Save Darfur Coalition’s November Letter to the U.N. Security Council

November 1, 2007

Ambassador Dr. R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations
325 East 38th Street
New York, N.Y. 10016, U.S.A.

Dear Ambassador Natalegawa,

We are writing to you on the occasion of your term as president of United Nations Security Council, on behalf of more than 180 faith-based, advocacy, and human rights organizations in the United States that make up the Save Darfur Coalition, to urge that you make the increasing security concerns in Darfur a top priority during the month of November. Our member organizations represent 130 million Americans of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations.

We applaud the Republic of Indonesia’s contribution of police personnel to the UNAMID peacekeeping mission for Darfur, and appreciate the statement by President Yudhoyono during the Security Council Summit on Peace and Security in Africa, in which His Excellency the President affirmed Indonesia’s support for peace in Darfur and throughout Sudan. As President Yudhoyono rightly noted in the speech, “the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” Indeed, it is with this responsibility in mind that we write to you to urge your leadership during the next month.

As President of the Security Council, you have the unique ability to call an emergency session of the full Security Council. We urge you to call such a meeting immediately in order to address the increased violence in Darfur, the Organization's inability thus far to adhere to deadlines set forth in Security Council Resolution 1769, the struggling peace-process in Sirte, Libya, and the recent escalation of tensions between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM over non-implementation of key elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreeent..

Specifically in relation to Darfur, we recommend that this emergency session be used to:

1. Act on the continuing failure of the Government of Sudan to approve the troop composition list for UNAMID submitted by the Secretary General and African Union. The Sudanese government’s failure to approve the troop composition list, and especially its obdurate refusal to allow non-African troops to participate, will inevitably cause major delays in the deployment of the peacekeepers. The Security Council should condemn Khartoum’s intransigence, demand that the Sudanese authorities halt their obstruction of the deployment of the hybrid mission, and consider punitive measures against those authorities in the event they do not comply, as signatories of the United Nations Charter, with their solemn obligations under the Resolution..


2. Assess and make public the resources still required for successful deployment of the UNAMID force. The Secretary-General reported to the Council in mid-October that requests to many member states for crucial helicopter units and heavy transport units had resulted in no commitments. It is imperative that the Security Council press capable countries to contribute these resources so that the deployment of the UNAMID forces is not delayed, and so that they can be fully effective when deployed in carrying out the Council's mandate set forth in the Resolution.


3. Establish revised and realistic deadlines for the full and effective deployment of the UNAMID force, and create incentives to meet those deadlines. Security Council Resolution 1769 set firm deadlines for the finalization of troop contributions and military composition of the UNAMID force. Nearly two months after these deadlines have passed, the UN and AU still do not have an approved list of troop contributions due to obstruction by the Sudanese government. The Security Council should set new deadlines for the finalization of troop contributions and hold whichever parties are responsible for preventing the Organization from meeting those deadlines accountable by the imposition of mandatory targeted sanctions.


4. Express concern at the non-attendance of certain rebel leaders at the Sirte, Libya meeting meant to launch a revitalized peace process, and develop positive measures to encourage broader participation of relevant actors. The opening of the peace talks in Sirte, Libya on 27 October 2007 saw limited participation from the major rebel factions. The Security Council should recognize the legitimate concerns of rebel leaders regarding the need for unified negotiating positions and appropriate training, while at the same time making clear the importance that all-sides participate without preconditions and in good faith.


5. Condemn the recent escalation of violence by the Sudanese government and its Janjaweed militia, and by various rebel factions. The last two months have seen an increase in incidents of violence throughout Darfur, targeting both civilians and peacekeepers. The Security Council should condemn these attacks and make clear that all those responsible for such acts will be held accountable.
6. Demand the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) including withdrawal of all unauthorized Government of Sudan military forces from the South. In the last month, the non-implementation of the CPA has led to the withdrawal of the SPLM from the Government of Unity. Recent reports indicate that the Government of Sudan has begun massing troops in the area threatening to re-expand the conflict in Darfur to all of Sudan.

Addressing all these critical matters in a balanced manner will increase the likelihood that the fragile promise of recent progress on the peacekeeping and peacemaking fronts in Darfur can be realized.

The need for an emergency meeting could not be more urgent. After more than 4 years of conflict and despite the promise of peacekeepers in Security Council Resolution 1769, Darfur continues to be plagued by violence and insecurity. In fact, over the last two months incidents of violence in camps and throughout Darfur have increased dramatically, with peacekeepers and civilians alike as victims. On September 29, 2007, 10 peacekeepers from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) were killed in an attack on their base in Haskanita, North Darfur, reportedly carried out by breakaway rebel forces. In apparent retaliation, Government forces burned the entire village of Haskanita, targeting the civilian population and killing at least 10. On 10 October 2007, government forces attacked rebel positions in the South Darfur town of Muhajariya, resulting in the death of as many as 50 people, and the displacement of many thousands more.

Meanwhile, more than 2 million people are still living in camps for refugees and internally displaced persons, and the numbers continue to grow at an alarming pace. In the past 8 months alone, more than 250,000 additional Darfuris have fled their homes and sought refuge in already over-populated camps throughout Darfur and in neighboring Chad.

This continued displacement is symptomatic of the ongoing violence, and strains a humanitarian response that has been continually beleaguered by violence, insecurity, and increasing demands on resources. We look to the Republic of Indonesia to use her influence to insist that all parties, including explicitly the Government of Sudan, immediately cease all attacks on civilians and peacekeepers in accordance with international law.

We also note with concern the recent statement by the UN's Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, that the Government of Sudan is engaged in the involuntary resettlement of displaced persons in Darfur. Mr. Holmes reported on 30 October 2007 that the Government of Sudan had sent ten military trucks to the Otash camp in South Darfur with the purpose of dispersing displaced persons from the camp, adding that since “security forces were threatening the displaced with sticks and rubber hoses at Otash camp, the involuntary nature of this relocation is clear.” Darfuris who were already driven from their homes by government violence are now being forced from the camps that provide them with crucial aid and shelter. These recent actions by the government violate previous agreements with the UN and also set a troubling precedent of armed intervention in IDP camps. The flat denial by the Sudanese Permanent Representative that these events had even occurred was incredible, and manifested the Sudanese authorities' ill-will and contempt for the UN and for those working to avert further massive death in Darfur. The Security Council, with Indonesia’s leadership, should condemn such actions and insist that the Sudanese authorities immediately halt this abusive and illegal involuntary relocation.

The Republic of Indonesia has the opportunity during this month to play a critical role in resolving the crisis in Darfur. By convening an emergency meeting of the Security Council to address the urgent issues outlined above, Indonesia will help ensure that UNAMID is rapidly deployed, that the peace process increases momentum, and that the slide to renewed civil war between North and South be halted, thereby playing a historic role in bringing lasting peace to the people of Darfur.

Sincerely,

Bill Wasserman
Executive Director
Save Darfur Coalition

Amjad Atallah
Senior Director
International Policy and Advocacy
Save Darfur Coalition