Regional Action of the Month - Darfur and Eastern Chad

Mid-Atlantic Regional Action of the Month
DARFUR AND EASTERN CHAD:
Human rights at risk for hundreds of thousands of civilians

The well-documented violence in Darfur, Sudan, that began in 2003 continues to displace hundreds of thousands of people who now live as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs) in both Sudan and neighboring Chad. Security in Darfur itself continues to deteriorate, and eastern Chad has become the site of a significant humanitarian crisis, the direct result of events in Darfur. The numbers tell the story: over two million Darfuris are internally displaced and 230,000 are refugees in Chad; 100,000 Chadians are internally displaced, and at least another 15,000 have become refugees in Darfur. Humanitarian access by aid agencies is limited, and physical security for refugees, IDPs, and aid workers is severely eroding.

(Read on for more information and a sample action letter!)

BACKGROUND

After several years of advocacy and attempts at intervention by the international community, the situation in Darfur, Sudan, and eastern Chad remains bleak. Attacks by Janjawid, rebel groups, and government forces continue unabated. Forced recruitment, sexual assault, and murder are still daily occurrences. Pressure from the international community has so far not convinced Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to allow UN peacekeepers into the country, and efforts by the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to protect civilians are largely stalled due to insufficient numbers, resources and mandate. While the world tries to get Bashir to accept UN troops in Darfur, Sudanese and Chadian refugees and IDPs continue to be displaced, attacked, and killed.

The Government of Chad is willing to allow UN peacekeepers into its country to protect the displaced; now is the time. The Chadian government is unable to dedicate adequate numbers of its troops to protect refugees and IDPs in camps near the border with Sudan, using them instead to fend off incursions by its own armed opponents and Janjawid. This has left refugees and IDPs unprotected and open to attack by Janjawid, and aggressive recruitment by rebel groups. As armed groups continue their cross-border incursions into eastern Chad and the camps where displaced civilians have sought shelter, the need for genuine protection becomes ever greater. This month alone 20,000 more Chadians fleeing Janjawid attacks arrived in camps for the displaced, further straining scarce resources.

Civilians in Darfur and Chad cannot wait any longer for adequate protection and humanitarian assistance. The situation in Darfur must be stabilized, civilians must be protected in Darfur and eastern Chad, and international peacekeepers must be mobilized immediately.

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Please contact the new Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon to remind him of the urgent need to protect all civilians affected by the conflict in Darfur, and to urge him to do everything in his power to establish security in and bring peace to Darfur and eastern Chad. A sample letter is included below.

Upcoming Darfur Action Opportunities:

March 26th-30th – Nation Week of Student Action

Make Some Noise: Save Darfur

March 30th – Rally at the Chinese Embassy in DC

Urge China to Help Protect Civilians in Darfur!

April 2nd-6th – Darfur Call in Week!

Join us in calling your Senators and representatives to press China to support human rights in Darfur!

April 9th-13th – Darfur District Lobby Week!

Sign up to visit your Senators and representatives to press China to support human rights in Darfur!
For more information about what you can do to take action in Darfur, please view the full action guide at darfur.amnestyusa.org. Please also let your field organizer know if you take action.

SAMPLE LETTER

Mr. Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: 212-963-5012
Fax: 212-963-4879
Email: inquiries@un.org

Dear Secretary-General Ban:

Congratulations on becoming the new Secretary-General of the United Nations. I look forward to your good work and wish you the best in facing the challenges that lie ahead.

I am writing to express my deepest concern about the safety of civilians in Darfur and eastern Chad. As you know, refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) on both sides of the shared border continue to suffer from attacks by Janjawid militias, rebel groups, and the Sudanese government. Forced recruitment, sexual violence, and murder are still daily features of life for those displaced by the conflict in Darfur. Refugees and IDPs are desperately in need of protection and humanitarian aid, both of which are dependent upon security on the ground. Sudanese President al-Bashir has not yet fully agreed to allow the full UN peacekeeping force authorized by UNSC Resolution 1706—now to become part of a hybrid AU/UN force—into Darfur. I therefore strongly urge you to actively support a robust peacekeeping mission in eastern Chad—and Darfur--as soon as possible to protect Darfuri and Chadian displaced civilians there.

I urge you, as spokesperson for the peoples of the world, in particular those in the greatest need of assistance, to do everything in your power to end the tragedy in Darfur and bring peace to the region. Please never cease to remind all UN member states, including Chad and Sudan, of their responsibility to protect those at risk.

Thank you for your attention to these urgent concerns.