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STATEMENT: Save Darfur Coalition, Enough and Genocide Intervention Network Call on the U.S. and Egypt to Work Toward Lasting Peace in Sudan

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STATEMENT: Save Darfur Coalition, Enough and Genocide Intervention Network Call on the U.S. and Egypt to Work Toward Lasting Peace in Sudan

Posted by Enough Team on August 18, 2009

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2009
 
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Emily Diamond-Falk, Save Darfur
202-556-2120, [email protected]
 
Nanda Chitre, Enough
202-481-8245, [email protected]
 
Mame Annan-Brown, Genocide Intervention Network
202.483.2701, [email protected]
 
 
STATEMENT:
Save Darfur Coalition, Enough and Genocide Intervention Network
Call on the U.S. and Egypt to Work Toward Lasting Peace in Sudan
                                                                                                                                          
President Obama's August 18 meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is an opportunity for these two leaders to find common ground on an issue of great mutual importance: how to achieve a comprehensive and durable peace in Sudan. The International Criminal Court’s indictment of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the arms race between the parties to Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) have caused significant alarm in Cairo, where the stakes in Sudan’s future are undeniably high. A poorly managed self-determination referendum for southern Sudan and a return to full-scale civil war would further upset an already volatile regional security situation and complicate Egypt’s drive to prevent any interruptions to the flow of the Nile River. President Obama and President Mubarak should commit to work together to forge a strong international coalition that will pursue a common strategy for lasting peace in Sudan. The essential elements of such a strategy are the following:
 
Revitalize the Darfur peace process:  The U.S. and Egypt should work jointly to press the Darfuri people’s political representation – including both rebels and civil society representatives – to articulate shared negotiating demands. Egypt must also lend its considerable diplomatic weight to ensuring that credible negotiations between Darfuris and the Sudanese regime progress in a timely manner.
 
Create consequences for subverting peace in the South:  The North-South peace deal is in serious trouble.  The main reason is that there is no consequence for obstructing implementation.  The U.S. and Egypt should come to an understanding about what pressures and incentives would be most effective in driving the parties to implement the deal and avoid a return to full scale warfare.
 
 
 
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About Save Darfur Coalition: The Save Darfur Coalition – an alliance of more than 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations – raises public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of people throughout the Darfur region. The coalition’s member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Darfur. For more information on the coalition, please visit www.SaveDarfur.org.

About Enough: Enough is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on crises in Sudan, Chad, eastern Congo, northern Uganda, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. Enough’s strategy papers and briefings provide sharp field analysis and targeted policy recommendations based on a “3P” crisis response strategy: promoting durable peace, providing civilian protection, and punishing perpetrators of atrocities. Enough works with concerned citizens, advocates, and policy makers to prevent, mitigate, and resolve these crises.

About Genocide Intervention Network: Genocide Intervention Network is working to build the first permanent anti-genocide constituency, mobilizing the political will to stop genocide when it occurs.  Accessible online at http://www.GenocideIntervention.net, Genocide Intervention Network empowers individuals with the tools to stop genocide. Visit www.genocideintervention.net.