Civil Society Joint Statement to the United Nations Security Council Members We, the undersigned civil society

organizations, write to express our grave concern about the continued impunity of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the three other Sudanese leaders, Ahmed Haroun, Ali Kushayb and Abdel Rahim Mohammed Hussein, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the heinous crimes committed in Darfur. Lack of action by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members, lack of cooperation by States Parties to the Rome Statute, and lack of support by many others in the international community, including the African Union, have permitted this continued impunity at great cost to the victims of these crimes and the people of Sudan. 2013 marks ten years since the Government of Omar al-Bashir launched a campaign of mass killing, rape, destruction of villages, and displacement that is reported to have caused more than 300,000 deaths and displaced nearly 3 million people. Today, many of these Darfuri men, women, and children cannot return home and live in camps for refugees and displaced persons under critical conditions, lacking security and basic humanitarian needs. In addition, Sudanese forces and government-armed militias continue to carry out indiscriminate bombings, attacks, and sexual violence against civilians, and commit grave human rights violations in Darfur and other regions of Sudan, namely Blue Nile and South Kordofan some of which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Although this dire situation spurred member states of the UNSC to refer the situation in Darfur to the ICC in 2005, it has taken little effective action since that time. Despite the ICC issuing arrest warrants against President Bashir and three other government officials for charges including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Darfur, none of the men have been arrested and surrendered to the Court. Indeed, some States party to the Rome Statute and other states have granted safe haven to President Bashir during visits to their countries. In spite of the pending ICC arrest warrants, the government of Sudan continues to defy the ICC and undermine the authority of the UNSC. Instead of complying with its obligations under Resolution 1593 to cooperate fully with the ICC, President Bashir has responded to the arrest warrant against him by expelling 13 international humanitarian organizations as well as domestic organizations operating in Darfur--a move that has exacerbated the suffering of the vulnerable in Darfur. Furthermore, President Bashir has re-appointed two officials wanted by the ICC to powerful positions within his government, including Ahmed Haroun, as Governor of South Kordofan region. While the situation for the people of Darfur remains dire, President Bashirs impunity continues unabated, as he travels to some countries, including States Parties to the Rome Statute and members of the UNSC. This is a failure of the international communitys responsibility to deliver much-needed justice to the victims in Darfur, hold the perpetrators of the worst crimes accountable, and reinforce the important work of the ICC in effectively fighting impunity. For this reason, we urge the member states of the UNSC to ensure that UNSC resolution 1593 is fully implemented by insisting that states cooperate with the ICC and by responding to incidents of noncooperation by states parties to the Rome Statute and other states when they occur. The Security Council must make it clear to President Bashir and the other fugitives of justice that impunity for such serious crimes is not an option. Justice for the victims of Darfur and accountability for the alleged perpetrators is the only way to bring about a lasting peace to the people of Sudan.

Sincerely, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. Act for Sudan Coalition, USA Aegis Trust, UK African Development and Peace Initiative, Uganda American Jewish World Service, USA Amnesty International, USA Darfur Association in Norway, Norway Darfur Association USA, Louisiana, USA Darfur Call Amsterdam, The Netherlands Darfur Community Association, Nebraska, USA Darfur Community Association in France, France Darfur Community Association (DCA) in South Africa, Pretoria, SA Darfur Culture, Heritage and Documentation, Belgium Darfur Diaspora Association, Canada Darfur Peace and Development Centre, Switzerland Darfur People Association of NY, USA Darfur Relief and Documentation Center, Switzerland Darfur Solidarity of North America, South Dakota, USA Darfur Union, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Darfur Union, UK and Ireland Darfur Women Action Group, USA Darfur Youth for a Better Future, USA Dear Sudan, Love Marin, California, USA Enough Project, USA Human Rights Advocacy and Democracy Network, New York, USA Human Rights Organization (Sudan), Sweden International Justice Project, New Jersey, USA Investors Against Genocide, Massachusetts, USA Italians for Darfur, Italy Ivorian Coalition for ICC, Cte d'Ivoire/ Ivory Coast Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur, Massachusetts, USA Massalit International Association, Kentucky, USA Never Again Coalition, Oregon, USA Nubia Project, Maryland, USA Physician for Human Rights, USA Operation Broken Silence, USA San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition, California, USA Social Peace Initiative for Sudan, The Netherlands. The South Sudan Law Society, South Sudan United to End Genocide, USA Voice for Sudan, USA Waging Peace, UK