Starting Date: 06-20-2006
Starting Time: 12:00pm
Lafayette Park
16th & H Street N.W.
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
United States
202-546-7961Dear Friend,
There have been many declarations of victory in recent weeks -- with the
signing of the peace agreement in Abuja and the launch of the United
Nations (UN) assessment mission that could pave the way for a UN
peacekeeping mission in Darfur -- but the fact is that the only change
on the ground in Darfur is that things are getting worse. It is time for
us to take to the streets again to let decision-makers know that we will
not be silent until the genocide stops. Join us at the White House on
June 20th.
Africa Action has been monitoring the peace agreement signed between the
Government of Sudan and one of the Darfur rebel factions. The UN has
taken the first step towards a possible future peacekeeping mission by
authorizing a UN assessment team that is likely leaving this week. The
UN Security Council is also in Sudan this week to continue to pressure
the Sudanese government to accept a UN mission to support the work of
the African Union on the ground.
These are all positive first steps, but unfortunately, the Sudanese
government and their proxy militia, the Janjaweed, have already violated
the peace agreement on several occasions by attacking villages and camps
for internally displaced people. With the breaking of the ceasefire, it
is clear that this peace agreement is fragile at best. Any hope for a
new and more substantive agreement signed by all parties rests on a UN
peacekeeping mission being deployed to protect the people and create a
safe passage for humanitarian aid thereby fostering a climate of
security that is conducive to lasting peace. For more analysis on the
deal please read our latest policy statement and our campaign update at
www.africaaction.org.
The linchpin to achieving a multilateral intervention continues to be
the United States. The U.S. has special leverage with each of the key
stakeholders and will be the most powerful and persuasive voice in
decisions about troop size, mandate and the speed of deployment. While
the Bush Administration has been on record in support of a UN
intervention, we hear from our sources that the U.S. has failed to do
the diplomatic heavy lifting required to secure peace in Darfur. We have
the power to protect the people of Darfur, but will we use it?
As a movement, we demonstrated our size in the rallies and marches over
the past several months, but it is easy for the Bush Administration to
think that we are just voicing support for what they are already doing.
We have never been better poised to make change than at this moment, but
too many people think that, with the signing of the Abuja deal, the
genocide is all but resolved. Please help us to set the story straight
by taking to the streets to stop genocide in Darfur.
Africa Action will host an action at the White House on World Refugee
Day, June 20th at noon in Lafayette Park (16th and H St. NW).
We invite you to join us and to wear black or dark clothing. At 1:00 PM, after hearing rousing speakers and raising our voices for the people of Darfur we will walk to the White House fence and enact a "die-in", where willing participants will be asked to lie down to symbolize the rising death toll in Darfur and eastern Chad and to call for a greater international response to protect people.
We will not risk arrest in this non-violent action, and those who choose not to participate in this part of the program can stay in solidarity in Lafayette Park. Let us know if you have any questions. Please help us to spread the word. Together we can let the White House know that we are watching and calling for the Bush Administration to move beyond rhetoric to achieve results in Darfur.
Thank you for your continued commitment to the people of Darfur -- and your vigilance in this campaign.
Sincerely,
The Staff at Africa ActionGeographical Scope: Metro Day of Action |
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