Als Antwort auf die wiederholten Aufrufe des UN-Generalsekretär Ban Ki-moon zur weiteren Geduld gegenüber dem Massenmord (“let me have some more political space so that I can continue this political process and discussions” bzw. “I have pressed very hard, with Washington and other partners, for more time in negotiating with Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir”) wurde ein offener Brief an Ban Ki-moon geschickt, in dem die UN zu verschärftem Druck gegenüber den Konfliktparteien aufgefordert wird.
The open letter is signed by 36 groups and is the first time these organisations have gone public with their concerns. A wide range of organizations has signed, including Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups as well as aid agencies, human rights groups and campaigning organizations.
Da die Darfurgruppe Berlin eine der 36 Organisationen ist, wird der Brief hier in Gänze wiedergegeben:
June 14, 2007
Your Excellency,
On the six-month anniversary of your swearing in as Secretary-General, we write to express our concerns about the deteriorating crisis in Darfur. As you are aware, attacks on civilians and other violations of international humanitarian law by all sides to the conflict are on the rise. At the same time, the access of aid agencies to populations at risk is steadily decreasing, leaving an increasing number of people without regular vital assistance.
As a diverse group of organisations from around the world, it is our view that the only way to bring an end to the ongoing atrocities is for the international community to apply sustained and growing pressure until all sides - the Government of Sudan, who bears primary responsibility for the violence, as well as the rebel movements – abide by the international community’s demand that the rights and security of all Darfurians be respected.
We believe that, as the new Secretary-General, you have a critical role to play in bringing an end to this crisis. We have been encouraged by your prioritisation of Darfur since you came into office and thank you for the energy you have already put into this issue. We also welcome the recent announcement (June 12) that the Government of Sudan will accept the deployment of the hybrid force. However, based on previous experience, we believe that the Sudanese government will not deliver on this commitment unless sustained pressure is applied.
We are therefore concerned by some of your recent public statements that risk easing pressure on the Government of Sudan instead of increasing it. In particular, your call to the Security Council to allow more time for diplomacy before considering whether to impose further targeted sanctions on Sudan over the situation in Darfur served to dissipate pressure rather than build it. Whether or not that was your aim, it was certainly the impact of your repeated calls. As organisations who have worked on this crisis throughout the last four years, the idea that what is needed is more time for diplomacy alone is unconvincing.
According to news reports, you talked about a “moment of truth” at which you would know that Sudan “will not be faithful in implementing [its] commitments.” Last month’s extensive bombing by the Government of Sudan in Darfur should be evidence enough that this moment of truth has come. This breach is only the most recent in a long list of broken commitments, including the failure to disarm the Janjaweed militia. The United Nations actually has had to resort to portraying as victory getting Sudan to repeat previous commitments.
The Sudanese government has not once in the last four years been held accountable for its repeated failures to comply with international demands and protect its citizens from violence. It has practiced different techniques to avoid coming under real pressure. It signs up to agreements but does not implement them; it accepts things in principle but quibbles over the details and it plays off different countries and different negotiators in order to divide them. Yet, it is apparent in the current Darfur crisis, as it was on earlier occasions, that the Sudanese government only changes its policies when pressured.
We encourage you to change the calculations of the Sudanese government. We welcome your recent statement urging the Government of Sudan to comply fully with the Darfur Peace Agreement, Security Council resolutions and international humanitarian law and calling on both the Government and all movements to immediately stop their attacks on civilians. However, more is needed if we are to avoid yet more failed diplomatic initiatives in Darfur.
We urge you to work now to actively strengthen diplomatic resolve and ensure that renewed and intensified pressure from the Security Council is brought to bear on all sides to the conflict until an effective peacekeeping force is deployed, there is an end to attacks on civilians and a peace process based on human rights and justice is sustainably on course to success.
Sincerely,
Action Poland for Darfur
Aegis Trust
Akeba
American Islamic Congress.
American Jewish World Service
Bahrain society for public freedom and Democracy support
Canadians Against Slavery and Torture in Sudan
Centre for Minority Rights Development
Comite Soudan
Darfur-Hilfe Vereine.V
Darfur Association of Canada
Darfur Call
Darfur Union UK and NI
Darfur Gruppe Berlin
European Union of Jewish Students
Fidelity out of Sudan
Human Rights First
Italians for Darfur
Medbridge Strategy Centre
Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
National Union of Students UK
Peace Union of Finland
Pears Foundation
RettetDarfur
Society for threatened Peoples International
San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition
Save Darfur Canada
Save Darfur Coalition
Secours Catholique
Sudan Organisation Against Torture
Students Taking Action Now: Darfur Canada
Sudan Divestment UK
UN Watch
Urgence Darfour
WADI
Waging Peace
Der offene Brief kann hier als pdf-Dokument heruntergeladen werden, die dazugehörige Pressemitteilung (auf Englisch) steht hier zum Download zur Verfügung.