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Urgent Appeal for Action on conflict in Darfur, Sudan
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Contents
Given the increasing level of violence in Sudan, and the fear of more killings unless something is done, KAIROS is issuing this appeal for Canadian officials to act. Please consider sending a letter to your Member of Parliament, with copies to Prime Minister Paul Martin.
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Background |
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According to most credible reports, over 1000 people are being killed a week in Sudan by an armed militia that is supported by aircraft of the Sudanese National Forces. Reports of systematic rape of girls and women by the Janjaweed militia have also emerged in recent months. Human rights groups are warning of “another Rwanda”.
In response to this crisis, KAIROS is asking the Canadian government to take specific steps to stop the humanitarian crisis from escalating, and to apply pressure on the Sudanese government to cease its support for indiscriminate attacks on civilians by immediately disbanding the militias.
The Canadian government has not acted beyond some “behind
the scenes” work at the Human Rights Commission in Geneva.
In mid-May, however, Senator Mobina Jaffer will be travelling to
Khartoum for meetings with the Sudanese authorities.
Top
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What you can do |
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KAIROS is urging the Canadian government to denounce unequivocally the human rights violations in Sudan and aggressively pressure the government of Sudan for peace.
Please send the following letter (augmented if possible with a personal message of concern) to your Member of Parliament and copy Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada.
Ideally, messages should be signed and faxed to individual MPs,
although you can email or mail them if necessary. E-mails and addresses
of MPs can be found at:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/SenatorsMembers_house.asp?Language=E&Parl=37&Ses=3&Sect=hoccur
General address for all MPs:
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1A 0A6
Letters should be sent as soon as possible.
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Further information |
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Background to the latest crisis can be found on our website
at:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/e/humanrights/peaceSudan0404.asp
General background can be found in our Sudan “e-kit” and in the Sudan section of KAIROS letters and statements, including the latest letter to Prime Minister Martin.
See also Amnesty International’s companion action
Amnesty’s action focuses on the Sudanese government; KAIROS’
focuses on applying pressure on our own government via our elected
representatives.
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Sample Letter |
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MP’s Name
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Dear ____________,
I am extremely alarmed by the worsening human rights and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. More than 2 million people have perished and over 4 million have been forced from their homes since 1983 in one of the longest and most violent conflicts in the world, and Canada has done little to mitigate the crisis.
I urge the Government of Canada to take leadership in assuring a comprehensive peace process between the Government of Sudan and its opposition, including the armed groups in Darfur, and insist that the Government of Sudan bring the killing to a halt. While we appreciate the work of Senator Mobina Jaffer, Canada’s envoy to the peace talks in Naivasha, Kenya, we strongly urge Canada to do much more.
Canada should immediately insist that the Sudanese government:
| A) | Halt the repeated human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law committed by the Sudanese military and its proxy militia forces; |
| B) | Stop the systematic and indiscriminate aerial bombardments and ground attacks by Sudanese forces on unarmed civilians; |
| C) | Cease the attacks by its proxy forces against civilians including killing, rape, pillage, arson, and torture, intent on dispersing the population and ethnically cleansing entire regions of the country; |
| D) | Disband the ethnically-charged Janjaweed militia in Darfur; |
| E) | Allow immediate access to all zones of conflict by humanitarian organizations and international human rights monitors, and; |
| F) | Release all political prisoners. |
It has been ten years since the genocide in Rwanda and many Canadians are still tormented by the international community’s lack of concern and response to the early warnings of mass killings. When Lt. General Romeo Dallaire, the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission there, called for reinforcements to stop the slaughter, the international community stood by and washed its hands. Humanity cannot afford to repeat those mistakes in Sudan.
If Canada and its partners act now we can prevent the tragedy in Sudan from getting worse.
I look forward to your response on this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
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