Press Releases
Urgent call for Peace from Diaspora Sudanese Women
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Jan 25, 2010 - 6:13:56 PM

To:The Joint United Nations-African Union (UN-AU) Mediator for Peace in Darfur

Mr. Djibril Bassol�

January, 2010

Dear Mr. Bassol�

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