ENOUGH's April/May Update for Darfur,Northern Uganda and Eastern Congo

Date: April 20, 2007 at 08:47:38
From: ENOUGH Project, [ool-457a0bb7.dyn.optonline.net]
Subject: ENOUGH's April/May Update for Darfur,Northern Uganda and Eastern Congo

URL: http://www.enoughproject.org

(Washington, DC) April 20, 2007: In the absence of strong international engagement, peace remains elusive in three of the world's worst hot spots, according to ENOUGH's April/May Monthly Update, released today.

The past month was especially bleak for Darfur, where a peace agreement signed in May 2006 has failed to bring an end to the fighting. Nearly 4 million people in the region are dependant on humanitarian assistance for survival, 7 African Union peacekeepers were killed in the last month alone, and the conflict continues to spill over into neighboring Chad and the Central African Republic.

Meanwhile, the Bush administration insists on giving diplomacy another chance. "The U.S. continues to delay in Darfur, an annoying inconvenience to the regime in Khartoum that only emboldens them to continue their obstruction and destruction in Darfur," said Center for American Progress senior fellow Gayle Smith.

In Northern Uganda, peace talks between the government and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) were rescued from collapse in mid-April when UN Special Envoy Joaquim Chissano persuaded the LRA to rejoin the talks on April 26 and extend the cessation of hostilities until the end of June. Ultimately, however, "the international community must convince LRA leader Joseph Kony that this is his best and only chance," International Crisis Group senior advisor John Prendergast argues.

Despite a widely hailed peace deal and recent national election, large-scale violence against civilians continues to destabilize Congo's East. More than 1,000 people die each day as a result of the conflict, as rogue army elements, predatory militias and foreign rebel groups terrorize the countryside. "The U.S. must work with its allies to press the Congolese government and other governments in the region to develop the plans and devote the resources necessary to neutralize these militia groups," said John Prendergast, who recently returned from a visit to both Northern Uganda and Eastern Congo.

ENOUGH calls on the international community, backed by strong U.S. leadership, to implement a "3P" strategy to resolve these crises-- one that promotes the peace, protects the people and punishes the perpetrators of mass atrocities.

This monthly field report also highlights several ways in which activists and concerned citizens can get involved, from participating in Save Darfur's Global Days for Darfur (http://www.savedarfur.org/page/content/globaldays/) and Invisible Children's Displace Me ( http://www.invisiblechildren.com/displaceMe/) to joining the Congo Coalition (http://ga3.org/campaign/Congo_Global_Action).

"This April marks the 13th anniversary of the start of the Rwandan genocide, when some 800,000 men, women and children were slaughtered in 100 days. After Rwanda, the international community said 'NOT ON OUR WATCH' but today, we are faced with new horrors in Darfur, northern Uganda and eastern Congo. It is time to stand together to bring an end to these conflicts, once and for all", said ENOUGH Executive Director Anita Sharma.

ENOUGH is a joint initiative of the International Crisis Group and the Center for American Progress to resolve and prevent genocide and mass atrocities. For additional information please visit www.enoughproject.org.

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