The president faces a critical decision on how to move forward on Sudan–including one that may result in a severe shift in approach in U.S. policy nearly 100 days before the referendum vote that could divide Africa’s largest country.

Urge President Obama to adopt the right plan for Sudan.

If you have a few extra minutes, check these out:

1. Sudan Now press release about NY Times ad
2. Sign-on letter to Obama from 68 organizations
3. Obama’s Rwanda Moment:

CONTACT:
Jonathan Hutson, 857.919.5130, jhutson@enoughproject.org
Susan Morgan, 617.797.0451, susan@paxcommunications.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sudan Now, a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations, is running ads in The New York Times and the Vineyard Gazette to influence the president’s decision, expected soon, on the future direction of U.S. Sudan policy. Additionally, a letter signed by 68 organizations is being sent to the president on the same topic. Both the ads and the letter advocate for a balanced Sudan policy that includes both incentives and pressures.

According to Mark Lotwis, President of Save Darfur Coalition, there is widespread public attention on this pending decision. “Millions of Americans, represented by the 68 organizations that signed onto this letter, want President Obama to make the right decision on Sudan. We hope that the president will listen to these many individuals and choose a policy that includes incentives as well as pressures to help bring peace and justice to the people of Sudan.”

The ad placed by Sudan Now in The New York Times states, “It is the time for a powerful, proven, effective policy.” The right choice by President Obama and his administration, according to the ad, “can help prevent what could be the largest conventional war in the world in 2011.”

“The absence of a clear decision by the president has undermined U.S. influence in support of peace in Sudan,” said Enough Project Co-founder John Prendergast. “Based on empirical evidence from the 21 years that this regime has been in power, it is only when robust and multilateral carrots and sticks are combined that the international community has leverage to influence the parties in Sudan.”

With just four months until a critical referendum vote that could divide Africa’s largest country, an internal debate within the administration recently ended with a proposal to shift the U.S. relationship with Sudan to one that favors incentives. This potential shift comes at a perilous time for Sudan. In the past few months, the security situation in Darfur has been deteriorating precipitously. Aid workers are being threatened and expelled. Decisions regarding many of the agreements to ensure a fair vote and security following the vote have still not been made.

“The president has a crucial opportunity to revitalize his administration’s Sudan policy,” said Mark Hanis, President of Genocide Intervention Network. “At this moment, when so much hangs in the balance, the president must step forward and demonstrate leadership on Sudan by effectively implementing a policy that leverages both incentives and pressures.”

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Sudan Now is a campaign led by a group of prominent anti-genocide and human rights advocacy organizations committed to bringing meaningful and lasting peace to Sudan and encouraging strong American leadership and action to achieve this goal. The campaign challenges President Barack Obama and top U.S. administration officials to live up to their promises to take strong and immediate action to help end the international crisis in Sudan and bring a lasting peace to the people of that country. Organizations participating in this week’s advertising include the Enough Project at the Center for American Progress, Save Darfur Coalition, Genocide Intervention Network, Stop Genocide Now, and Investors Against Genocide.

Download the New York Times ad.

Here we go! It will take less than 7 minutes. Promise!

Please post the message below - or even better, your personal variation of it - on the Facebook pages for these 7 influential Members of Congress (note: only do one per day, as per the list below)::

Monday, August 23: Nancy Pelosi’s Facebook Page
Tuesday, August 24: Richard Lugar’s Facebook Page
Wednesday, August 25: John Kerry’s Facebook Page
Thursday, August 26: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s Facebook Page
Friday, August 27: Howard Berman’s Facebook Page
Saturday, August 28: Russell D. Feingold’s Facebook Page
Sunday, August 29: Johnny Isakson’s Facebook Page

Sudan needs your help. Thank you for your work in Congress in the fight against mass atrocities and the protection of human rights. Please call President Obama and ask him to make the right decision for Sudan. Please pass on our message: Mr. President, the true measure of U.S. Sudan policy is conditions on the ground. Current U.S. Sudan policy is failing. In Darfur, mass human rights violations, repression and instability are on the rise. Tensions between the North and South are mounting, and the danger of conflict that may result in massive civilian casualties is very real. You have a decision to make about the U.S. Sudan policy. We urge you to implement your announced comprehensive policy of incentives and pressures, rallying the world for lasting peace and justice in all of Sudan. For over 20 years, Sudan has been the home to some of the worst human rights abuses in the world. Your decision could change this. Millions of lives are at stake. (http://bit.ly/c8IUvv)

You say you want to do more? Please Tweet these 7 tweets!

@SpeakerPelosi, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

@senatorlugar, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

@JohnKerry, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

@IRL, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

@HouseForeignAff, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

@russfeingold, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

@TeamIsakson, #Sudan is at dangerous crossroads. Call and ask @BarackObama to implement policy of incentives AND pressures for ALL Sudan

Join us for our Seven Days for Sudan Challenge! We are challenging 50 Super-Activists to commit to seven days of actions — each day of action will take less than 7 minutes of your online life.

Each day, beginning Monday, August 23rd, we will take over, attack (peacefully) and OWN the Facebook pages and Twitter accounts of 7 influential Members of Congress. 50 or more activists will make sure that the message is being heard loud and clear.

• Our Ask to Members of Congress: Call President Obama and deliver our message about Sudan.
• Our Message: Mr. President, the true measure of U.S. Sudan policy is conditions on the ground. Current U.S. Sudan policy is failing. In Darfur, mass human rights violations, repression and instability are on the rise. Tensions between the North and South are mounting, and the danger of conflict that may result in massive civilian casualties is very real. You have a decision to make about the U.S. Sudan policy. We urge you to implement your promised comprehensive policy of incentives and pressures, rallying the world for lasting peace and justice in all of Sudan. For over 20 years, Sudan has been the home to some of the worst human rights abuses in the world. Your decision could change this. Millions of lives are at stake.

What you need to do to join the Challenge:

Send an E-mail to ktj@stopgenocidenow.org and say, “I’m in!”

We will E-mail you each of the 7 days with the easy actions.

What you win by taking the 7 Day Challenge: You’ll be at the forefront of activism, visibly making a difference for a cause we all care deeply about!

By Email - Tell Congress to Call President Obama

By Facebook - Post on the White House’s Facebook page:

Mr. President: Now is the moment for you to implement a Sudan policy which, as you promised in 2008, leads a process for peace, helps prevent another deadly war in Africa, and holds those responsible for crimes against humanity to account. News reports (http://bit.ly/aEkexV) suggest that, after months of delay, a plan for moving the U.S. Policy on Sudan forward has finally landed on your desk. As Sudan prepares for a referendum that is likely to split it in two, and as the humanitarian crisis in Darfur grows increasingly dire by the day, we are closely watching and awaiting your decision. Your legacy is on the line. Millions of lives are at stake. Make peace in Sudan a priority now.

By Twitter - Tweet this message:

RT Decision on #Sudan policy is on @BarackObama’s desk. What will be the #ObamaLegacy on #genprev? http://bit.ly/aEkexV #SudanNow @presssec

“Currently, our people in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp of Kalma are under threat of violence, homelessness, and lack of basic life subsistence. The threat is coming from the local government of South Darfur and from central government in Khartoum. Similar conditions are faced by IDPs in Hamideyeah in the Zalengi area of West Darfur.

The Government of Sudan is intent on dismantling these camps by force. The Government officials in South Darfur made their intentions very clear in defiance of all international protocols and conventions that protect IDPs. This is a continuation of the crimes of genocide in Darfur.

We believe strongly that the Government of Sudan, sadly, has perfected reading in advance the reaction of the international community, and the United States in particular.

The Government of Sudan, headed by a President indicted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, continues using same tactics used by other genocidal perpetrators through history to finish the job. They will not stop till they are stopped.

The Government of Sudan feels absolutely immune to any accountability. Furthermore, the officials in Khartoum and South Darfur audaciously state their plans in dismantling the IDP camps in meetings with UNAMID and NGOs representatives.

We believe that what is happening in Darfur has direct relation to the U. S. policy in handling Darfur’s crisis.

The international community has an obligation to protect the Darfuri civilians. This Responsibility-To-Protect (R2P) should be exercised now to stop the on-going genocide in Darfur.”

Download the full statement.

Darfuri leaders believe continuation of crimes of genocide in #Darfur relates to misdirected US #Sudan Policy http://bit.ly/b63Ym9 @presssec

Take Immediate Action by Email, Facebook, Twitter

I felt for the first time in a long time that perhaps we could be the leaders of the world in the way we responded to genocide. Any cynicism was gone that day as we sat there and watched those messages of solidarity and humanity. I left filled with warm hugs and tearful smiling faces burned into my memory, but I did leave. Our friends have never left that camp. They are still there, waiting for that promise of hope to be fulfilled.

I blame myself as much as any President or Senator because I too have failed in my promise of hope. I banged the drum but my arms got tired sometimes and my “to do list” got the best of me many times. I sounded the alarm but allowed myself to sleep through it on too may days. Today, I recommit to do my best to keep my promise to the very real human beings that I met and held and will never forget at that camp. I promise to do my part to remind my President and elected officials to do their part because that is my job as both an American and Global citizen.

Stacey

Tell Secretary Clinton that this is the moment to fully engage for peace and justice in all of Sudan:

By Facebook - Post on the State Department’s Facebook page:

Secretary Clinton: Your engagement on U.S. Sudan policy is immediately needed. “There is no sense of urgency that this is a crucial moment,” a State Department official is quoted as saying about Sudan in a NY Times article (http://nyti.ms/9xNgeS). With Darfur violence alarmingly on the increase and the referendum that might split Africa’s largest country in two less than six months away, now is the moment for the Obama administration to implement its Sudan policy. Now is the moment to make a full press for peace and justice in all of Sudan and avert what could be the deadliest war on your watch.

By Twitter - Tweet this message:

Pls RT: “There is no sense of urgency” regarding #Sudan, @NYTimes quotes @StateDept official http://nyti.ms/d3wcs9 Sec. Clinton: Engage Now!

Despite the U.S. government’s unwillingness to recognize the urgency that exists in Darfur, the fact remains, people are still dying, with killings this year already rivaling the, “832 violent deaths recorded for all of 2009.” Here are just a few articles from among many alarming reports, which describe the true urgency of the situation in Darfur:

“Sudanese authorities have denied the U.N.’s humanitarian arm access to a Darfur refugee camp after an outbreak of violence. At least five people have died and thousands have fled the camp since demonstrations protesting peace talks turned deadly.”

“Sudan denies aid agencies access to Darfur camp,” Associated Press, August 6, 2010

“UNAMID said in a statement sporadic gunfire has continued and heavy rainfall also threatens the safety of the camp residents. Thousands fled to nearby villages during the violence, and a government aid official told Reuters aid groups had access to those villages. Peacekeepers and foreign aid workers have faced increased hostility in Darfur since last year, when the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes. The United Nations says the seven-year conflict in Darfur has killed as many as 300,000 people and displaced 2.7 million.  Sudan’s government says around 10,000 people have died.”

“Tensions Rise Between Sudan, Peacekeepers,” Voice of America News, August 6, 2010

“Violent clashes among displaced Sudanese erupted in Kalma camp in the southern Darfur region . . . leaving about 10 people dead.”

“Sudan: Violent Clashes Erupt Over Peach Talks for Darfur,” New York Times, July 30, 2010

“The head of the U.N. – AU Mission in Darfur . . . said . . . that there has been steady progress in talks between the Sudanese government and a major opposition group, but that the security situation in Darfur has deteriorated. The security situation in Darfur has not improved since last month when he described it as “dire.” Gamabari said he has grave concerns over a spike in criminal acts and attacks against U.N. and humanitarian personnel.”

“UN Security Situation in Darfur Worsens as Peace Talks Progress,” Voice of America News, July 27, 2010

Posted by Amanda Carl