San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition

The president faces a critical decision on how to move forward on Sudan–including one that may result in a severe shift in approach in U.S. policy nearly 100 days before the referendum vote that could divide Africa’s largest country. Urge President Obama to adopt the right plan for Sudan.

Nicholas Kristof has tweeted about a letter to President Obama that many of our organizations signed onto it. Please retweet Kristof’s message: A letter from 68 organizations to Obama, calling on him to revise his dysfunctional Sudan policy: http://scr.bi/denqfk

Go to www.sudanactionnow.com and sign the letter to President Obama advising on how best to proceed. After signing, you will be prompted to post on Facebook and tweet a message about the letter.

On Friday, Foreign Policy Magazine broke the news suggesting that, after months of delay, a plan for moving the U.S. Policy on Sudan forward has finally landed on President Obama’s desk. As Sudan prepares for a referendum that is likely to split it in two, and as the humanitarian crisis in Darfur grows increasingly dire by the day, we must let President Obama know that we are closely watching and awaiting his decision. Now is the moment for the President to implement a Sudan policy which, as he promised in 2008, leads a process for peace, helps prevent another deadly war in Africa, and holds those responsible for crimes against humanity to account. Millions of lives are at stake. Urge the President to make peace in Sudan a priority now. More >

The Coalition signed on to this letter. Please see it here and send your own! Thank you!!
CITIES NATIONWIDE – July 22, 2010 – In an open letter to President Obama and leading members of his administration, 43 human rights and anti-genocide organizations representing citizens from 20 states and actress Mia Farrow wrote that the “administration appears to be AWOL on the U.S. Sudan policy, having abandoned it at a crucial time in Sudan’s history.” The groups ask that the administration fix the policy in four specific areas as outlined in the recent report by the Enough Project titled, “What’s Wrong with U.S. Policy Toward Sudan, and How to Fix It.”

SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition is among 60 organizations that signed a letter to President Obama delivered at a Darfuri rally on July 14.

Dear President Obama:
On Monday, July 12th, 2010 the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber 1 judges issued a second arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir after determining that there are reasonable grounds to believe he is responsible for three counts of genocide committed against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups in Darfur.As faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations working together to bring peace and justice to Darfur and all Sudan, we welcome this new arrest warrant and urge you to lead the international community in pursuing justice for the people of Darfur in parallel with efforts to achieve peace and security for all Sudanese. More >

Cities Nationwide – May 5, 2010 – Today Sudan activists and Sudanese expatriates from around the country commended Congressman Frank Wolf for his bold call to President Obama for a change of course in dealing with Sudan. Twenty-five regional groups representing 18 states have joined together in a show of bipartisan support for the policy recommendations outlined in Wolf’s statement and his letter to President Obama. More>

The Beat for Peace continues in San Francisco as we approach another monumental moment in the journey of Sudan. The Sudanese are calling out to the international community to be vote monitors during the April elections. Watch the video and visit Sudan365.org for more information.

Sudan365.org presents Beat for Peace – San Francisco

SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition, Award-Winning Filmmaker to Premiere “Sudan365: A Beat for Peace in San Francisco” on Saturday, April 10, 2010

-Sundance Award Winning Filmmaker Jared Callahan Brings his Talents to Bay Area Activism-

SAN FRANCISCO (1 April 2010) – On Saturday, April 10, The SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition and award-winning filmmaker Jared Callahan will release a short film, “Sudan 365: A Beat forPeace in San Francisco,” to mark the national elections being held in Sudan April 11-18 and call on the global community to ensure the protection of all Sudanese. The film, which features local citizens and artists “drumming for peace” in well-known locations throughout SF and elsewhere, is the San Francisco Bay Area’s contribution to a coordinated global action during which activists around the world will call attention to the first multi-party elections in Sudan in 24 years.

SF Bay Area citizens have participated in global events for Sudan since 2006 at rallies in Crissy Field, Justin Herman Plaza and the SF Civic Center; interfaith calls for peace at multiple local houses of worship; a die-in at Oakland Civic Center Plaza; and at numerous college and high school campuses throughout Northern California. These actions demonstrate that local SF Bay Area citizens are part of a global movement calling for peace and security for the Sudanese people. This year, Sundance award-winning filmmaker Jared Callahan directed a short film, made exclusively with Bay Area citizens to mark the April 10 day of global action, that will reaffirm the SF Bay Area’s place in a global community calling for peace and security in Sudan.

WHAT: The release of a short film in coordination with the global Sudan365 campaign, which advocates for civilian protection during Sudan’s April 11-18, 2010 national elections.

WHERE: www.darfursf.org

WHEN: Worldwide release: April 10, 2010

Available to the media: April 8, 2010

WHO: Award winning filmmaker, Jared Callahan, directs San Francisco City Supervisor Eric Mar; Fija Reed, a University of San Francisco student and the daughter of Allan Reed, the former USAID Representative to Sudan; and members of the Lost Boys of Sudan refugee community who live in San Jose as they share their concerns about Sudan’s upcoming elections, while San Francisco drummers, Brian Fruechtenicht, owner of Dynamic Drumming Studio, and Jake Stueckle, a freshman at SOTA (School of the Arts), provide San Francisco’s contribution to the global beat for peace. More>>

Thank you to all who attended Saturday night’s Sudan 365: A Beat For Peace in San Francisco. It was a powerful evening of personal stories, compassion, and education. Many of you spoke with our Sudanese friends at the event and we hope that you have been inspired and that all continue to support and participate in helping the people of Sudan.

Event photos
www.sudan365.org

Special thank you to participants who made this a full evening:
Jake Stueckle, drummer from San Francisco School of the Arts;
Deng Jongkuch, Director of Impact a Village and one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan;
Rebuilding Hope film rebuildinghopesudan.org
Mohamed Suleiman, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition;
Dr. Noelle L’Etoile, Co-founder of Health Alliance for Sudan and Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, UC Davis;
Laura Talmus, Director Westen Region of American Jewish World Service.

Jan. 9, 2010 is the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between North and South Sudan. Come hear a situation update, see a video of celebrities and activists drumming for peace, cautioning that there is one year to prevent war again in Sudan, and attend the San Francisco film premiere of Rebuilding Hope. Dave Eggers calls it a “wonderful tribute to [Sudanese] spirit and perseverance.”

Deng Jongkuch, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan living in San Jose, will speak. In 2001, after nearly fourteen years in refugee camps, Deng was selected with 3,800 other boys to come to the United States. SF Bay Area Darfur Coalition President Mohamed Suleiman, a Darfuri, will also speak.

More about worldwide participation: http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/sudan365-a-beat-for-peace

SF Campaign Sponsors: San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition, American Jewish World Service, The Congregation Emanu-El, Health Alliance for Sudan

DATE & TIME:
Saturday, January 9
6:45 pm-9:00 pm

LOCATION:
Congregation Emanu-El
2 Lake Street (at Arguello)
San Francisco, CA 94118
Map

COST & REGISTRATION:
Free – donations welcomed

MORE INFO:
Contact: Martina Knee
Email: info@darfursf.org
Phone: 415-221-8400

In Wake of Pre-Election Human Rights Violations by Government, Sudan Advocates Ask President Obama to Impose Consequences

Merely condemning NCP’s actions not a sufficient consequence, say advocates

CITIES NATIONWIDE – December 15, 2009 – Today 50 organizations representing Sudan advocates and Sudanese expatriates from around the country, together with actress Mia Farrow and Sudan expert Eric Reeves, sent an open letter to President Obama calling on him to impose immediate consequences on the Government of Sudan for public violations of human rights in advance of the elections [in Sudan] and for the eroding situation on the ground.

The letter recommends that President Obama 1) Lead the United States and the broader international community in applying the pressures necessary to ensure that the conditions for credible elections mandated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) are enacted and implemented without further delay, 2) Act immediately to secure multilateral asset freezes and travel bans on National Congress Party (NCP) leaders, multilateral support of the International Criminal Court cases against key Sudanese officials, multilateral enforcement of the UN Security Council arms embargo; and denial of multilateral debt relief, 3) Direct Special Envoy Gration, the State Department and USAID to conduct and make public an assessment of the current status of humanitarian services and 4) Direct Special Envoy Gration to promptly brief the appropriate House and Senate committees on the contents of the classified documents that are part of the Administration’s Sudan policy.

According to the letter, the Administration’s Sudan policy review promised a balanced approach of both incentives and pressures. “The policy will lack credibility if no consequences are imposed now, particularly after the very public violations of human rights on Dec. 7 and 14 and the eroding situation on the ground. There is no need to wait further to impose consequences on Sudan for these clear and critical violations. These actions by the Government of Sudan illustrate the importance of the United States acting with a fierce urgency to deliver the promised consequences. Merely condemning the NCP’s action is not a sufficient consequence,” the letter states.

On Sunday, the NCP and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and south agreed to the terms of a controversial referendum on southern independence on Sunday. However, according to Mohamed Suleiman, a Darfuri and a spokesman for the group, the NCP has a consistent track record of breaking its agreements. “The fact that the government violently quelled a peaceful demonstration the day after announcing this agreement demonstrates that it will not honor the reform of Sudanese laws necessary for credible elections, including freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of speech,” he said.

The letter cites Obama’s recent address in Oslo where he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. “Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure — and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one,” President Obama said in his speech there.

[The text of the letter can be downloaded here (PDF).