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Hey everyone,
Here is an overview of what has recently been in the news concerning Darfur:
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Starting July 1, NATO will begin its first mission in Africa as it teams up with the EU to provide air transport for some 5,000 African soldiers to help with peacekeeping in Darfur. In accordance with the agreement, the US will fly Rwandan and Nigerian troops to Darfur, France will fly Senegalese troops and South Africa and Nigeria have also asked for help in transporting troops. NATO is also looking at adding three battalions from Spain, Netherlands, and Romania for the elections.
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The ICC has announced an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The names of 51 suspects have been handed to the ICC by a UN inquiry into the crisis. The case crosses a new threshold because for the first time, investigators will be working uninvited by the local government and against its will. In this case, they will be working at the request of the UN Security Council.
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African Union mediated peace talks have resumed after a six month break. The new round of talks in Abuja brings together the Sudanese government and the rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Mohammad Al-Nour and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) led by Ibrahim Khalil. This is the first appearance of the rebel leaders at the peace talks. Agriculture Minister Majzoub al-Khalifa headed the government side. The Abuja talks began in August 2004 but were suspended in December to allow for more consultations among warring parties who were accusing each other of violating ceasefire agreements.
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As of Saturday, June 11, the peace talks taking place in Abuja, Nigeria have been stalled as the two sides quarrel over Eritrea and Chad acting as mediators. The rebels claim that Chad always sides with the government while the government blames Eritrea for harboring the rebel groups.
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Stanford University adds to the list of schools who have agreed to divest stock investments with ties to Sudan. The businesses it will divest from include PetroChina, Sinopec, Tatneft, and ABB.
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The first wave of displaced Sudanese are returning from South Darfur to West Darfur in a government operation monitored by the United Nations. Sudanese authorities said they plan to return 30,000 people to their areas of origin in West Darfur. 200 displaced people left Kalma camp near Nyala, the provincial capital of South Darfur, on 20 trucks provided by the Sudanese government. Kalma camp has a population of 110,000 and is on the world's biggest displaced person camps and was previously visited by Kofi Annan on his most recent visit to Darfur.
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John Garang, head of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLA) announced that the SPLA would send 12,000 troops to Darfur to help stabilize the situation there.
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Sudan has set up a special tribunal court to try people against war crimes in the Darfur region. Jalal Osman, head of the judiciary, said that the three member tribunal includes the chiefs of the criminal, appeals, and cassation (similar to a supreme court). This court was set up after refusal by the Sudanese government to send any of its people to be tried by the ICC.
Hope you all are having a good summer. The first round of t-shirts are in and if you have paid me you should be getting your within the week. For those of you who ordered but never paid, send me a check for $10 per shirt to the address in my signature. Thanks!
Julia
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Julia Kramer
825 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Apt. 608
Washington, DC 20037
jhkramer@...
www.standarfur.org
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