DOCSLIB.ORG

Humanitarian Advocacy in Darfur: the Challenge of Neutrality

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Humanitarian Advocacy in Darfur: the Challenge of Neutrality hpg HPG Policy Brief 28 Humanitarian Policy Group October 2007 Humanitarian advocacy in Darfur: the challenge of neutrality id agencies are grappling with familiar problems around advocacy in Darfur. Key messages Long-recognised as a crisis of protection, and not solely of humani- • Humanitarian agencies have A compromised strict neutrality in order to tarian relief, difficult issues have emerged as to the roles aid actors should play in advocating for advocate on issues related to civilian measures to address civilian insecurity and insecurity in Darfur. A more ‘pragmatic’ conflict resolution. Where does the boundary lie form of neutrality is emerging: sufficiently between humanitarian questions and political non-partisan to facilitate access to or military ones? Should agencies call attention affected communities, while also to these issues, or should they also advocate for sufficiently flexible to allow advocacy. specific political or military measures? As • Aid actors concerned to retain access to Barbara Stocking, Oxfam’s chief executive, put it affected communities should do more to in a recent interview: ‘we think we’ve got to save define and safeguard this new form of lives today while trying to get the international neutrality. This may involve distancing community to sort out the bigger problem. Now themselves from other non-neutral we will do our absolute utmost to go to the edge campaigners. of that. We will try to give as much information • There is a lack of clarity around out, but not in ways that are challenging to the humanitarian actors’ role in advocacy. Khartoum government’ (Cohen, 2007). This can lead to aid actors overstepping humanitarian boundaries and being The difficulty lies in determining where drawn into discussions in which they have Stocking’s ‘edge’ lies. Aid actors have different limited competence or expertise. More mandates, but certain principles – in particular discussion and evaluation of the role of humanity, impartiality and neutrality – are advocacy, and its effectiveness in widely accepted as intrinsic to humanitarian humanitarian action, is required. action. Neutrality is often said to be a Overseas Development Institute ‘pragmatic’ principle: in order to gain access to 111 Westminster Bridge Road communities affected by war, humanitarians London SE1 7JD United Kingdom should not engage publicly in matters of Darfur demonstrates many of the classic political controversy. However, this strict notion characteristics of a non-permissive advocacy Tel. +44 (0) 20 7922 0300 of neutrality has been much eroded. For environment: high levels of insecurity for aid Fax. +44 (0) 20 7922 0399 instance, Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) views workers, continuous efforts by the Sudanese E-mail: [email protected] acting as an agent of change as central to its government to curtail what it perceives as Websites: www.odi.org.uk/hpg work, including highlighting the responsibilities ‘political’ activities and inconsistent levels of and www.odihpn.org of the various actors involved. For MSF, humanitarian access. There are thus serious neutrality means being non-partisan, and not operational considerations to be taken into siding with any warring party. Other agencies go account when undertaking advocacy. Finally, further, particularly those with mandates that there are issues of competence and expertise. extend beyond emergency action to include recovery and development. These agencies This HPG Policy Brief reviews operational aid Overseas Development advocate a form of ‘politicised’ humanitarian- actors’ international advocacy on Darfur since Institute ism, where humanitarians seek to influence the the outbreak of the conflict in 2003. It draws political root causes of conflict and poverty. on secondary data available in the public hpg Policy Brief 28 Figure 1: Frequency of press statements on Darfur by select humanitarian agencies, 2003–20071 25 25 20 Care Oxfam IRC MSF Ref. Inti 15 OCHA 5 0 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 sphere, as well as a select number of interviews outgoing UN Resident and Humanitarian with representatives of aid agencies, campaigning Coordinator to Sudan, Mukesh Kapila, who in groups and international policy-makers. March 2004 compared the situation to Rwanda in 1994. Earlier, the then Under-Secretary-General for Silenced by insecurity? Humanitarian Affairs, Jan Egleland, had called Darfur the world’s worst humanitarian disaster Advocacy by operational aid actors is frequently (IRIN, 22 March 2004). From that point on, the juxtaposed with programming, with speaking out crisis attracted significantly increased attention. weighed against potential costs to programmes, staff and beneficiaries. This relationship between Bureaucratic impediments to humanitarian access advocacy and access and security appears to have were first eased in February 2004, with greater been an important determinant in the quantity and concessions in May and again in July. This quality of advocacy efforts on Darfur. corresponded with a period of intense public advocacy. Initially, humanitarian organisations Figure 1 charts the frequency of public statements concentrated heavily on the humanitarian on Darfur by a select group of six humanitarian situation, calling for additional funding and organisations. It shows that these organisations enhanced access. Figure 2 shows the overall were slow to raise the alarm, at least in their public substance of our sample aid agencies’ public statements. The conflict was at its most intense in advocacy between 2003 and 2007. It highlights the 2003 and early 2004, with villages razed to the heavy emphasis on issues related to humanitarian ground and hundreds of thousands of people killed assistance and delivery, including reports on the or displaced. During this period, most international humanitarian context, response and funding organisations were either unable to gain access to needs, humanitarian access and aid worker Darfur or were publicly silent. With a few insecurity. However, as the crisis extended exceptions, most notably the Office for the throughout 2004, and ceasefire and demobil- Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and isation commitments were not met, the content of MSF, public advocacy on Darfur commenced in press statements changed, with increasing 2004. Many attribute the raising of the alarm to the emphasis on insecurity and demands for international action to resolve the crisis. Sexual and 1 This figure has been generated from an analysis of gender-based violence and the need for stronger 435 press statements with an information or advocacy peacekeeping were particularly emphasised. component, released to ReliefWeb since 2003. Statements on Sudan-wide issues; gratitude to donors; photo montages; and comprehensive reports on Darfur were As aid agencies began to advocate on sensitive excluded (accompanying press statements were included). civilian protection issues, the risks associated with 2 Policy Brief 28 hpg Figure 2: Content of press statements on Darfur by select humanitarian organisations, 2003 – 20072 250 200 150 100 otal messages T 50 0 Ceasefire nforce no-fly nforce equest no-fly E R anctions (GoS) ICC – in favour onger AU onger AU force ppeal for funds r UN/AU – ask for UN/AU S A St eace process/DPA UN/AU – welcome UN/AU eporting activities Chad Border Force Chad Border P umanitarian access R eporting GBV needs eporting GBV H R nsecurity aid workers I eporting scale of needs R advocacy appeared. As agencies began to press for a 59% between 2005 and 2006, and by a further 53% strengthened mandate and increased manpower for in the first half of 2007. While the effects of the African Union peacekeeping mission, AMIS, the insecurity are felt across the humanitarian sector, president of the Sudanese national assembly operational NGOs and other non-UN agencies have announced the dispatch of a parliamentary com- borne the brunt, with a 69% rise in the number of mission ‘to investigate the work of humanitarian security incidents between 2005 and 2006, organizations [which] are trying to gain control of the compared to a 28% increase for UN agencies. Over camps’. The Sudanese president, President Omar al- this period, and particularly during 2007, field Bashir, declared that ‘humanitarian organizations workers also indicated an increase in the number were the real enemies’ of Sudan (AFP, 29 October of expulsions and greater difficulties in renewing 2004). A press release by Save the Children-UK, working papers, particularly for agencies engaged reporting the aerial bombardment of Tawila in North in policy or protection activities. Darfur, resulted in a threat to expel the agency’s head. Similar steps were taken against Oxfam GB in Public advocacy by aid organisations decreased November 2004 when it publicly berated what it saw markedly during this period, especially in the latter as the UN Security Council’s ‘diplomatic dithering’ half of 2005. This coincided with a period of over Darfur. Between December 2004 and April 2005, (relative) calm in Darfur, when the peace talks at at least 20 aid workers, most of them from organi- Abuja were ongoing and rebel movements had sations publicly advocating on IDP issues, were retreated to their strongholds. Since then, public arrested or detained (Human Rights Watch, 2005). advocacy by the six aid organisations reviewed in this paper has remained limited. There was a spike This increase in the harassment and intimidation of in activity around May 2006, when the Darfur aid actors also corresponded with rising insecurity. Peace Agreement (DPA) was signed. A smaller According to OCHA, reported security incidents spike in August 2006 focused on sexual violence in involving aid workers (including theft, detention, South Darfur. From the end of 2006, however, physical/sexual assault and death) increased by operational NGOs have been all but silent. The content of public advocacy has also changed since 2 This figure draws on the same statements as used in Figure 1. Where more than one issue was included in a press state- 2005.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Advance Edited Version Distr
    Advance edited version Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/6/19 28 November 2007 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixth session Agenda item 4 HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE THE COUNCIL’S ATTENTION Final report on the situation of human rights in Darfur prepared by the group of experts mandated by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 4/8, presided by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan and composed of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment* * The annexes to the present report are circulated as received in the language of submission and in Arabic and French only. A/HRC/6/19 page 2 Summary The mandate of the group of experts, comprising seven mandate holders, was established on 30 March 2007 by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 4/8 to ensure effective follow-up to and foster the implementation of resolutions and recommendations on Darfur, as adopted by the Council, the Commission on Human Rights and other United Nations human rights institutions, as well as to promote the implementation of relevant recommendations of other United Nations human rights mechanisms, taking into account the needs of the Sudan, ensuring the consistency of these recommendations and contributing to the monitoring of the human rights situation on the ground.
    [Show full text]
  • A Year of Campaigning a Year of Campaigning
    A YEAR OF CAMPAIGNING A YEAR OF CAMPAIGNING “They carried guns all the time. I was afraid of and petitions but by mobilizing public pressure the guns. Actually, I was in constant fear.” through street protests, vigils and direct These are the words of Fereh Musu Conteh, lobbying. Thousands of AI members respond who was abducted by an armed group during to Urgent Action appeals on behalf of the conflict in Sierra Leone when she was just individuals at immediate risk. Publicity 13 years old. through the news media and online takes AI’s “When there are guns, there are more message swiftly and in a range of languages to victims,” said Malya, a woman from Port-au- millions more. Prince, Haiti, describing the level of violence AI members invent creative and innovative in her neighbourhood. forms of activism, both online and on the Gun violence afflicts countries around the streets. In 2006, for example, AI Paraguay world – armed conflict and violent crime claim organized “toy gun swaps” in the run-up to the lives of men, women and children every Christmas, offering new toys to children in day. AI is part of a worldwide coalition exchange for toy weapons, and street theatre campaigning for a global Arms Trade Treaty in to persuade parents not to buy them. AI order to prevent the proliferation and misuse Morocco carried out a survey on poverty and of arms and so reduce the number of victims. government responsibility, and AI Australia In 2006, activists achieved a major victory sought the public’s view on the country’s new when the UN voted overwhelmingly to start anti-terror laws.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report (June 2006 – May 2007)
    Sven Torfinn/ Panos Pictures Panos Torfinn/ Sven Annual Report (June 2006 – May 2007) with Accounts Year overview When I started this role a year ago I knew think tanks and faith groups joining us. that to be effective Crisis Action had to work This growth in reach and partners means that internationally. Gone were the days when civil Crisis Action is now well placed to have even society could be constrained by the silos of state more impact during the next twelve months. boundaries. I’m confident that together we can make the Twelve months later we have established Crisis voice of civil society a new super power when it Actions in Germany and France, a hub office in comes to decisions of war and peace. Brussels and a temporary office in Portugal for the EU presidency (July-Dec 07). This growth has been achieved thanks to the support of partners and funders who have continued to back us because the Crisis Action model has been shown to work. Our role, as a professional facilitator of impact orientated campaigns around armed conflict, not only adds value but also impact to our partners' work. On both of our major campaigns during the last year - Iran and Darfur - we have helped our partners influence the debate and change policy. Our partner base – the foundation for all our work - has also increased three fold during the last Brendan Cox year with new aid agencies, human rights groups, Executive Director Our current partners include: Aegis Trust Church of England (International Office) Amnesty International UK Foreign Policy Centre British
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights Ngos and the Sponsoring of Public Activism
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 5-2007 Professional Publics/Private Citizens: Human Rights NGOs and the Sponsoring of Public Activism Christopher Todd Minnix University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the English Language and Literature Commons Recommended Citation Minnix, Christopher Todd, "Professional Publics/Private Citizens: Human Rights NGOs and the Sponsoring of Public Activism. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2007. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/407 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Christopher Todd Minnix entitled "Professional Publics/Private Citizens: Human Rights NGOs and the Sponsoring of Public Activism." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in English. Mary Jo Reiff, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Janet Atwill, Michael Keene, Rosalind Hackett Accepted
    [Show full text]
  • Protecting Democracy
    Conference Report 1 | P a g e Contents page List of Acronyms 3 Acknowledgements 5 Foreword 6 Executive Summary 9 Chapter 1: Introduction and background to the conference 14 Chapter 2: Lessons and threads from existing research initiatives 20 Chapter 3: Experience sharing by CSOs 29 Chapter 4: Engagement with Pan African Institutions 36 Chapter 5: Survival strategies for CSOs under threat 44 Chapter 6: Promoting Constructive engagement between civil society and Governments 51 Chapter 7: Role of regional and continental institutions and instruments 56 Chapter 8: Building Effective Coalitions for Regional and International Solidarity 61 Chapter 9: Accountability through self regulation of CSOs 67 Chapter 10: Role of Donors in restrictive environments 70 Chapter 11: Recommendations and way forward 73 Appendix 1: List of participants 78 2 | P a g e List of acronyms ACHPR African Commission on Human and People‘s Rights ACPPP African Civil Society Platform on Principled Partnership APRM African Peer Review Mechanism AU African Union CCP-AU Centre for Citizens Participation on the African Union CSO Civil Society Organization EAC East African Community EACSOF East Africa Civil Society Forum ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States FES Friedrich Ebert Stiftung IDASA Institute of Democracy in Africa HRCC Human Rights Consultative Committee LGBTI Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Trans-Gender and Inter-Gender MACOSS Mauritius Council of Social Services OSI Open Society Institute OSISA Open Society Institute of Southern Africa OSIWA Open Society Initiative
    [Show full text]
  • ICC Prosecutor's First Darfur Case
    The MONITOR Journal of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court ISSUE NO. 34 / MAY-OCTOBER 2007 ICC Prosecutor’s First Darfur Case: Some Tough Challenges Ahead By Géraldine Mattioli** n 27 February 2007, the prosecutor of the Interna- tional Criminal Court (ICC) applied to Pre-Trial OChamber I for summonses against State Minister Ahmed Harun and Janjaweed militia leader Ali Kushayb, who are alleged to have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, Sudan. Arriving almost two years after the UN Security Council’s unprecedented refer- ral of the Darfur situation to the ICC, the nearly 100-page filing marks the start of the first Darfur case before the ICC. The prosecutor’s much-anticipated announcement was an important first step toward justice for the victims in Darfur. Thousands have endured land and air attacks and watched their villages burn. Many have been killed, tortured, raped or forced to leave their homes. It is estimated that 200,000 Darfurians have died and more than 2 million have been displaced since the beginning of the conflict in early 2003. The ICC prosecutor’s case is the first serious attempt to hold individuals criminally liable for their role in the events Victims from Darfur await food rations at a camp for the displaced. Credit: Darfur Consortium in Darfur. It sends a strong signal that such atrocities will no longer go unpunished. It also tests a different strategy Disappointment at a modest start for the ICC prosecutor, who in other cases (against DRC’s Thomas Lubanga and the leadership of Uganda’s Lord’s Re- Some have expressed skepticism and disappointment at the sistance Army) had sought sealed arrest warrants.
    [Show full text]
  • CRIS15 ACTION 2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 15Th ANNIVERSARY 1 Smart Collective Action Can Save Lives
    2019 CRIS15 ACTION 2019 ANNUAL REPORT | 15th ANNIVERSARY 1 Smart collective action can save lives. It can also protect democracies. CONTENTS 2 Digital Action 4 Summary of Impact 5 Statement of Board Chair & Executive Director 6 15 Years of Impact omplex problems cannot be resolved by any single With support from the Ford Foundation, MacArthur 8 Yemen Corganisation acting alone. That’s why Crisis Action Foundation, Luminate and Open Society Foundation, 12 South Sudan builds powerful coalitions from a global network of Digital Action will replicate the Crisis Action way of 16 Syria inspirational organisations and individuals. We seek no working to unlock ambitious collective action and drive public profile so we can be the honest broker for our change that strengthens democratic rights in a digital 20 Sudan partners, focused only on what makes civilians safer. The age. Digital Action will work to push back against digital 22 Working with Crisis Action threats to democracy, such as the weaponisation of power of this behind-the-scenes, strategic convening 23 Emergency Responses model could apply not only to saving civilians in conflicts, digital platforms to destabilise and radicalise society, and but to other global issues like climate change, education irresponsible data gathering and inscrutable algorithms. 24 Board and digital threats to democracy. 25 Donors & Philanthropic Partners In 2019, people’s struggle for human rights, equality and 26 Financials representation around the world was partially enabled Find out more at digitalaction.co and read about 28 Core Partners the Crisis Action model at creativecoalitions.org. by, and played out on, digital platforms.
    [Show full text]
  • RC-6-2006-0512 EN.Pdf
    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 2004 2009 Session document 27.9.2006 B6-0512/2006 } B6-0513/2006 } B6-0514/2006 } B6-0515/2006 } B6-0517/2006 } B6-0519/2006 } RC1 JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION pursuant to Rule 103(4) of the Rules of Procedure, by – Michael Gahler, Simon Coveney, Patrick Gaubert, Jana Hybášková, Filip Kaczmarek, Maria Martens, Mario Mauro, Jürgen Schröder and Anders Wijkman, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group – Pasqualina Napoletano, Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez, Glenys Kinnock, Ana Maria Gomes and Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco, on behalf of the PSE Group – Marielle De Sarnez, Fiona Hall, Johan Van Hecke and Thierry Cornillet, on behalf of the ALDE Group – Marie-Hélène Aubert, Frithjof Schmidt, Angelika Beer and Margrete Auken, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group – Luisa Morgantini, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group – Eoin Ryan, on behalf of the UEN Group replacing the motions by the following groups: – Verts/ALE (B6-0512/2006) – PPE-DE (B6-0513/2006) – PSE (B6-0514/2006) – ALDE (B6-0515/2006) – GUE/NGL (B6-0517/2006) – UEN (B6-0519/2006) on the situation in Darfur RC\632531EN.doc PE 378.405v01-00} PE 378.406v01-00} PE 378.407v01-00} PE 378.408v01-00} PE 378.410v01-00} PE 378.412v01-00} RC1 EN EN European Parliament resolution on the situation in Darfur The European Parliament, – having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Sudan and Darfur in particular, – having regard to relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and in particular UN Security Council Resolution 1706 of 31 August 2006, – having regard to the AU decision of April 2004 to establish the Africa Mission in Sudan (AMIS), – having regard to the World Day for Darfur, 17 September 2006, – having regard to the Darfur Peace Agreement signed in Abuja, Nigeria, on 5 May 2006, – having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure, A.
    [Show full text]
  • A/HRC/6/19 28 November 2007
    UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/6/19 28 November 2007 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Sixth session Agenda item 4 HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE THE COUNCIL’S ATTENTION Final report on the situation of human rights in Darfur prepared by the group of experts mandated by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 4/8, presided by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan and composed of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment* * The annexes to the present report are circulated as received in the language of submission and in Arabic and French only. GE.07-14979 (E) 301107 A/HRC/6/19 page 2 Summary The mandate of the group of experts, comprising seven mandate holders, was established on 30 March 2007 by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 4/8 to ensure effective follow-up to and foster the implementation of resolutions and recommendations on Darfur, as adopted by the Council, the Commission on Human Rights and other United Nations human rights institutions, as well as to promote the implementation of relevant recommendations of other United Nations human rights mechanisms, taking into account the needs of the Sudan, ensuring the consistency of these recommendations and contributing to the monitoring of the human rights situation on the ground.
    [Show full text]
  • Inter-Discursive Dynamics and Darfur: Analyzing Narrative Complexity Behind
    Inter-Discursive Dynamics and Darfur: Analyzing Narrative Complexity Behind Responses of the United Nations and African Union, 2003-2006 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at George Mason University by Kathryn E. Crewe Master of Public Policy Harvard University 2002 Director: Sara Cobb, Professor School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution Spring Semester 2015 George Mason University Fairfax, VA ! This!work!is!licensed!under!a!creative!commons!! attribution5noderivs!3.0!unported!license.! ii DEDICATION) This is dedicated to all of the people of Darfur, who deserve to write their own story, as well as my father, the original Dr. Crewe. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS) I would like to thank the many friends, relatives, and supporters who have helped me complete this dissertation. All of those I interviewed, who shall remain anonymous, generously contributed their time and honest input. My friend, Nicole, assisted me in transcribing hours and hours of interviews. My husband, Brian, patiently listened to me frame and reframe my research questions. My mother attended my conference presentations in Europe to show her support. Finally, thanks to Sara Cobb, Susan Hirsch, and Tojo Thatchenkerry for helping me translate ideas into words on paper. iv TABLE)OF)CONTENTS) Page List of Tables ................................................................................................................... viii! List of Figures ...................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report (June 2007 – May 2008) with Accounts
    Annual Report (June 2007 – May 2008) with Accounts Day for Darfur – Protestors in London mark five years of conflict Crisis Action may be small but it adds big value to our work on armed conflict, particularly “ by bringing together a wide range of organisations to inform the public and put concerted pressure on decision-makers. - Barbara Stocking, Director, ”Oxfam Chair’s Report In fact, one of the big Over the last twelve months Crisis Action has firmly challenges for Crisis Action established itself as the global hub for campaigning on armed in the year ahead will be to conflict. manage and consolidate its rapid growth, and continue It has experienced spectacular growth during that time, to respond to important and their highly dedicated team has done a wonderful job conflict issues with the speed, of catalyzing and driving forward campaigns on issues as flexibility and nous that are diverse as the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the International already its hallmarks. I’m Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against a Sudanese minister sure it will do so with all the and a Janjaweed commander, and government repression in professionalism and aplomb Burma - to name but a few. it has displayed to date, and as a result will go on to play Nick Grono, Deputy President, We are now seeing a clear demonstration effect as a result of an ever more effective role in International Crisis Group Crisis Action’s proven performance - the more that NGOs responding to armed conflicts in the future. witness its successes, the more they wish to engage the organisation on issues of importance to them, or join if they are not already partners.
    [Show full text]
  • Darfur: Reflections on the Crisis and the Responses
    Darfur: Reflections on the Crisis and the Responses Martello#35Book.indb 1 22/09/09 12:14 PM Martello#35Book.indb 2 22/09/09 12:14 PM Darfur: Reflections on the Crisis and the Responses J. Andrew Grant (ed.) Centre for International Relations, Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada 2009 Martello#35Book.indb 3 22/09/09 12:14 PM Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Darfur : reflections on the crisis and the responses / J. Andrew Grant (ed.). (Martello papers ; 35) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-55339-242-2 1. Sudan—History—Darfur Conflict, 2003-. 2. Humanitarian assistance, Canadian—Sudan—Darfur. 3. Humanitarian assistance—Sudan—Darfur. I. Grant, J. Andrew (John Andrew), 1974- II. Queen’s University (Kingston, Ont.). Centre for International Relations III. Series: Martello papers ; 35 DT159.6.D27D375 2009 962.404’3 C2009-905175-3 © Copyright 2009 Martello#35Book.indb 4 22/09/09 12:14 PM Martello Paper Series Queen’s University’s Centre for International Relations (QCIR) is pleased to present the latest in its series of monographs, the Martello Papers. Taking their name from the distinctive towers built during the nineteenth century to defend Kingston, Ontario, these papers cover a wide range of topics and issues in foreign and defence policy, and in the study of international peace and security. This Martello Paper brings together seven original papers based on presentations at a workshop on Darfur held at Queen’s University on March 17, 2007 and sponsored by the Centre for International Relations and the Ethnicity and Democratic Governance project. For more than five years, international concern with the humanitarian crisis in western Sudan has paralleled that with the armed interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
    [Show full text]