In the past few months, we have asked our membership for feedback.  After hearing from our alumni, our chapters and members, we have decided to make some changes to ensure that STAND effectively facilitates anti-genocide advocacy and continues to empower youth and the Canadian public at-large.

Please click here to donate.

Share the link on Facebook, Twitter, and via email. Keep us updated on your progress! As thanks, we will feature the top fundraisers in our newsletters and blog.

Sudan & South Sudan

Rebel Groups Form Alliance Against Khartoum

In an effort to overthrow the Sudanese government, four rebel groups– Sudan Revolutionary Front consists of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, Justice and Equality Movement, Sudan Liberation Army-Abdel Wahid and Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minnawi– have joined together to form the Sudan Revolutionary front. Though political analysts have recognized this force as being relatively weak, the Sudanese government has reinstated its pleas to South Sudan to stop supporting such opposition forces.

Article: http://presstv.com/detail/210684.html

ICC to Seek Arrest Warrant for Defense Minister of Sudan

The Dubai-based Al-Arabiya TV has reported that the International Crime Court is planning to release a warrant of arrest for Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein for allegations that have not yet been disclosed. This move, which is yet to be confirmed by the ICC, would be the fourth outstanding arrest warrant for a Sudanese official.

Article: http://www.sudantribune.com/ICC-prosecutor-to-request-arrest,40731

Sudanese UN Ambassador Said to Have “Blatantly Lied” about Aerial Bombing

Following Sudanese Ambassador Daffia-Alla Elhag Ali Osman’s claims that Sudan did not wage an aerial  bombardment on South Sudan,  American U.N. Ambassador, Susan Rice, strongly expressed her belief to the contrary.  According to the U.N. Peacekeeping Chief, South Sudan has been the target of at least two aerial bombings.

Article:http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19315653

N.B.: This article incorrectly identifies Susan Rice as the United Nations’ U.N. Ambassador, rather than the American U.N. Ambassador.

Amnesty International Accuses Sudan of Torturing Protestors

In a recently issued statement, Amnesty International claims that detainment of opposition activists has included torture tactics as well as violence against youth and the mentally ill.

Article: http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Sudan-torturing-activists-Amnesty-Int-20111112

DRC

Opposition Presidential Candidate Orders Jailbreaks

Prior to any elections, Etienne Tshisekedi has declared himself president and urged all of his supporters who have been arrested during opposition rallies to stage escapes from jail. Information These statements could be considered treason, according to Information Minister Lambert Mende.

Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/congo-opposition-leader-declares-himself-president-tells-supporters-to-stage-jailbreaks/2011/11/12/gIQAbSTaEN_story.html

Elections Catch Up

Check out BBC’s Q&A concerning the DRC’s upcoming federal elections on November 28.

Article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15694912

While STAND welcomes Minister Baird’s concern, we also believe that Canada, with parliament and through the Sudan Task force, can take more public and concrete action to help stop the violence in Sudan.

Two weeks ago, STAND Canada wrote a letter to the Acting Director of the Sudan Task Force expressing concern for the urgency of the situation.  If you have not already shown your support please do so by signing our letter.  To date, we have collected over 120 signatures.  Sign today to convey your continued support for the people of Sudan.

—

Laurie Drake is Chapter Director of STAND Canada.

None of the agreements has brought lasting peace to Darfur. The latest initiative from the Sudan government, the Darfur Political Process, purports to break this trend.

The initiative was revealed last August. Back then the government in Khartoum referred to it as “Darfur Peace From Within.”

Rebel movements and political actors from other countries developed the other strategies but the claimed objective of the Darfur Political Process is to engage with people inside of Darfur, mainly elected political and civil society representatives.

There are five parts to the initiative. The first is security, which includes ending the rebel insurgency. There is also Darfur dialogue, which means negotiating with the people of Darfur instead of through rebel representatives. Development is another big part that includes supplying new hospitals, roads and schools. The fourth is an end to inter-communal conflict.

The fifth part is the Doha talks. These internationally-backed negotiations with rebel groups are set to continue but according to the Process, the people of Darfur would have the final say in any agreement coming from the negotiations.

There is some who think the process is being used by Khartoum to impose a local course of action they can manage to their own advantage. This would make sense. Khartoum has not been able to influence past Darfur discussions to the level it would like to.  Bringing the discussion closer to home will give it greater control over the solution

Most of the politicians in Darfur belong to Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party, or are linked to them in some way. If Khartoum engages mainly with them, they create a loyal support group, but it may not be representative of all the people living in Darfur, including rebel groups.

The Darfur Political Process is meant to exclude these rebel movements from a peace agreement. Khartoum is seeking to get rid of rebel leaders in the negotiations and gain greater control over who is involved in the discussions. However, rebel leaders are engaged in the situation in Darfur and could be crucial to a settlement.

But, it is important to remember the rebels are still armed militia groups and have not yet formed structured political entities with greater capacity to conduct vital talks with the government.

The Doha talks do involve these rebel groups but it may need broader support and other movements to join to continue.  Without that, it will end up like the other peace agreements.  This could be the unfortunate outcome as there is little confidence between the government and rebel movements. Other movements are also not looking to join the talks.

From an international standpoint, the U.S. is not supportive of the Darfur Political Process. The country’s view is that any procedure within Darfur should not seek to replace the Doha talks but rather provide an extension of them.

During the South Sudan referendum, the Obama administration stayed focused on South Sudan’s future and kept quiet about Darfur, as Khartoum didn’t disrupt the referendum. Now the U.S. is becoming more outspoken against the Darfur Political Process, Khartoum’s way of smoothing over the problems in Darfur.

The last concern behind the Darfur Political Process is the idea of the mechanism versus how the government acts.  The process is supposed to bring peace yet the government has been continually implicated in attacks on civilians and villages as well as subsequent displacement.

The Darfur Political Process can be seen as a creative new initiative for peace in Darfur or a way for Khartoum to legitimize its actions by designing and imposing a new solution. It will be important to watch where the Darfur Political Process is going.

Back in February The UN Security Council referred “the gross and systematic violation of human rights” in Libya to the Court.

The chief prosecutor of the Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, recently said he was certain that the investigation would lead to charges against the country’s leader. He is currently investigating six incidents of violence against civilians in February.

This complicates things for the North African country and the international coalition focused on bringing an end to the armed conflict in Libya. One option to end the civil war would be to persuade Gadhafi to step down or go into exile.

If Gadhafi did leave Libya, it would mean a change the country and the world want to see.

At the same time, there is a chance the deal might mean immunity from prosecution.  He could leave and go into a country where the ICC would not be able to get at him. These countries like Sudan, where Omar al-Bashir resides, don’t recognize ICC authority.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice says that Libya and the international community expects there to be justice for the crimes committed. However, at the same time if there was some arrangement for Gadhafi to step aside, then the Libyan people would have to be the judge.

To complicate things more, once the prosecutor comes out with an indictment, which hasn’t happened yet, all countries that are signatories to the ICC would be obligated to hand Gadhafi over.

Well the legal and political problems don’t seem too pressing as Gadhafi still refuses to leave Libya, it shows Africa sometimes has a complicated relationship with the International Criminal Court.

All cases currently before the ICC are in Africa. The countries the Court is investigating include Libya, Northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Sudan (Darfur), and the Republic of Kenya.

Uganda, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic all belong to the ICC. All three of them referred their own situations to the court.

Sudan and Libya do not belong to the ICC and were referred by the United Nations Security Council.

In July 2010 The African Union disagreed with Moreno-Ocampo’s arrest warrant against al-Bashir, requesting a suspension of the warrant. Chad and Kenya, state parties of the ICC, did not arrest al-Bashir when he visited the two countries. This is in violation of the two countries legal obligations.

Uganda has people in the country lobbying the UN’s Security Council to put off investigations of members of the Lord’s Resistance Army in order to promote peace.

South Africa, who voted to refer Libya to the ICC has asked the Security Council to defer a case by the ICC against Kenyan officials for crimes in the last election held there.

The contradictions seem to point to the AU’s inability to decide if their countries should fully commit to the principles of the International Criminal Court.

Although the African Union has a seemingly confusing relationship with the ICC, it was quick to recommend action in Libya where the conflict is still developing. The Court in the past would only intervene after an inquiry by the Security Council and when a state is unwilling or unable to investigate or prosecute.  This means the ICC could in the future act as a deterrent, getting involved quickly to stop atrocities from escalating. It may be a step in the right direction.

This will also be a great opportunity to meet with STAND advocates from across Canada to share tips and ideas on making yourself heard. CLICK HERE to fill out an application – submit before April 3, 2011 to reserve your spot!

Questions or concerns? Email us at conferences@standcanada.org for more information.

But does that mean that Sudan will operate peacefully on the road to South Sudan’s secession?

The country already had problems at the end of January with UN sources saying that the Sudanese army threatened to destroy the makeshift camps of those who have been made homeless by the Darfur conflict. This led to a tense standoff with the peacekeepers that are part of a joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur. Sudanese soldiers surrounded the road in to the UNAMID camp as well as the adjacent camp where thousands of displaced were residing. Eventually the army left.

Since December there has been renewed fighting between the Sudanese army and Darfur rebels, prompting Western powers to call for UNAMID to be more aggressive in their mission in Darfur. There is international concern about Darfur as Sudan prepares to break away from the North.

Unfortunately, Darfur is not the only issue for South Sudan.  It has a number of development challenges for the future. The region may face not only economic problems but political problems as well.

In the area of politics, a concern is political reform. The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement is the biggest voice in South Sudan right now as all other parties have grouped with them to work toward independence. Since the goal has now been achieved, the opposition will want a role in decision making in the country.  Those ruling right now can accommodate or let it turn back into an autocratic state.

Another internal problem is defining citizenship in the new country. There are refugees and other non-native people in the area. Other refugees will be returning. The question arises of who will be integrated and who will be granted citizenship. Then how do you make people feel pride for the new nation? Pick a new name, national anthem, and flag? That question might not be too hard to answer because the people have felt connected from struggling against the North in rebellions.

Oil is a big factor in Sudan’s economy. South Sudan relies more on oil for its revenue compared to the North. There was a 50-50 revenue-sharing agreement previously, but with a new country, the North and South will have to agree on new terms. This is a key to bringing peace between the two countries, but it won’t be easy. The North has the pipelines and the refineries while the South has most of the natural oil.

Finally, a border has to be agreed upon between the two countries. Abyei might pose some problems because it’s referendum to decide whether to secede with the South or stay with the North was postponed due to conflict. Both sides say the region belongs to them.

I’m no expert and I’m not going to pretend to be. With this number of challenges, it will be long road to peace, but I do hope it comes.

by Alexa Huffman