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It’s been just over 7 months since 'Sudan: Day of Conscience,' when I and other people of faith and good will were arrested as we called on the government of Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur. I am dismayed that so little progress has been made since then. Thankfully, momentum is once again building around legislation in the US Senate and proposals in the UN Security Council. I applaud the efforts of the UU United Nations Office to rally Unitarian Universalists to action, and hope that many congregations will answer the call to help stop the violence in Darfur.

Rev. William G. Sinkford
President, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations


 

December 2006

As we continue to push for intervention in Darfur, it is inspiring to see the United Nations taking action, even after the expulsion of Jan Pronk, the head of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). The United Nations Human Rights Council is sending a five-member, high-level mission to the war-torn region to assess how extreme the human rights violations are. The mission is part of a resolution passed Wednesday the 13th, specifically addressing human rights in Darfur. Human Rights Council President, Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, will appoint the five members of the mission after consultation with the 47 members of the HRC, as well as Sima Samar, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Sudan. The resolution also encourages the Sudanese government’s cooperation and encourages Khartoum to strengthen its relationship with the Human Rights Council.

Before departing, Secretary-General Kofi Annan approved the move, in a statement given in Geneva, on the second day of a special Council hearing devoted to Darfur. Additionally, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), briefed the UN Security Council. The ICC expects that its first case against those who appear to be the most responsible for the alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur will be finalized by February. Moreno-Ocampo added also that, “The evidence provides reasonable grounds to believe that the individuals identified have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the crimes of persecution, torture, murder and rape, during a period in which the gravest crimes occurred in Darfur.”

The continued and increased support of the United Nations is crucial as over 200,000 people have died and 4 million people require humanitarian aid from the UN or non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In addition to the mission going to Darfur, UNMIS, the African Union (AU), and the Sudanese government have begun holding meetings, discussing the best way to implement the $21 million UN support package to the African Union’s peacekeeping force in Darfur.

By Alexandra Horton, Program Associate
( Last update 12/18/2006)

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