Become the voice
for millions who are being brutally silencedDARFUR BY THE NUMBERS300,000
The death toll from both direct and indirect causes
estimated by the United Nations
2,700,000The number of Darfuris, estimated by the United
Nations, who have lost their homes since the start
of the conflict and now live in internally displaced
persons (IDP) camps in Sudan or refugee camps
in neighboring Chad
3,500,000+The number of men, women and children in the Darfur
region reliant on humanitarian aid
1994
Not since the Rwandan genocide of 1994 has the world
seen such a calculated campaign of displacement,
starvation, rape and mass slaughter.
WHAT IS THE CONFLICT?Responding to a rebellion in 2003, the regime of Sudanese President
Omar al-Bashir and its allied militia, known as the “Janjaweed,”
launched a campaign of destruction against civilians of similar
ethnic background as the rebels. They wiped out entire villages,
destroyed food and water supplies, stole livestock and systematically
murdered, tortured and raped women and children. The Sudanese
government’s genocidal campaign has claimed hundreds
of thousands of lives through direct violence, disease and
starvation, and continues to destabilize the region. As many as
2.5 million people have fled their homes and live in dangerous camps in
Darfur, and hundreds of thousands are refugees in neighboring Chad.
WHAT IS THE CRISIS?
The crisis in Darfur continues. Government-sponsored terror is ongoing,
and an increase of in-fighting among the various rebel groups and
factions has added a new layer of complexity to the conflict. Resulting
violence and instability have made it dangerous, if not impossible,
for most of the millions of displaced persons to return to their homes.
Humanitarian aid agencies face growing obstacles to bringing
widespread relief. The government-backed militias continue
to attack civilian populations with impunity.
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
The U.S. government has recognized these atrocities as “genocide,” and the
U.N. Security Council decided in July 2007 to deploy an international force to
protect civilians. Unfortunately, the force has yet to be fully deployed, peace
remains elusive, and the people of Darfur remain vulnerable. Ultimately, the
solution to the Darfur crisis lies in a just and inclusive peace agreement and
a strong peacekeeping force.
The U.S. President must back the strength of his words with the
power of his office. He must work with world leaders to energize peace
efforts and compel Sudanese cooperation with international humanitarian,
peacekeeping and judicial efforts, and ensure the United Nations makes
these efforts successful.
The U.S. Congress must continue to provide both the funding and oversight
necessary to carry out Americans’ will to see the Darfur genocide end.
The United Nations must speed up the full deployment of the hybrid
U.N./African Union civilian protection force and ensure the continued flow of
humanitarian aid to protect civilians from violence, starvation and disease.
THE SAVE DARFUR COALITION IS COMMITTED TO DOING ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO END THE GENOCIDE TAKING PLACE.
THE UNITY STATEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION IS AS FOLLOWS:
We are committed to the goals that the Save Darfur Coalition advocates for, including:
Ending the violence against civilians;
Facilitating adequate and unhindered humanitarian aid;
Establishing conditions for the safe and voluntary return of displaced people to their homes;
Promoting the long-term sustainable development of Darfur; and
Holding the perpetrators accountable.
For More Information, vist The Save Darfur Coaliton at
www.savedarfur.org.
