Today Darfur activists from around the country, joined by actress Mia Farrow, sent an open letter to President Obama expressing concern about the administration's lack of action to end the Darfur genocide and bring peace to Sudan. The letter coincides with Obama's keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Annual Days of Remembrance Ceremony. This year's theme is "Never Again: What You Do Matters."
The letter recommends that the Obama administration:
1) Embark on a public diplomacy blitz to ensure that as many countries as possible will demand that humanitarian aid be unfettered by politics with a focus on isolating President al- Bashir for starving his own citizens, 2) Conduct a private diplomatic effort to explore how governments could downgrade relations with Sudan's indicted president and eventually end his 20-year presidency and 3) Forge a coalition that can both negotiate with and pressure Sudan to seek peace in Darfur as well as implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which provides a framework for a democratic Sudan but is at risk of collapse.
These recommendations were originally outlined in an April 12th Wall Street Journal op-ed by John Prendergast and Jim Wallis.
The letter describes the ominously deteriorating humanitarian situation in Darfur since the Sudanese government expelled 13 humanitarian aid agencies. Since then, Darfuris in IDP camps have died from meningitis, children have died from malnutrition, pregnant women lack medical care, and shelters in camps were burned. The rainy season has started, and in some camps thousands live without the shelters destroyed by rain and wind.
The day-to-day plight of Darfuris is chronicled in a moving blog by Mohamed Suleiman, a US-based Darfuri who is in ongoing contact those suffering on the ground.
On April 21, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that Sudan's expulsion of aid groups from Darfur has put the lives of more than 1 million people at risk and increased the potential for instability in the region.
Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, Obama's Special Envoy to Sudan, has said that chances were "not very high" that the expelled aid workers would return. He is also reported to have discussed the possibility of normalizing the Sudan-United States relationship.
The letter to President Obama states,:
You, Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Clinton, Ambassador Rice, and other members of your Administration acknowledged before your election that a very different approach was necessary to end the Darfur genocide. Notably, in April 2008, in response to the reports of Bush Administration offers of normalization talks to the GoS, you stated, '"This reckless and cynical initiative would reward a regime in Khartoum that has a record of failing to live up to its commitments." Your remarks gave hope to Darfuris that as President you would take decisive action.
The letter concludes,
We respectfully request that you make it a top personal priority to escalate US action and leadership to do whatever it takes to bring peace and protection to Darfur. Never has it been more true for Darfur and for all of Sudan that "what you do matters."
FULL TEXT OF APRIL 23 LETTER
April 23, 2009
The Honorable Barack H. ObamaPresident, United States of AmericaThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Today you will deliver the keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Annual Days of Remembrance Ceremony. This year's theme is "Never Again: What You Do Matters." The undersigned, representing organizations and individuals from all over the United States, write to you with concern about what your Administration is doing to end the Darfur genocide and bring peace to Sudan.
Today is also the 93rd day since your inauguration as President, after pledging as a candidate to "make ending the genocide in Darfur a priority from Day One," of your Administration.
Today is also the 49th day since Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir expelled 13 humanitarian aid agencies from Darfur and other regions of Sudan. Since then: Darfuris in IDP camps have died from meningitis, children have died from malnutrition, pregnant women lack medical care, and shelters in camps were burned. The rainy season has started, and in some camps thousands live without the shelters destroyed by rain and wind. Several aid workers have been kidnapped; at least two remain in captivity and are reportedly ill. The Government of Sudan (GoS) executed nine Darfuris accused of killing a journalist after a "trial" condemned by Amnesty International. Sudanese NGO workers are reported to have been harassed, detained and tortured by GoS forces attempting to force their silence. Please see www.WhileWeWaitSudan.org for daily updates directly from Darfuris.
Today is also the 36th day since you appointed Maj. Gen. Scott Gration as your Special Envoy to Sudan. In one of his first public statements he observed that chances were "not very high" that the expelled aid workers would return. He is reported to have discussed the possibility of normalizing the Sudan-United States relationship and to have admitted upon his return from Sudan that he obtained no concessions.
You, Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Clinton, Ambassador Rice, and other members of your Administration acknowledged before your election that a very different approach was necessary to end the Darfur genocide. Notably, in April 2008, in response to the reports of Bush Administration offers of normalization talks to the GoS, you stated, "This reckless and cynical initiative would reward a regime in Khartoum that has a record of failing to live up to its commitments." Your remarks gave hope to Darfuris that as President you would take decisive action and lead the international community in finally taking effective measures, such as those you had advocated for years.
Last week, upon General Gration's departure from Sudan, a Darfuri resident in the U.S. and a tireless advocate for his people stated,
"The U.S.A. in the eyes of the Sudanese is losing its strength. Not the military strength, but the moral strength. The election of Obama gave hope to many victims that finally their prayers were answered. Today the mood is sadness and disappointment in Darfur because America seems back to the 50s and 60s when it sponsored many dictators. Today the mood is jubilation and relief in Khartoum also because America is back to the 50s and 60s when it sponsored many dictators and allowed them to wheel and deal with Washington."
We respectfully urge you to take the course recommended by Jim Wallis and John Prendergast on April 12 at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123958504474112427.html:
(1) Embark on a public diplomacy blitz to ensure that as many countries as possible will demand that humanitarian aid be unfettered by politics. The focus should be on isolating President al- Bashir for starving his own citizens -- as he has done before in Southern Sudan, leading to the deaths of two million people there -- and on ensuring that aid is no longer subject to deadly restrictions.
(2) Conduct a private diplomatic effort to explore how governments could downgrade relations with Sudan's indicted president and eventually end his 20-year presidency. There must be a consequence for orchestrating violence. There also must be an end to the cycle of impunity that has allowed 2.5 million people to die during Bashir's presidency.
(3) Forge a coalition that can both negotiate with and pressure Sudan to seek peace in Darfur as well as implement the existing peace agreement for the South.
If the GoS does not take concrete measurable actions in a very short period of time to restore the necessary humanitarian aid, engage in meaningful peace talks, disarm and disengage the Janjaweed militia, and genuinely implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, we respectfully request that you make it a top personal priority to escalate US action and leadership to do whatever it takes to bring peace and protection to Darfur.
Never has it been more true for Darfur and for all of Sudan that "what you do matters."
Very truly yours,
American Jewish World ServiceRuth MessingerNew York, New York
Americans Against the Darfur GenocideNikki Serapio, DirectorBerkeley, California
Armenian Assembly of AmericaBryan Ardouny, Executive DirectorWashington, DC
Armenian National Committee of AmericaAram Hamparian, Executive DirectorWashington, DC
Be Their MessengerLeah Nuckolls, FounderGilbert, Arizona
Buddhist Peace FellowshipRev. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, Executive DirectorOakland, California
A Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and ActionRoz Duman, Founder/CoordinatorDenver, Colorado
Darfur Alert CoalitionAli Dinar, PresidentPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Darfur and BeyondCory Williams, Co-FounderPhoenix, Arizona
Darfur Leaders NetworkMastora BakheitFort Wayne, IN
Darfur People's Association of New YorkBushara Dosa, PresidentBrooklyn, New York
Darfur Rehabilitation ProjectFatima Haroun,Philadelphia, PA
Darfur Women Action GroupNiemat AhmadiWashington, DC
Dear Sudan, Love MarinGerri Miller, Co-ordinatorMarin, California
Defend Darfur DallasLaura McCarthy, DirectorDallas, TX
Fur Cultural RevivalPortland, Maine
Genocide No More-Save DarfurMarv Steinberg, CoordinatorRedding, California
Idaho Darfur CoalitionA.J. Fay, Co-founderBoise, Idaho
Humanity UnitedPam Omidyar, Founder and Board ChairRedwood City, California
Investors Against GenocideEric Cohen, Chairperson,Boston, Massachusetts
Jewish World WatchTzivia Schwartz-Getzug, Executive DirectorLos Angeles, California
Kentuckiana Interfaith Taskforce On DarfurBob Brousseau, FounderLouisville, Kentucky
Keokuk for DarfurJulia Hays, DirectorKeokuk, Iowa
Kol Shalom, Community for Humanistic JudaismDiane Koosed, Darfur Action Group coordinatorPortland, OR
Lane County Darfur CoalitionRoz Slovic, CoordinatorEugene, Oregon
Massachusetts Coalition to Save DarfurSusan Morgan, Director of CommunicationsBoston, Massachusetts
Mia Farrow
Michigan Darfur CoalitionCharlton Breen, CoordinatorBirmingham, Michigan
New York City Coalition for DarfurSharon Silber, Co-founderNew York, New York
People's Union of DarfurMusa Ishag AbdouWashington, D.C.
Phoenix Save Darfur
Jessica Couleur, FounderPhoenix Arizona
San Antonio Interfaith Darfur CoalitionSusan Smylie, Coordinator of AdvocacySan Antonio, TX
San Francisco Bay Area Darfur CoalitionMartina Knee, Member, Executive CommitteeSan Francisco, California
Save Darfur Washington StateDeborah Jones, PresidentSeattle, Washington
Stanford University STANDAngie McPhaul, Advocacy CoordinatorStanford, California
Stop Genocide NowGabriel Stauring, DirectorLos Angeles, California
Sudan UnlimitedEsther Sprague, FounderSan Francisco, California
The Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan: The National NetworkJulie Hines Mabus, PresidentJackson, Mississippi
Use Your Voice to Save Darfur RISandra Hammel, DirectorProvidence, Rhode Island
Westchester Darfur CoalitionRoberta Roos, CoordinatorWestchester County, New York
World Relief OrganizationElgasim Salih, PresidentPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania