Darfur Groups Urge President-elect Obama to Begin 'Peace Surge' in Sudan

Darfur Groups Urge President-elect Obama to Begin 'Peace Surge' in Sudan

'President-elect Obama must make Darfur a top priority and end the genocide through high-level diplomacy backed by tough multilateral measures.’

WASHINGTON – Leading Darfur advocacy organizations today called on President-elect Obama to spearhead an international effort to secure a peace agreement to end the Darfur crisis. In a joint letter, the Save Darfur Coalition, ENOUGH Project, and Genocide Intervention Network outline actions the new president must take, including reinforcing the UNAMID civilian protection force, supporting the ICC investigations, developing an international coalition to lead negotiations and appointing a senior official to “own” the issue.

The full text of the letter can be found here: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/reports/sudanpeacesurge_0.pdf.

The groups urged President-elect Obama to reject the false choice between full-scale military intervention and limited humanitarian efforts. The letter to the new administration instead argues that a significant and expedited investment in peacemaking will prove cost-effective and is the best hope of ending Sudan’s suffering.

John Prendergast, ENOUGH co-chair, said, “The election of President Obama is an opportunity for a fundamental change in the world’s approach to Sudan. The time is ripe to work with our international partners, including China and the European Union, to stop simply managing the symptoms of Darfur and actually end the conflict.”

During the campaign, then-Senator Obama pledged “unstinting resolve” to end the crisis if he were elected.

“Americans expect nothing less than an administration that takes strong action and maintains consistent focus to secure sustainable peace in Sudan,” said Save Darfur Coalition president Jerry Fowler. “For five years, the Sudanese government has taken advantage of on-again, off-again international engagement. President-elect Obama must take the necessary steps to secure credible protection for Darfuris and meaningful accountability for perpetrators.”

The letter outlines the necessary components for effective diplomacy, including immediate engagement with the UK, France, China and key African nations to develop a joint framework for a resolution to the crisis and an escalating menu of penalties to confront potential obstruction. The letter also calls on President Obama to prevent the derailment of the ICC’s ongoing work and recruit a capable lead nation to improve UNAMID – creating an environment amenable for a robust peace process.

The full text of the letter can be found here: http://www.enoughproject.org/files/reports/sudanpeacesurge_0.pdf.

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About the Coalition: The Save Darfur Coalition – an alliance of more than 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations – raises public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of people throughout the Darfur region. The coalition’s member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Darfur. For more information on the coalition, please visit www.SaveDarfur.org. To obtain footage from the Darfur border region, coalition events, various interviews, and more, please visit the Save Darfur Coalition media gallery at http://media.savedarfur.org. All footage may be previewed in non-broadcast quality and may be purchased in broadcast quality by filling out the purchase request form provided on the site.