An Open Letter to each and every Member of Parliament in Canada:

An Open Letter to each and every Member of Parliament:

Dear _________________;

We are asking you and all your colleagues in the House of Commons to speak urgently and effectively, and without political partisanship, for the people of Western Sudan. Based on incontrovertible evidence, hundreds of people are today being murdered in Darfur in Western Sudan; over 750,000 have been displaced, and at least 100,000 have been forced to flee to neighbouring Chad. The world, including Canada, remains largely unaware and mostly silent. Even the UN speaks with a strangely attenuated voice.

In Darfur the tragedy of Rwanda is being replayed and a failure to speak and act would be shameful. We ask you to insist that the Prime Minister raise this urgent humanitarian question with the President of the United States. Specifically we recommend that the Prime Minister urge in the strongest possible terms that the United States immediately bring to the UN Security Council a resolution which would place a substantial and effective number of number of unarmed international observers on the ground in areas of conflict in Darfur. Canada would support this with funds and people. Such a resolution should also call for immediate access to all areas of Darfur by UN and international humanitarian agencies to attend to the food, water and security needs of the thousands of refugees and wounded. Failure by the United States to agree to introduce such a resolution should not deter Canada from pressing other members of the Security Council, particularly France and Britain, from introducing a resolution.

The above is the least that Canada can do in this horrifying crisis. There is much more to be done, but given the urgency of the situation we think that a common action from Members, before the house rises, would be an appropriate beginning.

We look forward to your action.


Signed
Members of the Canadian Friends of Sudan.©

encl.
April 23, 2004 Amnesty International Public Statement
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGIOR410282004
April 23, 2004 Human Rights Watch (HRW)
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/04/23/sudan8487.htm
April 14, 2004 Human Rights Watch (HRW)
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/04/14/sudan8431.htm
For detailed analysis and background (not enclosed) see HRW
http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0404/