of the month.

The UN-AU peacekeeping Mission in Darfur, also known as UNAMID, was authorized three years after a unanimous vote in the U.S. Congress declared the Janjaweed’s campaign in Darfur genocide. The UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 1769 on July 31, 2007, formally establishing the peacekeeping mission with a core mandate of protecting civilians.

International peacekeeping missions are often deplored for their narrow mandates and limited ability to enforce terms of peace, yet UNAMID has proven more ignominious than most. Seven years after its initial deployment, the hybrid force has become enmeshed in perpetual controversy. Atrocities committed by various militia groups cease to wane, yet more troubling than its inability to deal with the violence is the mission’s history of partiality towards Khartoum and its proxies, illustrated by various cover-ups of heinous human rights abuses. The initial authorization of UNAMID made provisions for a deployment of 27,000 personnel, but restrictions imposed by the Sudanese government have limited the mission’s ability to fulfill its mandate in its entirety. Moreover, UNAMID has continually underreported the scale of human rights abuses in Darfur, with estimates of the number of those displaced, killed or raped consistently differing from reports on the ground. Furthermore, UNAMID has demonstrated its reticence to go after government-backed forces operating inside Darfur, allowing the genocide to continue unabated. Finally, the mission has failed to adequately protect its own personnel, with 216 fatalities as of June 2015.

In an article published in Foreign Policy, UNAMID’s former spokeswoman, Aisha Elbasri, outlines an instance in which UNAMID and other UN agencies misled the public as to what was happening in Darfur. Following reports of clashes in Tawila, an area in northern Darfur, Elbasri sought information from UNAMID officials to relay to the press. She was told that the situation was calm, with team site commanders describing armed militias leaving the area. However, upon deploying a verification mission to Tawila, she discovered that the information given by UNAMID officials was false. Government forces had in fact attacked four villages inhabited predominantly by Fur and Zaghawa ethnic groups, and subsequently raped multiple women, assaulted civilians, and destroyed several farms, forcing thousands to flee. Unfortunately, these types of incidents are common and have been thoroughly documented by credible sources inside Darfur. Read more here: http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/04/09/we-cant-say-all-that-we-see-in-darfur/

In addition to these troubling developments, Khartoum now insists that UNAMID’s mandate, due for renewal on June 30th, be abolished. It wants all peacekeeping forces out of the country, and has faced limited international opprobrium for its position. With Western leaders preoccupied with the widespread upheaval in the region, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir is hedging his bets that the UNSC will turn a blind eye.

International humanitarian law mandates that when states fail to protect their populations from mass atrocities, as is the case in Sudan, the international community has an obligation to protect citizens from human rights abuses. Given the ongoing atrocities in Sudan, perpetuated by the international community’s incompetent response, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) believes the world citizens must hold its leaders accountable and remind them of their legal and moral obligations under the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect. Faced with heinous war crimes and crimes against humanity, world leaders cannot simply turn a blind eye to Darfur’s suffering.

DWAG demands that the UNSC ensures that UNAMID and various other UN bodies operating inside Sudan no longer be subordinate to Khartoum’s dictates and instead have the ability to feasibly execute their stated mandates. The United States is the largest contributor to the UN as well as UNAMID’s operating budget and hence possesses the leverage necessary to hold both the UN and the Sudanese government accountable. Moreover, we also urge the UNSC to exercise its power and disallow the withdrawal of the peacekeeping mission despite Khartoum’s objections. In the event that UNAMID is decommissioned, an alternate international protection force must be deployed prior to UNAMID’s departure.

To leave millions of Darfuris at the mercy of government-sponsored rape and death squads would be another unconscionable act of abandonment, only this time with the consent of the international community.

To show your support for the people of Darfur, sign this petition to the UN: https://www.change.org/p/united-nations-security-council-don-t-abandon-the-people-of-darfur-and-renew-unamid-s-mandate

After posing with other African leaders for pictures at the African Union (AU) Summit in South Africa over the weekend, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was allowed to leave the country despite a warrant for his arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. South Africa is a party to the Rome Statute, and was obligated under international law to arrest and surrender the autocrat to the ICC’s jurisdiction. His unhindered travel to yet another international summit further dampens the ICC’s relevance and undermines entrenched standards of international criminal law.

While such an affront to international norms dismays the ICC and victims of the genocide in Darfur, the South African government’s decision to not detain the dictator constitutes a major blow to the rule of law inside the Rainbow Nation. Upon al-Bashir’s arrival in South Africa, the Pretoria High Court had issued an interim order prohibiting the Sudanese leader from leaving the country until the case could resume on June 15, 2015. The South African court was mulling whether he should be arrested and handed over to the ICC. The executive branch instead ignored the court’s ruling and welcomed the international fugitive with open arms.

The South African government’s utter disregard for both international and domestic law is troubling for a country with such a revered struggle for justice and human rights. The South African people must now mobilize themselves to keep President Jacob Zuma and the African National Congress (ANC) accountable to the rule of law if the country is too tackle its sundry challenges with regard to fighting poverty and violence sparked by xenophobia. Moreover, South Africa risks loosing its international standing as a leading African democracy if its leaders continue to coddle the world’s most infamous fugitives.