The following is a letter I have sent to my MP Mr. Francis Maude. These folks have been busy of late but cannot and must not forget about Darfur. Please read the letter and use it as a format to write to Mr. Maude, or your own MP.
(Please see http://www.radiodabanga.org/ and http://www.sudanreeves.org/ for current Darfur updates discussed in the letter.)
Dear Mr. Maude:
Since you came to our small gathering of concerned citizens at the Genocide Awareness and Prevention Event at my home last April, much has been happening in Darfur. I write to you again today to strongly urge and impress upon your abilities to act for the people of Darfur. Despite the recent US appointment of a Special Envoy to Sudan progress has still yet to be seen. Displaced persons continue to suffer from a lack of protection, and a new Janjaweed and Sudanese army front is being formed in an area of refugee camps that are largely blocked from receiving aid.
Since March of this year, in response to the ICC warrant for his arrest, President Omar al-Bashir has been expelling much needed aid agencies, such as Doctors Without Borders, and restricting of the remaining NGOs. Limited or zero access to camps North-West of El-Fasher is particularly troubling as this area is now susceptible to new violence in the last few weeks. (Please see the attached map showing the access to camps and aid: http://www.unsudanig.org/library/mapcatalogue/darfur/data/access/Map%201384%20SU-DAR-HUM-26_A3_090719_Darfur_Humanitarian_Access_Map.pdf)
In the Korma and Tawlia region, Sudanese troops supporting Janjaweed militia have been again attacking camps and attempting to forcibly remove Darfur refugees. This joint force is pursuing a policy of moving refugees back to their homes, which have been looted burnt and with their wells poisoned and cattle stolen over the last seven years. The current events of mid-September came shortly after this statement from a senior official from al-Bashir’s party on September 10th, “Dr. Mahdi Qotbi, the head of NCP political sector said on Thursday [September 10, 2009] that war in Darfur now came to an end and there is no fighting between the government army and the rebels as it is stated by the peacekeeping mission (UNAMID). [ …] Mahdi also said all the humanitarian and security effects of the conflict started to disappear adding the current stage would focus to clear the camps of displaced population and resettle them into their homeland” (From Sudan Tribune September 10, 2009). Bashir’s government is notorious, as you may well know, for duplicity and deception. The pattern of a state that consistently abuses human rights is continuing to perpetuate itself. Whether or not the crimes being committed in Darfur are considered genocide, it is clear that the Sudanese government is taking advantage of its impunity to commit crimes against humanity among its own people as it has in the South of Sudan and in the Nuba Mountains region.
While we are a long way from ending the fighting itself, immediate steps can be taken by the UK government to ensure a better path for peace in Darfur and Sudan as a whole. A recent report from the UK government’s Joint Committee on Human Rights states that the impunity gap must be closed for those accused for crimes against humanity and war crimes who are just ‘visitors’ to our country. The committee also supports the conclusion that a War Crimes Unit is needed to address the issues of closing the impunity gap and ending the UK’s accommodation of these villains. Making these improvements in policy and practice will go far in showing our opposition to those who engage in these crimes. We cannot allow international criminals to pass through our borders.
The UK government, be it this or the one to take office next year, must act in the long-term to do more to support targeted sanctions against those perpetrating violence in Sudan and not the people who are victims. The warrants issued by the ICC must be enforced with the above measures and diplomatic creativity and ingenuity. Mr. Maude, I intend to act upon these issues today. I hope that you are true to the words you passionately shared at our small gathering about the horrid and inhuman nature of these crimes. Indeed, I believe the power of constituency letters will move our government to act to end genocide and crimes against humanity, if not now in Darfur then at some point in the future. The question is how much more blood will be on our hands before that happens?
I can commit that you will receive more letters regarding the tragedy of Darfur in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Christopher P. Davey
Genocide Awareness and Prevention (GAP) Coordinator
http://genocideawarenessandprevention.blogspot.com/
chris_p_davey@hotmail.com
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Faith and the Few
As advertised below we had our second GAP event this past month. While we were few in numbers those in attendance made their solidarity for the people of Darfur known. Personally, I would like to thank Dr. Nigel Eltringham of Sussex University and the Horsham Inter-Faith Forum for making our evening informative and well publicised. Also for Jackie Fry from Amnesty International UK providing literature on AIUK's Protecting the Human Campaign.The movie, Darfur Now, was moving and hopeful; with each story representing the many and varied responses to genocide in our time. Our discussion confirmed the shortcomings and promise breaking of today's government and what is being done by those who are more serious about ending genocide.
Of particular note was our discussion about the ICC, and its current warrants for President Bashir and others. One attendee asked what difference it would make if these individuals were arrested tomorrow. The panel responded by confirming that whilst these arrests would be welcomed by Darfuri survivors, they would be but another step along the road to peace and justice for Darfur. Most of all, their arrests would show that impunity is no longer accepted by international community as a way of covering the sins of the past.
(Above is Chris Davey with Mehrdad Kalani from the Horsham's IFF; and below is Nigel Eltringham on our discussion panel)
Please watch this space for more events coming soon in Autumn.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Please see the trailer here- http://www.takepart.com/darfurnow/
HORSHAM INTERFAITH FORUM PRESENTS:
A GENOCIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION EVENT
Wednesday July 15th 2009, doors open at 7:00 pm, @ The Studio, Capitol Theatre
Documentary Showing: Darfur Now
Ted Braun's documentary showcases six people who have each done their part in saving Darfur. They include a UCLA student who passes a state bill to stop any money going to Sudan; the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court; Pablo Recalde, a central figure in the World Food Program; and actor Don Cheadle.
Following film will be a panelled Q&A session on Darfur and genocide. Participating in the panel:
Nigel Eltringham, Professor of Anthropology and member of the Justice and Violence research Centre at the University of Sussex.
A GENOCIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION EVENT
Wednesday July 15th 2009, doors open at 7:00 pm, @ The Studio, Capitol Theatre
Documentary Showing: Darfur Now
Ted Braun's documentary showcases six people who have each done their part in saving Darfur. They include a UCLA student who passes a state bill to stop any money going to Sudan; the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court; Pablo Recalde, a central figure in the World Food Program; and actor Don Cheadle.
Following film will be a panelled Q&A session on Darfur and genocide. Participating in the panel:
Nigel Eltringham, Professor of Anthropology and member of the Justice and Violence research Centre at the University of Sussex.
Chris Davey, local activist and Genocide Studies student
(activist)
Also including other local activists.
BECOME AWARE AND ACT AGAINST GENOCIDE
BECOME AWARE AND ACT AGAINST GENOCIDE
Please also see these related links-
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