U.S. and European media

December 10, 2022

AP: Obama: Real peace requires justice and opportunity.  President Barack Obama says lasting peace requires human rights and economic opportunity for individuals, and sanctions against regimes that violate international rules.  As Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize Thursday he said war is sometimes necessary but a resilient peace can be achieved if the world imposes several conditions.  He said the international community must impose meaningful sanctions on nations such as Iran and North Korea when they violate limits on nuclear development. He said the same applies to nations such as Darfur and Burma when they abuse their citizens.  Obama said governments also must grant basic human rights and provide economic security and opportunity to their people.  He said true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.  (See the full text of Obama's speech: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRWjTDaT4JuS0nFj9APZAues8vjAD9CGFID00).

The following op-ed by Angelina Jolie appeared in Newsweek: Justice Delayed Is Not Justice Denied.  Today we observe Human Rights Day, founded more than half a century ago when the international community declared that respect for human rights and dignity "is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world," and resolved that the horrors of World War II should never be allowed to recur.  And then there is Darfur--where, since 2003, government-supported militia have left 300,000 dead and 2.7 million people internally displaced. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, the first for a sitting head of state, and other Sudanese leaders implicated in the atrocities in Darfur.  Even if justice is delayed, it must never be denied.  On this Human Rights Day--the same day President Obama receives his Nobel Peace Prize--we must also remember those who have been deprived of their rights. Holding perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable is the best way to ensure justice today and peace in the future. Sudan is the place to start.

Reuters: Gunmen launch third attack on Darfur peacekeepers.  Gunmen ambushed U.N./African Union peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region and exchanged fire with them for 25 minutes in the third attack on the force in less than a week, officials said on Wednesday.  The unidentified attackers opened fire on the Pakistani armed police unit on Tuesday afternoon as it was escorting a convoy just outside Nyala, capital of south Darfur, the UNAMID mission said.  No one was injured and the attackers fled after a force of Nigerian UNAMID soldiers came to the scene to help, said force communications chief Kemal Saiki.  "Once again we are having to emphasise the fact that our forces are in Darfur to try and help bring peace and stability," he said.  Saiki said he did not want to jump to any conclusions about whether the shooting was linked to two attacks on UNAMID units on Friday and Saturday in north Darfur that killed five Rwandan peacekeepers.

Sudan Tribune: Egypt to host conference on Darfur reconstruction.  Egypt said today intending to hold a conference for the reconstruction and development of Darfur during the first trimester of 2010.  Director of the Sudan Affairs department at the Foreign Ministry Mohamed Qassim pointed out that a preparatory committee from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already formed to prepare for the conference and it held its first meeting two days ago. Also he said that in response to Sudan request Turkey will co-chair the meeting with Egypt.  He said that the invitation list would include all possible donor countries and organizations as well as the IMF and World Bank to help contribute to the redevelopment of the restive region, whether in infrastructure or education.  Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, will pay a visit to Darfur during the second half of December to inaugurate a number of model villages built under the auspices of the League in the region.

The Darfur Daily News is a service of the Save Darfur Coalition. To subscribe to the Daily News, please email [email protected]. For media inquiries, please contact Ashley Roberts at (202) 478-6181, or [email protected].