Sudan: International Campaign for Peace, 06/'95

European Working Group on the Horn of Africa Horn of Africa Policy Group - Canada Coalition for Peace in the Horn of Africa - USA

June, 1995

After consultation with faith, business, labor, women's, and political groups of Sudanese both within and outside Sudan...

THE UNDERSIGNED ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR THE FOLLOWING:

1. Endorsement of the IGADD Declaration of Principles.

We call on governments, human rights organizations, non-government organizations, faith groups and other independent agencies around the world to follow the lead of the Heads of State of Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda in affirming the Declaration of Principles as the basis for a negotiated settlement of the Sudan conflict. We call on the Government of Sudan to accept the Declaration of Principles, which most of the major political groups in Sudan have done, as a starting point for serious negotiations.

2. Support of Multi-Track Peace Diplomacy at the National, Factional and Community levels.

We call for a fresh coordinated effort to encourage peacemakers both within and outside Sudan to simultaneously work in formal and informal ways to bring peace at all levels of society. Participants should be drawn from governments, non-governmental organizations, faith groups and indigenous communities.

National/Regional: The war in Sudan is not only a "Southern Problem," but a national problem with major implications for regional security . The IGADD initiative, whose members are now having to address regional security issues, must be the arena for national mediation between the Government of Sudan, the SPLM, the SSIM and other Sudanese groups who may be added to the process representing significant population groupings. Friends of IGADD and friends of Sudan, whether governmental or non-governmental, must continue to be enlisted to lend support to the IGADD initiated regional peace process. Efforts to undermine an African led regional process must be resisted by all as a sabotaging of the peace process. We call for the appointment of a Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to support the IGADD process and to follow its lead in working for peace in Sudan and for regional security. We also call for an immediate unconditional cease-fire to be declared by all parties. The Government of Sudan, its militia and Popular Defense Forces, the SPLM/A, SSIM/A, and all commanders must observe the Geneva Conventions and expect to be held accountable by international bodies for their actions.

Inter-Factional:

The SPLM/A and SSIM/A must fully implement their declared cease-fire, pursue a mutually agreeable mediation process and negotiate ways to live side-by-side in a manner that respects the human rights and needs of civilian populations and indigenous cultures. Where conflicts cross the lines of factional authority, we call on the factional leaders and local commanders to fully embrace and participate in community level indigenous peace processes involving elected southern politicians, faith groups, women's organizations and other civic groups.

Community:

3. Focus on Self-Reliance and Principles of Access and Accountability:

The international donor community must lend further support to the policy of strengthening local capacity that builds on the social capital inherent within local cultures and requires both freedom of access and open accountability. This includes:

* Conditioning all aid on respect for humanitarian principles and focusing emergency aid on the resettlement of displaced peoples and enhancement of self-reliance. * Expanding cross-border aid and commerce routes from neighboring countries, minimizing aid by air, and pressing for a restoration and practice of the concept of "corridors of tranquility". * Focusing on non-food assistance that enhances local food production and seed banks, builds internal commerce, and trains local personnel for primary health care, education, and animal health. * Strengthening local organizations and institutions that respect cultural and traditional patterns. Traditional and civic structures, faith organizations, women's associations and indigenous non-government organizations build on traditional social capital and methods of self-reliance that resist dependency pressures in crisis settings. * Resourcing independent monitoring, evaluation and assessment.

4. Generate Pressure for Peace, Justice and Human Rights:

Peacemaking, humanitarian relief and self-reliance activities must be linked with strong multi-track pressure on all parties toward ending the war a establishing a just society. These pressures should include the following:

* Challenge the Government of Sudan, SPLM/A and SSIM/A to live up to their rhetoric of democracy, autonomy for non-military institutions, protection of human rights, religious freedom, press freedom and promotion of women's rights. * Promote and support the deployment of an international civilian human rights monitoring group that can place monitors in both government and rebel areas of suspected abuse. Enhance the capacity of the UN Human Rights Rapporteur. * Ensure the observance by all member countries of the European Union's Arms Embargo of Sudan and work to include an embargo of police, security and intelligence equipment and cooperation. Support an international debate and study on the wisdom of an energy embargo as called for by numerous Sudanese opposition and civic groups. * Oppose all multilateral bank credits to Sudan. * Find an international broadcast news mechanism that will beam radio news on a weekly basis into all of Sudan, giving news about the course of the war, the cost of waging war, and peace initiatives. Objective information puts pressure on leadership groups and provides hope for all peoples in Sudan working for a peaceful future.

SIGNATORIES

William Lowrey Sharon Pauling John Prendergast

Coordinators, Coalition for Peace in the Horn of Africa c/o 3700 13th St. NE Washington, DC 20017 202-635-2757 x32 (phone) 202-832-9494 (fax) coc@igc.apc.org (email)

ON BEHALF OF THE FOLLOWING:

Kathi Austin, Africa Project Director, Institute for Policy Studies ** William Ayres, World Hunger Year ** Gerry Barr, Steelworkers Humanity Fund ** David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World ** Tsehai Berhane-Selassie, Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton University ** Mark B. Brown, Assistant Director for Advocacy, Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ** Maura Browne, Executive Director, Africa Faith and Justice Network ** Paula Butler, Division of World Outreach, United Church of Canada ** Catholic Task Force on Africa ** Congressional Hunger Center ** Imani Countess, Executive Director, Washington Office on Africa ** John DeHaan, Director, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee - US ** John Donnelly, Deputy Executive Director, Catholic Relief Services ** William C. Dyer, M.Afr., Justice and Peace Officer, Missionaries of Africa ** Ray Elgersma, Director, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee - Canada ** Hunter Farnham, Executive Director, The Baobab Group ** Dennis W. Frado, Director, Lutheran Office for World Community, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ** Roger A. Gastineau, Executive Director, ACROSS ** Maureen Healy, Africa Liaison, Society of St. Ursula ** Vicky Armour-Heilman, Center Coordinating Team, Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful ** Abbanik Hino, Adjunct Professor, University of Michigan ** Rev. Dan C. Hoffman, Area Secretary for Africa, The Joint Ministry in Africa, Disciples of Christ/United Church of Christ ** Joan Holmes, President, The Hunger Project ** James E. Hug, SJ, Executive Director, Center of Concern ** Elenora Giddings Ivory, Director, Presbyterian Washington Office ** Michael D. Linden, SJ, Associate for Africa, US Jesuit Conference ** Suzanne Lunden, Program Officer for Sudan, Life and Peace Institute ** Peter Mann, World Hunger Year ** Nuraddin Mannan, President, Washington Chapter, Sudan Human Rights Organization ** Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers ** Erich D. Mathias, Program Associate for Africa, The Joint Ministry in Africa, Disciples of Christ/United Church of Christ ** Timothy A. McElwee, Director, Church of the Brethren, Washington Office ** New Sudan Council of Churches ** Eric Olfert, Africa Department, Mennonite Central Committee ** Stephen G. Price, Director, Office of Justice, Peace and Environmental Care, Society of African Missions ** Dr. Richard Rodgers, President, Light and Hope for Sudan, UK ** Donald Rothchild, Professor of Political Science, University of California - Davis ** Edward Welles, Washington Representative, Manzanar

The Horn of Africa Policy Group in Canada and the European Working Group on the Horn of Africa both have separate sign-on lists of additional organizations supporting this Campaign.

The Horn of Africa Policy Group (contact person: Beatrice Hampson) can be reached c/o Canadian Council for International Cooperation, 1 Nicholas St., Suite 300, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7, Canada. Phone: 613-241-7007; Fax: 613-241-5302; Email: ccichapg@web.apc.org.

The European Working Group on the Horn of Africa (contact person: Nils Carstensen) can be reached c/o DanChurchAid, Norregade 13, DK-1165 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Phone: 45-33-15-2800; Fax: 45-33-15-3860; email: 100064.3300@compuserve.com or ncarstensen@nn.apc.org.

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Message-Id:[199506090224.TAA19460@igc3.igc.apc.org[
From: "APIC" [apic@igc.apc.org[
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1995 22:21:20 +0000
Subject: Sudan: International Campaign for Peace

Editor: aadinar@sas.upenn.edu