Open Letter from CSOs to AU Heads of State on Darfur

We, the representatives of the undersigned civil society organisations from Darfur are honoured to address your august Assembly on the occasion of its 9th Ordinary Session. This Session comes at a historic moment when Africa celebrates the golden jubilee of Ghana’s independence as the first nation in Sub-Saharan Africa to break its colonial shackles. However, despite Africa’s remarkable achievement in defeating colonialism, the continent still faces serious challenges that need to be addressed with the same resolve and vigour. An example in point is the catastrophic human rights and humanitarian situation in Darfur (Sudan). Africa is commendable for its ongoing efforts to end this unacceptable situation by African means and through the deployment of a joint AU and UN hybrid peacekeeping force in the region. In this regard we wish to pay homage to all African soldiers that have sacrificed their lives in an attempt to protect their brothers and sisters especially the most vulnerable women and children in Darfur.

Our organisations and indeed the victims of the crisis in Darfur highly appreciate the collective involvement of African governments in finding a viable solution for the crisis in Darfur. This was manifested by your decisions at the 6th and 8th Ordinary Sessions of your Assembly to deny Marshal Omar al-Bashir his bid to the AU chairmanship. It was also manifested by numerous measures undertaken by AU institutions first and foremost resolutions of your Assembly notable Decisions: Assembly/AU/Dec.68 (IV) of 31st January 2005 and Assembly/AU/ Dec.54 (III) of 8th July 2004, as well as Communiqués PSC/AHG/Comm. (XXIII) of 10th January 2005 and PSC/AHG/Comm. (LXVI) of 30th November 2007 adopted at the 23rd and 66th Meetings of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) at the level of Heads of State and Government.

Your Excellency,

While it is the responsibility of the government of Sudan to protect all its citizens without discrimination on any ground as required by the AU Constitutive Act, UN Charter and Sudan’s own rules and regulations, it is clear that the government of Sudan is unwilling and unable to do so. Government’s inaction as manifested by the ongoing destruction of life and livelihoods in Darfur, influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees into miserable camps and across international borders in eastern Chad and the north of the Central African Republic as well as the forced relocation of millions of civilians from their ancestral land in Darfur represents an intolerable disregard for the African people of Darfur. Africa cannot and must not accept such a criminal enterprise on its soil or anywhere in the world in this age.

Efforts are underway for the deployment of a joint AU/UN peacekeeping force in Darfur. In fact the UN Security Council has decided upon this measure by resolution 1706 (2006) of 31st August 2006 or about 10 months ago. This process was delayed awaiting Sudan’s approbation. While we understand the spirit of responsibility and flexibility demonstrated by the AU member States toward the government of Sudan, we are very mush concerned that many lives of innocent civilians were lost because of the slow progress in the implementation of resolution 1706 (2006). This is why we consider it important that the AU places the protection of civilians in Darfur as a top priority on its agenda and reject any delaying tactics, which the government of Sudan has excelled in fabricating. You would appreciate that now is high time for decisive action from Africa and the world to protect the civilian population victims of the crisis in Darfur. The people of Darfur expect the immediate deployment of a robust and resourceful peacekeeping force without delay. The government of Sudan continues to send conflicting signals about its readiness to cooperate with the AU and the UN in this respect and to facilitate their work in protecting individuals in need in Darfur. The government of Sudan should not be allowed to impede or delay this process under any pretext.

Your Excellency,

In February 2005 the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur (ICID) presented its report to the UN Security Council. In that report the ICID described the atrocities committed in Darfur as “… no less serious and heinous than genocide,” and that they were wide-spread, sustained and systematically conducted through indiscriminate killing of civilians, torture, enforced disappearances, destruction of villages, rape and other forms of sexual violence, pillaging and forced displacement. In his introductory remarks of the ICID’s report before the Security Council on Wednesday, 16th February 2005, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan described the report as “ ... one of the most important documents in the recent history of the United Nations.” He added that: “This report demonstrates, beyond all doubt, that the last two years have been little short of hell on earth for our fellow human beings in Darfur. And despite the attention the Council has paid to this crisis, that hell continues today.” After carefully examining the current situation in Darfur as documented in authentic reports, including by AU organs, we can only conclude that Darfur continues to be “ hell on earth for our fellow human beings.” No one is spared from the wrath of violence in Darfur including members of the military force of the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) who are being killed, abducted and harassed on a daily basis.

The unwillingness or inability of the government of Sudan to protect civilian citizens in Darfur represents a serious violation of the provisions of the AU Constitutive Act. Some leading members of the government of Sudan including Marshal Omar al-Bashir are personally responsible, either by commission or omission, for most of the abhorrent crimes and atrocities that are being committed in Darfur. In fact the International Criminal Court has gathered enough evidence and issued an arrest warrant against an active member of the government of Sudan (Mr. Ahmad Harun, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs). Because of the above we kindly request the 9th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government to consider undertaking the following measures:

1.Withdraw recognition from Marshal Omar al-Bashir on account of his leading role in sanctioning, condoning, covering up, encouraging and orchestrating the commission of serious crimes in Darfur including war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity in violation of article 4 (h) of the AU Constitutive Act which requires intervention of the AU member States to put a halt to the commission of such crimes.

2. Withdraw any diplomatic and political support to the government of Sudan as long as it continues to obstruct regional and international efforts to protect the civilian population in Darfur, impede the delivery of relief material to the needy people in Darfur and refuse to bring those responsible for the commission of the most heinous and serious crimes committed in Darfur to justice.

3. Strengthen your country’s military presence in Darfur in support of the AU/UN plan to deploy a hybrid peacekeeping force as agreed upon at the High-Level Technical Consultation held in Addis Ababa on 11th and 12th June 2007 between the AU, UN and the government of the Sudan. In this respect we recommend that Africa provide 50% of the required peacekeepers while other members of the UN provide the remaining 50%.

4. AU members should undertake additional action and efforts to persuade the government of Sudan to disarm the Janjaweed militiamen and apprehend their leaders as required by previous measures by AU institutions including the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.

5. Persuade the parties to the conflict in Darfur to enter into a comprehensive, sincere, genuine and meaningful political negotiations to find a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Darfur. Such negotiations should address the root causes that underlie the armed conflict in Darfur as well as the obstacles to peace in the region.

6. Help efforts to create conditions of security conducive to safe and voluntary repartition of IDPs and refugees to their areas of origin and avoid a situation of protracted and long-term displacement. Efforts should be made to discourage resettlement of migrant nomad groups in areas from which African villagers have been forcibly expelled.

7. Support the work of the International Criminal Court to prosecute individuals accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur in particular by apprehending and handing over all officials and agents of the government of Sudan against whom the ICC has issued arrest warrants.

Your Excellency,

The people of Darfur, especially the women and children victims of the crisis, look forward to your intervention to help end this miserable situation without delay. We all expect your government and the governments of all AU member States to live up to the obligations conferred upon them by the AU Constitutive Act as the custodians of peace and security on the continent of Africa.

While looking forward to your positive response to our request, please rest assured, Your Excellency, of our highest respect and consideration.

Signed by:

1. Darfur Call – The Hague, Netherlands,
Ahmed M. Mohamadain, Managing Director

2. Darfur Centre for Human Rights and Development – London, UK
Abdelatif Ismael, President

3. Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre – Geneva, Switzerland
Abdelbagi Jibril, Executive Director

4. Darfur Peace and Justice – Brussels, Belgium
Mohamadain M. Ishag, President

5. Darfur Peace and Development – USA
Suliman Giddo, President

6. Darfur Community Organization, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Bakheit Shata, Founder/Executive Director

7. Darfur Association of Illinois
Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Secretary General

8. Darfur Association of Texas, USA
Bashir Gamous Abdelrasoul, Branch Leader

9. Darfuri Diaspora Association of East Africa, Nairobi
Niemat Ahmadi, Coordinator

10.Darfur Farmers Aid
Mansur Isak, Chairman

11.Darfur Human Rights Organization of the U.S.
Elgasim Salih, Vice President

12.Darfur People’s Association of New York
Motasim Adam, President

13.Darfur Rehabilitation Project, Inc.
Elnour Adam, Director

14.Fur Cultural Revival
Mansour Ahmed, Secretary General

15.Western Sudan Aid Relief in the U.S.
Abdeljabbar Seddik, President

16.Union of the People of Darfur.
Bashir Ishaq, Secretary General

17.Darfur Alert Coalition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - USA
Ibrahim Hamid, Treasurer

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