AFRICAN NGOs CALL FOR DECISIVE ACTION ON DARFUR

Today, the Darfur Consortium, an umbrella group for more than forty African NGO's, published an open letter to the Security Council calling for decisive action to end the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The Consortium called upon the Security Council to: 1) support the efforts of the African Union in Darfur by "providing the necessary authorization and financial and logistical resources to the AU"; 2) "impose a precisely targeted scheme of sanctions...against the Government of Sudan"; and 3) "refer the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court without further delay."

The Darfur Consortium's position on the International Criminal Court (ICC) was particularly strong.  The letter states that the ICC is "at once an international and an African court." It continues: "The ICC has been identified by numerous African countries as the most appropriate mechanism for pursuing accountability for serious crimes under international law in situations where domestic courts are unwilling or unable to act."  The letter concludes that referral to the ICC is the "first critical step" in ensuring a lasting peace in Darfur.

+ Click here to read the full text of the letter (PDF Format)

Updated March 29, 2005