News Update 1/31/09

African Union against indicting Sudan's Bashir

Associated Press

January 31, 2009

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia -- The African Union urged the International Criminal Court on Friday to suspend its indictment of Sudan's president on genocide charges, saying it could jeopardize any peace process in Darfur.

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For the remainder of the article, please visit: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-sudan31-2009jan31,0,5070523.story

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Russia calls for an international conference on Darfur

Friday 30 January 2009 05:56.

January 29, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — A visiting Russian official announced today that his government is proposing an international conference on Darfur to be held in Moscow later this year.

Russian envoy to Sudan Mikhail Margelov (L) speaks to Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir January 29, 2009

The Russian special envoy to Sudan Mikhail Margelov told reporters following his meeting with president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir that the conference would include experts and political figures as well as all interested parties.

“We think such a summit would be a good mechanism to those who want to participate in the reviewing the positive developments in Darfur” Margelov was quoted by the Sudan official news agency (SUNA) as saying.

The Russian official said that his country is “actively engaged on Sudan issues and wants to play an active role in UN Security Council (UNSC), Africa and in world affairs”.

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For more information, visit: http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article30012

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???

hey so I was just wondering if there is anything on this blog?
things we should read...updates?
am I missing something or is it just blank?

News Update 1/21/09

DR Congo: LRA Slaughters 620 in ‘Christmas Massacres’

Protection Urgently Needed as Killings Continue

January 17, 2009

The LRA went in intending to kill and they left few survivors. The similar tactics and the near-simultaneous attacks indicate this was a planned operation meant to slaughter and terrorize as many civilians as possible.

Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch

(New York) - Combatants of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) brutally massacred at least 620 civilians and abducted more than 160 children between December 24 and January 13 in northern Democratic Republic of Congo, said Human Rights Watch and Justice Plus, a Congolese human rights organization. Many of the victims were killed or abducted in three simultaneous attacks on December 24 and 25, 2008.

In a two-week mission to the region, Human Rights Watch and Justice Plus researchers collected detailed information, including lists of persons killed or abducted in and around Doruma, Faradje and Duru, in Haute Uele territory. At several sites where the killings took place, researchers found fresh graves, pools of dried blood, cords used to tie up prisoners and blood-stained bats and axes used to kill the victims.

"The LRA went in intending to kill and they left few survivors," said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The similar tactics and the near-simultaneous attacks indicate this was a planned operation meant to slaughter and terrorize as many civilians as possible."

To read more, visit: http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/01/17/dr-congo-lra-slaughters-620-christmas-massacres

News Update 1/20/09

SUDAN: UN warns of humanitarian catastrophe if Darfur fighting continues

Photo: Derk Segaar/IRIN

Armed men from the Sudan Liberation Movement Army (SLM/A) in south Darfur in a file photo: Fighting between a faction of the SLA and the Justice and Equality Movement rebels has led to the displacement of thousands

KHARTOUM, 19 January 2009 (IRIN) - The UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan's western Darfur region has expressed "grave concern" for the lives and safety of tens of thousands of civilians in a Darfur town recently affected by "fierce fighting" between rebels and ex-rebels.

"Continued fighting between the two Darfurian movements could lead to a catastrophic humanitarian situation for the 30,000 residents and displaced civilians there," the joint UN-African Union Mission (UNAMID) said in a statement on 18 January. According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 46,000 people already displaced by the conflict had come to the town of Muhajiriya, 80km east of Nyala, capital of South Darfur State, in search of safety.

Fighting erupted near the town on 15 January between rebels from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the only major rebel group to have signed a peace deal with the government, the faction of the Sudan Liberation Army led by Minni Minnawi.

Both groups said they were attacked by the other, though international observers support claims by Minnawi’s forces that JEM entered their territory and refused to leave.

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In the battle on 15 January, civilians rushed on to the UNAMID base for protection, spokesperson Noureddine Mezni said. The residential compound of an aid agency was burned to the ground, and all non-local staff from two NGOs, Solidarité and Médecins sans Frontières-Holland, were temporarily relocated. Their programmes – food distribution, water and sanitation services, and healthcare, respectively – continue to be run by local staff, though "at low speed with difficulties", one aid worker said.

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Photo: Heba Aly/IRIN

A UNAMID (joint UN-African Union Mission) peacekeeper stands guard during a patrol through Dali village in North Darfur in this file photo: UNAMID has warned that fighting between two Darfurian movements could lead to a catastrophic humanitarian situation

The UN did not specify any numbers, but said it was "deeply concerned" about the humanitarian situation and "deplored the loss of life and injury to civilians".

"The hostilities must stop so that aid agencies can get back to the town to continue their life-saving work," acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Kenro Oshidari, said in a statement. He said the town had never seen such levels of violence.

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To read the rest of the article, visit:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=82448


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South Sudan's leader Salva Kiir warns of return to civil war

Sudan's Vice President Salva Kiir said that if an ICC arrest warrant is issued for Sudanese President Al-Bashir, Sudan's ruling party will likely abandon the 2005 peace deal that ended the country's north-south civil war, leading to a constitutional crisis and a return to civil war.

Source: Voice of America News 15 January 2009

To read more, visit: http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/2009/01/south-sudans-leader-salva-kiir-warns-of.html

For anyone who does not know:
"ICC" stands for International Criminal Court, an institution that was founded in 1998 through an international treaty signed by 108 nations across the globe. Currently, the United States is not a signatory; although the US did sign the treaty in 1998, President George W. Bush's administration chose to nullify the signature on the treaty during his term. Although the United States currently plays no significant role in the system, future administrations can remove this signature nullification and reinstate the United States as a signatory. The statute "entered into force" in 2002, and since the Court has developed to a functional level.

States party to the treaty or members of the UN Security Council can recommend investigation into a crime under the jurisdiction of the court; additionally, ICC prosecutors can investigate crimes under jurisdiction without external recommendation. Since 2002, four investigations have been recommended: Darfur, Uganda, DR Congo, and the Central African Republic. Currently, the Prosecutor has issued warrants for arrest for two leaders in Sudan. To read his initial press release regarding the situation, visit: http://www.icc-cpi.int/pressrelease_details&id=228&l=en.html

To learn more about the International Criminal Court system, visit: http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html

SPRING 2009

Check out what we have going for SPRING 2009:
(ideas are tentative as of January 8)

o Party with Sig Chi? Theme: Undecided
o Concert? With Flogging Molly
o Possible discounted school supply donation to refugees in the Rochester Community - Dr. Bennett, Saint’s Place (Distribution center of goods for Refugees), Catholic Resettlement Center (Only resettlement agency in Rochester),
o Movie, Documentary Nights. Co-sponsorship with UR Cinema
o Flex machine Donations:
o Begin Merchandise? – WE NEED CLOTHES.
o Community Service – Volunteer at local elementary schools or at Community center for adults. Program co-sponsorship with other organizations. ICLC?
o Dorm Wars/ Inner dorm competitions…
o Write our representatives
o Speakers? – Burman Refugees – Bethany and Ti Gay
o Informational Flyer/ monthly/ weekly paper thing… possibly in bathroom stalls – people will read them. Purpose: Awareness
o Permanent donation box
o Comedy Show

and of course if I missed any ideas or if you want to add please feel free to bring them up at the meetings and post them on the blog.

Some other items for our agenda:
- Winter Activities Fair - January 16th
- Turn in Money to Stand from Stand Fast week
- Executive Board Elections in February
- Become an official SA Funded organization
- Recruit more members
- Advertise and Flyer

Advocacy

Hey everyone,
Just wondering, are we planning any advocacy events for the spring semester? Hope break is going well.
Luke