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From Susan Rice, as reported by Reuters: "The United States is gravely concerned by reports of intense aerial bombardment," U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice told reporters after a closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Darfur and other issues. "The (U.N.) secretariat reported 28 bombs dropped just this morning in Muhajiriya," she said. Rice said Sudanese forces were bombing the town even though the rebel forces had withdrawn to a distance of some 31-37 miles (50-60 km) from Muhajiriya and proposed turning the area into a demilitarized zone where U.N.-African Union peacekeepers, known as UNAMID, could deploy to protect civilians ...

Breaking developments in Muhajiriya, South Darfur: the region’s most significant rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement, or JEM, has announced the withdrawal of its troops from Muhajiriya. From the statement on JEM’s website: The order is issued to ensure safety of citizens of Muhajaria town and in a positive response to kind appeals of the government of the United States of America and Mr. Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations. JEM’s offer has several important caveats: it is conditional on UNAMID, the U.N./AU mission in Darfur, forces remaining in Muhajiriya (despite the Sudanese government’s request that UNAMID withdraw ...

In case you missed it, the African Union, or AU, has decided who they want to lead a new panel on justice in Darfur: former South African President Thabo Mbeki. Given Mbeki’s disastrous role in dealing with the Zimbabwe crisis in southern Africa, the AU’s decision appears to be yet another effort by Jean Ping, the chairman of the AU Commission, to sweep accountability under the rug ...

If second-in-command Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, rebel leader Okot Odhiambo – otherwise known as “the Executioner” – has come in from the bush and surrendered as some reports suggest, does this mean the LRA is nearing the end of the road? Not necessarily. Odhiambo’s current status remains unclear. He may already be in custody, but given his public calls for amnesty despite the International Criminal Court, or ICC, indictment hanging over his head, authorities may have decided it best to keep the situation quiet. This low-profile strategy makes some sense since a swift departure to The Hague or a ...

A recent report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights describes an incident on August 25, 2008 when Sudanese government security forces killed 33 internally displaced people, or IDPs, at Kalma IDP camp near Nyala, Sudan. In addition to fatalities, at least 108 people were injured. This case is not unique—the government of Sudan continues to target civilian populations as part of the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The Kalma example illustrates the ongoing tensions that exist between Sudan’s government, the United Nations, and displaced persons. Kalma houses 80,000 IDPs and is one of the largest camps in the ...

We want to hear from you. Enough invites all activists and readers to contribute to our blog, submit stories (and pictures!) about your successes as activists in the anti-genocide movement, as well as news from your community on this issue, whether they be op-eds or letters in your local paper, a write up of your recent event, or events that you think others in the community need to hear about. Send your thoughts, along with your full name, city/state, and group association (if applicable) to me: [email protected]. We want you to be part of the regular dialogue of Enough Said ...

One hundred and ninety six peacekeepers from UNAMID, the joint AU/UN peacekeeping force for Darfur, are stationed in Muhajiriya, a rebel-held town of 30,000 in South Darfur. The government of Sudan has requested that UNAMID withdraw these troops, as it masses its military forces outside the town and uses airpower to bombard nearby camps for displaced persons. Thousands of civilians have gathered outside the UNAMID base in Muhajiriya, just as thousands gathered around similar bases in Rwanda and Bosnia. Khartoum's intention is clear: a full-scale assault on Muhajiriya regardless of the cost to civilians. Given UNAMID's mandate to protect civilians, ...

If you are a student or teacher interested in joining the anti-genocide movement by learning more about Darfur in your school, we are happy to let you know that Enough is partnering with Facing History and Ourselves – a great organization that creates resources for students and teachers on civic responsibility and tolerance in an effort to end human rights violations – to create lesson plans on ending the genocide in Darfur. These materials give students a practical window into activism and what they can help do in response to the crisis in Darfur. The primary accompanying resources for the ...

As predicted by Enough, Chad’s rebels have not only banded together in a “unified insurgency” aimed at toppling Chad’s President, Idriss Déby; they have also elected a leader, Timan Erdimi, to lead the rebellion. Mahamat Nouri, another key rebel figure in Chad who stepped aside when his former rival Erdimi was elected last week as president of the new Union of the Resistance Forces had this to say about the new coalition: It's a big step. We agreed to create a new union. We are all capable of understanding each other to defend the general interests beyond the quarrels of ...

Reuters reports that Russia (the erstwhile major player in African affairs) intends to bolster its diplomatic involvement on African issues such as the Darfur crisis. Mikhail Margelov, Russia’s envoy to Sudan, said in Khartoum on Sunday, “Russia is back in Africa,” and that Moscow had an “open door” to any nations looking for assistance in development projects. Margelov, chairman of the Russian Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee and a heavy hitter in Russian government circles, had some words about the new and more substantial role he hopes Russia will play in Africa: We want our voice to be heard in ...