SAVE DARFUR

Protect the People of Darfur

In July 2007, the United Nations Security Council authorized the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur, better known as UNAMID, with the mandate to protect civilians. Since then, various hurdles have stood in the way of the full deployment of the force. Even though it is still not fully deployed, many Darfuri civilians now rely on the peacekeepers to provide protection and stability in the present realities of the conflict. The threat of violence is constant for the people of Darfur.

On March 4, 2009, the International Criminal Court announced that it has issued a warrant for al-Bashir's arrest on seven counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Learn more about the ICC decision and how it might impact the lives of Darfuris.  

Now, we must demand that the United States and the United Nations stop any violence against civilians perpetrated by Sudanese government forces, allied militias or other parties to the conflict in Darfur in the wake of the decision.

The U.N. Security Council must make absolutely clear that the Government of Sudan will be held responsible for any retaliatory action against civilians, humanitarian aid workers, or United Nations and African Union peacekeeping forces. The Security Council must explicitly identify severe consequences and emply them if necessary.

Take action now to press for civilian protection at this critical time.   

UNAMID peacekeepers are in Darfur with the explicit task of protecting civilians. We have an obligation to help to ensure that they have everything they need to fulfill that task.

Check out the resources below to learn more about what the U.S. and the U.N. must do to help peacekeepers protect the people of Darfur.

Peacekeepers for Darfur

• Putting People First: The Protection Challenge Facing UNAMID in Darfur. A report from the Darfur Consortium
• UNAMID Fact Sheet
• What's at Stake?
• Keeping our Word: Fulfilling our Mandate to Protect Civilians in Darfur

Resources Required

• Grounded: The International Community's Betrayal of UNAMID. A joint NGO report identifying countries that can provide helicopters for UNAMID.
• UNAMID Helicopters Fact Sheet
• No Helicopoters for Darfur, by Ken Bacon
• Helicopters for Darfur, an editorial in the Los Angeles Times

Other resources

• U.N. Secretary-General's report to the U.N. Security Council on the deployment of peacekeeping forces for Darfur (155K PDF)
• Information on May 10 rebel attack on Khartoum