Woman and Children Are Dying In Darfur
Saturday December 9, 2006
The Guardian

The government of Sudan has so far proved unwilling or unable to protect its own civilians and has even armed and supported the Janjaweed militia responsible for many of these attacks. While the African Union peacekeepers have tried to address this situation, their efforts have not been enough to provide sufficient protection. The international community must now deliver on its responsibility to protect these civilians.

Only the immediate deployment of a robust and effective international peacekeeping force can now keep the Darfuri women and children safe. Pressure must be stepped up and maintained until the government of Sudan accepts such a force. Every day Darfuri women wait for effective protection is another day that more of them suffer one of the most appalling crimes against humanity.

Mary Robinson
Former UN high commissioner for Human Rights

Carol Bellamy
Former executive head of Unicef

Hanan Ashrawi
Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy

Glenys Kinnock
MEP

Edith Cresson
Former prime minister of France

Sigrid Rausing
Philanthropist

Prof Fatima Babiker Mahmoud
Sudanese academic and writer

Prof Herta Däubler-Gmelin
Former German minister of justice

Nicole Fontaine
MEP

Agnes Nyoka Peter
Sudanese member of the National Assembly

Yakin Erturk
UN special rapporteur on violence against women

Emma Bonino
Italian trade minister

Pola Uddin
House of Lords

Fay Mansell
Chair, Women's Institutes

Graca Machel
Children's campaigner