Activists call to stop Unamid exit plan from Sudan

On Thursday, 83 organisations and activists addressed an open letter to the fifteen members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), demanding the renewal of the mandate of the AU and UN Mission in Darfur (Unamid) for one additional year.

They described the situation in Darfur as 'the genocide of the twenty-first century par excellence'. Listing the most recent data and incidents that represent violations of (international) human rights, the letter argued that the humanitarian crisis that necessitated the deployment of Unamid in 2007 is still intact.

The letter calls on the world to unite in its resolve not to abandon the people of Darfur. It recommended a number of measures to be taken by the UNSC, including stopping any plans or negotiations for the reduction of Unamid’s troops or accept a partial withdrawal or exit strategy.

Also, the UNSC should end its support of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD): 'A new framework for peace across Sudan is needed. The UNSC should be an advocate for lasting peace, stability and genuine political transition in Sudan, rather than supporting the piece-meal approach that serves GoS’s objectives and prolongs the suffering of growing numbers of civilians all over the country.'

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AUPSC) in its 516th meeting on Monday already extended the mandate of the mission, while showing its support for the developments on the exit strategy for the peacekeepers, which is currently under discussion.

The UNSC is expected to meet on 29 June to discuss and endorse the renewal of the hybrid operation for one year. The Unamid mandate expires on 30 June.

The full letter, undersigned by Waging Peace, the Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre, scholars, and journalists, is attached below.