Daily Darfur
Daily Darfur: A word from our special envoy
Published June 18, 2009 @ 06:06AM PT
Yesterday morning US Special Envoy for Sudan Scott Gration briefed the media on the "Current Status of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Recent Travels". Gration said:
I’ve learned through these trips that we need to have constructive dialogue with the international community, with all parties in Sudan. We need to have engagement with all parties to save lives in Sudan, to bring about a lasting peace. More suffering in Sudan is simply unacceptable. We need engagement to make a positive difference in Darfur. We need engagement to fully implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
This isn’t about discussions only. It’s about making a difference in the lives of the Sudanese people. It’s about getting results.
The rest of his briefing was, perhaps, a bit more controversial.
The Enough Project offers a useful play by play of the briefing and analysis of some of the places where Enough's John Norris believes the special envoy "strayed off the mark in several comments". On the PhD Studies in Human Rights blog William Schabas has a brief entry on why he agrees with Gration. And over at UN Dispatch Mark Leon Goldberg asks: Where is the White House on Darfur?
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Stop Genocide Now is now on day four of their trip to refugee camps in Chad. Check out their photos on Flickr for a glimpse into the lives of refugees.
Daily Darfur: But look at all we're doing right!
Published June 17, 2009 @ 07:18AM PT
Yesterday, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Sudan Sima Samar presented a report to the Human Rights Council based on her recent travels to the country. The bottom line:
"The human rights situation in the Sudan remains critical"
The rapporteur included reports of arbitrary arrest, resource gaps in administration of justice, harassment and torture of human rights defenders, and focuses in on the government's reaction to the Justice and Equality Movement attacks in May, 2008, which included the death penalty for many accused participatnts in the attacks - including child soldiers. The report also highlighted the government's expulsion of NGOs in early March, 2009.
In Darfur, ongoing fighting between the government and rebels and the impact on civilians, attacks on peacekeepers, sexual violence and violence against women and children, and persecution of human rights defenders and NGO staff. In addition:
"One key concern remains the direct and indirect attacks on civilians by Government security forces, Government supported militia groups, and armed movements. Various armed groups have fractionalized, resulting in increased abuses against the civilian population and challenges to resolution of the conflict through current peace talks. As in other parts of Sudan, sexual and gender-based violence continues to be reported, in particular in IDP camps."
In South Sudan insecurity, violence and displacement continue. According to the rapporteur, the legacy of the civil war, plus incursions by the Lord's Resistance Army from Northern Uganda, add to the instability.
After Samar's presentation, the Human Rights Council hosted an "interactive dialogue". As might be expected, this interactive dialogue meant some countries' representatives took the opportunity to highlight the important work of the special rapporteur, some countries highlighted the importance of helping the people of Sudan... and the Sudanese representative took the opportunity to emphasize the "constant efforts made on behalf of the Government of National Unity that had not been reflected". But, Samar shot back:
"They have to acknowledge their problems. The denials of the problem is not going to help."
Not sure that's going to happen.
Daily Darfur: The Violent Hand of a Dirty Government
Published June 16, 2009 @ 04:30AM PT
Reports of two rather disturbing acts of targeted violence are coming out of Sudan:
Mohamed Suleiman reports on the While We Wait blog (one of my new favs) that Darfuri activist Shoumo Adam was killed in his home by armed men suspected of ties with the government, marking yet another incident in a recent escalation of targeted attacks against Darfuri activists.
And from the Sudan Tribune: Several men affiliated with the ruling National Congress Party disguised themselves as women in order to infiltrate a meeting of Darfuri women at the University of Khartoum. The students were discussing the legal merits of the International Criminal Court case against President Omar al-Bashir --- a very dangerous thing to do in Sudan these days, it seems. The Sudan Tribune states that the erstwhile cross-dressers "violently attacked the Darfur women," but does not go into greater detail. (So, no idea how badly any of the women were hurt. If they haven't already been arrested, it wouldn't surprise me if that soon followed.) Hat Tip: Orange Country for Darfur.
While these events might seem isolated, don't be fooled --- precision attacks such as these are tried-and-true favorites of dictatorial regimes everywhere, as their apparent low-scale nature often escapes large-scale domestic and international media attention, and can be committed with impunity. (Bashir's buddy Bobby Mugabe is a master at this.) The attacks are not one-offs, but part of a larger pattern, a series, intent on silencing critics and maintaining an iron grip on power.
Daily Darfur: Where's the Goodwill?
Published June 15, 2009 @ 04:49AM PT
"The historical narrative of the Darfur genocide is presently being re-written. Despite dozens of human rights reports that have established the basic realities of ethnically-targeted human destruction in Darfur and Eastern Chad over the past seven years, an effort is being made to minimise the scale of that destruction, elide the role of ethnicity in the conflict and downplay the responsibility of the Khartoum regime."
A Qatari embassy official posted an op-ed in the Sudan Tribune arguing that brokering a ceasefire between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) is a futile effort, but that peace negotiations should proceed with an eye towards "the whole peace process." Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim states that such a process should include an "extension of the Goodwill Agreement" signed between the two parties in February, and "ask the two parties to refrain from certain hostile activities."
While I agree that "cease-fire agreements are weak, vulnerable and tend to fail and collapse immediately," it's difficult to imagine peace negotiations continuing with any strength while both parties are paying more attention to fighting each other on the battlefield. Likewise, also difficult to imagine how a goodwill agreement would actually contain any commitment to goodwill while conflict still rages.
Considering that the signed goodwill agreement collapsed spectacularly shortly after signed, how is that a better route to go? If ceasefire agreements are too difficult to monitor, how is a goodwill agreement any easier? If hostilities continue....where's the goodwill?
Daily Darfur: Peace By What Means?
Published June 12, 2009 @ 04:16AM PT
The Sudanese government's new point-person for Dafur, presidential adviser Ghazi Salaheddin, told AFP that the conflict is "in its final stages," and peace is around the corner.
Given the government's intensified efforts to root out rebels from North Darfur --- which, of course, involves bombing and Janjaweed attacks, without much discretion regarding the presence of civilians --- I question exactly how he thinks this "peace" will be achieved. My hunch is that Khartoum is working to distract the international community by engaging in high-level political negotiations, while still pursuing its preferred strategy at home: Total victory over the rebels.
Still, Darfur expert Sean O'Fahey told AFP that Mr. Salaheddin is very different from his hardline predecessor, Nafie ali Nafie, who is now focused on the country's 2010 elections:
"The fact that he is been appointed as Khartoum's representative for Darfur is an important signal of a change of policy. Nafi Ali Nafie pursued a hardline policy, Ghazi will seek compromise and reconciliation."
As always, I believe there's a "change" when I see one. If the history of Bashir's rule should teach us anything, it's that words mean very little, at least when it comes to making any kind of commitment.
Meanwhile, on a slightly related note, in a display of total head-up-your-you-know-what, the summit of the trade bloc COMESA praised Khartoum for its efforts to bring peace to Darfur. (.........?)
Daily Darfur: Botswana Withdraws Its Welcome Mat
Published June 11, 2009 @ 04:17AM PT
Proving that, despite pressure from the African Union, there is no unified "African voice" on the International Criminal Court (ICC), Botswana's foreign minister broke ranks with the party line by telling the BBC that the country is legally obligated to help ensure the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
Botswana's president made similar remarks in April. So, not trips to lovely Botswana for Mr. Bashir.
Meanwhile, a Sudanese news agency announced that African members of the ICC will meet again in October, after participants in a conference in Addis refused to endorse a mass withdrawal from the court earlier this week. Pressure and bully all you want, Mr. Bashir --- it appears that at least some your continental colleagues still place their moral compasses above your saber-rattling.
Daily Darfur: Divestment Advocates Target Fidelity
Published June 10, 2009 @ 06:59AM PT
"There has been so much violence they don't even know what safety is anymore."
--- A Darfuri refugee in Cairo, from an interview by Bec Hamilton
Divestment advocates have turned their attention to Fidelity once again: Customers of the nation's largest mutual fund now have the option to vote to divest from companies that substantially contribute to the Sudanese government. In 2007, under activist pressure, Fidelity sold most of its holdings in a Chinese company linked with oil trade in Sudan.
Voting is also still underway for Vanguard funds --- help spread the word to possible Fidelity or Vanguard customers you may know. Check out Investors Against Genocide for more information.
