Sudan / UNAMID holds first round table meeting with signatories to Darfur Peace Agreement

20 Aug 2009 16:20 Africa/Lagos

Sudan / UNAMID holds first round table meeting with signatories to Darfur Peace Agreement

EL FASHER (DARFUR), August 20, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) yesterday convened a Round Table meeting of the Parties and Partners of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) on the implementation of the DPA chaired by UNAMID Joint Special representative (JSR), Mr. Rodolphe Adada

In his opening remarks, Mr. Adada stated that the meeting was convened primarily to provide the needed forum for the parties to the DPA including the signatories of the Declaration of commitment (DOC) to take stock and build a common understanding on issues related to DPA implementation, including challenges, and charged participants to seek to define responsibilities and roles, in so far as the implementation of the Agreement is concerned.

The JSR commended the signatories and participants for their commitment to dialogue, peace, reconciliation and development which he said led to the historic choice in Abuja, and subsequently paved the way and laid the foundation for the deployment of the Hybrid Operation in Darfur, adding that despite numerous challenges, UNAMID has, in accordance with its mandate, achieved significant success in the areas of protection of civilians, support to aid agencies in the delivery of humanitarian assistance, confidence and capacity building, as well as reconciliation and conflict prevention at local levels.

Mr. Adada underscored the role of the DPA Partners in the implementation of the Agreement and strongly called on them to re-activate the Darfur Joint Assessment Mission (D JAM) and finalize assessment particularly in areas where security could be guaranteed by UNAMID, adding “the Mission stands ready to provide whatever assistance is needed to move the D JAM process forward…those who embraced peace deserve to reap its dividends”, he concluded.

He urged all parties to support the ongoing peace process in order to succeed, “because that is the only way to go in order to give a new lease of life to the DPA and, by extension, to the people of Darfur”.

The participants welcomed the round table meeting and agreed that progress has been achieved in the implementation of the DPA. They however observed that a lot remains to be done to achieve full implementation, in particular as regards incorporation of the DPA into the interim National Constitution.

In expressing full commitment to the continuous implementation of the DPA, the participants called upon the international community to play a more active role in the implementation of the DPA. In particular, the parties requested the international community to re-activate the Darfur Joint Assessment Mission. Participants called upon UNAMID to play a stronger role in supporting effective implementation of the DPA as per its mandate. The meeting also agreed that the parties to the DPA have a crucial role to play in galvanizing the peace process.

The meeting further agreed that a mechanism be set up to monitor and assess the status of implementation of the DPA, including identification of remaining gaps and challenges that impede the implementation process and recommendation of appropriate measures.


Participants from the DPA parties included the Government team led by Dr. Omar Adam Rahamat from the Presidency, SLM (MM) led by Mr. Mini Minawi, and signatories of the Declaration of Commitment to the DPA, including (SLM Free Will), JEM (Peace Wing), SLM (Mother), and the popular Forces for Rights and Democracy (PFRD). The participating DPA Partners included representatives of the African Union, European Union, League of Arab States, Egypt, The Netherlands, Nigeria, United Kingdom and the United States of America. The Joint Mediation was represented by Deputy JCM Azouz Ennifar.

Tears of the Desert are Tears of Blood in Darfur

Come here my love,
I have a song for you.
Come here my love,
I have a dream for you…

With such beautiful and soulful words of innate passion, Halima Bashir, MD, begins the lucid prose of her vivid memory of the poetic beauty of her childhood and Zaghawa family in Darfur in her unforgettable war memoir Tears of the Desert, but we are soon gripped by the gory horrors of her picturesque true life story as a ruthless Sudanese soldier stabbed a knife into her thigh as she kicked him in his groin in her desperate resistance against being raped by these devilish Sudanese soldiers on rampage in Darfur.



Here is an excerpt from Tears of the Desert, and reading the rest of the memoir would be more beneficial.

CHAPTER ONE

The Naming

Come here my love,
I have a song for you.
Come here my love,
I have a dream for you. . .

I sing-whisper this lullaby to my boy, my tiny child, as I rock him to sleep in my arms. Outside the window of our cell-like apartment the London traffic roars by. But here we are safe, he and I, this little sleepy miracle that I clutch to myself with a desperate joy in my heart. And as I sing, inside my head I am transported home, home to my beloved Africa.

Come here my love,
I have a kiss for you.
Come here my love. . .

This is the lullaby that my kind and gentle mother used to sing to me, of an evening by the fireside. This is the lullaby that my fierce Grandma Sumah would sing, on those warm African nights when she allowed herself to relax a little, and for her inner love to shine through. And this is the lullaby that my wonderful, funny, clever father would murmur in my ear, as he rocked me on his lap and ran his fingers through my hair.

Come here my love,
I have a smile for you. . .

As I sing this song I am in Africa again, enveloped in the loving warmth and security of my family. As I sing this song I am with my tribe again, the Zaghawa, a fierce, warlike black African people who are the most generous and open when welcoming strangers. I am back in the hot, spicy, dry desert air of my village, a child dressed only in dust and happiness, and all in my life is wondrous and good.
I am in my home, with my family, with my people, in my village, in Darfur.
Darfur. I know to you this must be a word soaked in suffering and blood. A name that conjures up terrible images of a dark horror and an evil without end. Pain and cruelty on a magnitude inconceivable in most of the civilized world. But to me Darfur means something quite different: It was and is that irreplaceable, unfathomable joy that is home.

Come here my love,
I have a home for you. . .

I sing this song for my little boy who is not yet one year old, and reflect upon the miracle of his birth—for it gave me the spirit and the will to live. Without you, I tell his shining, sleepy eyes, I would have killed myself from the horror and shame of it all. The darkness would have overcome me, dragged me down into its eager drowning.
We Zaghawa are a fierce, warlike people, and death—violent and bloody and at one's own hand—is far preferable to dishonor and shame. It has always been thus for my tribe.

Come here my love,
I have a hug for you. . .

"You know what rape is?" The face is a mask of hatred—eyes close to mine, his soldier's breath stinking. "You think because you are a doctor you really know what rape is?"
A second soldier lunges at me, pinning me to the floor. "We'll show you what rape is, you black dog. . ."
"You think you can talk to the foreigners about rape!" a third screams. "Let me tell you—you know nothing. But in rape we are expert teachers.. ."
"And when we are finished with you we might just let you live," the first one spits out. "Then you can go and tell the world. . ."
I try to block out the memory of it all, but sometimes it is not possible, and it comes crowding in on me, dark and suffocating, putrid and evil. I can still see their faces, even now, as if it were only yesterday. Bloodshot eyes, inflamed with hatred and lust. Graying stubble. Unclean breath, the reek of days-old sweat and unwashed uniforms. A flashing blade as one tries to cut my trousers off of me. I kick out, fiercely, aiming for his groin. He cries out in pain, recovers himself, and stabs the knife into my thigh. I feel the agony of that knife thrust, and a dead weight bearing down on my bound hands.

Come here my love,
I have a life for you. . .

I hug my little boy close to my pounding, fearful heart. It is you who gave me life, the will to live, the spirit to go on. And because of you—and the countless other women and children who never made it through the horror alive—I am going to sit at this desk in our tiny apartment while you peacefully sleep, and I am going to start to write my story.

Come here my love,
I have a story for you. . .

My name is Halima. It is an important name and you must remember it. It is important because my father gave it to me seven days after I was born, in the village naming ceremony. In a sense my father saw into the future, for he named me after who and what I was to become.

I was my father's firstborn child, and I was his favorite. I know all children say this, but I had an especially close bond with my father. For the first five years of my life I was an only child. I used to long for a brother or sister to play with. But I also knew that when one came along I'd have to share my parents with them, which was the last thing on earth that I wanted to do.

Whenever my father was home I would always be sitting at his side listening to his stories. He'd tell me about the legends of our tribe, the Zatghawa, or about the lineage of our family, which was descended from a long line of tribal chiefs. Or he'd tell me about his work buying and selling cattle, goats, and camels, and about his travels across the deserts and mountains of Darfur.

One day when I was very young we were lying on some rugs by the fireside in the center of our home. In each corner of our fenced compound there was a thatched, circular mud hut: one for the women, one for the men, one for my parents, and one for visitors. And in the middle was a thatched wooden shelter with open sides. Here we gathered each evening, lounging around the fire and gazing up at the bright stars, talking, talking and laughing.

My father was playing a game with me. It is just like the "This little piggy went to market" game that Westerners play with their children. He took my left hand in his, and traced a circle in my palm: "The camel's home," he announced, gazing into my eyes. Then he traced a similar pattern on my forearm: "The cow's home." Then higher up: "The sheep's home. . ." Of course, we'd played this game many times before, and I knew what was coming. I was giggling and trying to pull my arm away to escape.
"The chicken's home. . ." he continued, tracing a chicken coop at the top of my arm. And then, as I desperately tried to squidge myself up into a ball, he made a lunge for my armpit. "And who is this home for?!"

We fell about laughing, as he tickled me and I tried to fight him off. When we tired of the game we leaned back on the rugs, losing our thoughts in the dark night sky.
"You—you're my favorite little girl," my father murmured, as he stroked my hair. "You brought such luck to our family."
"But why am I so lucky, abba?" I asked him. Abba is "Daddy" in our Zaghawa language. I was at that age when I always wanted to know "why."
My father went on to tell me the story of my naming ceremony. In our tribe each child's name must be announced within seven days of birth. My mother and father were so proud of their firstborn that they invited everyone to the naming ceremony. My father was a relatively rich man in our village, as he owned many cattle, sheep, and goats, and dozens of prized camels. My father slaughtered several animals and a feast was prepared for all.

My mother was resting after the birth, and would do so for forty days, as was our tradition. So my fearsome Grandma Boheda rounded up some of the village women to help cook. There were trays piled high with kissra, a flat, sorghum pancake cooked on a metal plate over an open fire. There were cauldrons overflowing with acidah, a thick maize mash. There were bowls piled high with fresh salad, garnished with sesame oil and lemon juice. And there was lots of smoked cattle and goat meat, with hot, spicy sauces.

On the morning of my naming, people came bearing gifts of food or little presents. The women were dressed in topes, long robes of a fine, chiffon material, decorated with all the colors of the rainbow. The unmarried girls wore the brightest, with flame red, fire orange, and sunset pink designs. And the men looked magnificent in their white robes that swathed the body from head to toe, topped off by a twisted white turban, an immah.
"You were lying inside the hut," my father told me. "A tiny baby at your mother's side. A stream of people came in to see you. But Grandma Sumah was there, and you know what she's like.. .. She had your face covered. 'Please can we see the baby's face?' people kept asking. But Grandma just scowled at them and muttered something about protecting you from the Evil Eye."

The Evil Eye is a curse that all Zaghawa—and many other Muslims—believe in with fervor. With my mother resting, Grandma Sumah was looking after me, and she was very superstitious. She didn't want anyone looking at me too closely, just in case they had bad intentions and gave me the Evil Eye.
"She's so beautiful—what name have you chosen?" people kept asking. But Grandma just gave an even darker scowl, and refused to breathe a word.

My father had issued strict instructions. He wasn't prepared to announce my name until a very special person was present—the traditional medicine woman of our village. When she arrived, my father led her to the center of our house. "I'm calling my firstborn child Halima, after you," he announced. Then he took the medicine woman into the hut so she could bless me.
"But why did you name me after her, abba?" I asked my father. The tradition in our tribe is to name your children after their grandparents. I'd always wondered where my name had come from.
"Ah, well, that's a long story," my father replied, his eyes laughing in the warm glow of the firelight. "And it's getting close to your bedtime.. ."
I knew he was teasing me, and I begged him to tell me the story. Eventually, as was nearly always the case, he relented.
"At first I thought about calling you Sumah, after Grandma," my father continued. "But she refused to let me. . ." My father rolled his eyes at me, and I giggled. We both knew what Grandma was like: She'd never agree to anything if she could help it. "And then I remembered a promise that I had made when I was a young man. One day I was out on a camel rounding up cattle. The camel stumbled in a dry riverbed and I had fallen. Some villagers found me lying unconscious, and they were convinced that I was near death. . ."
"But you couldn't die, abba," I objected. "Surely you couldn't?"
My father chuckled. "Well, nothing they could do would wake me. All the herbs and medicines failed to stir me. They cut me open here." My father revealed a thick white scar running around his neck. "They wanted to bleed me and let the infection run out, but it didn't work. Even the hijabs that the Fakirs prepared didn't help. . ."

Click here to order for the Tears of the Desert,: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur.

International Criminal Court (ICC) Indicts President Umar al-Bashir for Crimes Against Humanity in Darfur

President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan

President Omar al-Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday July 14, 2008, on charges of crimes against humanity.
Sudan alerted the U.N. that the indictment could jeopardize the peace process on the resolution of the Darfur crisis.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague found President Bashir guilty of the murder and rape committed by the Sudanese government troops and their militias against the people of Darfur. The ICC sought for the warrant to arrest President Umar al-Bashir for trial.

Related reports:
14 Jul 2008
15:16,
USAID Memorial Ceremony Planned
12 Jul 2008
00:49
Embassy of Sudan: Ocampo's Political Pursuits Jeopardize Peace
11 Jul 2008
23:30
Ros-Lehtinen Condemns UN Failure to Pass Resolution on Zimbabwe
10 Jul 2008
20:27
Donation Helps Expand Water Well Work in Darfur
9 Jul 2008
21:52
USAID Memorial Ceremony Planned
09:56
National Elections Act: A Milestone Towards Peace And Democracy

The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur

"The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur" (Hardcover) by Daoud Hari is a must read for everyone who wants to know the heart and soul of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

I am posting the following editorial reviews and will post another analysis of the book by one of my editors next month.

Book Description
"I am the translator who has taken journalists into dangerous Darfur. It is my intention now to take you there in this book, if you have the courage to come with me."

The young life of Daoud Hari–his friends call him David–has been one of bravery and mesmerizing adventure. He is a living witness to the brutal genocide under way in Darfur.

"The Translator" is a suspenseful, harrowing, and deeply moving memoir of how one person has made a difference in the world–an on-the-ground account of one of the biggest stories of our time. Using his high school knowledge of languages as his weapon–while others around him were taking up arms–Daoud Hari has helped inform the world about Darfur.

Hari, a Zaghawa tribesman, grew up in a village in the Darfur region of Sudan. As a child he saw colorful weddings, raced his camels across the desert, and played games in the moonlight after his work was done. In 2003, this traditional life was shattered when helicopter gunships appeared over Darfur’s villages, followed by Sudanese-government-backed militia groups attacking on horseback, raping and murdering citizens and burning villages. Ancient hatreds and greed for natural resources had collided, and the conflagration spread.

Though Hari’s village was attacked and destroyedhis family decimated and dispersed, he himself escaped. Roaming the battlefield deserts on camels, he and a group of his friends helped survivors find food, water, and the way to safety. When international aid groups and reporters arrived, Hari offered his services as a translator and guide. In doing so, he risked his life again and again, for the government of Sudan had outlawed journalists in the region, and death was the punishment for those who aided the “foreign spies.” And then, inevitably, his luck ran out and he was captured. . . .

"The Translator" tells the remarkable story of a man who came face-to-face with genocide– time and again risking his own life to fight injustice and save his people.

About the Author
Daoud Hari was born in the Darfur region of Sudan. After escaping an attack on his village, he entered the refugee camps in Chad and began serving as a translator for major news organizations including The New York Times, NBC, and the BBC, as well as the United Nations and other aid groups. He now lives in the United States and was part of SaveDarfur.org's Voices from Darfur tour.

Steven Spielberg and 8 Nobel Peace Laureates Threaten To Boycott 2008 Beijing Olympic Games To Protest Against the Role of China in Darfur

I commend the decision of acclaimed film director Steven Spielberg to withdraw from participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in protest against the Chinese government's support for the inhuman rulers in Sudan in his condemnation of the genocide in Darfur.

Spielberg said he will no longer be the Artistic Director for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Olympics.

8 Nobel Peace laureates have also petitioned China to intensify the diplomatic measures to compel the lawless Sudanese government to end "atrocities" in Darfur.

A letter from the world's Nobel laureates to China: You must act on Darfur

Thursday, 14 February 2008


We the undersigned Nobel laureates, Olympic athletes, current and former government officials, business leaders, human rights activists and public advocates, are writing to urge you to intensify your diplomatic engagement in support of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Darfur.


As the primary economic, military and political partner of the government of Sudan, and as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has both the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute to a just peace in Darfur. Ongoing failure to rise to this responsibility amounts, in our view, to support for a government that continues to carry out atrocities against its own people. As host of the 2008 Olympic Games, China has a special role to play in ensuring that its actions this year are commensurate with the Olympic ideals of peace and international co-operation.

The atrocities in Darfur continue to intensify. Of the seven million inhabitants of Darfur, hundreds of thousands have already died due to the conflict and 2.5 million have been displaced. Rape and sexual violence have been and continue to be used as weapons of war against untold numbers of girls and women. The government of Sudan has also been involved in the forced relocation of people from refugee and internally displaced people's camps. Without homes to return to, those displaced are left vulnerable to further attack.

We recognise some efforts by China in 2007 to increase diplomatic pressure on Sudan – notably through its support of the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1769, calling for the deployment of a UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force (Unamid) to Darfur. At the same time, however, we note with dismay that the Chinese government worked to weaken the resolution before it passed. China also doubled its trade with Sudan in 2007, providing resources that make it easier for that government to continue to carry out its atrocities. China's military relationship with Sudan also continues. We have also been disheartened by your government's action since Resolution 1769 was passed. Your government has remained silent as Sudan continues to block the effective deployment of Unamid and engages in violent actions that violate the spirit of the mission. Given the severity of the crisis in Darfur, and the nature of the China-Sudan relationship, we are calling for more serious action by your government in support of the full, immediate and unimpeded deployment of Unamid.

As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games approach, we will continue to call on the Chinese government for action. We are aware of the tremendous potential for China to help bring an end to the conflict in Darfur. We will continue to watch for concerted and consistent Chinese action to ensure rapid deployment of UN-AU peacekeepers, progress in the peace talks, and an end to the use of rape as a weapon of war.

The complete list of signatories

Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, Nobel Peace Laureate, East Timor, 1996; Dr Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Laureate, Iran, 2003; Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Laureate, Argentina, 1980; Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nobel Peace Laureate, Guatemala, 1992; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate, South Africa, 1984; Professor Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Laureate, United States, 1986; Betty Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate, Ireland, 1976; Professor Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate, United States, 1997; Marcos Anastácio, Surfer, Portugal, 1995 National Champion; Carlos Arena, Swimmer, Mexico, 1996 Olympic Games; Marilyn Chua, Swimmer, Malaysia, 2000 Olympic Games; Marion Clignet, Cyclist, France, 1996, 2000 Olympic Games; Nikki Dryden, Swimmer, Canada, 1992, 1996 Olympic Games; Jimena Florit, Cyclist, Argentina, 2000, 2004 Olympic Games; Sabrina Kolker, Crew, Canada, 2004 Olympic Games; John Naber, Swimmer, United States, 1976 Olympic Games; Vince Poscente, Speed Skier, Canada, 1992 Olympic Games; Shannon Shakespeare, Swimmer, Canada, 1996, 2000 Olympic Games; Nikki Stone, Aerial Skier, United States, 1998 Olympic Games; Anna Van der Kamp, Crew, Canada, 1996 Olympic Games; Richard Vaughan, Badminton, United Kingdom, 2004 Olympic Games; Maria Bello, Actress, United States; Dave Eggers, Author, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, United States; Eve Ensler, Activist, Playwright, United States; Mia Farrow, Activist and Actor, United States; Angelique Kidjo, Artist, Benin; Joanna Lumley, Actress, United Kingdom; Hugh Masekela, Musician, South Africa; Ruth Messinger, Activist, United States; Tom Stoppard, Playwright and screenwriter, United Kingdom; Russell Simmons, Entrepreneur, Activist, United States; Emma Thompson, Actress, United Kingdom; Joana Vasconcelos, Artist, Portugal; Kerry Washington, Actress, United States; Baron Alton of Liverpool, House of Lords, United Kingdom; Robert Badinter, Senator, France; Gerhart Baum, Former Member of Parliament, Germany; Catherine Bell, Member of Parliament, Canada; John Bercow, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Bert Brown, Senator, Canada; José Ribeiro e Castro, Member of the European Parliament, Portugal; Chris Charlton, Member of Parliament, Canada; Olivia Chow, Member of Parliament, Canada; Nick Clegg, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Hon. Irwin Cotler, Member of Parliament, Canada; The Baroness Cox of Queensbury, House of Lords, United Kingdom; Jean Crowder, Member of Parliament, Canada; Libby Davies, Member of Parliament, Canada; Franziska Drohsel, Federal Chairwoman, Young Socialists, Germany; Lynne Featherstone, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Hon. Mabinty Forna, Member of Parliament, Sierra Leone; Sen. Bill Frist, Former Senate Majority Leader, United States; Brunhilde Irber, Member of Parliament, Germany; Glenys Kinnock, Member of European Parliament, United Kingdom; Hon. Yoine Goldstein, Senator, Canada; Ana Maria Gomes, Member of the European Parliament, Portugal; Sally Keeble, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Susan Kramer, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Irene Mathyssen, Member of Parliament, Canada; Alexa McDonough, Member of Parliament, Canada; Madeleine Moon, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Kerstin Müller, Member of Parliament, Germany; Chris Mullin, Member of Parliament, United Kingdom; Peggy Nash, Member of Parliament, Canada; Kerry Nettle, Senator, Australia; Baroness Northover of Cissbury, House of Lords, United Kingdom; Birgitta Ohlsson, Member of Parliament, Sweden; Baron Owen of Plymouth, House of Lords, United Kingdom; Cem Özdemir, Member of the European Parliament, Germany; Penny Priddy, Member of Parliament, Canada; Hon. Nancy Ruth, Senator, Canada; Denise Savoie, Member of Parliament, Canada; Jürgen Schröder, Member of the European Parliament, Germany; Marina Schuster, Member of Parliament, Germany; Natasha Stott Despoja, Senator, Australia; Christoph Strässer, Member of Parliament, Germany; Paddy Torsney, Former Member of Parliament, Canada; Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Member of Parliament, Canada; Anders Wijkman, Member of the European Parliament; Sweden; The Baroness Williams of Crosby, House of Lords, United Kingdom

“China is also concerned about the humanitarian situation in Darfur. Empty rhetoric will not help. What's more important is to help peace programs and eliminate humanitarian crises,'' said Liu Jianchao of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The Progress Report on Darfur

Distinguished Diplomat Says Sudan Still Plagued With Prejudice
UN Special Advisor on Prevention of Genocide, Francis Deng, says Khartoum government remains unwilling to reconcile with people of Southern Sudan

SPLM says Comprehensive Peace Agreement Remains the Only Way to a New Sudan
Analysts warn the North-South peace agreement in Sudan in danger of collapse, but former rebels say it is still the blueprint for democratic reforms

Former US Special Representative Warns about Lack of Progress on Implementation of Sudan Peace Deal
Roger Winter says Khartoum fears democratic elections