Background
During President Obama’s address before the United Nations General Assembly, he made the following comments regarding the situation in Darfur:
“But our efforts to promote peace cannot be limited to defeating violent extremists. For the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is the hope of human beings – the belief that the future belongs to those who build, not destroy; the confidence that conflicts can end, and a new day begin.
“That is why we will strengthen our support for effective peacekeeping, while energizing our efforts to prevent conflicts before they take hold. We will pursue a lasting peace in Sudan through support for the people of Darfur, and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, so that we secure the peace that the Sudanese people deserve. And in countries ravaged by violence – from Haiti to Congo to East Timor – we will work with the UN and other partners to support an enduring peace.”
Jerry Fowler, president, Save Darfur Coalition:
"Save Darfur is pleased that President Obama used his UN speech to reiterate his determination to pursue a lasting peace in Sudan. But, now he must turn these words into action by building an international coalition to apply incentives and pressures to push Khartoum to end the conflict in Darfur and fully implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The President should use the opportunity presented by the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh to encourage the world’s richest countries to leverage their economic influence to ensure that Khartoum’s debt is not forgiven until it makes concrete and lasting progress toward ending insecurity and instability in Darfur and throughout Sudan. The Save Darfur Coalition looks forward to the release of the administration’s long-overdue Sudan policy review, which we hope will outline the administration’s specific plan for achieving lasting peace in Sudan.”
John Norris, executive director, Enough:
“President Obama’s speech was well-crafted and well-delivered. He rightly stressed that all nations have both rights and responsibilities. He spoke of the need for peace in Sudan at a time when it is clear that the government of Sudan has repeatedly abrogated its fundamental responsibilities by deliberately targeting innocent civilians while failing to fulfill peace agreement after peace agreement. We cannot just talk about war crimes and international law in the abstract. It is now up to President Obama to galvanize an international response to the growing crisis in Sudan.”
Sam Bell, executive director, Genocide Intervention Network
“Words are important and we're glad President Obama mentioned Sudan in today's speech. However, actions will make the difference in Sudan. We've been troubled by the Obama Administration's first steps on Sudan but are hopeful that today marks the start of a new beginning with the President playing an active role to support peace."
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About the 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. For more information, contact Eileen White Read, 202.741.6376; [email protected].
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.