Darfur - Nigerian NGOs call for action

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Highlights:
As President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua marks his first 100 days in office, two leading Nigerian non governmental organisations, Independent Advocacy Project (IAP) and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have called on the president to publicly declare his support for efforts aimed at bringing lasting solution to the humanitarian and human rights crisis in Darfur Sudan.

Adds SERAP's Adetokunbo Mumuni: ‘The government of Sudan has a track record of shifting under pressure only to break its promises when the international community looks elsewhere. Until the attacks on civilian's cease and the full peacekeeping force is deployed the international community must not look away.'

The two organisations reminded the federal government that this September's meeting of 192 world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York is another opportunity to address the Darfur issue. Specifically, IAP and SERAP are asking President Yar'Adua and other world leaders to:

* Demand that the Sudanese government, armed groups and Janjawid militia in Darfur and eastern Chad halt attacks against civilians and humanitarian agencies;
* Ensure and commit to the expeditious and full deployment to Darfur of the joint African Union (AU) and United Nations hybrid peacekeeping force, and ensure that the government of Sudan facilitates the swift and unimpeded deployment.

We are also asking President Yar' Adua to use Nigeria's leadership role in Africa to encourage the African Union to:

* Work expeditiously with the UN to reinforce AMIS so as to ensure that the civilian population in Darfur is effectively protected; and
* Take all steps necessary to speedily implement UN Security Council Resolution 1769