War and Protest in Sudan: Implications for the Region a Year After South Sudan’s Independence

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About the event

The one-year anniversary of South Sudan's independence is fast approaching. South Sudan and Sudan have seemingly stepped back from the brink of all-out war, but they have yet to resolve many outstanding issues within the context of the ongoing North-South negotiation process. Meanwhile, conflict is deepening in a number of Sudan's regions, while the pro-democracy movement – led by youth, civil society organizations, and opposition political parties – is protesting Sudan's dictatorship. This violence and unrest poses significant implications for South Sudan and the region at large. 

Join us for a discussion that will address these multiple and interconnected challenges and explore ways to build peace and security within and between the two Sudans. 

The Enough Project will also debut a short video – shot in South Sudan – highlighting the reflections of South Sudanese and Sudanese on the occasion of South Sudan's first anniversary of independence. 

Panelists

Dr. Francis Deng, Former U.N. Special Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide

Dr. Francis Deng was appointed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2007 as the Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide at the level of Under-Secretary-General.  He also served as Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons from 1992-2004.  While in government, he served as the Ambassador of the Sudan to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United States. He also served as the Sudan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

After leaving government service, Dr. Deng held various positions at the United States Institute of Peace, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, John Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, the Woodrow Wilson International Center, the Brookings Institution, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and the Library of Congress. 

Dr. Deng holds a Bachelor of Laws from Khartoum University and a Master of Laws and a Doctor of the Science of Law from Yale University. He has authored and edited over 30 books in the fields of law, conflict resolution, internal displacement, human rights, anthropology, folklore, history and politics. He is the recipient of numerous human rights and humanitarian awards, including the 2000 Rome Prize for Peace and Humanitarian Action.

Sarah Cleto Rial, Program Director, My Sister's Keeper

Sarah Cleto Rial is the Program Director at My Sister’s Keeper, an organization aimed at advancing political, social and economic justice for all women and girls, particularly those in Sudan and South Sudan. Rial has held several positions working with underserved and refugee communities in the U.S. She is the Co-Founder and President of the African Women's Empowerment Group, a nonprofit organization helping immigrant and refugee women to achieve self-sufficiency. A native of South Sudan, Rial has a long history of dedication to organizations working to empower women and advocate for peace. Since her arrival in the United States, Rial has held leadership positions with the American Anti-Slavery Group, the Sudanese Women Alliance and the Fertit Association. In 2010, Rial was honored by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as one of three recipients of the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award.

Omer Ismail, Senior Advisor, Enough Project

Omer Ismail was born in the Darfur region of Sudan. He has spent over 20 years working both independently and with international organizations on relief efforts and human rights. Omer fled Sudan in 1989 as a result of his political views. He helped found the Sudan Democratic Forum, a think tank of Sudanese intellectuals working for the advancement of democracy in Sudan. In addition, he co-founded the Darfur Peace and Development organization to raise awareness about the crisis in his troubled region. He currently works as Policy Advisor to several agencies working in crisis management and conflict resolution in Africa. He was a Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy.

John Prendergast, Co-founder, Enough Project

John Prendergast is a human rights activist and best-selling author who has worked for peace in Africa for over 25 years. He is the co-founder of the Enough Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity affiliated with the Center for American Progress. John has worked for the Clinton White House, the State Department, two members of Congress, the National Intelligence Council, UNICEF, Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group, and the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Moderator: John C. Bradshaw, Executive Director, Enough Project 

Location

Center for American Progress (map)
1333 H St. NW #1
Washington, D.C. 20005

Can't make it to the event? We'll be live-streaming the panel at https://enoughproject.org/SudansPanel. Submit your questions to our panelists via Twitter using the hashtag #SudansPanel.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Christian at [email protected]. 

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