In this week’s issue: the Arab League rolls out the red carpet for Bashir, reports reveal atrocities committed by rebels in eastern Burma, and a former rebel group makes peace with the government in DRC.

Featured: President Obama talks tough on Sudan after a meeting with Darfur activists today.

Questions? Feedback? Contact STAND’s Education Team at education@standnow.org or leave a comment!

Sudan

At the Arab League Summit today, leaders adopted a resolution rejecting the ICC’s arrest warrant for President Bashir. In defiance of the warrant, President Bashir personally attended the meeting in Doha, Qatar, where he received a red carpet welcome.

Refugees International issued a report this week in which it declares South Sudan to be "on the brink of collapse."  It reports shortcomings in the CPA and the effects of localized conflicts that have resurged in the last few months.  The Enough Project addressed these same concerns, following the cattle raiding conflict in Jonglei, which has UN officials worried.  On top of this, 40 cases of polio have been reported in South Sudan, creating a national health emergency. 

News is still unsettling for peacekeepers this week – four armed men started a fire in a refugee camp, killing two peacekeepers Wednesday.  The fire spread over a quarter of the camp, affecting 6,000 people. 

In other news, Israel has admitted its role in a January attack on a Sudanese convoy it believed was smuggling weapons to Hamas.  In the attack the Israeli Air Force dropped two unmanned drones on the trucks, killing at least 30. 

TIAA-CREF, a US based pension fund, has announced plans to withdraw investments in Sudan, by ceasing them or working to aid those suffering in Darfur.  They aim to open a dialogue with oil companies perpetuating the genocide, and withdraw funds if progress is not made – a huge victory for divestment activists!

Burma

Burma has once again made the State Department’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list for their flagrant lack of religious freedom. Categorizing a country as CPC means that the president is obliged to take measures to censure said country for their lack of freedom and enact legislation to correct this.

The Jewelers of America has issued guidelines to member retailers on how to comply with the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008.  The guidelines detail how to make sure that non-directly imported gems do not come from Burma and how to answer questions by customers concerning the legislation.

Recent reports reveal that the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) is not guiltless in their war against the Burman majority.  The KNLA has also been known to use child soldiers, plant mines and execute prisoners on the spot due to lack of food

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Ugandan UPDF completed its withdrawal from the DRC early this week, marking the end of “Operation Lightning Thunder,” the three-month military offensive against the LRA. Uganda’s army chief announced that twelve UPDF soldiers were killed during this operation, along with ninety-eight LRA rebels.

As a symbol of progress in the continuing armed conflict between the Congo and Rwandan rebels, the DRC government and the mostly Tutsi rebel group, the National Congress for People’s Defence (CNDP), signed an accord on Monday. Under the agreement, the CNDP, which was previously led by renegade Tutsi general Laurent Nkunda, will become an official political party and the Congolese government will free captured rebels and pass an amnesty law for former rebels. The repatriation of Nkunda, who was arrested by Rwandan authorities in January, has been discussed but is not yet concretely scheduled to occur.

Several key figures from the international community made visits to the DRC this week. Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun spoke to Congolese officials while in the country about providing humanitarian aid to refugees in the DRC. French President Nicolas Sarkozy also stopped in the DRC on his three-nation African tour. In his address to parliament in Kinshasa, Sarkozy called for a “new momentum” in the cooperation between the DRC and its eastern neighbors, especially in the sharing of natural resources, and praised the joint military operations with Rwanda and Uganda.

The political dispute from last week over the presence of Rwandan troops in eastern Congo ended in Vital Kamerhe’s resignation as leader of the National Assembly.

In this week’s issue: Darfuris continue to suffer as Khartoum refuses to re-admit aid organizations into the country, the US appoints a Special Envoy for Sudan, and retaliatory violence by LRA and FDLR militias continues in eastern Congo

Featured: Check out this powerful op-ed by Mohamed Sulieman, a Darfuri living in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the expulsion of aid groups from Darfur.

Questions? Feedback? Contact STAND’s Education Team at education@standnow.org or leave a comment!

Sudan

The people of Darfur continue to suffer from Khartoum’s decision to boot 16 international and local NGOs from the country.  UN troops are now being bombarded with the duty to deliver aid to needy camps.  The Kalma camp in Southern Darfur – home to 88,000 and beleaguered by a meningitis epidemic – is refusing fuel and food, and says it will only be accepted it if the NGOs are allowed to return.  Severe problems are also arising in Zam Zam camp in North Darfur due to an increasing water shortage.  Despite this, Sudan’s envoy to the UN announced this week that the decision was a “legitimate and sovereign” one that will not be reconsidered.  Bashir has also called for the removal of all foreign aid groups by the end of this year – it is clear to many in the international community “that Bashir has now made himself culpable for the additional lives that will be lost” and Bashir’s allies are discouraging him from leaving Sudan. 

In news also tied to the humanitarian situation, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has said they will not discuss peace with the Khartoum government until the aid groups are allowed to return. 

In other news, a significant conflict occurred between two tribes outside Nyala, South Darfur this week; it is the second conflict between the tribes since December.  At least 26 were reported dead and an additional 9 wounded in the fighting which resulted from a continuing land dispute. 

In more uplifting news, the Obama administration has finally (and to great enthusiasm from all Darfur activists) appointed retired Air Force General Scott Gration as the US special envoy to Sudan.  Read the STAND and Enough Project blogs for more information and insight. 

Burma

No news to report  

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Ugandan army (UDPF) began their withdrawal from the DRC this week, after they ended their joint anti-LRA operation with the DRC’s army troops (FARDC). The pullout of over 1,500 UDPF troops has been expected to take eight days, from March 15 to March 23, at the latest.  Even though the mission failed to capture the leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony, the minister of the DRC called it a “clear success.” The UN mission in Congo (MOUNC) will continue the operation against the LRA after Uganda’s withdrawal.

Congo, Uganda, and southern Sudan have been trying to root out all of the LRA, who are known for atrocities of mutilation and child abduction, since mid-December, and has since wiped out 80 percent of the rebel army. In retaliation, the LRA has killed more than 900 civilians since the three nations launched their attack. The most recent violence occurred this past Friday, when LRA rebels killed 12 people and kidnapped 40 more in a remote village in northern Congo.

More retaliatory violence continues in eastern DRC by the FDLR, a Rwandan Hutu rebel group that took part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The FDLR is continuing to launch attacks in Congolese towns and villages, in response to the DRC-Rwanda joint military offensive to disarm the Hutu militia that began in January, even though Rwandan troops have completely withdrawn from the DRC. These rebel attacks have left over 30,000 civilians in the North Kivu province displaced from their homes over the past two weeks.

Political backlash persists despite the recent pullout of UDPF troops regarding the DRC government’s continued acceptance of foreign troops for joint military operations. President of the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament), Vital Kamerhe, publicly voiced his reservations over the entry of Rwandan troops in January and, as a result, has been called upon to resign by the DRC’s majority party, the Alliance for the Presidential Majority (AMP). Lawmakers from the AMP, which is also President Joseph Kabila’s party, boycotted the opening session of the National Assembly to turn up the pressure to remove speaker Kamerhe.

Former Education Coordinator Sabina Carlson, interning in South Sudan, sent me some thoughts and observations a week after the ICC released the arrest warrant for al-Bashir.  Living in the midst of Sudan, Sabina is able to offer us a unique view of the situation that we don’t normally have as student activists.

It was the afternoon of March 4, at 4:00 PM local time in Sudan, and Juba fell quiet.

All the discussions, debates, speculations, jokes, and war stories that had built up as thick as the Juba traffic reached their crescendo in the hot afternoon hours, until 4:00 hit.

I was in a car with several friends, driving through the city. I faintly heard a woman’s voice, swiftly overdubbed into the colloquial Arabic before I had time to make out the message. I didn’t even need a translation, however: the almost childlike glee on the faces of my friends in the car broadcast the message loud and clear:

“The indictment is out”.

And as we drove through the streets, perhaps the most overwhelming observation I had was how quiet the city was. Hushed, calm, and quiet. And it seemed as if the entire population of Juba was out on the street, a radio in hand, listening to the BBC, or Meriya FM. You didn’t even need a radio today – you could walk through the streets and catch an uninterrupted broadcast.

And the quiet didn’t come from the fact that the UN sent its personnel home early in anticipation of a backlash – it was not a nervous quiet. I didn’t see a hint of worry from any Sudanese in Juba. The quiet was almost that of quiet victory, a calm confidence that comes when the world seems to finally be on your side. It was an inspiring experience to watch the satisfaction on the faces of those who had fought the northern army during the war, that their struggle had at long last been validated by the international community

However, there was a caution in the quiet as well: a former soldier told me, “it is like you are dealing with a cobra: You can quietly chase a thousand cobras from your doorstep, but if you jump out and kill one, the thousand cobras will come back and attack you. In the South it is like this: we chased Bashir’s army away for decades, but if we jump out and attack Bashir now, he will commit a thousand genocides in our homes.”

He followed that this is why it was good that Obama, America, and the international community should be raising their voices as loudly and clearly as possible: the Sudanese know all too well that anyone who speaks out against Bashir will find a militia at their doorstep in the morning.

The greatest concern of the people of the South is of course what effect the indictment might have on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement . However, everyone said with confidence that if the CPA could survive the death of John Garang, it would survive the indictment of Omar al-Bashir.

Although I almost expected to find some bitterness that the international community had brought Bashir to justice over crimes committed in Darfur and not over crimes committed in the South, almost everyone I spoke to just smiled and said, “Bashir’s time is up.”

And in the week since the attacks, there has been an outpouring of sympathy for the Darfuris cut off from international aid. Almost everyone I know here at one point was displaced and most depended on international aid – and they could not imagine displacement without the critical assistance provided by the INGOs.

Even former soldiers who had fought against Darfuris during the Civil War just shook their heads, sighed with sadness, and told me, “Bashir is bringing a second genocide to Darfur.

”I think in all, the quiet I felt in Juba that day was the quiet of a people tired of war, whether on their own doorsteps or in Darfur, and the quiet that comes with knowing that however painful the present may be, history is on your side.
 

In this week’s issue: Millions of Darfuri lives are at risk in the aftermath of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Bashir, Southeast Asian leaders discuss the future of Rhohingya refugees in Burma, and the FDLR remains at large in eastern Congo.

Featured: The New York Times’ Nick Kristof wrote an op-ed this week urging the Obama administration to take immediate action to help Darfuri civilians in light of Khartoum’s expulsion of aid groups. Visit the STAND Blog to learn how you can take action by sending a message to Secretary Clinton.

Questions? Feedback? Contact STAND’s Education Team at education@standnow.org or leave a comment!

Sudan

On Wednesday, the ICC issued a long-awaited arrest warrant for the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.  The charges include five counts of crimes against humanity (murder, extermination, rape, torture, and forcible transfer) and two of war crimes (pillaging and intentional targeting of civilians).  Though a charge of genocide may be submitted again, is has not been included for what was seen as a “failure [by the prosecution] to provide reasonable grounds [of intent].”  Different reactions to the warrant from Sudan, the international community and interested parties were featured on the STAND blog earlier this week.

Hours after the ICC’s announcement, al-Bashir revoked the licenses of 13 major aid groups to Darfur, saying they gave information to the courts which led to the warrant’s issuing.  UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is appealing to the Government of Sudan to reverse their decision in the face of “irrevocable damage” to the already suffering population of Darfur.  Despite these pleas, al-Bashir traveled to Darfur, and at a rally in El Fasher on Sunday he threatened to eject additional aid groups if they became engaged in the ICC case, promising to "fill the gap" with Sudan-friendly NGOs. The expulsion, which could quickly leave millions without food, clean water and medicine, is being condemned world wide, and even by South Sudan.

In the days leading up to the issuing of the ICC warrant, UNAMID welcomed additional Egyptian troops to Darfur, bringing the total to 12,937 troops (of the authorized 19,555).  Their main duties will be patrols and escorts for humanitarian aid.

In other news, a shooting incident at the Manawashi market in El Fasher left one dead and six injured.  It was determined to be a result of a looting attempt made by militiamen discouraged from not being

Burma

The the Chief of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) met with Thailand’s Foreign Minister to discuss Thailand’s mistreatment of the Rohingya refugee’s fleeing Burma.  Most of which have now escaped to India and Indonesia. The Thai military was accused of towing hundreds of Rohingya back out to sea after sailing to Thailand on makeshift boats to escape political repression in Burma.

During the 14th summit of ASEAN, the military junta in Burma declared that they would take back the Rohingya "boat people" if they could filter the Burmese Rohingya from the Bengali Rohingya who also left Bangladesh. The chief of UNHCR will help ASEAN memebers make a "handbook" for distinguishing the Bengali Rohingya form the Burmese Rohingya.  The Burmese government has always thought of the Rohingya as Bengali aliens and not Burmese citizens.

HBO a secured the broadcast rights to "Burma VJ" a documentary about the 2007 democratic protests.

Bangladesh, a the behest of the UN is accepting more Rohingya refugees. The Bangladeshi government considers the Rohingya Burmese and the Burmese government considers them Bengali.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Even though Rwandan troops began withdrawing from the eastern DRC last week, in the continuation of cooperation between the two countries, there are reports that FDLR rebels have retaken their positions. Congolese officials are denying any major organizational movement on the part of the rebels, affirming they are only “hit-and-run” raids. Four leaders of this Hutu rebel group have been subject to travel bans and freezing of assets by a UN sanctions committee.

The Ugandan army captured Thomas Kwoyelo, who is said to be the LRA’s fourth-in-command, this past Tuesday in the DRC’s northeastern Garamba national park. Kwoyelo was wounded during fighting and is the first high-profile insurgent to be captured since the Congolese and Ugandan troops began their joint offensive against the LRA, known as “Lightning Thunder,” in the Congo since December. DRC President Joseph Kabila has been under pressure to end the operation so to make the Ugandan troops leave but Uganda says Kabila has agreed to let the troops stay and pursue the LRA in the Congo.

MONUC, the UN mission DRC, is concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in the eastern Congo, as the FDLR has resumed its violent attacks this week, especially in relation to humanitarian aid. A UN refugee agency had to abandon a mission to reach the newly displaced 160,000 civilians in the North Kivu region because of these security reasons.

The pre-trial chamber of the ICC has decided to delay the confirmation of charges against the former DRC Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba. The Judges have asked the Prosecutor to amend the charges so that Bemba can be tried for war crimes as a military, rather than political, commander.

The Obama administration called on all parties to urge restraint in the aftermath of the ICC’s decision, and expressed support for efforts to hold the perpetrators of atrocities accountable. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters:

"As this process moves forward, we would urge restraint on the part of all parties, including the government of Sudan…Further violence against civilians, Sudanese or foreign interests is to be avoided and won’t be tolerated."

While the administration has declined to comment on whether it supports the warrant, the State Department says it could help bring peace to the region.

In a statement today, the Government of South Sudan urged Khartoum to cooperate with the ICC, exercise restraint the aftermath of the Court’s decision, and “deal with [the situation] legally.”

Demonstrators in Khartoum protested the arrest warrant and burned an effigy of ICC Prosecutor Luise Moreno Ocampo.

Alain Le Roy, the head of UN peacekeeping, said today that he does not expect to withdraw or draw down peacekeeping troops in Darfur following the warrant. According to Le Roy, the mission will continue to interact with Bashir as necessary.

The ENOUGH Project’s John Norris stated that today is “a very good day for international justice…[and for] improved prospects for peace in Sudan.” ENOUGH’s John Prendergast predicted that the warrant would cause some of Sudan’s most important international backers, including China and the Arab world, to re-evaluate their financial and diplomatic support for the National Congress Party. Click here to read the full statement from ENOUGH.

Want the play-by-play of reactions to the Bashir arrest warrant?

Check out ENOUGH Said, the ENOUGH Project’s blog, UN Dispatch, and Change.org’s Stop Genocide blog for great ongoing coverage.

Click here to watch the press conference announcing the ICC’s decision and read the full text of the Court’s statement.

Newswires are reporting that the International Criminal Court just issued its arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of crimes against humanity (five counts) and war crimes (two counts).

The panel of judges ruled that there was insufficient evidence for a charge of genocide. However, the case could be amended at a later point if additional evidence is gathered.

The BBC reports that large pro-Bashir demonstrations are expected in Khartoum. The Sudanese military has vowed to “firmly deal” with ICC supporters, with intelligence chief Salah Gosh promising to "sever the limbs of those who attempt to stick their hands in" to enforce a warrant. Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels say they plan to respond militarily to any violent reaction from Khartoum. Shortly before the announcement, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), was ordered by Khartoum to pull out of the country.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted today and throughout the week about reactions from Sudan. In the meantime, check out the International Crisis Group’s statement on the potential implications of the warrant.
 

In this week’s issue: the world anticipates an ICC arrest warrant for Bashir, ASEAN condemns repression in Burma, and Rwandan troops leave DRC, at least for now.

Featured: International Crisis Group’s Nick Grono discusses the possible scenarios that could follow an ICC arrest warrant for Bashir, expected this Wednesday.

Questions? Feedback? Contact STAND’s Education Team at education@standnow.org or leave a comment!

Sudan

The International Criminal Court is set to issue its decision on an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday, March 4th. In light of speculations that a warrant will lead to an increase in violence, advocates in the U.S. are urging the Obama administration to make clear to Khartoum that the U.S. will not tolerate reprisal attacks against civilians, peacekeepers, or aid workers.

In efforts to stall the ICC proceedings, Bashir pledged “free” elections in Sudan in a statement on Thursday, and has traveled to Egypt in a series of meetings following the Doha deal on Darfur. Meanwhile, the rebel group JEM has vowed to topple Bashir the moment an arrest warrant is issued while restating its commitment to the Doha peace process..

In Darfur, UNAMID has increased patrols to 24-hours around two large IDP camps. In other security-related news, two Sudanese aid workers were shot and killed this weekend in an ambush.

There was a flurry of media attention this week around actor George Clooney, who reportedly met privately with President Obama and Vice President Biden to discuss Darfur. Clooney announced that he was assured the U.S. would soon appoint a new special envoy to Sudan, leading to speculations about who the appointee might be.

In the city of Malakal in Southern Sudan, fighting broke out between a Khartoum-backed militia and the Southern Sudanese army, resulting in dozens of deaths including 14 civilians and 100 wounded. This caused Southern Sudanese officials to accuse Khartoum of seeking to provoke a “new civil war”

Burma

At the closing of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit on Sunday, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva delivered a statement on behalf of the regional organization urging the Burmese junta to release political prisioners, allow democracy, and cooperate with the United Nations. During the summit, the Burmese Prime Minister refused to meet with Burmese rights groups, even though this dialogue was scheduled as part of the event.

Burmese Prime Minister reportedly announced that the ruling junta will allow United Nations officials to monitor its elections in 2010. The opposition National League of Democracy (NLD) has said it will not participate in elections unless all political prisoners, including NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, are released.

The Burmese junta has said it will consider taking back ethnic Rohingyas who have fled Burma by the thousands for Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia over the past several years. However, the junta has said it will only accept the refugees if they are classified as "Bengali," since the Rohingya, who are Muslim, are not an officially recognized ethnic group. Thailand and other neighboring countries have begun expelling the Rohingya, a policy which has been widely condemned.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Rwandan soldiers have fully withdrawn from eastern DRC, marking an end to the Rwandan-Congolese joint military operation that began in January to eliminate the extremist Hutu FDLR militia.

While the operation has led to the repatriation of many FDLR fighters to Rwanda, an estimated 6,000 combatants remain at large and many have reportedly begun attacks on formerly held territory. Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Sunday that he would be willing to send troops back into Congo if he felt it necessary.

During visits to eastern DRC and to the Rwandan capital of Kigali this week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon praised the Rwandan-Congolese joint mission’s progress and welcomed further cooperation between the two governments. Ban also called on DRC President Joseph Kabila to increase efforts to combat sexual violence committed by militia groups and the Congolese army, and urged closer collaboration between the Congolese government and MONUC peacekeepers.

Pressure is mounting on the Congolese government to hand over former rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ntaganda, who took control of CNDP rebels after the arrest of General Laurent Nkunda, recently signed a peace deal with the Congolese government. While many view the agreement as a chance for peace in the Kivus, Ntaganda’s status as an indicted war criminal seriously complicates the situation.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and DRC President Joseph Kabila plan to meet this week to review the joint Ugandan-Congolese-South Sudanese military operation aimed at tracking down Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in eastern DRC. Kabila is under pressure from Congolese politicians to end the mission, which has resulted in massive reprisal attacks by the LRA.

In this week’s issue: The International Criminal Court announces plans to issue a decision on Sudan’s Bashir, the U.S. State Department considers a new strategy in Burma, and the Congolese government plans to continue its pursuit of FDLR rebels without Rwanda’s help.

Featured: The ENOUGH Project released a new strategy paper last week entitled "Peace on the Rocks: Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement," on the challenges facing the 4-year-old agreement between North and South Sudan. Click here to read the report and listen to an audio summary, and here for a summary from the STAND Blog.

Questions? Feedback? Contact STAND’s Education Team at education@standnow.org or leave a comment!

Sudan

After intense speculation over the last two weeks about its plans, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced today that it will issue a decision concerning the indictment of President Omar al-Bashir on March 4.

Last week, the rebel group the Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudanese Government signed a declaration of goodwill expressing willingness to engage in a peace process after a controversial set of peace talks in Doha, Qatar.

The deal has been equally controversial in its aftermath as it was in its anticipation: the deal was congratulated by the international community, supported by the US, scorned by other rebel groups, over-played by the Sudanese Government, and in general has brought mixed hopes. Both groups denied that the talks had anything to do with the expected ICC arrest warrant.

However, less than a day after the signing of the declaration, JEM accused the Sudanese Government of having launched an attack, which the Government denies. There were also more reports of clashes between JEM and the now government-aligned SLM-MM.

In a positive move on the ground, aid has finally been allowed to reach the embattled city of Muhajeriya, where mass graves were recently discovered.

Burma

Tensions between the Burmese and the Kachins of northern Burma remain high even under a ceasefire. Many predict the highly autonomous Kachins will reignite the civil war in 2010 when the country is supposed to have "free and fair" elections. The validity of the upcoming elections will be under close scrutiny by international observers. The Kachin minority is just one of Burma’s ethinc groups that contest the military junta’s claim to power.

The U.S. State Department, after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to Southeast Asia, has claimed that it’s policy on Burma is "under review." There has been much speculation that the Obama administration will lift sanctions against Burma so as to better negotiate with the junta.

The UN special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, has said that he did not believe that his recent trip to Burma would yield any tangible results. Gambari has yet to meet with ruling General Than Shwe.

The military government claims that it will release 6,300 prisoners for "good conduct," including many leaders of the opposition National League for Democracy. Observers are still reluctant to call this move a huge change in the military government’s status quo.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Rwandans, both FDLR fighters and civilians, continued to repatriate from DRC, fleeing a Congolese-Rwandan joint military offensive aimed at tracking down FDLR militias. Alan Doss, the head of the UN mission in DRC, urged more FDLR combatants to join the UN’s voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, and rehabilitation (DDRRR) program during a visit to North Kivu last week.

Today, Doss announced that the Congolese army and the UN will begin pursuing the FDLR in South Kivu province.

Rwandan military officials announced on Saturday that Rwanda would begin withdrawing its troops from Congo. Although the FDLR have not been completely destroyed, Rwanda announced that they have "achieved their objectives" and plan to completely withdraw their troops by the middle of this coming week.

On Sunday, the Congolese government and former CNDP rebels reached a preliminary agreement as part of a wider peace deal for the east of the country. The agreement came during UN-brokered talks that resumed last Wednesday after a two-month hiatus. According to government sources, the final agreement will include other armed groups operating in eastern North Kivu province.

This past week, our friends over at the ENOUGH Project released a new strategy paper on the challenges facing Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the 20-year civil war between northern and southern Sudan. With important milestones approaching (including all-Sudan elections in 2009 and a referendum on southern secession in 2011), both sides arming in preparation for renewed hostilities, and the wild card ICC arrest warrant for President Bashir expected any day, the agreement stands at critical juncture. The paper argues (and we agree!) that ensuring the success of the CPA is critical for achieving long-term peace throughout Sudan, including in Darfur.

As news of the escalating fighting in Darfur keeps coming in, we must continually remind ourselves that the conflict in Darfur is not occurring in isolation. In discussing the history of the CPA and the causes of the war it ended, ENOUGH writes:

Scorched earth tactics and divide-and-conquest strategies created a massive humanitarian catastrophe where famine was an instrument of war and civilians became either expendable pawns or heavily armed proxies. The government’s pursuit of a radical Islamic and overtly racist political agenda were major catalyst for the conflict, but the underlying cause lay in the concentration of power and privilege among a narrow stratum of northern elites who viewed the state as a means to extract resource and accumulate control over the sprawling state’s resource-rich periphery.

Sound familiar? That’s because these same forces lie at the root of the conflict in Darfur. If the CPA, which attempts to address these recurring “center vs. periphery” issues in a comprehensive way, is allowed to fail, achieving anything close to long term peace and security in Darfur will be exceedingly difficult.

The support of the international community is essential to salvaging the CPA, and the Obama administration should take a leading role. If the events in Sudan over the past decade have taught us anything (and let’s hope they have), it’s that:

1) The United States can make major contributions to peace efforts in Sudan. With a full-time diplomatic team in the region, the U.S. played a central role in brokering the CPA. The same level of commitment from the U.S. and our multilateral partners could help the CPA’s chances for success and help bring lasting peace to Darfur.

2) Piecemeal diplomacy won’t work. After the signing of the CPA, the international community turned its focus away from the agreement’s implementation. The Bush administration in particular, according to ENOUGH “was unable to harmonize competing objectives in Sudan: implementing the CPA, managing the genocide in Darfur, and maintaining its close ties with the Sudanese government on intelligence sharing and counterterrorism.”Now, as the agreement threatens to crumble, the results of this uncoordinated approach are becoming increasingly apparent.

That’s why we’re asking the Obama administration to adopt a comprehensive diplomatic strategy that encompasses the whole of Sudan. Revitalizing U.S. support for the CPA is a vital component of any such strategy. For starters, we’ve been calling on Secretary Clinton to immediately appoint a high-level special envoy to Sudan, with two deputies: one to focus on Darfur and another to focus on North-South issues and the CPA. The ENOUGH report  provides a number of additional recommendations for the administration to ensure the success of the CPA in the coming critical months.

Click here to read “Peace on the Rocks: Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” and here for an audio summary.

The New York Times just reported that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has decided to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. While the warrant has not yet been officially issued, a panel of judges has conveyed its decision to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. A formal announcement is expected in the next couple of days.

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo requested an arrest warrant for President Bashir in July on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. However, the precise charges that will accompany the warrant have not been revealed.

The judges’ announcement comes after weeks of speculation about what a warrant will mean for efforts to achieve peace Darfur, and an escalation of violence in the region since January.

We will be sure to keep you posted as more details are released.