Key Moment for Dafur

December 2005 was marked by fresh attacks on villages by the Sudanese government and their proxy militias, killing untold numbers and displacing thousands of people. In early January the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan confirmed that the situation in Darfur was deteriorating, as he reported new large-scale attacks against civilians and urged further international action to end the crisis. In February, the U.S. will have a unique opportunity to take the action necessary to stop the violence and protect the people of Darfur. Today we write to invite you to escalate your activism to push the U.S. Administration to seize this moment. Send an e-mail to President Bush, mark your calendars for several important dates, and engage with us as we turn up the heat to stop genocide in Darfur.

Humanitarian organizations across Western Sudan are on the brink of withdrawal. There are currently 3.5 million people in need of food in Darfur. Jan Egeland of the UN estimates that if humanitarian organizations leave Darfur, as many as 100,000 people could die each month. We are out of time. In response to the increasing violence and the threat to civilians and humanitarian aid agencies in Darfur, we must escalate our pressure on the U.S. government to take the action necessary to stop the genocide in Darfur.

In February the U.S. will become President of the UN Security Council for one month, creating the perfect opportunity for the introduction of a resolution at the UN for an international intervention to stop genocide in Darfur. Between now and February we need to escalate our pressure on the State Department. U.S. Ambassador John Bolton at the UN is the man who must introduce that resolution, but the decision to introduce this resolution will be made by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President George Bush. Join us in this critical moment.

A statement by Africa Action outlines proposals for ending the genocide.