INFORM YOURSELF
HUMC DARFUR PROJECT
![WEBSITES:
http://www.savedarfur.org/content
http://www.ushmm.org/conscience/alert/darfur/contents/01-overview/
www.nc.rr.com
http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=africa&c=darfur
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/interactives/sudan/
http://www.genocideintervention.net/educate/darfurinfo/
NEW INFORMATION, APRIL 2008:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/10/opinion/10kristof.html?ei=5070&en=ee1962ac117cfd82&ex=1208491200&emc=eta1&pagewanted=print
This editorial provides specific actions that our government can undertake to help the situation. You may want to utilize it in writing letters. It is given as a word document in the Write a Letter section so you can cut and paste, if desired.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0409/p02s01-usfp.html
NEW INFORMATION, MARCH 2009:
The best summary is at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/opinion/08kristof.html?_r=1
Here are excerpts and websites regarding the expulsion of aid workers:
The Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, has been charged with war crimes over the conflict in Darfur, becoming the first sitting head of state issued with an arrest warrant by the international criminal court (ICC).
The court, based in The Hague, upheld the request of the chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, to charge Bashir with war crimes and crimes against humanity. More than 200,000 people have died since 2003 in the country's western Darfur region.
Judges dismissed the prosecution's most contentious charge of genocide. Prosecutors had alleged Bashir tried to wipe out three non-Arab ethnic groups.
Within minutes of the announcement, hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.
Mustafa Osman Ismail, an aide to Bashir, described the decision as "neo-colonialism ... They do not want Sudan to become stable."
The ICC spokeswoman, Laurence Blairon, said the indictment, drawn up by three judges, included five counts of crimes against humanity: murder, extermination, forcible transfer, torture and rape. The two counts of war crimes were for directing attacks on the civilian population and pillaging.
Blairon said Bashir was criminally responsible as the head of state and commander of the Sudanese armed forces for the offences during a five-year counter-insurgency campaign against three armed groups in Darfur.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/04/omar-bashir-sudan-president-arrest
"It's [expulsion of aid workers] nothing but retaliation against millions of people in Darfur," remarked Georgette Gagnon, Africa director of Human Rights Watch.
"Now is no time for political games - millions of human lives are at risk," said Tawanda Hondora, deputy director of Amnesty International's Africa programme. "The population of Darfur, which has borne the brunt of the conflict for six years, is now being punished by its own government for the arrest warrant."
According to the UN, more than 300,000 people have been killed during the past six years in Darfur, where mounted Arab militias continue to attack the predominantly black African population, and government troops bomb civilian targets and humanitarian facilities.
Some 2.7 million Darfuris have been living for years in refugee camps and depend on international food aid for survival. A joint peacekeeping force supplied by the UN and African Union is far from able to patrol the entire province, which is the size of France, to protect civilians from attack.
The expulsion of international relief workers will deprive the people of Darfur not only of urgently needed aid. Without the doctors and nurses, well builders and psychologists, there will be no witnesses to draw the world's attention to the plight of the people in Darfur.
"It's nothing but retaliation against millions of people in Darfur," remarked Georgette Gagnon, Africa director of Human Rights Watch.
"Now is no time for political games - millions of human lives are at risk," said Tawanda Hondora, deputy director of Amnesty International's Africa programme. "The population of Darfur, which has borne the brunt of the conflict for six years, is now being punished by its own government for the arrest warrant."
According to the UN, more than 300,000 people have been killed during the past six years in Darfur, where mounted Arab militias continue to attack the predominantly black African population, and government troops bomb civilian targets and humanitarian facilities.
Some 2.7 million Darfuris have been living for years in refugee camps and depend on international food aid for survival. A joint peacekeeping force supplied by the UN and African Union is far from able to patrol the entire province, which is the size of France, to protect civilians from attack.
The expulsion of international relief workers will deprive the people of Darfur not only of urgently needed aid. Without the doctors and nurses, well builders and psychologists, there will be no witnesses to draw the world's attention to the plight of the people in Darfur.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/258774,analysis-darfur-faces-grim-fallout-from-expulsion-of-aid-groups.html
In normal times, Darfuris are remarkably resilient and can resist famine by foraging or eating their livestock. But today they are penned up in camps and have lost most of their animals. They are completely dependent for food, sanitation and health care on NGO’s, mostly international ones. Expel those aid workers and you kill Darfuris as surely as if you machine gun them. In the 1990’s, photos of emaciated Bosnians in concentration camps tugged at the conscience of the world; all Darfur is now turning into a concentration camp. It is imperative that the international community stand up to Bashir and ensure that the expulsion is reversed. He’s testing us.
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/
DONATE
You may send checks to the church made out to Highland UMC with Dafur in the memo line and your donations will be forwarded to either of the agencies below (designate which you prefer).
Or, if you wish to give directly, you can donate to UMCOR (Methodist relief organization). Checks should be made out to UMCOR Advance #184385, Sudan Emergency and mailed to
UMCOR,
PO Box 9068,
NY, NY 10187
WRITE A LETTER
Hand-written letters are very effective, The content of letters is probably less important than the sheer volume of mail received by the various entities. Do not feel like you have to contact everyone at the same time. Unfortunately, based on past history, this problem will not be solved quickly.
Major points to stress:
Expulsion of aid workers is a disaster for the people of Darfur.
People continue to be displaced at a rate of 1,000 a day
Violence against women and girls continues
Only continuous international pressure will stop the killing.
The arrest warrant against Bashir should be executed.
Letter templates:
These are given only as suggestions, in case you need a starting point. If you use them, feel free to edit them to reflect your personal beliefs and priorities. A link for address labels is found below
SAMPLE GENERIC LETTERS
A: I am writing concerning recent developments in Sudan. International pressure is needed to force world leaders to implement the ICC charges against Bashir and to allow for the return of the expelled aid workers. Bashir’s response to the charges is another example of the behavior that caused him to become the first sitting head of state to be the subject of an arrest warrant. By denying thousands of their only source of food in retaliation, he is signing their death warrant.
Enough people have died! The world let down the people of Rwanda, and to let it happen again in Sudan is unforgivable. All world leaders should diligently seek ways to stop this new form of extermination by starvation.
Please use all the influence at your disposal to save the people of Dafur. It may be the most important action you can ever take.
B: I am writing to express my concern about the deteriorating conditions occurring in Darfur.The violence against women and girls must stop. After the world let down the people of Rwanda, we must not let it happen again in Sudan.
Sudan agreed to 26,000 peacekeeping troops, but only 9,000 are on the ground. Without constant pressure from world governments on all the parties involved, thousands of innocent civilians will continue to be displaced every month. More peacekeeping troops are needed NOW.
Please use all the influence at your disposal to save the people of Dafur. It may be the most important action you can ever take.
SAMPLE LETTER TO UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Dear Ambassador _______:
I am writing to express my concern about the expulsion of aid workers in Darfur. Violence against women and girls still occurs, but now the thousands of refugees dependent on relief agencies face possible death by starvation..
What is happening there should not be tolerated by the international community. The world let down the people of Rwanda, and to let it happen again in Sudan is unforgivable. The actions of individual nations cannot remedy the devastation concerted action is the only course.
The United Nations is the single organization capable of implementing a united effort. As a member of the United Nations Security Council, you are in a position to influence its actions in this matter. I beg you to use that influence to see that relief supplies reach Darfur.
Please work with others on the Security Council to do all that is possible to help the people of Darfur. It may be the most important action you can ever take.
SAMPLE LETTER TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
UN Headquarters
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
Dear Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:
I am writing to express my concern about the expulsion of aid workers in Darfur. Violence against women and girls still occurs, but now the thousands of refugees dependent on relief agencies face possible death by starvation..
What is happening there should not be tolerated by the international community. The world let down the people of Rwanda, and to let it happen again in Sudan is unforgivable. The actions of individual nations cannot remedy the devastation concerted action is the only course.
The United Nations is the single organization capable of implementing a united effort. The United Nations is the single organization capable of organizing a united effort. As Secretary-General, you are in a position to influence its actions in this matter. I beg you to use that influence to see that relief supplies reach Darfur.
If the United Nations does not act aggressively to protect the people of Darfur, many people will wonder about its ability to respond effectively to issues of international concern. Please do not let that happen.
SAMLE LETTER TO THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR
Ambassador Wang Guangya
Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the UN
350 East 35th Street
New York, NY 10016
Dear Ambassador Wang Guangya:
I am writing to express my concern about the expulsion of aid workers in Darfur. Violence against women and girls still occurs, but now the thousands of refugees dependent on relief agencies face possible death by starvation.
What is happening there should not be tolerated by the international community. The world let down the people of Rwanda, and to let it happen again in Sudan is unforgivable.
The Chinese government is especially capable of playing a major role in the solution to this problem because of your ties with Khartoum. I urge you to appeal to your government to take action to help ensure that more people do not die of starvation. Your great nation should be the leader of the efforts to end the suffering in Darfur,
I urge it to take such a role.
SAMPLE LETTER TO ADMINISTRATION FIGURES
I am writing to express my concern about the expulsion of aid workers in Darfur. Violence against women and girls still occurs, but now the thousands of refugees dependent on relief agencies face possible death by starvation.
What is happening there should not be tolerated by the international community. The world let down the people of Rwanda, and to let it happen again in Sudan is unforgivable.
I know that Congress and the administration have many pressing concerns, but we can never reclaim our moral leadership in the world, if we don’t do all that is possible to prevent thousands of additional deaths among the peoples of Darfur.
For address labels in Word click labels.doc
OTHER ISSUES YOU MAY WANT TO PURSUE
SUFFICIENT TROOPS NOW TO STOP THE ATROCITIES:
Despite recent agreements to allow peacekeeping troops, innocent civilians continue to die. Troops in sufficient numbers are needed immediately to protect humanitarian aid workers delivering the essentials of life to Darfur émigrés and residents. Aid can only reach some of the refugee camps, and nothing can be done to help or protect those who have not been able to make it into camps.
Civilians also need protection. Right now there is not adequate funding available to send even the 17,000 troops and 5,500 police, agreed to by Sudan. In addition, bickering continues about the details of deployment, while the atrocities continue.
This has to be a multinational effort, preferably by the UN and the African Union in concert with the US and/or European Union or Arab League. All these entities should be made aware of world concern and impatience.
DELAYS IN IMPLEMENTING RECENT AGREEMENTS:
On each occasion that the UN has decided to act, Sudan has professed a sincere intention to cooperate, only to throw up obstacles when the focus of world opinion has shifted elsewhere. The current agreement is actually weaker in some ways than a similar resolution passed in August 2006. Most notably, a 2006 provision allowing UN troops to seize illegal weapons has been dropped and replaced by a weak monitoring role.
FUNDING FOR THE PEACEKEEPING TROOPS:
As of June, 2007, the US was $569 million in permanent arrears to the United Nations for UN peacekeeping efforts. Other countries have also failed to meet their obligations in this area.
HUMANITARIAN AID:
You may give directly to UMCOR Advance Fund #184385 or to World Vision (PO Box 70157, Tacoma, WA 98481), where your contribution will be tripled by grant monies. However,it is also important to lobby our government and the UN for more spending on humanitarian aid in addition to the funding for peacekeeping efforts.
ARMS EMBARGO:
In its report, Amnesty calls on the UN Security Council to strengthen the arms embargo on Darfur, which was extended in March 2005 to cover all parties.
However, Amnesty now says it wants a list made of all items prohibited for transfer and for UN personnel to be stationed at all ports of entry in Sudan.
Amnesty also wants all UN states to suspend the transfer of any arms and ammunition likely to be used by the parties in Darfur.
GETTING ALL SIDES TO AGREE TO A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT
All international parties recognize that violence can never end permanently without all parties being willing to negotiate. Pressure must be constant on every faction in this bloody quagmire.
HOLDING ALL ACCOUNTABLE FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY:
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for some individuals accused of crimes against humanity in Darfur, but Sudan has vowed never to hand them over.
Such crimes can never be stopped if individuals are not punished for committing them. People need to pressure all governments capable of satellite surveillance in the area to cooperate in obtaining documentation of the atrocities continuing to happen in Darfur.
POPULAR PRESSURE ON CHINA:
China has great economic leverage in Sudan and yet opposes strong sanctions or effective arms embargoes. However, China is concerned about its image, because of possible boycotts against Chinese goods and/or the Olympics held there. They need to know that Darfur is something about which Americans feel passionately, and we are not willing to wait until after the Olympics for a solution.
DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE ON EGYPT BY THE US:
Egypt has the greatest influence with its neighbor, but analysts say it is leery of pushing Khartoum for fear of jeopardizing access to Nile River water and because of Arab sentiment against outside interference in the region. Experts say the US government is reluctant to pressure Egypt too strongly because it needs Egyptian help elsewhere.
OTHER WAYS TO SPEAK OUT
Letters to the editor and other media outlets can be effective in molding public opinion. Where available, phone numbers and email addresses are given below, in case you would rather call or email.
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
UN Headquarters
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
Ambassador Wang Guangya
Chinese Mission to the UN
350 East 35th Street,
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-655-6100
Fax: 212-634-7626
E-mail: chinamission_un@fmprc.gov.cn
Ambassador Mr. Jean-Marc de La Sabliere
French Mission to the UN,
Press Office,
245 East 47th Street,
New York, NY 10017, USA
Telephone: (1) 212 308 5700
Fax: (1) 212 355 276
Ambassador Vita1y Churkin
Russian Mission to the UN
136 East 67 Street,
New York, N.Y. 10021
Phone: 1 (212)861-4900
FAX: 1(212)628-0252;
E-mail: rusun@un.int
Sir Emyr Jones Parry
UK Mission to the UN
One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
885 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Telephone number: + 1-212-745-9200
Fax number: + 1-212-745-9316
Email: General Enquiries - uk@un.int
Ambassador Yukio Takasu
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
866 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-223-4300
H.E. Ambassador Le Luong Minh,
Permanent Mission of Viet Nam,
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 435.
New York, NY 10017. USA
Tel: 212 - 644 - 0594 / 0831 Fax: 212 - 644 - 5732
Email: info@vietnam-un.org
Ambassador. Ibrahim O.A. Dabbashi
The Permanent Mission of
Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
to the United Nations
309 East 48 street
New York, NY, 10017, USA
Phone: +1-212-752-5775
Fax: + 1-212-593-4787
Embajador Claude Heller,
Representante Permanente de México ante Naciones Unidas
Two United Nations Plaza 28th Floor,
New York, NY 10017
Phone ; (212) 752.0220
FAX: (212) 688.8862
Email: mexico@un.int
S.E Sr. Jorge Urbina
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative
Mission of Costa Rica
211 East 43rd Street
Room 903
New York, NY 10017
Phone 1-212-986-6373/ 74
Fax: 1-212-986-6842
e-mail: misioncostaricaun@yahoo.com
Amassador Baki İlkin,
Ambassador and Permanent Representative
The Turkish Mission to the UN
821 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017
Tel: (1-212) 949 0150
Email: turkey@un.int
Ambassador H.E. Neven Jurica
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the UN
820 Second Avenue, 19th Fl.
New York, N.Y. 10017
U. S. A.
Phone: 001 212 986 1585
Fax: 001 212 986 2011
cromiss.un@mvpei.hr
H.E. Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting,
Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations
600 Third Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (917) 542-8400
Telefax: (212) 949-1840
E-mail: austria@un.int
Website: www.un.int/austria
H.E. Ambassador Michel Kafendo
Permanent Mission of Burkina Faso to the United Nations
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 326/327A, New York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 308-4720/4721
Telefax: (212) 308-4690
E-mail: bfapm@un.int
Correspondence: French
Ambassador Dr Ruhakana Rugunda
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uganda to the United Nations
336 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 949-0110/0111/0112/0113
Telefax: (212) 687-4517
Ambassador Susan Rice
US Mission to the UN
140 East 45th Street
New York, N.Y 10017
Press inquiries and opinions: 212-415-4050
Fax: 212-415-4053
Email: usa@un.int
AFRICAN UNION
Tel: +251 1 51-7700
Fax: +251 1 512622/3036
Postal Address:
The African Union Commission
PO Box 3243
Addis-Ababa
Ethiopia
Spokesman of the African Union for Darfur
Mr. Assane Ba
Contact Tel in Abuja:+234 803 62697 18
EUROPEAN UNION
Josee Manuel Barroso
European Union
Rue de la Loi 200
1049 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: (32-2) 299 11 11
Fax: (32-2) 295 0138
http://www.europa..eu.int
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD
Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121
E-Mail: comments@whitehouse.gov.
Communications With Other Federal Government Agencies:
USA.gov is the official U.S. gateway to all government information and addresses
US SENATORS FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Senator Richard Burr- (R - NC)
217 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3154
Web Form: burr.senate.gov/index. cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
Senator Kay R. Hagan
Democrat - North Carolina
B40A DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON DC 20510
DC Phone: 202-224-6342
E-mail: Senator_Hagan@hagan.senate.gov
*Please note underscore (_) between Senator and Hagan (Senator_Hagan@hagan.senate.gov).
Raleigh Senate Office
310 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-856-4630
US REPRESENTATIVES IN RALEIGH
Representative Brad Miller
US House of Representatives
1722 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
(Mention his recent trip to Darfur )
(202) 225-3032 office
(202) 225-0181 fax
TOLL FREE: BRAD HELPS (877) 272-3435
DISTRICT OFFICES
1300 St. Mary's Street, Suite 504
Raleigh, NC 27605
(919) 836-1313 office
(919) 836-1314 fax
Representative David Price
U.S. House of Representatives
2162 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202.225.1784
Fax: 202.225.2014
DISTRICT OFFICE
5400 Trinity Road Suite 205
Raleigh, NC 27607
Phone: 919.859.5999
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
Rep. Nancy Pelosi
Office of the Speaker
H-232, US Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-0100
http:// speaker. house. gov / contact/
SECRETARY OF STATE
Secretary Hillary Clinton
US. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000
US SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
Chairman
Senator John F. Kerry
United States Senate
218 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2102
DC Phone:
202-224-2742
DC Fax:
202-224-8525
Ranking Member
Sen. Richard G.Lugar
448 Russell Building
Washington D.C., 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2823
Fax: (202) 224-1083
For address labels in Word click labels.doc
TELL FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
Direct people you think would be interested to this website. For those less computer-oriented, hand out copies of our bulletin inserts given below:

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