Ask President Obama to Help Stop the Violence in Sudan
A Note from John Prendergast and George Clooney
We've taken two trips in the last few months to the disputed region of Abyei bordering North and South Sudan. Throughout this time, we've been sounding the alarm that Abyei was likely going to be a flash point for violence.
Sadly, our concerns are now becoming a reality.
Over the past week, villages in the Abyei region were burned to the ground, and tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes. In Darfur over the past few months, the U.N. has also documented aerial bombardment of civilians and burning of villages with tens of thousands of Sudanese driven from their homes.
We urge you to join us in acting before this violence leads to a full-scale resumption of war in Sudan.
Thanks to our Satellite Sentinel Project, we now have something we’ve never had before: satellite images that we can use to show the world, with indisputable proof, the systematic nature of violence targeted against civilian populations.
Last fall, when we traveled to the region and spoke with the citizens of Abyei, we heard the same message again and again: the people of Abyei were worried that fighting would erupt, and they asked for the United States and other countries to step in to help protect them.
Take a look at the Satellite Sentinel Project report, and join us in asking President Obama to take swift, bold action to help stop the violence -- in Abyei, Darfur and all of Sudan.
Thank you for your help to support the people of Abyei and all of Sudan at this critical moment.
Sincerely,
George Clooney and John Prendergast
Despite your efforts to help bring peace to Sudan, we are seeing escalating violence on the border between North and South Sudan, particularly in the region of Abyei. In Darfur over the past few months, the U.N. has also documented aerial bombardment of civilians and burning of villages with tens of thousands driven from their homes.
Based on recent images from the Satellite Sentinel Project and worrisome reports from sources on the ground, I am writing to implore you to take swift action:
1) Intensify efforts to end North-South violence, help create progress in North-South peace talks and revitalize mediation efforts on Darfur
2) Help ensure that those responsible for instigating and committing violence along the North-South border and in Darfur are held accountable for their crimes.
3) Review and as appropriate suspend US efforts to remove Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism based on a comprehensive investigation of the recent violence in Abyei
4) Create an interagency working group to develop specific and escalating consequences for anyone using mass violence to undermine peace in the South, Abyei, and Darfur and consult with our allies and partners on joint action
Sincerely,
| Number | Date | Name | Tell President Obama why ... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 | Fri Mar 11 19:01:23 EST 2011 | Robert Jay Ross | President Obama, your NYTimes Op-Ed was a phenomenal, succinct run-down of why it is so important for us to celebrate the successes of the Sudanese people. Likewise, it is vital that we step in and take More....action when things start to fall apart. Please do not let this become another tragic page in this country's history; let us take swift action now to prevent the "should have's" of tomorrow. Thank you for all that you do! |
| 1881 | Fri Mar 11 16:22:37 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1880 | Fri Mar 11 06:03:21 EST 2011 | Louise Hutson | |
| 1879 | Thu Mar 10 13:52:45 EST 2011 | Angela Ferris | |
| 1878 | Thu Mar 10 09:37:52 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1877 | Thu Mar 10 08:24:39 EST 2011 | Barbara Koller | |
| 1876 | Thu Mar 10 07:14:55 EST 2011 | Naomi Steinfeld | |
| 1875 | Thu Mar 10 01:31:18 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1874 | Wed Mar 09 22:36:41 EST 2011 | Lisa Jansen | |
| 1873 | Wed Mar 09 21:10:25 EST 2011 | Stefanie Brueckner | Life is not surviving, life means living with joy and without fear and that's the elemental human right valid for everyone no matter where she or he is living! |
| 1872 | Wed Mar 09 20:24:02 EST 2011 | phoebe kouv | |
| 1871 | Wed Mar 09 17:49:48 EST 2011 | Chris Kuznicki | |
| 1870 | Wed Mar 09 17:09:46 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1869 | Wed Mar 09 15:28:09 EST 2011 | Anonymous | I want our foreign involvements to stand for our principles and give help and hope, rather than further violence. |
| 1868 | Wed Mar 09 14:42:40 EST 2011 | Anonymous | I feel very strongly for the people of Sudan who are helpless in their situation. Surely we are obligated as a humanitarian nation to help them! |
| 1867 | Wed Mar 09 14:30:50 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1866 | Wed Mar 09 13:14:10 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1865 | Wed Mar 09 12:49:01 EST 2011 | Linda Garrish Thomas | |
| 1864 | Wed Mar 09 10:59:06 EST 2011 | Jean Welch | |
| 1863 | Wed Mar 09 09:12:32 EST 2011 | James Bair | |
| 1862 | Wed Mar 09 08:43:41 EST 2011 | Douglas Johnson | |
| 1861 | Wed Mar 09 08:33:11 EST 2011 | ZACHARIAH BOL-DENG | Scot Gration has wrongly encouraged the Arabs to claim the Ngok Dinka land in Abyei.His advice was misguided.Abyei Protocol was proposed by USA. |
| 1860 | Wed Mar 09 07:35:50 EST 2011 | Duncan Stuart | |
| 1859 | Wed Mar 09 03:12:25 EST 2011 | Anonymous | |
| 1858 | Wed Mar 09 02:47:50 EST 2011 | Anonymous |
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