AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Media Advisory

AI Index: AFR 54/054/2007 (Public)

News Service No: 176

12 September 2007

Sudan: Thousands call on world "not to look away" from violations in Darfur

In a move calculated to ensure that attention to human rights abuses against the people of Darfur does not fade in the wake of a decision to send a joint UN-AU peacekeeping mission to the region, thousands of activists will be staging worldwide demonstrations in a global "Day for Darfur" on Sunday, 16 September.

The demonstrators, including Amnesty International activists, will be wearing black blindfolds to symbolize the urgent need to keep the world's eyes open to the fact that abuses are continuing in Darfur on a daily basis. They insist that, despite the Sudan government's agreement to a 26,000 strong UN-AU peacekeeping force in Darfur, the world must continue to closely monitor Darfur to ensure its deployment and effectiveness.

"The peacekeeping force must be deployed urgently, resourced sufficiently, and have the authority to monitor and investigate human rights violations -- including all cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence being perpetrated in the area," Amnesty International said.

In a short 4-page report published to coincide with the Global Day for Darfur, Amnesty International gives an overview of the increasing complexity of the human rights situation of Darfur, where, as one Darfuri said "everyone has guns from the government and rebels, and every incident becomes a disaster."

In its report, Amnesty International calls on the Sudanese government to disarm the Janjawid and for the United Nations and the AU to ensure that an effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme is implemented for all armed groups operating in Darfur. The organization also called specifically on the Sudanese government to allow unhindered access to Sudan -- including Darfur -- for humanitarian agencies and human rights organizations.

The UN estimates that 4.2 million people in Darfur currently rely on humanitarian aid.

"Civilians are still paying the price for the failure of the international community to find a solution to the human rights abusesin Darfur and are now caught in a web of armed attacks that grows more and more complicated by the day. The international community must not look away now."

For details of a "Day for Darfur" event near you, please see below:

What: Global Day for Darfur

When: [insert time], Sunday, 16 September 2007

Where: [insert location]

For further details, please contact: [insert section/structure contact details]

To see Amnesty International's new report on the current situation in Darfur, please go to: http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engafr540432007

To see the wide range of global activities planned for 16 September, please visit: http://www.dayfordarfur.org/index.asp

Public Document

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566

Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

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