Author: DWAG Communication

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.

The Odious Guest and Citizen-led Accountability: Will South Africa Pass the Test? The prospect of yesterday’s freedom fighter becoming today’s accomplice is dismaying for a country with such a revered history of fighting injustice.

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir is not your typical transnational fugitive. The first sitting head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), al-Bashir has resided comfortably in Khartoum since charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes were brought against him in 2009. In spite of widespread international opprobrium over the decade long bloodshed in Darfur, al-Bashir not only continues to lead a public life but also regularly travels to other countries, attending official functions in his capacity as the Sudanese head of state. Since 2009, al-Bashir has traveled across several continents, making trips to countries including Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and China among others. His current liberty highlights not only the dearth of an effective enforcement arm at the ICC but also illustrates the reticence of world leaders to abide by their obligations and responsibilities as political and legal authorities. Such trends have in turn undermined established standards of international law.

Recently, al-Bashir was invited to attend the African Union (AU) Summit in South Africa, scheduled to take place from the 7th to the 15th of June. As a member of the ICC and the United Nations (UN), South Africa would be violating international law if it did not comply with the ICC warrant to arrest and surrender al-Bashir. Yet his invitation is also at odds with domestic law, given South Africa’s implementation of the ICC Act of 2002. As a result, the Rainbow Nation is playing politics at the expense of the rule of law, a worrying development for a country that has undergone a prolonged struggle for justice and human rights.

The invitation of the infamous fugitive represents both an opportunity and a challenge for Africa’s leading democracy. South African authorities may have extended an invitation to al-Bashir as a formality, ready to abide by their legal obligations under the Rome Statute and arrest and surrender the autocrat if he decides to enter their territory. However, the invitation could also represent President Jacob Zuma’s attempt to take the law into his own hands and violate both domestic and international law. Regardless of the government’s intentions, the people of South Africa retain momentous influence over their policymakers. President Zuma may be able to snub Darfur’s calls for justice, yet he cannot ignore his people. Hence, it is imperative that South Africans hold their government accountable for its actions.

In light of this, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) and its partners have not let the ambiguous actions of the South African government go unnoticed. Bashir Watch, a coalition of human rights groups, recently sent a letter pressuring the South African authorities to respect the rule of law. http://bashirwatch.org/2015/06/04/south-africa-invites-bashir-to-participate-in-african-union-summit/ The letter was penned on behalf of a diverse group of civil society organizations including the Coalition of the International Criminal Court, the International Justice Project, United to End Genocide, Waging Peace, UK and DWAG. The coalition’s efforts have been successful on numerous occasions, most notably in preventing President al-Bashir’s notorious attempt to visit the United States for a UN summit. These organizations have focused on keeping not only the Sudanese authorities accountable for the atrocities committed in Darfur, but also the international community in its lackluster response to the unremitting barbarity that has ravaged Sudan’s remote region. As governments attempt to walk away from their responsibilities, citizens must be empowered to hold their leaders accountable and remind them of their obligations, an approach that DWAG has worked tirelessly to promote. Non-state actors shouldn’t have to bear the burden of fighting genocide, yet Darfur’s abandonment by the international community leaves those with a conscience no other choice but to remain true to the 20th century’s harshest lesson: ‘’never again’’.

Raise your hand if you bought a green “Save Darfur” magnetic ribbon for your car. What about a Save Darfur shirt or rubber bracelet? How many articles about the genocide in Darfur did you share in 2007 compared to how many you share today? Many US citizens were once poised to respond to the genocide in Darfur, but compassion fatigue set in and the many people who were once vocal about ending the genocide in Darfur have fallen silent.

Today the violence in Darfur continues, and the fighting has spread to other areas such as Blue Nile, South Kordofan, and the Nuba Mountains. The notorious Janjaweed continue to perpetuate violence in communities throughout Sudan—all on the orders of the central Sudanese government in Khartoum. The President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir has severely restricted humanitarian aid from reaching people in dire need of life-saving supplies; while other aid organizations have been expelled from Sudan all together. Most recently Human Rights Watch reported that mass rapes were committed during the fall of 2014. More than 200 women and girls were raped and tortured by the Sudanese army in the town of Tabit over a three day period. It is clear that the violence in Sudan continues to grow worse each day despite the lack of media attention.

If the current news coming out of Sudan isn’t enough, the numbers are staggering: more than 450,000 people have died and 2.8 million have been displaced from their homes since the violence began. Omar al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, yet he remains a free man due to the international community’s indifference.

The violence in Darfur and in other regions of Sudan can seem overwhelming, but there is something you can do. Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) advocates for the people in Darfur and DWAG has a unique opportunity for you to make a difference. Join their Rapid Response Network and be on the forefront of change. As a Rapid Responder you will receive the most up to date information about the situation in Darfur; you will be included in monthly conference calls with anti-genocide activists and be well-positioned to hold community events and lobby Congress for change to the way the US handles situations of mass atrocities. Darfur Women Action Group launches this Rapid Response Network with urgency as the situation on the ground in Darfur continues to deteriorate. You have the power to become an advocate for change in Sudan.

JOIN OUR RAPID RESPONSE NETWORK AND BECOME A VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF DARFUR!

You may have heard about the genocide in Darfur, but what you may not know is that it still continues. Hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children have been brutally murdered, displaced, or stranded without any humanitarian aid. Rape and sexual violence remain prevalent and are systematically used to terrorize young girls and women. These massive human rights abuses are sponsored and committed by the government of Sudan, led by President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Most of the world is unaware of what is happening in Darfur, however, some of those who are knowledgeable on the issue and are in position of power choose to turn a blind eye to the devastation and do nothing to stop it. Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) is determined to both raise awareness about the horrific human rights abuses occurring daily in Darfur and change the way the international community addresses genocide, in general. An example – in October, 2014, over 200 young girls and women were gang raped in a village in Darfur by government forces over a period of several hours, yet few people either know or have responded to this horrifying atrocity. So few people speak out and demand action; we want to change that. However, we cannot do it alone, which is why we are asking you to join us as a Rapid Responder.

We are inviting individuals from all over the United States who want to be inspired and inspire others to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. As a Rapid Responder, you will receive up-to-date information about the situation in Darfur, allowing you to educate yourself and those around you about the Darfur genocide. You can also post this information on social media to increase the scope of your influence. For example, you can post links to news articles on your Facebook wall or tweet special alerts using our hashtag #Respond2Darfur. Through social media attention, we can increase awareness and work towards ending this long-standing genocide.

With our assistance and resources, you can also:
• Organize movie screenings of survivors’ stories and see how genocide has devastated people’s lives and the region as a whole.
• Send letters or make appointments to speak to your elected representatives to express your concerns about the situation in Darfur.
• Participate in DWAG’s monthly conference calls to receive information on Darfur and upcoming events, as well as train to become an anti-genocide activist.
• Hand out DWAG’s educational materials to family, friends, classmates, co-workers, and anyone else who might be interested in learning about this genocide and helping the people of Darfur.

If you would like to participate in any of the aforementioned events, DWAG members will assist you every step of the way. We will provide materials, resources, and any additional assistance you may need. We are also available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have. We want to help you in every possible way so that together we can raise awareness to ultimately end the first genocide of the 21st century – the longest genocide in history.

Since the Holocaust, modern world leaders have failed to respond to genocide, when and where it occurs. Genocide is the ugliest form of humanity and we aim to change how the world reacts to it. Every action, big or small, makes a difference for the women, men, and children living in these horrific conditions. Thank you for choosing to help the millions of suffering Darfuris by taking action and joining the Rapid Response Network. Please e-mail Maggie Costello at outreach@darfurwomenaction.org with your name, city, and state to become a Rapid Responder for Darfur Women Action Group today.

Sincerely,
Maggie Costello
National Coordinator, DWAG Rapid Responder Network
Outreach@darfurwomenation.org

Twitter: @DWAG6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DWAGRapidResponseNetwork
Website: http://www.darfurwomenaction.org/
No personal information gathered from Rapid Responders will be shared or sold. All personal information will be kept by DWAG and only be used within the organization communication
Darfur Women Action Group © 2015