GI-NET's blog

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, presented evidence today in what will be the third case in Darfur. Although the names of the individuals accused have not been made public, Ocampo announced that the case involves rebel leaders implicated in the September 29, 2007 attack on African Union peacekeepers at the Haskanita camp in North Darfur.

In a recent article, The Washington Independent elucidates the potential foreign policy shift toward bolder action against mass atrocities under an Obama administration. The article contextualizes the current role of Susan Rice, head of Obama's Foreign Policy Transition Team, who in April 2007 testified in favor of military action as a last resort in response to genocide in Sudan. She further concluded that a Chapter 7 UN Resolution ought to be invoked should robust financial sanctions and an implemented no-fly zone fail to cease government fueled atrocities.

On November 12, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced an immediate, unilateral ceasefire in Darfur. Unfortunately, two days later, rebels reported Sudanese government air attacks in North Darfur.

The Second Congo War, which began in the 1990s, has often been called "Africa's World War". The war lasted from 1998 to 2003 and it is estimated the 5.4 million people died during the war and its aftermath in a study conducted between 1998 and 2008-making it the highest death toll since the end of World War II.

To help protect civilians in eastern Burma, GI-NET is working to create an early warning system together with our partner on the ground, the Free Burma Rangers (FBR). The system will use a radio network to ensure that villagers living in ethnic minority areas receive enough warning prior to Burmese Army attacks to escape.

The message of Sudan activists all over the United States is clear: Don’t try to contain the damage from the war in Darfur—end the war. Don’t just declare that genocide is taking place—end the genocide. Don’t just try to manage the consequences of crisis after crisis in Sudan—end these crises.

The renewed rebel offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo threatens to return the region to all-out war and has already displaced at least 200,000 additional civilians. The UN mission in Congo (MONUC), while the largest UN mission, is not able to protect civilians from atrocities without immediate reinforcements.

Call Secretary Rice and tell her that you want stopping the violence in Congo to be a priority during her final days in office: (202) 647-5291.

Congratulations to President-elect Barack Obama. After almost 2 years of campaigning, the 2008 election has come to a close. Now, the hard work begins.

The Road to November 4th

The Genocide Intervention Network (GI-NET) would like to remind and urge all our readers and members to get out today and vote.

General Laurent Nkunda's unilateral ceasefire continues to hold in North Kivu, but the outcome of his recent offensive remains far from certain.