OurPledge

Oxfam: Three Weeks Away from Total Shut Down in Eastern Chad

Oxfam International (Oxford)
PRESS RELEASE
8 February 2008
Posted to the web 8 February 2008

Oxfam International warned today that its aid effort in eastern Chad is three weeks away from total shut down when it will be forced to turn off the water for more than 100,000 people. Fighting in the capital N’djamena over the weekend has cut supply lines going to the east, where 470,000 refugees and displaced people are dependent on humanitarian aid. The agency is calling on the UN and donors to open up an airlift of aid and alternative land link to get the aid through.

“If we don’t get more fuel for the water pumps and fresh people in to run the aid effort, we will be forced to turn off the taps for 110,000 people within the next three weeks at best. We are calling on the UN and donors to organise an air lift from neighboring Cameroon and a reliable food and fuel supply line in order to keep providing clean water and humanitarian aid to refugees and displaced Chadians”, said Nick Roseveare, Regional Director for West Africa.

ACTION: Speak out against the promotion of a high-level Janjaweed leader

[From the Save Darfur Coalition:]

What did Sudanese President Bashir do with a world-infamous war criminal? He gave him a promotion.

Bashir has appointed the militia leader who helped orchestrate genocide in Darfur as a senior adviser on ethnic affairs.

This brash and consistent defiance of the U.N. won’t stop–not as long as Bashir has China to protect him.

We must tell China that enough is enough, and our representatives can help. Leaders in Congress are gathering support for an official letter to President Hu of China letting him know that his indifference toward Darfur is unacceptable.

Click here to urge your representative to sign on to this bipartisan letter and send a strong message to China.

Chad update

The AADG/OurPledge.org team is extremely relieved that the good folks over at StopGenocideNow.org are safe. If you haven’t been following their story, here’s the short of it: After Gabriel Stauring and team finished up their latest round of reporting from the Darfuri refugee camps in Chad, they got stuck in Chad’s capital Ndjamena, caught directly in the middle of an onslaught by rebel forces that were (and still are) trying to take over the Chadian government.

It’s important to remember that these rebel forces have been supported by the Sudanese government. The violence is another indication of Khartoum’s complete devaluation of innocent human life–while Gabriel and team were able to get out of Ndjamena, thousands of innocent Chadian men, women, and children are stuck or else have been forced to flee their homes.

Follow the news by visiting StopGenocideNow.org today.

[End of Post]

ACTION: Update on 24 Helicopters

[If you've already taken action, forward this message to your friends! Use the 'Share This' button above. An action alert from the Save Darfur Coalition:]

Thanks to you and 69,033 activists, President Bush heard the message loud and clear — peacekeepers in Darfur need 24 helicopters to succeed.

Your messages are making a difference.

Senators Biden and Lugar introduced a resolution [this week] urging world leaders to provide these helicopters. But they need to secure support from their colleagues to make sure the resolution passes.

Click here to urge your senators to cosponsor the Biden-Lugar resolution and help secure helicopters for the Darfur peacekeepers.

ACTION: Get informed – Read this NYTimes Editorial

Time to take a step back from the action alerts to get informed. Today, please read this recent New York Times editorial. It’s a short but good recap about what the Sudanese government has been doing to the people of Darfur and the international community these past few months.

Please send this commentary to your friends and family members. Thank you!

[End of Post]

2008 State of the Union: No substantive discussion of Darfur

Just this short line, but no specific discussion of Darfur policy in President Bush’s final State of the Union address:

“America is opposing genocide in Sudan and supporting freedom in countries from Cuba and Zimbabwe to Belarus and Burma…”

Full text of the address here…

[End of Post]

ACTION: Call President Bush – Tell him to include Sudan in his State of the Union address

[An action alert from STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition:]

Tonight, President Bush will deliver his annual State of the Union address to the Congress and the American people. His words will be heard not only by all of Congress and over 50 million Americans, but also governments and citizens throughout the world.

Call the White House at 202-456-1111 today to urge President Bush to include Sudan in his State of the Union and address how he will use his final year in office to pursue a Sudan strategy that will advance the Darfur Peace Process, see to the deployment of UNAMID, and follow through on the CPA.

The President must make good on his promises and demonstrate the high priority he has placed on peace in Sudan. Help make Sudan a Presidential priority in 2008 by calling the White House today!

ACTION: Get your Representative to support a Congressional letter to President Bush

[If you've already called, please ask your friends and family members to do the same. Time is of the essence re: the request below, so please try to get your calls in before Jan. 31. Thank you!]

[An Action Alert from the Genocide Intervention Network:]

What to say:
Call 1-800-GENOCIDE (1-800-436-6243) and urge your representative to sign-on to Congressman Higgins’ letter encouraging President Bush to ensure that the Darfur peacekeeping mission is successful.

Why it is important:
The UN mission in Darfur will fail if it does not have the resources necessary to protect civilians. The United States can lead the effort to secure these resources.

ACTION: Take Part in i-ACT 4; Visit StopGenocideNow.org

StopGenocideNow.org is in Eastern Chad right now, reporting from the Darfuri refugee camps there.

Today, this week, and next week, take some time to visit the StopGenocideNow/i-ACT website. Watch the videos there. Read the journals. Take the daily actions. And remember the people — the real lives and livelihoods — we’re fighting for.

[End of Post]

ACTION: Get Darfur on The Politico/CNN Presidential Debates

UPDATE: If you’ve already voted on or submitted a question, tell your friends and family members to take the same action. The earlier you submit your question, the higher the likelihood that yours or a similar question will be chosen!

At the end of this month, CNN and The Politico will be hosting both a Democratic and Republican presidential debate in Los Angeles. Here’s how you can get the candidates to talk about Darfur:

[Hat tip to the Ask the Candidates campaign, which wrote the blog entry below:]

Last week, we asked you to submit Darfur questions for the upcoming presidential debates. Since that time, one question in particular has received a lot of attention. It was submitted for the CNN/Politico Debates in Los Angeles at the end of the month:

“In Darfur, as a genocide rages, the United Nations/Africa Union peacekeeping mission is being undermined by a lack of support from the international community. They need helicopters, soldiers, funding, and help overcoming the obstructions of the Sudanese government. As president, what tough, proactive actions would you take to stop the peacekeeping mission from failing. (And please give tangible solutions, not just a vague statement of support.)”