13 Nov 2012 – The Aegis Trust has joined over 80 prominent human rights organizations to sign an open letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) urging it to impose deadlines and consequences on the Government of Sudan in order to secure protection and humanitarian aid for displaced communities in the Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur states of Sudan.The letter raised concern that recommendations to the UNSC by the African Union Peace and Security Council in its communiqué on 24 October did not adequately address the serious humanitarian crises in these areas.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 695,000 Sudanese are severely affected by state-sponsored violence and blockades of humanitarian assistance inside South Kordofan and Blue Nile while 211,000 Sudanese have fled to South Sudan and Ethiopia. In Darfur, OCHA reports 1.7 million people registered in IDP camps and more recently, 86 civilian deaths and 29,000 newly displaced due to increased violence.
See below for the full text of the open letter and list of signatories:
November 11, 2012
Dear Members of the United Nations Security Council,
Thank you for your attention with regard to resolving the outstanding matters between Sudan and South Sudan related to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 and for your efforts to address the dangerous and ongoing crises in Sudan.
We write to you in reference to UNSC Resolution 2046 and your expressed intention to take appropriate measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter if any or all parties fail to comply with the Resolution.
We understand some progress has been made as outlined in the African Union Peace and Security Council Communique dated October 24, 2012. However, the immediate life threatening conditions faced by civilians in the Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan and Blue Nile are ongoing and intensifying due to increased bombing by the Government of Sudan and its persistent refusal for over a year to allow access for critically needed humanitarian aid. In addition, violence by the government and its proxies against IDPs and residents of Darfur, who are also without adequate humanitarian aid, is escalating.
Urgent and decisive action by the UN Security Council is required to save lives.
We understand you will soon review and vote on the recommendations put forth in the above referenced AUPSC Communique. We do not believe the Communique is adequate in addressing the crises in the two states and, as expected, it does not include necessary recommendations for Darfur.
Therefore, we urge the UN Security Council to adopt the recommendations outlined in the Enough Project policy brief, “Not Just Mediation: The United Nations Security Council’s Role in Supporting Peace in the Two Sudans” dated November 7, 2012.
Specifically, we request the UN Security Council to immediately take the following steps:
• Define a strict timeline by which the government of Sudan must permit unfettered international humanitarian assistance into the two states.
• Define specific consequences, per UNSC Resolution 2046, if aid is not flowing into the two states per the timeline, including taking all required measures to deliver aid, with or without the government’s consent.
• Provide civilian protection and unfettered international humanitarian aid in Darfur and outline specific consequences for the government if it impedes these efforts.
Thank you for your consideration of these urgent matters and for your ongoing commitment to maintain international peace and security.
Signed by:
1. Aegis Trust
2. African Soul, American Heart
3. Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan
4. American Jewish World Service
5. Arry Organization for Human Rights and Development
6. Beja Organization for Human Rights and Development
7. Bnai Darfur Organization in Israel
8. Brooklyn Coalition for Darfur & Marginalized Sudan
9. Canadians Against Slavery and Torture in Sudan
10. Christian Solidarity International-USA
11. ClarkU STAND
12. Collectif Urgence Darfour
13. Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action
14. Combat Genocide Association (CGA)
15. Comité Soudan
16. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization – CEPO
17. Community of South Sudanese and America Women/Men
18. Connecticut Coalition to Save Darfur
19. Darfur Action Group of South Carolina
20. Darfur and Beyond
21. Darfur Friends Association Israel
22. Darfur Human Rights Organization of the USA
23. Darfur Interfaith Network
24. Darfur Leaders Network (DLN), USA
25. Darfur People’s Association of New York
26. Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre
27. Darfur Union, UK & Ireland
28. Dear Sudan Love Marin
29. Doctors to the World
30. Enough Project
31. Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
32. Equatorian South Sudanese Association
33. Eric Reeves, Smith College
34. Genocide No More – Save Darfur
35. Genocide Prevention Institute
36. Genocide Watch
37. Georgia Coalition to Prevent Genocide
38. Help Nuba
39. Hope With South Sudan
40. Human Rights & Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND)
41. Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART)
42. Humanity Is Us
43. Humanity United
44. Idaho Darfur Coalition
45. Jerusalem Center for Genocide Prevention (JC4GP)
46. Joining Our Voices
47. Justice and Peace Commission, Diocese of Wau, South Sudan
48. Kentuckiana Taskforce Against Genocide
49. Live Well South Sudan
50. Living Ubuntu
51. Lord Alton of Liverpool
52. Mia Farrow, Actress and Humanitarian
53. Moro Association of United States, Inc.
54. My Sister’s Keeper
55. Never Again Coalition
56. New York Darfur Vigil Group
57. Nuba Christian Family Mission, Inc.
58. Nuba Mountain Peace Coalition
59. Nuba Mountains International Assoc. USA
60. Nuba Peace Initiative
61. Nuba Relief, Rehabilitation and Development Organization
62. Nuba Vision Coalition, Inc.
63. Nubia Project
64. Operation Broken Silence
65. Panaruu Coalition for Humanitarian Aid Rehabilitation and Development Inc.
66. Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition
67. Rehab Nova International
68. Shine A Ray of Hope
69. South Sudan Community in Germany
70. St. Clare’s Episcopal Church
71. Stop Genocide Now
72. Sudan Advocacy Action Forum
73. Sudan Human Rights Network
74. Sudan Rowan Inc.
75. Sudan Unlimited
76. Sudanese Ministry Committee, Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi
77. Sudanese Women Action Networks
78. The Institute on Religion and Democracy
79. THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy
80. Triangles of Truth
81. Ubuntu Women Institute USA Inc.
82. United Sudanese and South Sudanese Community Association
83. United to End Genocide
84. Use Your Voice to Stop Genocide RI
85. Waging Peace
86. Women Rehabilitation Development International Foundation
87. World Without Genocide
