Sudan activists rally in New York: urgent actions in Abyei, Darfur needed Article Comments (3) Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Julius N. Uma April 10, 2011 (JUBA) - Several human rights activists on Friday took to the streets of New York to rally in advocacy for the international community’s action on issues of Sudan, citing the pending Abyei referendum, the unresolved conflict in Darfur and political repression in the north. The rally, which was conducted in coordination with Amnesty International was sponsored by seven US-based organisations. These included, the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies , New York City Coalition for Darfur , Brooklyn for Peace, Brooklyn Coalition for Darfur, Ubuntu-students for a world without genocide and Darfur Vigil. Anti-Sudan government protests in New York (Grifna) The activists, sources told Sudan Tribune, first gathered at the permanent mission of Chad to the UN and called for the protection of female Darfuri refugees in eastern Chad. Later on, these activists reportedly gathered in front of the Sudan Mission to draw attention to the deteriorating human rights situation inside Sudan. In the recent past, the situation in Sudan’s oil-producing region of Abyei has rapidly deteriorated, with satellite images showing villages being burnt in a manner similar to events in Darfur. The disputed region was meant to undergo a referendum in January, but the process was marred by disputes over who would head the referendum commission. Similarly, escalating levels of violence in Sudan’s western region of Darfur have limited the citizens’ access to humanitarian assistance into the region, where prolonged fighting is estimated to have reportedly displaced 100,000 since December. “At the same time, there is increasing concern about the level of commitment to the mediation process in Doha. There is an urgent need for renewed international attention to the conflict and support for mediation efforts,” partly reads a 7 February communiqué. Also addressed was the worsening political situation in the country, where these activists argued that pressure on the northern government increased in recent months due to the success of popular revolutions in Egypt and elsewhere, the rising price of basic commodities and the loss of face associated with allowing the south to secede. The Khartoum-regime, they said, has responded to this pressure by rebuffing opposition calls for a coalition government and carrying out a severe crackdown against student activists and independent journalists. The rally, according to the organisers, was a wake-up call for the international community, urging them to take urgent action to end these attacks, by ensuring that fundamental human rights, including freedom of speech and the right to political participation, are respected in northern Sudan. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
