To:The Joint United Nations-African Union (UN-AU) Mediator for Peace in Darfur
Mr. Djibril
Bassolé
January, 2010
Dear Mr.
Bassolé
This is an Urgent call for Peace from Diaspora Sudanese Women PEACE NOW! WE CAN NOT WAIT!
On behalf of Sudanese women in the Diaspora, and my eight women delegate who came all way with me from the United States and Canada who represent the whole Sudan, and on behalf of my 180 signatory sisters from of Sisterhood for Peace “Akhwat fi Alsalam”; I stand before all of you today with an urgent call for peace in Darfur.
An urgent call for peace; because we can no longer wait. We fled our country as a result of war and war consequences. And for more than six years, we lived in pain and agony because of the suffering of our people in Darfur and especially our sisters who have been victimized in one of the worst humanitarian disasters and atrocities in the recent history. They have been subject to the most brutal forms of violence and are now struggling to guarantee the survival of their children and communities in the displaced camps in Darfur and across the border in Chad.
We strongly condemn
all acts of violence against the civilians in Darfur, particularly violence of all its forms against women and girls.
WE DEMAND
and with no tolerance that all warrior parties to
STOP WAR
, Negotiate peace, and bring PEACE
to Darfur immediately.
WE THE WOMEN OF SUDAN
all of us said and continues to say
, WE WANT PEACE NOW… WE CAN NOT WAIT!
Sudanese women living in the Diaspora refuse to remain silent while our sisters continue to suffer;
WE DEMAND
that our voices, call for peace; our experiences, perspectives and demands be heard loudly and clearly here in the negotiations table of Doha and strongly and seriously taken into consideration.
We Urge
you all to consider this peace process to go beyond the peace signature to the re-visioning and reinventing our country to truly embrace our diversity and differences in a way that
allow us all to achieve our aspirations and dreams as women and men. We; the Diaspora Sudanese women are committed to step up and work side by side with our sisters and brother inside and outside to achieve that desired goal.
WE DEMAND that Women granted Equal and
full
representation from inside Sudan, IDP camps, refugee camps and the Diaspora and considered as equal partners in the peace negotiations tables and the decision making of their country at this important stage.
We recognize that women are included as members of the Darfur Civil Society but not as main players at the negotiating table.
Women constitute the majority in the IDP camps, refugee camps and the country, and they are the community builders, their full and equal representation and perspectives in the peace process and the decision-making of their country is vital to be listened to; considered and granted.
WE strongly
support and encourage the participation of the Civil Society in the peace negotiations and the peace process.
We Urge
you Mr. Bassolie as a convener of the Darfur Peace Negotiations to make every effort to ensure that actors negotiate; sign peace agreement and end the crisis of Darfur.
WE
URGE
the International Community as patrons to encourage and support all Actors to come to Doha negotiations with provision, vision and act for
Final inclusive peace to Darfur and our entire country.
We value
the role of
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani , Qatar's Prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in his leading role and Qatar as a leader of the African Arabic proposal of Darfur Peace WE Urge you to encourage warrior parties and
ensure that this round of peace talks be the final round.
Thank you very much.
Signed by 180 Sudanese women from inside and the Diaspora
With copies to:
C c:
The President of the United States
The Prime Minister of Canada
United Nations Secretary General
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani ,
Qatar's Prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
First Lady of Qatar
US Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration
United Nations Security Council President
Government of National Unity (GoNU)
Government of Sudan (GoS)
Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS)
Different Armed movements
African Union Peace and Security Council
The Arab League
The European Commission
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of Canada
The Joint African Union/ United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAIMD)
United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS)
Sudan Embassies
Save Darfur Coalition
Women Nobel Prize Peace Winners
United Nation Commission on the Status for Women
UNIFEM
Sudanese Networks
Enough Project
The Media
The New York Times
Women’s Networks
Equality Now
MADRE
Genocide Intervention Project
Human Rights Watch
Organizations
Care International
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Women's Caucus for Gender Justice
Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children
Hague Appeal for Peace
International Alert, UK
International Women’s Tribune Center
NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security