CALL FOR A SPECIAL ENVOY TO SUDAN
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ACTION ALERT UPDATED: 10/04/06
Special Envoy to Sudan Appointed
On September 19th, President Bush announced the appointment of a Presidential Special Envoy to Sudan, Mr. Andrew Natsios. Congratulations and thanks to all who spoke out in favor of the creation of this post! Your communication with your Senators and the President have made the difference. Mr. Natsios, a former USAID Administrator, will serve as an envoy to Sudan. We're hopeful that his assignment will bring clearer communication between the U.S. and Sudan and that it will contribute to the the promotion of a just peace for the Sudanese people.
While we celebrate this announcement, we continue to be painfully aware of the worsening situation on the ground in Darfur and elsewhere in Sudan. We urge your continuing vigilance on behalf of this suffering population.
For your information, please find the action alert regarding the Special Envoy below. Thank you for responding to this action alert. There is no need to continue to call for a Special Envoy, though you may want to contact your elected representatives regarding the dire situation in Darfur and in Sudan generally.
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ORIGINAL ALERT TEXT 8/23/06
By raising our voices together we can be part of a larger force which creates change in this situation. Please call the White House. Introduce yourself: tell where you are from and whether you represent a group. We have provided the following points to guide you. Please remember that your message will have a greater impact if you speak from your heart with your own words.
- I ask that the President send a Special Envoy of high stature to Sudan to facilitate a lasting and stable peace for the country.
- I wish to express my great concern over the continuing violence and the great need of millions of people in Sudan.
Please also remember to keep the people of Darfur and those in power over them in your continued prayers!
BACKGROUND
Since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement on May 5, there has actually been an increase in violence in the Darfur region of Sudan. Rebel factions have been increasingly active, not only against the Sudanese government but also, tragically, against the millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have experienced extreme violence since 2003. Increasingly, humanitarian aid workers have become targets as well. Meanwhile the Sudanese government is on the brink of launching an offensive which will likely create even more violence in this area.
The conflict has displaced 1.8 million people in Darfur. Numbers vary, but the UN estimates that more than 200,000 people have died there in the last 3 years.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, the peace agreement signed last year with the South is moving forward, but needs constant pressure and attention on all parties to ensure that it is fully and fairly implemented. It’s clear that the situation in Sudan has severely deteriorated in recent months. Given the many recent staff transitions in the Bush Administration of officials charged with focusing on the Sudan, and given the worsening situation, a Presidential Special Envoy is needed. The House of Representatives has already passed a resolution calling for such an envoy, and we ask that you call on your Senator to do so as well.
For more about the conflict in Sudan, visit the following links:
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The ELCA calls persons to advocate justice with and for those without power and voice in places where important political and economic decisions are being made that affect the lives of those who are marginalized. Currently, Sudan advocacy efforts are focused on urging U.S. leadership to bring the international community to consensus and action to stop the genocide.
Lutheran World Relief
Already providing humanitarian assistance in Darfur are two global alliances of church aid agencies: Action by Churches Together, which includes LWR and represents Protestant and Orthodox churches around the world, and the global Roman Catholic aid alliance, Caritas Internationalis. Member agencies from both networks have cooperated for years in South Sudan. LWR’s website allows you to read more and contribute to our efforts in Sudan.
The Washington Office on Africa
The Washington Office on Africa (WOA) is a church-sponsored not-for-profit advocacy organization seeking to articulate and promote a just American policy toward Africa. Although the material on this page is outdated, it provides helpful background information about the conflict in Sudan.
AllAfrica.com
AllAfrica is the largest electronic distributor of African news and information worldwide, with offices in Johannesburg, Dakar, Lagos and Washington, DC. The site provides constantly updated information from a wide variety of media on the crisis in Sudan.
IRIN News
IRIN is part of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Its reporting focuses on enhancing the capacity of the humanitarian community to understand, respond to, and avert emergencies. IRIN provides background information and daily updates on the situation in the Sudan.
Africa Action
Africa Action works to change U.S. Africa relations, to promote political, economic and social justice in Africa. The site provides information on the crisis in Sudan and reactions to Secretary Powell’s recent visit.
