|
Critical Darfur advocacy action:
Identify the Genocidaires in Khartoum
This Tuesday, February 8, 2005, Khartoum's National Islamic Front regime
will address the UN Security Council in New York City. Representing
the regime will be the enormously powerful First Vice President, Ali
Osman Taha.
Taha bears at least as much responsibility for Khartoum's genocidal
policies in Darfur as any other individual in the regime. Taha's name
appears on an important list of genocidaires compiled in a report by
the US Congress (October 22, 2004). Moreover, Taha's name has in all
likelihood been suppressed in the recent Report of the International
Commission of Inquiry on Darfur to the UN Secretary-General (Geneva,
January 25, 2005). And Taha's name also almost certainly appears on
a confidential list of Khartoum's genocidaires compiled by the US State
Department.
What is the diplomatic or moral logic by which Vice President Taha's
appearance before the UN Security Council goes unchallenged? Why hasn't
the State Department been compelled, under the legal obligations of
the Comprehensive Sudan Peace Act (October 2004), to release its list
of genocidaires? ---
"[The US State Department should] identify the perpetrators of such
violations [of international law] with a view to ensuring that those
responsible [for genocide in Darfur] are held accountable" (Section
12, subsection [a], Comprehensive Sudan Peace Act, October 2004).
Demand of your Congressional representatives that the State Department
fulfill its legal obligations. Demand that the Bush administration order
the State Department to fulfill the legal obligations of legislation
signed into law by President Bush.
Congressional and White House contact information can be found at
a number of websites, including:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
|