Darfur protestors storm the AU summit in Accra and demand suspension of Sudan
- By News Hound
- Published 07/3/2007
- Politics
- Unrated
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View all articles by News HoundDarfur protestors storm the AU summit in Accra and demand suspension of Sudan
by Godwin Nnanna
China must be pressurized to stop supporting Khartoum
Leading members of Darfur-based civil society groups have stormed the African Union summit in Accra demanding that African leaders apply stronger measures against Sudan to stop the carnage in Darfur.
Among their demands is the immediate and indefinite suspension of President Omar el-Bashir of Sudan from the African Union. Similar strong civil society pressure earlier in the year led to a unanimous decision to deny el-Bashir the leadearship of the AU which he was due to assume.
Abdelbagi Jibril, a Durfuran and Executive Director of Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre (DRDC), who spoke to Black Britain in Accra, said he believes that the AU has all it takes to restore peace to the war-ravaged Durfur region of Sudan.
“It is not true that the African Union cannot stop the killing in Darfur, what is needed is the political will on the part of the leaders,” Jibril said. A total of 1,195 villages have been destroyed and the inhabitants living in refugee camps while another 411 villages have suffered varying degree of damages, according to DRDC.
“The situation of women and children victims of the armed conflict in Darfur is so acute and so urgent that it deserves special attention and action. They live in precarious conditions in makeshift shelters of branches and grass and that barely protect them from the day heat or the night cold,” DRDC noted.
“If Africa decides to stop all Chinese economic activities on the continent because of its support for Khartoum, I am sure China will reverse its non-challant approach to the issue in Darfur. Without China’s support, Bashir will bow to the international pressure,” said Abdul Rahan, another Darfuran who is in Accra for the summit.
Former chair of House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Nigeria’s parliament, Usman Bugaje who spoke at a civil society gathering on Darfur, said warned that crisis in Darfur is capable of destabilising the entire continent if not checked.
He stressed that what was need was more punitive measures against President al-Bashir to ensure he severs his government’s support for the Janjaweed. A coalition of civil society groups in Ghana staged a solidarity concert last week to lend their voices to calls for more action from AU on Darfur. A letter signed by 17 Darfur campaign groups made available to journalists in Accra is asking the AU to among other things:
“Withdraw recognition from Omar 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 of the AU Constitutive Act which requires intervention of the AU member states to put a halt to the commission of such crimes.
“withdraw any diplomatic and political support to the government of Sudan as long 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.
“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.
“support the work of the International Criminal Court to prosecute individuals accuased of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur in particular by apprehending and handing over all officials and agents of government of Sudan against whom the ICC has issued arrest warrants.”
http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/news/details.aspx?i=2476&c=africa
China must be pressurized to stop supporting Khartoum
Leading members of Darfur-based civil society groups have stormed the African Union summit in Accra demanding that African leaders apply stronger measures against Sudan to stop the carnage in Darfur.
Among their demands is the immediate and indefinite suspension of President Omar el-Bashir of Sudan from the African Union. Similar strong civil society pressure earlier in the year led to a unanimous decision to deny el-Bashir the leadearship of the AU which he was due to assume.
Abdelbagi Jibril, a Durfuran and Executive Director of Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre (DRDC), who spoke to Black Britain in Accra, said he believes that the AU has all it takes to restore peace to the war-ravaged Durfur region of Sudan.
“It is not true that the African Union cannot stop the killing in Darfur, what is needed is the political will on the part of the leaders,” Jibril said. A total of 1,195 villages have been destroyed and the inhabitants living in refugee camps while another 411 villages have suffered varying degree of damages, according to DRDC.
“The situation of women and children victims of the armed conflict in Darfur is so acute and so urgent that it deserves special attention and action. They live in precarious conditions in makeshift shelters of branches and grass and that barely protect them from the day heat or the night cold,” DRDC noted.
“If Africa decides to stop all Chinese economic activities on the continent because of its support for Khartoum, I am sure China will reverse its non-challant approach to the issue in Darfur. Without China’s support, Bashir will bow to the international pressure,” said Abdul Rahan, another Darfuran who is in Accra for the summit.
Former chair of House Committee on Foreign Affairs in Nigeria’s parliament, Usman Bugaje who spoke at a civil society gathering on Darfur, said warned that crisis in Darfur is capable of destabilising the entire continent if not checked.
He stressed that what was need was more punitive measures against President al-Bashir to ensure he severs his government’s support for the Janjaweed. A coalition of civil society groups in Ghana staged a solidarity concert last week to lend their voices to calls for more action from AU on Darfur. A letter signed by 17 Darfur campaign groups made available to journalists in Accra is asking the AU to among other things:
“Withdraw recognition from Omar 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 of the AU Constitutive Act which requires intervention of the AU member states to put a halt to the commission of such crimes.
“withdraw any diplomatic and political support to the government of Sudan as long 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.
“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.
“support the work of the International Criminal Court to prosecute individuals accuased of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur in particular by apprehending and handing over all officials and agents of government of Sudan against whom the ICC has issued arrest warrants.”
http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/news/details.aspx?i=2476&c=africa
