Sudan Liberation Movement inside the Scotland Parliament

Sudan Liberation Movement inside the Scotland Parliament

In a sustained effort and planned struggle to explain the just cause of Darfur and project facts before decision-makers, SLM chapter senior officials in Scotland; Mr. Alhadi Abdullah Abudafair, chairman and Mr. Al-Rabae Adam Ezaldeen, Secretary-General and Mr. Nur Eldin Abdullah khalil, SLM chapter spokesman conferred with a group of parliament deputies and decision-makers whom they briefed on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Darfur, absence of security and the regime of Khartoum non-compliance with the UNSC Resolution 1706 to protect the innocent civilians. They have touched on the regime defiant conduct indicates the continuation of its ethnic cleansing policy which will worsen the situation especially following the expulsion of Mr. Pronk, UN special representative to Sudan.

The SLM officials urged the deputies and decision-makers to exercise further pressure on the international community to put into effect the UNSCR 1706 and accelerate the deployment of international forces to protect the people of Darfur and live up to its obligations toward the people of Darfur.


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Sudan Liberation Movement in Scotland in a political symposium

Mr. Alhadi Abdullah Abudafair, chairman of SLM chapter in Scotland in a political symposium organized at Quality hotel in Glasgow city addressed a large audience of citizens, representatives of political parties and students’ unions. The event took place with the presence of Mr. Al-Rabae Adam Ezaldeen, SLM chapter Secretary-General and Mr., President of the Union of the People of Darfur in Scotland. It’s worth mentioning that the symposium was organized by the Scotland Social Party (Solidarity) and SLM chapter participated in response to official invitation extended to it by the organizers in solidarity with the people of Darfur.

We have strongly reiterated that we are resolved to stay the course to fully restore the rights of our people and establish justice, democracy and freedoms. Moreover, we will avail any political, cultural and social platform to cast lights on the just cause of the people of Darfur who have suffered a lot from war, displacement and genocide carried out by the national conference regime and its militias.

The Glasgow university students’ union has extended its invitation to the SLM chapter’s executive staff to reflect the crisis in Darfur, the SLM vision as well as its instruments to resolve the problem in Darfur. We will make that information available soon.

Long live and victory to our revolution.
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Sudan Liberation Movement in a huge protest

In a remarkable day filled with vivid activities, SLM chapter chairman, secretary-general and spokesman in Scotland participated, in response to official invitation from the organizing entities, in a huge protest organized by Glasgow Campaign To Welcome Refugees. They availed that opportunity to speak to various media and press organizations on the plight of Darfur.

SUDAN: Government still seeking military solution in Darfur, Pronk says

SUDAN: Government still seeking military solution in Darfur, Pronk says

NEW YORK, 30 Oct 2006 (IRIN) - In his briefing to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, the UN’s top official in Sudan, Jan Pronk, highlighted the government’s gross violations of the Darfur Peace Agreement and stressed that Sudan was still looking for a military solution to the deepening crisis. Pronk added that his ongoing criticism of the Sudanese government’s decision to seek a military solution, having signed a ceasefire agreement, had prompted his expulsion from his position of UN Special Representative for the Secretary-General in Sudan. "The government is mobilising more and more forces in the region, amongst others, those coming from the south. Security Council resolutions forbidding offensive air operations are being neglected," he told council members in what he characterised as "probably" his last briefing to the council. To illustrate, Pronk cited a meeting he had held with rebel commanders in Birmaza, where he implored leaders to stop looting aid vehicles, and to stop attacking the African Union Mission (AMIS), which is in Darfur until the end of December. "Now that the UN is giving support to AMIS, I will consider any attack on AMIS an attack on the UN," he told the rebels. They immediately undertook not to attack government troops, but were bombed by the Sudanese government air force within 14 hours of his departure. "I consider this characteristic of the present attitude," he said.The 7,500-strong AMIS force had its mandate extended until December 2006 by the AU Peace and Security Commission, as the Sudanese government has continually refused to accept UN peacekeepers in the region, even after a council resolution was adopted calling for UN troop deployment.UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jean-Marie Guehenno, also briefed the council and spoke to reporters on the continuing UN efforts to strengthen AMIS."There has to be a political process, and the United Nations stands ready to engage as it has done, to engage further to promote the political process in Darfur and support the efforts of the African Union," said Guehenno.During consultations, the council discussed the fear that the situation in Darfur would spill over to other parts of the region, including eastern Chad. Guehenno announced an upcoming UN mission to Chad and the Central African Republic to see what could be done to help more than 50,000 internally displaced people and 200,000 refugees in eastern Chad alone."We are looking at ways in which a peace operation could prevent the tragedy of Darfur from expanding further [to create] a bigger tragedy in Chad and the Central African Republic," said Guehenno.Pronk, who was also concerned about the possible regional impact of Darfur, had been asked to leave Sudan by the government on 22 October due to his web-blog comments, in which he characterised the Sudanese armed forces as having low morale and indicated that the forces had recently lost several battles.Addressing reporters after the council meeting, Pronk said he believed the government’s decision to expel him was due to his criticisms "of the fact that the government continued to fight, to seek a military solution, despite the fact a ceasefire agreement had been signed; despite the fact that the DPA [Darfur Peace Agreement] had been signed", adding that he was also critical of the ceasefire violations of the rebel movement. "My incessant criticism of this was the reason for them to silence me," he added. "I have one request for the council. Please stay alert and remain attuned. After all the sorrow in Sudan, in the south as well as in Darfur, the people over there, neglected and oppressed for decades, should not be forgotten in the turbulence of other world affairs. They are counting on you," he concluded.Stéphane Dujarric, UN spokesman, outlined plans for Pronk’s return. "Following ongoing consultations with the Sudanese authorities, it is expected that Mr Pronk will return to Khartoum during November to organise an orderly handover to the officer in charge of the UN mission before returning to New York for debriefings and the completion of his mission," he said. When asked whether the UN had received an official response from the Sudan government, Dujarric said, "We do not expect any problems with the scenario that has been laid out." No official date has been set yet for his trip.Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem, however, denied this, saying: "This issue for us is over and we are not backtracking from our decision; no arrangement was worked out with us," he said. "People should really respect our sovereign position."

Sudanese First Vice-President to London Sunday

Sudanese First Vice-President to London Sunday

Oct 30, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Sudanese First vice-president will start one-week visit to the United Kingdom where he is expected to hold talks about peace implementation and Darfur crisis.
The First Vice - President and President of Government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayadrit, is due to leave Sunday for London on a several-day visit to Britain.
Kiir would meet in London with the Prime Minister Tony Blair, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and International Development Secretary Hilary Benn.
Kiir is expected to discuss implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed between the SPLM and the Sudanese government in January 2005. The question of the pledged international aid to southern Sudan construction will be debated with British official.
Sources indicated that Tony Blair is eager to discuss Darfur crisis with the Sudanese First Vice President who has a different stance on UN forces deployment in Darfur.
Salva Kiir will hold a meeting with the Sudanese community in Britain.
The visit is the first of its kind since assuming his post.
Chad says Sudan airforce bombards eastern towns

Oct30, 2006 (N’DJAMENA) — Chad on Saturday accused Sudan’s air force of bombarding four towns along its eastern frontier and said its armed forces were ready to repel further attacks.
President Idriss Deby’s government said Sudan on Friday bombed the towns of Bahai, Tine, Karyari and Bamina, destroying homes and sowing panic among residents. It did not give any information on casualties.
"The government expects the African Union ... and the United Nations to condemn this bombardment of peaceful Chadian citizens and for them to work to stop the repeated Sudanese attacks against Chad," a statement from the government spokesman Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor said.
"In the face of this escalation of Sudanese aggression, all necessary steps have been taken to permit security and defence forces to carry out their responsibilities," he added.
The accusation came only days after Chad accused Sudan of backing an incursion this week by a heavily-armed rebel convoy deep into its territory.
The rebels of the newly-formed Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) briefly seized two towns as they penetrated into central Chad, before retreating eastward. The government says they have sought refuge in Sudan.

Darfur Peace & Development Organization

Darfur Peace & Development Organization
For Immediate Release:

Since the Darfur crisis erupted in 2003, the Government of Sudan, the perpetrator of genocide, has been concealing crimes they and their proxy militia have committed against the people of Darfur. The international community has adopted several resolutions for deploying peacekeeping forces to Darfur, however Sudan's ruling party shaped the mandate and the mission of the African Union Forces in its favor. The government continues to oppose all efforts to resolved the Darfur crisis, with the intention to continue criminal activity to achieve its goals, its so-called "civilization projects" that were planned nearly two decades ago. All people in Darfur are counting on the United Nations for protection and advocacy on their behalf. The UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Sudan, Mr. Jan Pronk has been expelled from the country. The regime has thus deprived the international community of a dependable communications link. US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice stated clearly to the government of Sudan: cooperate or face confrontation. Unfortunately, Sudan's regime has chosen confrontation with the United Nations, the very organization that provides many kinds of support for the Darfur people. Darfur Peace and Development condemns this unwise behavior of the Government of Sudan. The United Nations now has no choice but to lift its will and exert its power against Sudan's government -- including economic embargoes and targeted sanctions against Sudanese leaders. United Nation must send troops to Darfur. And the people of Darfur are again caught in the crossfire.

Expelled UN envoy to Sudan to be replaced by deputy

Expelled UN envoy to Sudan to be replaced by deputy
Oct 28, 2006 (UNITED NATIONS) — The top U.N. special envoy to Sudan will be replaced by his deputy when his contract expires at the end of the year, a U.N. spokesman said Friday, days after the diplomat was ordered to leave Sudan because of postings on his Web blog.
Jan Pronk, who was to address the U.N. Security Council later Friday about the situation in the violence-plagued Darfur region of Sudan, was expected to return to Khartoum next month to organize the handover, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Dujarric said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan still has full confidence in Pronk, the U.N.’s special representative in Sudan for more than two years.
"However, he also realizes that at a critical time in the Darfur negotiations, it is important that we preserve a good working relationship with the government of Sudan," Dujarric said at a news conference.
On Sunday, the government gave Pronk three days to leave after he accused the Sudanese army of mobilizing Arab militias in the Darfur region following heavy losses in recent fighting with rebels.
The Sudanese military denounced Pronk’s allegations, branding them " psychological warfare against the Sudanese army," claiming he had demonstrated " enmity to the Sudanese government and the armed forces."
Earlier this week in the Netherlands, Pronk said he had merely repeated details on his Web blog that he had read in a local newspaper.
Pronk said he had offended elements within the Sudanese government "who continue to seek a military solution and don’t want anybody peering over their shoulders."
The order for Pronk to leave heightened a dispute between the U.N. and the Khartoum government over peacekeeping in Darfur. Sudan has refused to allow U.N. peacekeepers to replace a poorly equipped African Union force that has been unable to halt escalating violence in the vast western region.
Violence has risen dramatically in recent weeks in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in more than three years of fighting.
(AP)

Sudanese ambassador: U.N. envoy 'abused his authority'

Sudanese ambassador: U.N. envoy 'abused his authority'
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The Sudanese ambassador to the United Nations lambasted the body's chief envoy to Sudan on Thursday for insulting the country's government and army on a Web blog.
"He abused his authority, his mandate," Abdalmahmood Mohamad said of envoy Jan Pronk.
Pronk "was not faithful to the mandate of the United Nations," Mohamad said. "He lost his impartiality and integrity in the country. He became part of the problem rather than the solution.
"For all these reasons, he left the government with no other choice but to ask for his replacement," Mohamad added.
Mohamad met with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday.
On Sunday, the Sudanese government gave Pronk 72 hours to leave the country after he criticized Khartoum as well as rebel groups on his blog. (Full story)
Pronk has sharply criticized the Arab-dominated Sudanese government, which unleashed Arab militias known as Janjaweed into Darfur about three years ago. The Janjaweed are accused of systematically raping women and killing scores of non-Arab in villages throughout Sudan.
On Monday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Sudan's decision to expel Pronk "unfortunate in the extreme."
The Bush administration has labeled the crisis a genocide.
"The plight of the people in Darfur is the making of the Sudanese," Pronk told CNN Correspondent Jeff Koinange in an interview Wednesday. "The people have been forgotten, neglected, marginalized. The government is responsible for using the army and Arab militia, which kill and kill and do not abide by any rule, let alone human rights rules."
Pronk drew sharp criticism from the Sudanese military this month after blogging that government forces had suffered serious losses recently at the hands of rebels in Darfur.
In an October 14 blog entry, Pronk wrote: "First, the SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] has lost two major battles -- last month in Umm Sidir and this week in Karakaya. The losses seem to have been very high. Reports speak about hundreds of casualties in each of the two battles with many wounded and many taken as prisoner."
"The morale in the government army in North Darfur has gone down. Some generals have been [fired]; soldiers have refused to fight," the Dutch diplomat said.
On Thursday, Mohamad said Pronk was not truthful about the army, saying that Pronk relied on unverified third party accounts.
Pronk was sent to Sudan to try to convince the government and rebel factions to comply with a peace agreement signed about five months ago.
A U.N. resolution approved August 31 authorized the creation of a more robust, better-equipped U.N. peacekeeping mission. But Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has refused to accept such a force, saying it would violate his country's sovereignty.
Pronk has urged countries to push for a prolonged and beefed-up African Union force.
An estimated 200,000 Sudanese have been killed and more than 2 million displaced in the Darfur province in western Sudan since the conflict began, according to the United Nations. An African Union peacekeeping force has been unable to stop the violence.
"More than 2 million people in camps. You can say that Darfur has been cleansed," Pronk said in the CNN interview. "The international community took action too little and too late."
He added: "For many people, it is too late. They cannot be salvaged anymore because they have been killed, they have raped, atrocities have taken place with impunity in this part of the country."

Pronk still envoy to Sudan despite explusion- UN

Pronk still envoy to Sudan despite explusion- UN
Oct 23, 2006 (UNITED NATIONS) — U.N. envoy Jan Pronk, who angered the Sudanese government by saying morale was low in the army, enjoys Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s full confidence despite a government order that he quickly leave the troubled African country, the United Nations said on Monday.
Sudanese Foreign Ministry officials told Pronk on Sunday that the government considered that his mission was over and he had 72 hours to leave the country. He was headed back to New York as of Monday.
The order came after he posted comments on his Web log (www.janpronk.nl) stating that the army’s morale was low after suffering two major defeats in the violent Darfur region.
But chief U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, speaking at U.N. headquarters, said Pronk had only been called to New York for discussions and "continues to be the special representative of the secretary-general."
Pronk still serves "with the full support of the secretary-general," Dujarric said. "As far as we are concerned, his status remains unchanged."
Pronk’s latest blog entry said Darfur rebels had beaten the army in two major battles in the last two months. He said generals had been sacked, morale was low and soldiers were refusing to fight in North Darfur.
Dujarric would not say whether the incident had complicated efforts to move a U.N. peacekeeping force into Darfur to replace a smaller, ill-equipped African Union force now there.
He also would not say whether Annan had spoken to Pronk about the contents of his blog or whether rules were needed to limit what U.N. staff can say on personal blogs.
Annan "has fairly liberal rules in terms of staff members being able to write or speak freely, but obviously they need to exercise the proper judgment in doing so," Dujarric said.
Pronk, 66, a former Netherlands cabinet minister and member of parliament, was named the U.N. special representative for Sudan in June 2004.
He is known in Sudan for dedication to his job but also for his blunt comments, which irked some parties. He has been outspoken about Sudan’s refusal to allow the U.N. force into Darfur despite mounting violence in recent months.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in Washington, called the expulsion order "unfortunate in the extreme" while Kent Dagerfeld, the European Union ambassador in Sudan, urged the government to reconsider its decision.
U.N. peacekeeping officials were meeting Sudan’s U.N. ambassador later on Monday and Pronk was expected to brief the U.N. Security Council on the expulsion order on Wednesday.
(Reuters)

Mr, alrabae adam ezaldeen

Mr, alrabae adam ezaldeen
Asking un and us to Help stop the genocide in Darfur!

Every day, the 2.5 million people chased from their homes in Darfur face the threat of starvation, disease, and rape, while the few lucky enough to remain in their homes risk displacement, torture, and murder. Therefore, I call on you to do the following:

1. Push for the immediate deployment of the already-authorized UN peacekeeping force.

2. Strengthen the understaffed African Union force already in Darfur until the UN force can be deployed.

3. Implement a fair and lasting Peace Agreement.

4. Increase humanitarian aid and ensure access for delivery.

Rift between UN, Sudan deepens with envoy's expulsion

Rift between UN, Sudan deepens with envoy's expulsion

Jan Pronk flew out of Khartoum yesterday following his expulsion by the Sudanese government that effectively ended his two-year stint as United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan's special representative.
Pronk's expulsion deepens the rift between President Umar al-Bashir's government and the international community over demands that Sudan allow UN peacekeepers into Darfur to help halt violence that has killed as many as 200,000 people and driven two million more from their homes.
"It's looking increasingly grim how Sudan and the UN can patch this up," Anoushka Marashlian, Middle East analyst at Global Insight, a consultant and forecasting company, said today in a telephone interview from London.

Britain slams expulsion of UN envoy from Sudan

Britain slams expulsion of UN envoy from Sudan
Oct 24, 2006 (LONDON) — Britain government on Sunday expressed condemnation of Sudan’s request for United Nations envoy Jan Pronk to leave the country, describing the step as "counter-productive".
Lord Triesman, FCO Minister with responsibility for Africa, today condemned the announcement by the Government of Sudan that they were expelling the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the country.
He said "The British Government condemns the decision to expel the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Sudan. This step is counter-productive and will contribute nothing to solving the problems of Sudan. I call upon the Government of Sudan to reconsider its decision."
The Sudanese government Sunday ordered the chief U.N. envoy to leave the country within three days after he wrote that the Sudanese army had suffered serious losses in fighting with rebels in northern Darfur.
Pronk said in a press statement issued in Khartoum that the Sudanese foreign ministry informed him that his “mission as Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Sudan terminated” and that he is “requested to leave the territory of the Republic of the Sudan within 72 hours effective 12:00 noon of Sunday 22 October 2006.
Sudan’s government has been at odds with Pronk over Western efforts to get Sudan to allow a U.N. force of 20,000 troops to take over peacekeeping in Darfur — a move President Omar al-Bashir has flatly rejected as a bid to restore colonial rule.
Tension between the government and Pronk escalated after he wrote in his personal Web blog this month that Sudanese army losses in recent fighting in northern Darfur "seem to have been very high."
(ST)

Holocaust Survivors Call For Help In Darfur

Holocaust Survivors Call For Help In Darfur

Survivors of the Holocaust along with survivors of genocide in Rwanda, Cambodia and Bosnia are calling upon the European Union to help end the violence in Darfur. The call for help is backed by six aid agencies but the EU’s response was that they can only send peacekeeping forces and the Sudanese government refuses to allow such a group into Darfur. Thus far, African military has been unable to end the violence which has caused around 2 million people to flee their homes since 2003. According to a BBC report, ‘Studies estimate at least 200,000 people have died during the conflict, in which pro-government Arab militias are accused of committing a genocide against Darfur’s black African population.’
Darfur is suffering death at the hands of pro-government Arab militias who are killing the black Africans. Sudan claims that reports are exaggerated, much in the way that Germany and Hitler denied the Holocaust. Mean while, it seems the world is standing by allowing yet another mass genocide unfold in Africa. Additionally, news reports leave many wondering what exactly is the genocide in Darfur?
With most of Darfur’s population being Muslim, strong opposition has arisen in the area between the Muslim and African populations. The Sudanese government has stated that it will view European Union or United Nations peace-keeping intervention as, ‘foreign invaders’ even in the midst of death toll predictions that range anywhere from 50,000 to 400,000, with the later being the number most human rights and humanitarian groups believe to be true. Critics (including the Coalition for International Justice) blame a lack of world response in the form of insufficient funds and insufficient equipment. After all, since when has a rogue government’s decree that no help be allowed in, stopped nations such has the U.S. from intervening?
There undoubtedly exists an alarming crisis in Darfur which cannot stand to be ignored any longer. UNICEF calls the on-going deaths there, ‘senseless’ and calls for a stop of fighting from both sides. It seems there is little hope of either side giving up, while innocent families and more so, children, are lost in a war without an end.

UN suspends repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Uganda

The UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday temporarily suspended repatriation of southern Sudanese from Uganda following the killing of at least 38 civilians in a string of attacks in southern Sudan.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, the UNHCR said it "Friday temporarily suspended return convoys from northern Uganda to southern Sudan following reports on Thursday that unknown gunmen killed at least 38 civilians in a string of attacks in southern Sudan."
"We will be monitoring the security situation closely before deciding when to resume the repatriation convoys," the statement said.
The Ugandan army confirmed that people were killed in a series of ambushes mounted by gunmen on the wooded roads of southern Sudan, prompting the Ugandan government to halt all traffic destined to the vast region. The Ugandan government blamed LRA guerrillas for the attacks.
Since last December, UNHCR has voluntarily repatriated 14,000 southern Sudanese from neighboring countries, including 4,500 from Uganda.
The signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January 2005 ended 21 years of war in the southern Sudan and paved the way for the return of millions of internally displaced people and refugees in surrounding countries.
Source: Xinhua

Darfur Sun

McGovern urges student involvement in battle against genocideU.S. Rep. James McGovern talks about genocide in Dafur at Dean College in Franklin yesterday. (Rick Holland photo)FRANKLIN -- It is this generation’s Holocaust, according to U.S. Rep. James McGovern, but he says it remains a struggle to get the world to wake up to the genocide which has claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people in the Dafur region of Sudan -- Africa’s largest country.

"The only way things will change (in Darfur) is if we demand that things change," McGovern told a group of about 50 Dean College students and faculty yesterday. "This horror is not going to end on its own."

McGovern, D-3rd, has been an outspoken voice in drawing attention to the civil war between the Sudanese military dictatorship government, and rebel forces which got their start in Darfur, staging an uprising from the region in 2004.

The fighting has caused as many as 2.5 million refugees to either be chased or evicted from their homes, has led to huge migrations and the creation of makeshift tent cities with populations of 120,000 in some cases.

The congressman said his young children, ages five and eight, will learn about world history over time. Part of his motivation to become involved in defeating the genocide in Sudan, he said, was being able to have an answer for his children when they get older.

"It’s not too far of a stretch to imagine them asking me, ’Dad, what did you do when you saw the genocide against the people of Darfur?’" McGovern said. "And I want to be able to tell them I did something."

Sharing recommendations for actions needed to address what he called the "greatest human rights crisis of our time," McGovern said 7,000 African Union peacekeeping troops covering an area the size of France, must have their mission extended past a Dec. 31 pullout deadline.

He also said despite the Sudanese government’s resistance to the idea, 20,000 similar peacekeeping forces, assembled by the United Nations, should be deployed immediately.

"Once those troops leave, all hell’s going to break loose, even worse than it is now," McGovern said.

Additional humanitarian aid and the imposition of a no-fly zone over Sudan were other steps McGovern said should be taken without delay.

He acknowledged, however, that it has been tough to gain traction at a time when the primary foreign affairs focus is on the war in Iraq. As a way to keep attention on the atrocities being committed in Darfur, McGovern described his civil disobedience arrest last spring, after he refused to leave the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and was temporarily jailed for doing so.

Yet he said he was joined in the protest by only three other members of Congress. Meanwhile, the front page of McGovern’s own Web site does not mention Sudan or Darfur.

"We could all be doing more to fight this," he said.

He was also critical of the world’s tepid response to the crisis in Sudan. "It really says something about the lack of political will in the world," McGovern said. Closer to home, he said a shrugged shoulders response from Americans was a betrayal of the national conscience.

"If (the genocide) is allowed to continue, we should remove the words ’never again’ from the Holocaust Museum," McGovern said.

On a more hopeful note, McGovern told his audience yesterday that individual actions could make a difference. He noted that the will of the people had brought an end to conflicts such as the Vietnam War and the practice of apartheid in South Africa.

"If I can leave here with one message, it’s to join in this effort," McGovern said, before directing people who want to learn more to the Web site www.savedarfur.org.

His comments appeared to have an effect on students after the presentation yesterday. While she directed questions to McGovern about domestic issues, Nicole Consigli, the college’s Student Government Association president, said the congressman’s visit had helped her appreciate needs on a global scale.

"He helped me see that it’s really up to us, people in my generation, to take the initiative to get involved if we’re going to change the world," Consigli said.

Rick Holland can be reached at rholland@cnc.com or 508-634-7505.

Darfur Sun

McGovern urges student involvement in battle against genocideU.S. Rep. James McGovern talks about genocide in Dafur at Dean College in Franklin yesterday. (Rick Holland photo)FRANKLIN -- It is this generation’s Holocaust, according to U.S. Rep. James McGovern, but he says it remains a struggle to get the world to wake up to the genocide which has claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people in the Dafur region of Sudan -- Africa’s largest country.

"The only way things will change (in Darfur) is if we demand that things change," McGovern told a group of about 50 Dean College students and faculty yesterday. "This horror is not going to end on its own."

McGovern, D-3rd, has been an outspoken voice in drawing attention to the civil war between the Sudanese military dictatorship government, and rebel forces which got their start in Darfur, staging an uprising from the region in 2004.

The fighting has caused as many as 2.5 million refugees to either be chased or evicted from their homes, has led to huge migrations and the creation of makeshift tent cities with populations of 120,000 in some cases.

The congressman said his young children, ages five and eight, will learn about world history over time. Part of his motivation to become involved in defeating the genocide in Sudan, he said, was being able to have an answer for his children when they get older.

"It’s not too far of a stretch to imagine them asking me, ’Dad, what did you do when you saw the genocide against the people of Darfur?’" McGovern said. "And I want to be able to tell them I did something."

Sharing recommendations for actions needed to address what he called the "greatest human rights crisis of our time," McGovern said 7,000 African Union peacekeeping troops covering an area the size of France, must have their mission extended past a Dec. 31 pullout deadline.

He also said despite the Sudanese government’s resistance to the idea, 20,000 similar peacekeeping forces, assembled by the United Nations, should be deployed immediately.

"Once those troops leave, all hell’s going to break loose, even worse than it is now," McGovern said.

Additional humanitarian aid and the imposition of a no-fly zone over Sudan were other steps McGovern said should be taken without delay.

He acknowledged, however, that it has been tough to gain traction at a time when the primary foreign affairs focus is on the war in Iraq. As a way to keep attention on the atrocities being committed in Darfur, McGovern described his civil disobedience arrest last spring, after he refused to leave the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and was temporarily jailed for doing so.

Yet he said he was joined in the protest by only three other members of Congress. Meanwhile, the front page of McGovern’s own Web site does not mention Sudan or Darfur.

"We could all be doing more to fight this," he said.

He was also critical of the world’s tepid response to the crisis in Sudan. "It really says something about the lack of political will in the world," McGovern said. Closer to home, he said a shrugged shoulders response from Americans was a betrayal of the national conscience.

"If (the genocide) is allowed to continue, we should remove the words ’never again’ from the Holocaust Museum," McGovern said.

On a more hopeful note, McGovern told his audience yesterday that individual actions could make a difference. He noted that the will of the people had brought an end to conflicts such as the Vietnam War and the practice of apartheid in South Africa.

"If I can leave here with one message, it’s to join in this effort," McGovern said, before directing people who want to learn more to the Web site www.savedarfur.org.

His comments appeared to have an effect on students after the presentation yesterday. While she directed questions to McGovern about domestic issues, Nicole Consigli, the college’s Student Government Association president, said the congressman’s visit had helped her appreciate needs on a global scale.

"He helped me see that it’s really up to us, people in my generation, to take the initiative to get involved if we’re going to change the world," Consigli said.

Rick Holland can be reached at rholland@cnc.com or 508-634-7505.

McGovern urges student involvement in battle against genocide

McGovern urges student involvement in battle against genocideU.S. Rep. James McGovern talks about genocide in Dafur at Dean College in Franklin yesterday. (Rick Holland photo)FRANKLIN -- It is this generation’s Holocaust, according to U.S. Rep. James McGovern, but he says it remains a struggle to get the world to wake up to the genocide which has claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people in the Dafur region of Sudan -- Africa’s largest country.

"The only way things will change (in Darfur) is if we demand that things change," McGovern told a group of about 50 Dean College students and faculty yesterday. "This horror is not going to end on its own."

McGovern, D-3rd, has been an outspoken voice in drawing attention to the civil war between the Sudanese military dictatorship government, and rebel forces which got their start in Darfur, staging an uprising from the region in 2004.

The fighting has caused as many as 2.5 million refugees to either be chased or evicted from their homes, has led to huge migrations and the creation of makeshift tent cities with populations of 120,000 in some cases.

The congressman said his young children, ages five and eight, will learn about world history over time. Part of his motivation to become involved in defeating the genocide in Sudan, he said, was being able to have an answer for his children when they get older.

"It’s not too far of a stretch to imagine them asking me, ’Dad, what did you do when you saw the genocide against the people of Darfur?’" McGovern said. "And I want to be able to tell them I did something."

Sharing recommendations for actions needed to address what he called the "greatest human rights crisis of our time," McGovern said 7,000 African Union peacekeeping troops covering an area the size of France, must have their mission extended past a Dec. 31 pullout deadline.

He also said despite the Sudanese government’s resistance to the idea, 20,000 similar peacekeeping forces, assembled by the United Nations, should be deployed immediately.

"Once those troops leave, all hell’s going to break loose, even worse than it is now," McGovern said.

Additional humanitarian aid and the imposition of a no-fly zone over Sudan were other steps McGovern said should be taken without delay.

He acknowledged, however, that it has been tough to gain traction at a time when the primary foreign affairs focus is on the war in Iraq. As a way to keep attention on the atrocities being committed in Darfur, McGovern described his civil disobedience arrest last spring, after he refused to leave the Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., and was temporarily jailed for doing so.

Yet he said he was joined in the protest by only three other members of Congress. Meanwhile, the front page of McGovern’s own Web site does not mention Sudan or Darfur.

"We could all be doing more to fight this," he said.

He was also critical of the world’s tepid response to the crisis in Sudan. "It really says something about the lack of political will in the world," McGovern said. Closer to home, he said a shrugged shoulders response from Americans was a betrayal of the national conscience.

"If (the genocide) is allowed to continue, we should remove the words ’never again’ from the Holocaust Museum," McGovern said.

On a more hopeful note, McGovern told his audience yesterday that individual actions could make a difference. He noted that the will of the people had brought an end to conflicts such as the Vietnam War and the practice of apartheid in South Africa.

"If I can leave here with one message, it’s to join in this effort," McGovern said, before directing people who want to learn more to the Web site www.savedarfur.org.

His comments appeared to have an effect on students after the presentation yesterday. While she directed questions to McGovern about domestic issues, Nicole Consigli, the college’s Student Government Association president, said the congressman’s visit had helped her appreciate needs on a global scale.

"He helped me see that it’s really up to us, people in my generation, to take the initiative to get involved if we’re going to change the world," Consigli said.

Rick Holland can be reached at rholland@cnc.com or 508-634-7505.

Darfur Sun

Sudanese 'eyewitness to genocide' gets asylum
By Paula Reed Ward, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
At a hearing yesterday in U.S. Immigration Court, all Hashim Adam Mersal had to do to win political asylum was prove that he is who he says he is.
However, as a refugee from the violence-torn Darfur region of Sudan, that isn't as easy as it sounds.
The only verification of his identity that the 26-year-old has is a birth certificate and a citizenship paper that includes a picture of Mr. Mersal when he was 13 years old.
But those two documents, combined with an e-mail sent from a refugee camp in Sudan that states that Mr. Mersal's family members are there, convinced the U.S. government and the judge that the young man deserved asylum.
Provided the papers he submitted are authenticated by the government, Mr. Mersal will be permitted to stay in the United States.
He may be the first Darfur refugee in the United States to win asylum, said his attorney, Robert Whitehill.
"That's what makes this case important -- he was an eyewitness to the genocide," he said.
According to SaveDarfur.org, more than 400,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million have been chased from their homes during the past three years in that region of Africa.
The janjaweed -- or Arab militias working for the Sudanese government to rid the country of certain ethnic groups -- arrived in Mr. Mersal's village in August 2003. They ransacked the community of 25 families, raped the women and killed many men, including his father and brother, he said. After that, Mr. Mersal's mother asked her son to take the family's only valuable possession, its cattle, and walk them to safety. He walked for two days before crossing the border into Chad.
He spent two years there before coming to the United States on May 31, 2005, with a false diplomatic passport from Chad.
Mr. Mersal was arrested in July 2005 while driving with other Sudanese men on Interstate 80. He was charged with illegal entry into this country, a charge that has already been settled, Mr. Whitehill said.
From the outset of the three-hour hearing, the government's attorney, Ira Mazer, said he would not oppose Mr. Mersal's asylum if he truly is from Darfur.
"The government believes if you are truly Sudanese, and truly from the Darfur region, you deserve asylum," he said.
And the judge agreed.
"If he is who he says he is, he has an asylum grant," said Judge Miriam Mills.
Sometimes, though, Mr. Mazer said, people from other countries falsely claim to be from Darfur to gain asylum.
Mr. Mersal tried to prove he is a member of the Zaghawa tribe of Darfur by lifting his shirt to show the judge scars on his abdomen. He was cut with a knife as a child to denote his membership, he said.
Yesterday's hearing was conducted through televideo -- with the judge, interpreter and government attorney in Philadelphia. Only Mr. Mersal, Mr. Whitehill, and Khadra Mohammed, from the Pittsburgh Refugee Center, attended at the Department of Homeland Security's South Side location.
Mr. Mersal, who primarily speaks Zaghawa -- the language of his tribe -- spoke Arabic for the hearing.
Dressed in a black suit with a light green shirt unbuttoned at the collar, he spoke softly. He described to the court how he became a target of the militia.
"The government of Sudan is looking for me because I refused to be drafted," he said. "There's an ongoing genocide. I'm a black man from Zaghawa. We know what kind of fate awaits us."
At one point, he broke down crying. The judge called a brief recess.
Mr. Mersal told Judge Mills that he feared being returned to Sudan.
"I think I will be killed," he said. "We are aggrieved people. We are defenseless. Our houses were burned. Our women were raped."
He only recently learned that his 14 brothers and sisters and two mothers -- it is a polygamist society -- are in the Sudanese refugee camp. Mr. Whitehill said that he will be making an application with the U.S. government to have Mr. Mersal's family join him in this country, though he's unsure how long that process will take.
Mr. Mersal, who has not decided if he will make his home in Pittsburgh or in Fort Wayne, Ind., where there are about 17 Zaghawan families, plans to speak out against the genocide in Sudan and to try to raise awareness of it around the world

Comment on this programme

Comment on this programme
From Khartoum to Britain
On Newsnight this evening, we have a world exclusive interview with a former member of the Janjaweed who was involved in raids that massacred thousands of civilians.
He claims he was acting on orders from the Sudanese Government.
Our correspondent, Tim Whewell, visited him in the UK where he now lives and is seeking political asylum.
We ask the International Development Secretary Hilary Benn whether the Sudanese Government has been actively involved in war crimes and if so, what role they now have in determining whether an international force is deployed there.
Ethical holidays
Working tirelessly to live ethically can exhaust even the most energetic of men.
So - in need of a much deserved break - our ethical man, Justin Rowlatt, has turned his attention this week to the fraught issue of ethical holidays and flying.
He headed for the sun and beaches of Jamaica to explore the theory of carbon offsetting.
We hope to put his findings and discuss the future of the aviation industry with the environmentalist and co-founder of direct action group "Plane Stupid" and a representative from the aviation industry.
Click here to read more
NHS
In his monthly press briefing today Tony Blair predicted that there would be only "a few hundred" compulsory redundancies in the NHS this year, not the tens of thousands of job cuts claimed by the Conservatives.
Who's right? We'll be speaking to the Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.
Also tonight
How have you spent your day? Hundreds of thousands of people across the country have recorded their day's activities on the One Day in History website. We've been reading their blogs and will give you a snapshot of Britain today.

DARFUR HEROES: Santa Clara Univ Vigil & Fas

DARFUR HEROES: Santa Clara Univ Vigil & FasDarfur Tents Pitched At Santa Clara UniversitySANTA CLARA, Calif. (KCBS) -- This week many students plan to move from their warm dorm rooms into tents where they will fast to call attention to genocide on another continent.Sophomore Beth Tellman is one of the students who will occupy a replica of the tents being used by refugees fleeing from the violence in the Darfur region in eastern Sudan, where ethnic violence has claimed the lives of more than 200,000 and forced more than 1 million from their homes."It's not going to stop unless there is international outcry," Tellman told KCBS reporter Matt Bigler, "so part of that effort, we have to make ourselves aware, make our local community aware."President Bush has called for U.N. troops in the region, a measure opposed by another member of the Security Council, China, on grounds that it would violate Sudan's sovereignty. China is one of Sudan's largest oil customers.Tellman and the other students also plan to limit themselves to 1,000 calories a day while they sleep out on the campus green, trying to emulate the average diet of most Darfur refugees."It's going to be a hard week, but I'll get through it," she said, "with lots of coffee."The students plan to donate the money they would normally have spent on food to international relief organizations.Copyright 2006, KCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Janjaweed fight with direct support of Sudan

Janjaweed fight with direct support of Sudan
Oct 17, 2006 (LONDON) — The Janjaweed militia in Darfur are fighting with direct support and orders from Sudan’s government, a man claiming to be a former member has told the BBC.

Soldiers in a miltary unit calling themselves variously the Border Intelligence Division, Second Reconnaisance Brigade, or the Quick and the Horrible, also believed to form part of the Janjaweed militia, walk around the weekly animal market in Mistiria in North Darfur, Sudan, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004. Mistiria is the home town and base of Musa Hilal, the alleged coordinator of the militia known as the Janjaweed who have been accused of committing atrocities in the conflict in Darfur. AP.
"Ali" said he had taken part in attacks on Darfur villages after they had been bombed by the Sudanese air force.
He said he had seen ministers at training camps for the pro-government Arab militia.
Khartoum has always denied any links to the Janjaweed, who have been accused of war crimes against civilians in Darfur.
More than two million people have fled their homes during the three-year conflict.
’MILITARY UNIFORMS’
A man identified only as "Ali" told the BBC’s Newsnight programme that Sudanese ministers gave express orders for the activities of his unit, which included rape and killing children.
"The Janjaweed don’t make decisions. The orders always come from the government," he said.
"They gave us orders, and they say that after we are trained they will give us guns and ammunition."
"Ali" - who is now seeking asylum in Britain - said the men who had trained them were wearing the uniforms of the Sudanese military, adding that Interior Minister Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hussein was a "regular visitor".
The former fighter said the majority of the victims were civilians, mostly women, and also talked of "many rapes" committed by the Janjaweed.
"Whenever we go into a village and find resistance we kill everyone," he said, but denied that he personally killed or raped civilians.
Hilary Benn, a British government minister who visited Darfur on Monday, said the man’s evidence was "clearly very serious".
Mr Benn urged him to speak to investigators from the International Criminal Court.
KHARTOUM DENIALS
The conflict began in the arid and impoverished region after a rebel group began attacking government targets, saying the region was being neglected by Khartoum.
The rebels say the government is oppressing black Africans in favour of Arabs.
Khartoum has always denied backing the Arab militias, saying the problems in its rebel Darfur region are being exaggerated for political reasons. President Omar al-Bashir has called them "thieves and gangsters".
After strong international pressure and the threat of sanctions, the government promised to disarm the Janjaweed.
But so far there is little evidence this has happened.

Security Council may vote UN mandate for AU force in Darfur - report

Security Council may vote UN mandate for AU force in Darfur - report

Oct 18, 2006 (LONDON) — To break the current impasse caused by the Sudanese rejection of the deployment of the international troops in Darfur troubled region, the Security Council could adopt a mandate for the African Union peacekeepers in Darfur.
According to the Guardian, there are speculations on the possibility of a UN mandate for African Union troops or an "AU-Plus" plan of an increase in AU troops funded by western states.
Hilary Benn, UK Secretary of State for International Development,who returns from one day visit to Khartoum told the Guardian "Once we get beyond the end of this month we’ll have to consider alternatives" to the 1706 resolution.
After a one-day trip to Darfur and Khartoum, where he met the president, Omar al-Bashir, Benn said the Sudanese leader "remains resolutely opposed" to UN resolution 1706, which calls for 20,000 troops to replace the current contingent of 7,000 from the African Union, which is due to leave at the end of December
Sudan claims a UN force would amount to a "recolonisation" of the country as it would be mandated to reform Sudan’s police and judiciary. Benn said: "He acknowledged the resolution would help in funding more troops but he didn’t indicate any movement on the principle."
Reliablbe sources in Khartoum told the Sudan Tribune that president al-Bashir told many foreign officials that he is not against the UN troops as such but he could not accept the current UN resolution 1706.
Benn’s visit coincides with a six-day tour of Sudan by Andrew Natsios, George Bush’s new special envoy. The EU commission president, José Manuel Barroso, saw al-Bashir a fortnight ago and a senior Sudanese presidential adviser was in Paris last week.
Sudan is looking to Europe to broker a compromise. It was angered by Bush’s decision to toughen sanctions on Sudan on Friday, the day that Natsios left for Khartoum. The White House renewed a freeze on Sudanese government assets held in the US and added a ban on oil and petrochemical transactions.
If the AU force leaves in December, up to two million displaced people will be left unprotected. A surge in fighting in the past three months has forced 50,000 more villagers to flee and humanitarian agencies have had to cut aid to rural areas.
(The Guardian/ST)

Speaker: Forcing U.N. troops on Sudan would be disaster

Speaker: Forcing U.N. troops on Sudan would be disaster

BY BOB REEVES / Lincoln Journal StarTuesday, Oct 17, 2006 - 12:13:23 am CDT

Trying to force the government of Sudan to accept a 20,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping force would be a disaster, according to an international peacemaker from Sudan who will speak in Lincoln and southeast Nebraska this week.Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has promised to launch an all-out war against UN troops if they attempt to intervene in Darfur, said Aida Nasser Weran, a Sudanese seminary instructor who is visiting several U.S. states as part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s International Peacmakers Program.Instead, Weran believes other nations should help the African Union beef up its peacekeeping force, which currently totals 7,000 troops in Darfur. The African troop level should be raised to 20,000 and they should be given authority to stop the violence rather than merely observe, she said.The fighting in Darfur began in response to peace negotiations between the Muslim-dominated government in the north and the predominantly-Christian rebels in the south, she said. “The people of Darfur feel neglected or marginalized,” she said, and were not represented at the peace table.Whether the 2005 peace agreement will eventually bring peace to the whole country depends in large part on the outcome of elections, scheduled for 2008, Weran said. If Bashir is re-elected, the country likely will split apart, she said, but if a new government is put in place, it could mean that the various factions will work together.Weran, who is on the faculty of Nile Theological College in Khartoum, is one of 14 Christian leaders from troubled countries around the world who are visiting U.S. Presbyterian churches as part of the “Peacemakers” program. Everywhere she goes, people ask her about the situation in Darfur and whether the civil war is really over.A native of the Nuba Mountain Region in western Sudan, Weran is married to a minister who is executive presbyter of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, which has 64 churches throughout Sudan. Churches have a difficult time because of the Muslim-dominated government, but they are able to survive through help from Christian organizations around the world, including American Presbyterians, she said.Monday evening, she spoke at First Prebyterian Church in Nebraska City. She will speak today, Thursday and Saturday in Lincoln and also visit churches in Panama and Wymore. The International Peacemaker Program, established in 1982, helps Americans better understand what’s happening in places of conflict, said Barbara Hipple of the Homestead Presbytery, based in Lincoln.“Any time we have exposure to people from elsewhere and hear firsthand their stories, it helps us see what we’re doing through our mission work.”Reach Bob Reeves at 473-7212 or breeves@journalstar.com.AppearancesHere is a schedule of public appearances by Aida Nasser Weran, international peacemaker from Sudan:6 p.m. Tuesday, Fourth Presbyterian Church, 5200 Francis St.5 p.m. Wednesday, Panama Presbyterian Church, Panama.5 p.m. Thursday presentation on “Understanding Peace from Sudan to Lincoln,” at First Presbyterian Church, 840 S. 17th St. , followed by 6 p.m. potluck and 7 p.m. worship.10 a.m. Friday, community coffee at Wymore Presbyterian Church, 517 N. 12th St., Wymore, followed by lunch.Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, gathering of the Sudanese community of Lincoln, with presentation by Weran and music by the Sudanese Band, First Presbyterian Church, 840 S. 17th St

Help by rocking with Darfur Musicians plan to donate percent of concert sales to

Help by rocking with Darfur Musicians plan to donate percent of concert sales to crisis
Help by rocking with Darfur Musicians plan to donate percent of concert sales to crisis relief
By Amanda Slater / Assistant Entertainment Editor MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2006

Darfur. The region's name has become synonymous with "humanitarian crisis." About 400,000 people have been systematically killed and 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes in the tumultuous area. The conflict stems out of the Sudanese government's attempt to pure the nation of non-Arab Africans. In fact, a document seized from a military official contained orders to change Darfur's demography, making it void of African tribes. The document stated this goal should be obtained through killing, burning villages and farms, torture and the confiscation of African tribe members' property. Black men who leave their homes are regularly killed and castrated, while black women are regularly gang-raped. However, people who would instantly declare an event such as the Holocaust to be horrendously and grossly wrong have turned a blind eye to this modern-day genocide. Although diplomatic efforts have been taken to deal with the conflict, an inability to intervene and lack of financial support has brought most progress to a halt. The Sudanese government has even refused to allow the United Nations to aid in the peacekeeping process. Meanwhile 2.5 million people are left without homes, food or other basic necessities. Relief camps have been filled beyond their capacity, and the future looks dim. Thus, the question is what can we do about it? Enter "Rock for Darfur." "Rock for Darfur" is the product of Citizen Cope, RCA Records and MySpace. In this humanitarian campaign, a portion of ticket sales from any participating band's concerts will be contributed to Oxfam's Sudan Crisis Relief and Rehabilitation Fund. Oxfam is a non-profit organization that works on the scene of such disasters through advocacy, public education and emergency assistance programs. A number of "Rock for Darfur" shows take place this Saturday and will be held by a variety of bands across North America. Among the artists involved in this project are: Teddy Geiger, The Lost Trailers, the Insane Clown Posse, the Wood Brothers, Amos Lee, Bob Weir & Ratdog, Benevento Russo Duo, Jars of Clay, Alice in Chains, the Fray, TV on the Radio, Secret Machines, ( 44), Switchfoot, Atreyu, Slightly Stoopid, Pepper, Jamie Cullum, Citizen Cope and Ziggy Marley. These benefit concerts will be held in: Wisconsin, North Carolina, California, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, California, Idaho, Maryland, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Washington D.C. and Toronto. The situation in Darfur is an issue that both Democrats and Republicans can agree. Even President Bush and Colin Powell have classified it as "genocide." Celebrities like George Clooney have especially increased public awareness of the crisis. Clooney is quoted in Relevant magazine as saying ,"If we turn our heads and look away and hope that it will all disappear, then they will -- all of them, an entire generation of people. And we will have only history left to judge us." Can't make it to any of the shows? There are more ways to help. Some of the ways include: e-mailing TV news networks to ask why the Darfur crisis is being largely ignored by the United States media, writing members of Congress, donating funds and raising awareness. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/rockfordarfur, www.beawitness.org,www.genocideinterventionfund.org, www.preventgenocide.org, www.worldrelief.org and www.afjn.org.

Darfur refugees plea for more protection

Darfur refugees plea for more protection

Oct 16, 2006 (KASSAB) — Refugees in the camps scattered across Darfur live in fear, saying the African Union peacekeeping mission does little to protect them even as rising violence is driving away crucial humanitarian aid..
"You have been here for three years now, and what have you done for us?" a tribal leader bitterly asked a delegation of AU soldiers and police that came to the Kassab refugee camp last week.
As they often must, the peacekeepers patiently explained to camp delegates that they had come to Darfur only to monitor the violence and have no mandate to fight it.
"You are witnessing what happens, but you aren’t helping," retorted Attaieb Adem, a leader of the 25,000 refugees in Kassab.
Since fighting between rebels, the Sudanese army and a militia of Arab nomads began in 2003, some 200,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.5 million have been displaced.
The AU mission came in 2004, but refugees’ anger over their perceived ineffectiveness is strong.
"If there is nothing you can do, then you might as well go home, so that the United Nations come," Adem said.
He referred to refugees’ widespread hope that August’s U.N. Security Council resolution to send 20,000 U.N. peacekeepers to Darfur will be implemented. The AU force’s mandate expires at the end of the year.
However, Sudan’s president fiercely opposes the proposal, saying it would breach the country’s sovereignty. For now, the U.N. seems bent on buying time by sending more than 100 military and civilian advisers to reinforce the AU mission and pushing for its mandate to be prolonged in order to avoid a dangerous security vacuum.
But refugees in Kassab say they do not see how their security could get any worse in their camp, on the frontline of a murky war zone where some 2,000 rebels clash with about 5,000 Sudanese soldiers and another 2,000 militia.
The militia, called the janjaweed, were recruited among nomad Arabs to help quell the ethnic African rebels and are blamed for much of the looting and violence against refugees.
But rebel violence and hostility to aid workers also has escalated since May, when one rebel faction signed a shaky peace agreement with the government.
Humanitarian groups and AU police say they withdrew from Kassab in September mostly because of the rebel violence.
The camp’s clinic closed, so refugees in need of treatment trudge to the nearest town. Refugee women say taking that road, or even collecting firewood around the camp, exposes them to robbery and rape.
"Every day we risk being beaten, or even worse," said Kharidja Ibrahim, some of whose family had gone wood-gathering that morning. "We’re waiting. In a few hours, we’ll hear what has happened to them."
Tribal leaders say security has grown so bad that armed men now plunder the camp at will.
"Four days ago, they came in broad daylight and stole 84 goats," said Sheik Abdallah Shariff. He said nights are even worse.
"We can’t sleep, we go to bed with our shoes on," in case they have to flee, he said.
Egyptian Maj. Ahmed El Serafy, who commands AU police in the sector of Darfur that includes Kassab, says improving security in Kassab is urgent for what few forces he has — 82 police for an area of 13,000 square miles.
"I knew it was going to be bad, but I never thought it would be this bad," he said.
Serafy said police would resume day patrols in Kassab next week and hoped this show of force would improve security. But the AU’s officers go unarmed, and he said some were afraid to return into the refugee camp.
Even though refugees are frustrated with the AU peacekeepers, camp leaders pleaded with the delegation last week to return soon, saying time is running out.
"Hurry up, because for now we’re on our own," said Sheik Youssouf Aldoun. "He is all we have for protection" he said, pointing his palms toward the sky in a Muslim gesture that signifies God.
"The government just wants us to disappear and die, and the rest of the world isn’t doing anything" said one refugee leader, who asked not to be named because he says authorities retaliate against those who speak to the media.
"This is our land. We will stay, even if the killing lasts 20 more years," he said.

International Crisis Group calls for targeted sanctions on Sudan

International Crisis Group calls for targeted sanctions on Sudan

Johannesburg (AND) The International Crisis Group (ICG) has called on the UN and other influential governments to slap targeted sanctions on key officials in Sudan.

The call, coming barely a week after the imposition of punitive sanctions by the US on the Sudanese regime is meant to force Sudan to accept a UN peace-keeping force in the war torn Darfur.
Sudan has repeatedly refused UN help, preferring the AU force which is currently suffering logistical and funding problems. ICG also wants western Darfur to be declared a no fly zone. The ICG calls on the UN, the US and the EU to work together or unilaterally, to slap members of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP), who have been named in UN-sponsored investigations for involvement in atrocities in Darfur, with asset freezes and travel bans.

"The situation in Darfur demands the most effective response possible. That can only come through the full UN deployment, and efforts need to be concentrated to bring it about as rapidly as possible," said the ICG in its 11 October report.
Johannesburg Bureau, AND

SUDAN/TERRORISM: The US Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against all travel to Sudan

SUDAN/TERRORISM: The US Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against all travel to Sudan

This Travel Warning for Sudan reminds U.S. citizens of the continued threat of terrorism in Sudan and notes restrictions on travel by American citizens outside Khartoum.

The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against all travel to Sudan, particularly in the Darfur area where there is a continuing buildup of Government and rebel military forces and where violence has increased significantly, and to remind travelers that the U.S. Government has received indications of terrorist threats aimed at American and Western interests in Sudan.
Terrorist actions may include suicide operations, bombings, or kidnappings. U.S. citizens should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in public places, which include tourist sites and locations where westerners are known to congregate, and commercial operations associated with U.S. or Western interests. As physical security remains high at official facilities, terrorists may turn towards softer targets, such as residential compounds. Sporadic fighting instigated by militias is often reported in the southern parts of the country.
Travel outside of the capital city of Khartoum is potentially dangerous. Threats have been made against foreigners working in the oil industry in Upper Nile state. As a result of violence and banditry, the United Nations has declared many parts of Darfur “No-Go” areas for UN personnel. Due to the potential for banditry and general lawlessness in rural areas, land travel at night should be avoided. On October 1, the Government of Sudan announced that the movements of all U.S. citizens visiting Sudan would be restricted to a 25-mile radius of the Republican Palace in Central Khartoum.
The Sudanese government has not clarified whether Americans who already possess travel permits will be allowed to go beyond the 25 mile radius. Americans who have valid travel permits and plan to travel outside Khartoum should check with local authorities. In August, five foreigners, including two Americans, were arrested and detained in Darfur after entering Sudan via the Chadian border town of Bahai without the appropriate documentation.
Several of these individuals had solicited and obtained escorts in Chad who allegedly promised to facilitate entry into Sudan but who were ultimately unable to follow through with their commitments. Americans who travel to Sudan despite this travel warning must possess a valid passport with at least six months of validity and a Sudanese visa. Travelers must apply for a visa in their own country of residence. The Sudanese Government requires that anyone seeking to enter the Darfur area, or to take photographs or perform other journalistic functions anywhere in Sudan, must obtain a special permit. This includes journalists, photographers, and other press/media employees.
Additional information about entry requirements for Sudan and other countries is located on the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs web site at http://travel.state.gov. Failure to possess the appropriate travel documents and permits can result in the traveler’s arrest and detention for multiple crimes, including illegal entry, publication of false information, and espionage. If convicted, sentences range from deportation to life in prison or the death penalty. U.S. citizens who travel to Sudan despite this Travel Warning are strongly urged to register with the Embassy in Khartoum or through the State Department’s Travel Registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov.
By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at Sharia Ali Abdul Latif, Khartoum; tel. (249-183) 774-701/2/3 (outside Sudan); tel. (0183) 774-701/2/3 inside Sudan. For after-hours emergencies, please call 249-183-774-705 and leave a message with Post One for the Consular Duty Officer. U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s most recent Consular Information Sheet for Sudan, located on the Department’s Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov.
Up-to-date information on safety and security is available toll free at 1-888-407-4747 or at regular toll rates at 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Janjaweed Rampage in Alfashir, Capital of Darfur under AU Nose

Janjaweed Rampage in Alfashir, Capital of Darfur under AU Nose


A large bunch of Janjaweed rampaged in Alfashir market and rebuffed State Governor saying they act on direct instructions of President Alfashir.

A large force of Janjaweed attacked Alfashir market, October 10th, in broad day light and looted the shoe-makers quarter in the city centre. Petrified shopkeepers hurriedly deserted their premises in absolute fear. Neither the AU nor the government security forces made any attempt to intervene and control the Janjaweed mob.

Unlike Alfashir home grown Janjaweed, these attackers are imported into the area following intelligence that the NRF is about to invade city. They are brought from areas as far as Nyala, Geneina, Janjaweed capital Kabkabiya and even Khartoum.

Following the rampage, Yousif Kibir, Governor of Alfashir tried to subdue the attackers. His attempt to discipline them was cut short. The leader of the new Janjaweed declared that his instructions come directly from Albashir, and not from lowly State Governors like Mr Kibir.

The NRF assures Alfashir citizens that it stands ready to defend Darfur people and will not hesitate to enter the city, if necessary.

The media committee
E-mail: webmaster@sudanslm.net

France, Germany urge UN Forces deployment in Darfur

France, Germany urge UN Forces deployment in Darfur

Oct 12, 2006 (PARIS) — France and Germany Thursday urged the international community to focus more attention on the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region and to press the government to accept U.N. peacekeepers.
Meeting in Paris for a Franco-German summit, officials from both nations issued a joint statement calling for "international efforts to end the tragedy the Darfur populations endure." The statement also called on the Sudanese government and rebel groups to immediately suspend military activity.
The statement urged the Sudanese government to agree to the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers and urged all parties to join a May peace agreement signed by the government and one of the main rebel groups.
U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland made a similar statement Wednesday, calling for Arab countries, as well as China, India, Pakistan and Malaysia, to pressure the Sudanese government to agree to allow U.N. peacekeeping forces into the country.
Sudan has refused to allow U.N. troops to replace an underfunded and ill- equipped African Union force that has been unable to stop the fighting.
The conflict began in early 2003 when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Khartoum government. The Arab-dominated government is accused of responding by unleashing militia fighters who have carried out atrocities against civilians. The warfare has killed an estimated 200,000 people and displaced more than 2 million.
(ST/AP)

Darfur spillover threatens Chad

Darfur spillover threatens Chad

Recent renewed fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region is threatening to spill over into neighbouring Chad and widen the conflict, analyst and relief workers fear.
Darfuri refugees in Chad's Ouri Cassoni camp listened recently to the unrelenting rasp of automatic gunfire and the echo of bomb explosions as the Sudanese military fought rebels just over the border, only a few kilometres from the refugee camp.

They reported seeing Antonov bombers circling the area.

Mathew Conway, the UN Refugee Agency's spokesperson in Chad speaking to Aljazeera.net, said: "There [was] a lot of fear among the refugees, because they recognised [the Antonov] as the type of plane that had bombed their villages,"

Conway says that recently arrived refugees accused the Sudanese military and Janjawid of preventing people from fleeing to Chad.

"We are concerned that people's right to seek safety and sanctuary is being impeded by the government of Sudan and Janjawid forces."

Moving the camp

To protect Ouri Cassoni's refugees from the border violence and to ensure against the militarisation of the camp, the UN Refugee Agency will attempt to move the camp's 26,293 refugees further inland from the border.

They also plan to relocate the 16,504 refugees in the Am Nabak camp, located 18km from the border.

In anticipation of the possible arrival of 50,000 new refugees from Darfur, the UN Refugee Agency in Chad is also preparing to set up additional refugee camps.

While Sudanese government campaigns against rebels and civilian villages in Darfur and attacks between Darfuri rebel groups are on the rise, violence has also increased in Chad.

Addressing the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa in Kigali, Rwanda last week, Kofi Anan, the UN secretary-general, said that the situation in the Chad/Central African Republic/Sudan border area is fraught with danger. "It could destabilise all of Central Africa," he said.

Chad's ambassador to the US, Mahamoud Adam Bashir, speaking to Aljazeera.net confirmed Anan's fears: "Any deterioration of the security situation in Darfur directly affects insecurity in Chad.

"The situation has been getting out of control," he says.

Blaming the Janjawid

Bashir says the main problem in Chad is the attacks of the Darfur-based Janjawid against Chadian civilians. Originally armed and financed by Khartoum to attack the non-Arab Muslim populations in Darfur, there have been repeated instances of Janjawid attacks in Chad since March.

"Our own citizens have been victimised [by the Darfur crisis]. The whole region has been victimised."

The UN Refugee Agency estimates that 50,000 Chadians have been displaced by Janjawid attacks, about 35,000 of which have relocated to internally displaced people’s (IDP) settlements further inland from the hostile border area.

Last week, Arab groups who locals say are members of the Janjawid, attacked an ethnic-Dajo village 40km from Chad’s Goz Amir camp, says Conway.

The violence caused several hundred Chadians to flee from their villages and seek safety near the Goz Amir refugee camp.

"This could cause major inter-community problems because the Dajo are armed and fighting back," says Conway.

Chadian rebels

Over the past few weeks, fighting has also intensified in East Chad between government forces and Chadian rebels based in neighbouring Darfur.

Conway says the increase in violence will lead to displacement of local populations.

"With recent offensives launched by the Government of Sudan, and with the recent resumption in hostilities between Chadian rebels and Government of Chad forces, we are anticipating further displacement of Chadians in the coming weeks."

Idriss Deby, the president of Chad, has called for international UN peacekeepers to protect the border in East Chad, saying that he does not have enough troops to prevent the Janjawid from crossing the 1000km border with Sudan.

Critics say that he is using the volatile situation in Darfur as an excuse to have international troops protect him from Chadian rebels pledging to overthrow him from their stronghold in Darfur.

Rebels made an unsuccessful coup attempt in the capital N'djamena last April.

"Despite repeated calls from the humanitarian and international community to provide greater security, the first priority of the Chadian military is protecting the state [from rebels], or at least the regime in power," Conway said last June.

"They've really mobilized in large numbers to places that they think are strategic defence points, leaving huge areas totally un-patrolled."

Jeopardising relations

Bashir says that fighting the Janjawid could jeopardise icy relations with Sudan, a relationship that he says has finally started to improve since the two countries signed an agreement in August to normalise diplomatic relations.

"We are in a very sensitive situation [with Sudan]. Bringing forces to fight the Janjawid would add even more tension between the two countries."

"The Janjawid attacks will only stop when the conflict in Darfur is solved and there are credible and capable forces [on the ground] with a proper mandate," says Bashir.
AljazeeraBy Shane Bauer
You can find this article at:http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5C6CF09F-7ED4-400C-A988-9FCC02F07677.htm

Darfur violence hits Chad again

Darfur violence hits Chad again
By Stephanie Hancock BBC News, Koukou, eastern Chad

A fresh wave of attacks by Janjaweed militia is underway in eastern Chad, some 65 km from the border with Sudan.
At least 10 villages in the area are thought to have been attacked in the last week alone. Several have reportedly been burned to the ground.
Some of the Janjaweed attacks have taken place as little as 15 km from a camp housing Sudanese refugees.
Violence in Darfur has been spilling across the border into eastern Chad for more than six months.
The rainy season offered a brief respite but now that the rains are almost over fighting has erupted yet again.
Villagers say they tried to fight back with spears and bows and arrows but were no match for the Janjaweed's firepower.
Precise casualty figures are hard to come by but survivors speak of many dead and wounded.
Occupied villages
There are also reports that at least seven of the villages attacked have been burnt to the ground.
It is impossible to travel to the villages in question as the Janjaweed are reportedly still occupying many of them.
But more than 3,000 Chadians have fled their homes in the past seven days.
Villagers say they are being attack by both Chadian and Sudanese Arabs and many now talk about a Chadian Janjaweed.
More than 200,000 Sudanese refugees live in camps near the border region.
So there are now two fears: not only for the Chadian civilians but also for the Sudanese refugees who thought they had left the Janjaweed far behind.
Story from

Nigerian president warns of Darfur genocide

Nigerian president warns of Darfur genocide

Oct 10, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo warned of a possible genocide in the Darfur region on Tuesday, as cash-strapped African peacekeepers struggle to stem the violence in Sudan’s remote west.
Nigeria is the largest troop contributing nation to the African Union (AU) force in Darfur, which is caught in an international diplomatic tug-of-war over a U.N. takeover of the peacekeeping mission.
"It is not in the interest of Sudan nor in the interest of Africa nor indeed in the interest of the world for us all to stand by and see genocide being developed in Darfur," Obasanjo said in a speech at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The AU has been a diplomatic ally to Sudan, at odds with the United Nations over the past two years because of the rape, murder and pillage in its remote Darfur region which has forced 2.5 million people from their homes into wretched camps.
The pan-African body has in the past avoided calling the Darfur violence genocide, a term used mainly by Washington and rejected by Khartoum.
Until January 2006, Obasanjo was the AU’s top diplomat.
While diplomatic stalemate continues over Khartoum’s rejection of a U.N. Darfur peacekeeping mission, violence has increased with a dozen aid workers killed and tens of thousands more forced to flee renewed fighting despite a May peace deal.
Since the May accord signed by only one of three rebel negotiating factions, the AU has been able to do little in Darfur but observe the descent into chaos with inter-rebel clashes and a new rebel alliance declaring renewed hostilities with the government.
Khartoum says a U.N. force is a front for a Western invasion and an attempt at recolonisation. Critics say it really fears the troops would be used to arrest any official likely to be indicted by the International Criminal Court investigating suspected war crimes in the region.
Around 200 U.N. support staff are to be sent to Darfur to strengthen the AU mission, and further African troops are being sought to bolster the around 7,000-strong force which patrols a region the size of France.
"If the need arises and if the AU has to secure more troops and if the resources are found, Nigeria will surely consider giving more troops to the AU," Obasanjo said.
Other contributing countries include Rwanda, Senegal, Egypt and South Africa.
"A great challenge before us is how to strengthen (the AU) until the transition to the United Nations with the support of Sudan and while retaining its African ownership and character," he added.
The AU mission, dependent on donations from Western governments, has had difficulty paying salaries and buying military equipment to cope with Darfur’s hostile arid terrain.

Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement/Army in a statement supports and applauds the bold initiative.

Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement/Army in a statement supports and applauds the bold initiative.


In an unprecedented and bold step in Europe, we are extremely delighted and assured that Sudan Liberation Movement/Army still has a resolved cadre capable of facing those formidable challenges and stand for the just cause of their people and remain, despite the distance, unyieldingly resolved to stay the course and speak out loudly.

I, Abdelwahid Mohammed Ahmed Elnour, chairman of the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, appreciate this bold initiative as well as the field trips undertaken by Mr. Elhadi Abdullah Abudafair, chairman and Mr.Al-Rabae Adam Ezalddeen, Secretary-General of the recently established SLM/SLA office in Scotland, to a number of cities in Scotland to communicate with the public in an endeavor to thoroughly brief them on the humanitarian crisis in Darfur region whose entire population are still suffering from the suppression and oppression of the rogue regime in Khartoum that has not shown any respect to human rights but defiance to the international community.

We hail the struggle of brave soldiers
And the strife of our resolved people
Salute and glory to our loved martyrs and wounded ones
Rest assured that victory will be our ally.


Director
Office of the Chairman
Sudan Liberation Movement/Army
Tel: 008821665132482
E-mail: sudanslm@net

sudanslm.net
Sudan Liberation Movement, a quality shift in its
political rhetoric
The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) in its persistent endeavor to explain its political vision and reach out to the British citizens directly, two senior officials; Mr. Elhadi Abdullah Abudafair, chairman and Mr. Al-Rabaie Adam Izzeldin, Secretary-General of the Sudan Liberation Movement office in Scotland, launched a successful visit to Fife District. They addressed a large gathering of residents, area officials, political parties and civil society organizations, clarifying the plight of Darfur region in west Sudan. The SLM officials confirmed that killing, displacing, raping, ethnic cleansing and genocide operations against the innocent and armless civilians in Darfur is an ongoing process which is run, financed and orchestrated by national conference government and its janjaweed.

Mr. Tommy Sheridan, an outstanding politician and a parliament member addressed the gathering where he expressed his disappointment towards the continuation of the killing and displacing and destruction that the people of Darfur have experienced urging the international community to take decisive actions to save the people of Darfur and put an end to what was internationally categorized as “a man-made disaster of an unprecedented scale in Darfur region”. He also commended the new vision as presented by the SLM Chairman and Secretary-General. Mr. Sheridan highly appreciated the SLM role in politically reaching out with the district residents. The two officials then answered questions from the audience who showed unqualified support and sympathy with the just cause. They clarified to audience the political and humanitarian dimensions of the crisis in Darfur region.
They pledged that they would spare no efforts not only to bring peace and security to the people of Darfur but to bring the perpetrators, the national conference gang and its allies the janjaweed to justice.



The media committee
E-mail: webmaster@sudanslm.net

sudanslm.net

Sudan Liberation Movement, a quality shift in its
political rhetoric
The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) in its persistent endeavor to explain its political vision and reach out to the British citizens directly, two senior officials; Mr. Elhadi Abdullah Abudafair, chairman and Mr. Al-Rabaie Adam Izzeldin, Secretary-General of the Sudan Liberation Movement office in Scotland, launched a successful visit to Fife District. They addressed a large gathering of residents, area officials, political parties and civil society organizations, clarifying the plight of Darfur region in west Sudan. The SLM officials confirmed that killing, displacing, raping, ethnic cleansing and genocide operations against the innocent and armless civilians in Darfur is an ongoing process which is run, financed and orchestrated by national conference government and its janjaweed.

Mr. Tommy Sheridan, an outstanding politician and a parliament member addressed the gathering where he expressed his disappointment towards the continuation of the killing and displacing and destruction that the people of Darfur have experienced urging the international community to take decisive actions to save the people of Darfur and put an end to what was internationally categorized as “a man-made disaster of an unprecedented scale in Darfur region”. He also commended the new vision as presented by the SLM Chairman and Secretary-General. Mr. Sheridan highly appreciated the SLM role in politically reaching out with the district residents. The two officials then answered questions from the audience who showed unqualified support and sympathy with the just cause. They clarified to audience the political and humanitarian dimensions of the crisis in Darfur region.
They pledged that they would spare no efforts not only to bring peace and security to the people of Darfur but to bring the perpetrators, the national conference gang and its allies the janjaweed to justice.



The media committee
E-mail: webmaster@sudanslm.net

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE

Africa: Forced evictions reach crisis levels

Research conducted by Amnesty International and the Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) reveals that the practice of forced evictions has reached epidemic proportions in Africa, with more than three million Africans forcibly evicted from their homes since 2000. The two organizations today called on African governments to halt forced evictions and abide by their international human rights obligations.

"The figures are truly staggering and clearly indicate that forced evictions are one of the most widespread and unrecognised human rights violations in Africa," said Kolawole Olaniyan, Director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme.

Although the practice of forced eviction has been recognised as a gross violation of human rights under international law and, in particular, by the African Commission, governments throughout Africa continue to forcibly evict hundreds of thousands of people from their homes each year. Many of these evictions are often accompanied by further rights violations, including the use of excessive force by those carrying out the evictions, such as arbitrary arrests, beatings, rape, torture and even killings.

Jean du Plessis, Executive Director (Acting Interim) of COHRE, said, "Many African governments justify forced evictions on the grounds that they are essential for 'development' and therefore, in the interests of the general public good. However, development that leads to forced evictions is fundamentally counterproductive because forced evictions create homelessness, destroy property and productive assets, and obstruct access to potable water, sanitation, healthcare, livelihood opportunities and education. By carrying out forced evictions, African governments are pushing people into poverty -- not pulling them out of it."

Kolawole Olaniyan of Amnesty International said, "By failing to bring an end to the practice of forced evictions, African leaders are violating their obligations to protect human rights and undermining their expressed commitments to development imperatives such as the Millennium Development Goals and NEPAD."

Examples of forced evictions from across the continent are as numerous as they are distressing. Some recent examples include:

An estimated two million people have been forcibly evicted from their homes and many thousands have been made homeless since 2000 in Nigeria.

More than 12,000 people were forcibly evicted from Dar Assalaam camp in Sudan in August 2006. The majority of the evictees had been previously displaced through conflict in Sudan and settled in camps in or around the capital Khartoum. Authorities have forcibly evicted thousands of people from these camps, resettling them in desert areas without access to clean water, food and other essentials. Currently, there are over four million internally displaced persons in Sudan.

The government of Zimbabwe staggered the international community in 2005 when, in a military style operation, it forced an estimated 700,000 people from their homes, their businesses or both. To date, the government has not taken any effective action to address the plight of those displaced.

In Luanda, the capital of Angola, at least 6,000 families have been forcibly evicted and had their homes demolished since 2001. Many of these families, who have received no compensation, had their property stolen by those carrying out the forced evictions and remain homeless.

In Kenya approximately 70,000 people have been forcibly evicted from their homes in forest areas since 2005, while at least 20,000 people have been forcibly evicted from neighbourhoods in or around Nairobi since 2000.

In Ghana over 7,000 people were made homeless when they were forcibly evicted by the Game and Wildlife Division from the Digya National Park in March and April 2006. The eviction was halted in April only after a boat carrying over 150 evictees capsized, causing the death of at least 10 people. Those remaining in the park still live under threat of forced eviction. Some 800 people also had their homes destroyed in Legion Village, Accra in May 2006, while approximately 30,000 people in the Agbogbloshie community of Accra have been threatened with forcible eviction since 2002.

At least 300 families in Equatorial Guinea have been forcibly evicted from their homes since 2004, when the government embarked on a programme of urban regeneration in Malabo and Bata. These families had title to their property. Thousands more remain at risk.

Background
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Commission), in a landmark decision on forced evictions in Nigeria in October 2001, found that the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights guaranteed the right to adequate housing, including the prohibition on forced eviction (see SERAC and CESR v. Nigeria, ACHRP 2002). In this case, the African Commission incorporated the substance and jurisprudence of international human rights law on the prohibition of forced eviction into the implied right to adequate housing in the African Charter. However, this important decision has not yet been reflected in the jurisprudence throughout the continent nor in governments' practices.

Under international human rights law, including the African Charter, which has been ratified by member states of the African Union, evictions can only be considered as lawful if they are deemed necessary in the most "exceptional circumstances". If such "exceptional circumstances" exist, then certain procedural protections and due process requirements have to be adhered to, including that States must ensure, prior to any planned evictions, and particularly those involving large groups, that all feasible alternatives are explored in consultation with affected persons. Furthermore, and in any event, eviction shall not result in rendering individuals homeless or vulnerable to the violation of other human rights. Governments are legally obligated to ensure that adequate alternative housing and compensation for all losses is made available to affected persons.

The Millennium Development Goals, as set out in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, were adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 18 September 2000. Goal 7, Target 11 calls for governments to "[h]ave achieved by 2020 a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers".

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is a vision and strategic framework for Africa's development. Its stated primary objectives include, among others: "to eradicate poverty" and "to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development". One of its stated principles is: "Ensuring that all Partnerships with NEPAD are linked to the Millennium Development Goals and other agreed development goals and targets".

For interviews or additional information please contact:
Deanna Fowler Eliane Drakopoulos
COHRE Amnesty International
Tel: +41 22 734 1028 Tel: +44 20 7413 5564
Email: deanna@cohre.org Email: edrakopoulos@amnesty.org