Author: DWAG Communication

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Press Release

Starvation as a Weapon of War in Sudan

October 21st: Starvation as a Weapon of War in SudanLast week, a group of independent UN experts accused both sides of the warring parties in Sudan of deliberately using “starvation tactics” against 25 million civilians, leaving 97 percent of the population facing “severe levels of hunger”. These tactics amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes under international law. The already dire situation has been further exacerbated by a rapidly worsening famine gripping the country. “Never in modern history have so many people faced starvation and famine as in Sudan today,” the experts warned. The international community must urgently act to address what is now the world’s most severe hunger crisis.

Multiple displacement camps are already on the verge of famine. The Zamzam camp, near El Fasher in North Darfur, has seen meager aid due to the warring factions blocking food, medicine, and essential supplies for months. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that it was forced to halt outpatient treatment for 5,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition because of these blockades. By the end of September, MSF had to suspend care for 2,900 children with severe malnutrition, with only an 80-bed hospital remaining to treat the most critical cases. Although some aid trucks have arrived within the months of the blockade, the quantity of aid available is grossly inadequate to meet the urgent needs and the situation remains catastrophic.

The UN experts also highlighted the compounded effects of the rainy season, which has caused devastating floods, destroyed crops, and killed livestock, further worsening the agricultural crisis. Mining activities and water contamination have only compounded the suffering. They emphasized the need for additional international support, noting that the $1.44 billion required for Sudan’s humanitarian response is only halfway funded.

DWAG is deeply alarmed by this man-made famine and echoes the UN experts’ urgent call for action. We appeal to the U.S. government and members of the UN Security Council to take immediate steps to ensure humanitarian aid is delivered, including through airlifts via El Fasher and Kadogoki airports, as well as cross-border routes. Aid to Darfur must be channeled through routes not controlled by the RSF, such as the Tina access point.

We urge DWAG supporters to raise their voices in solidarity with the people of Sudan, particularly those in Darfur who are already experiencing famine. The situation demands immediate and decisive action to prevent further loss of life.

Thank you for your continued support. Stay connected for updates and opportunities to take action.

With gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi
President, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG)
The DWAG Team

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Press Release

Over 120 Civilians Killed and Over 130 Women Committed Suicide to Escape Rape by RSF

November 8th: Over 120 Civilians Killed and Over 130 Women Committed Suicide to Escape Rape by RSF. We are extremely outraged by the campaign of horror and horrendous attacks carried out by RSF in Eljezeera, Central Sudan over the last two weeks, leaving hundreds dead and forcing women into an unprecedented mass suicide.

On Sunday, October 20, large-scale attacks on Al Jazeera took the lives of over 300, with only 124 deaths among innocent civilians. A vicious shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sheikh Al-Jili Mosque and violent assaults on surrounding areas in Wad Madani claimed over 46 lives and left dozens more injured. Countless victims remain unrecognizable due to the severe dismemberment and charring of bodies. A further assault was carried out on Al-Suhra village in northern Al Jazeera, marking one of the bloodiest days of the 18-month conflict. Reports indicate that at least 124 civilians were killed, over 200 other civilians were injured, and the RSF detained 150. The UN has reported attacks on over 30 villages and the displacement of about 46,700 people over the past week. These actions constitute nothing short of a brutal massacre.

Since Sunday, many more civilians have been reported killed and others wounded in Tambol in relentless air and ground attacks. Alongside the air raids, the RSF launched attacks across numerous towns, including Rifa’a, Al-Shorfa, and Azaiba, killing more than 15 people. The scale of these attacks is chilling: markets have been looted, numerous facilities sabotaged, and families have been forced to flee in precarious conditions with little access to safe transport.

In this wave of attacks, rape, and sexual and gender-based violence have been widely used against women and girls. As a result, over 130 women have committed mass suicide by drowning in the river to escape the devastating and weaponized rape and sexual violence perpetrated by RSF in every single assault on villages and cities. This incident should have shocked the world’s consciousness and prompted them to intervene to save lives and restore confidence in the international community in Sudan. This incident of mass suicide marked the international community’s failure to protect the women of Sudan. The women of Sudan are left without option or hope for protection.

The ongoing and escalating crimes committed by the RSF forces against innocent civilians constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity punishable by international Laws. The international community, particularly the UN Security Council member states, must be ashamed of their failure to act. Darfur Women Action Group expressed outrage for not only the horrific massacre and the sexual violence inflicted on civilians in Sudan but also the failure of the international community to respond to these atrocities and hold the perpetrators accountable. We urgently call on the United States, the UN Security Council, and the African Union to take urgent action to stop and prevent this unprecedented escalation and take swift measures to hold those responsible accountable.

We at DWAG stand firm and say not to silence in the face of the world’s worst crimes – genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in Sudan. The world must turn a blind eye to the systematic extermination of Sudan’s people. We urge DWAG supporters to speak up and shame our leaders for failing to act. We must speak out and compel our leaders to uphold their legal and moral obligations in Sudan.

Sudan needs you and needs your voice. Silence only aids the perpetrators.

Thank you for your continued support. Stay connected for updates and opportunities to take action.

With gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi
President, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG)
The DWAG Team

Categories
Press Release

The Echo Of Tabit Incident In El Jazeera

November 9th: The Echo Of Tabit Incident In El Jazeera: The Cost of Impunity for Sexual Violence in Darfur is Taking Toll on El Jazeera

With the recent anniversary of the Tabit Mass rape incident, another shocking incident of horrifying rape in El Jezeera has forced women into mass suicide. The warring parties must be held Accountable.

October 30th of last week marks ten years which have passed since the tragic Tabit rape incident, yet harrowing levels of sexual violence continue to devastate communities in Sudan. Beginning on October 30, 2014, and lasting for 36 hours, Sudanese army troops conducted house-to-house raids, falsely accusing residents of harboring or killing a missing soldier. They beat men, detained or expelled them, and then proceeded to brutally rape 221 women and girls in their own homes- many of whom were elementary and high school students, subjected to assault by multiple perpetrators. Even after ten years, there has still been no justice for the victims of sexual violence. Instead, rape and other forms of sexual violence continue to be used as systematic weapons of terror to strip dignity, silence voices, and destroy communities.

On October 26th, 130 women recently committed mass suicide to escape the RSF’s brutal campaign of sexual violence. The physical, emotional, social, and psychological scars borne by survivors are despicable and unprecedented and must be urgently addressed. While RSF forces are responsible for the majority of these abuses, reports indicate that some incidents involving the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) also occur in areas under their control. However, most of the mass rape and the systematic targeting against women have been deliberately carried out by RSF fighters across the Sudan. This unchecked cycle of violence demonstrates a disregard for international law, with acts constituting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Women and girls, who account for over half of Sudan’s refugee population, continue to be dehumanized. The UN has reported mass rapes and instances of sexual slavery committed by both warring factions. An estimated 6.7 million people in Sudan are at risk of gender-based violence, with displaced women and girls facing extreme vulnerability. In parts of West Darfur, the UN reported sexual attacks being accompanied by racial slurs targeting non-Arabs, indicating ethnic targeting. In Khartoum and neighboring cities, RSF forces are forcing child marriages and detaining women and girls in conditions that may constitute sexual slavery. Men and boys are also increasingly subjected to sexual violence- no one in Sudan is safe from sexual brutality.

At DWAG we are extremely outraged by the mass rape, suicide, and deliberate targeting of women with extreme violence especially the weaponization of rape that continues to devastate lives in Darfur and across Sudan. We therefore urgently call on the international community:

  • The U.S. and the UNSC to authorize forces to protect civilians in Darfur and across the Sudan
  • Impose accountability measures for past and present crimes on warring parties responsible for these horrific acts of violence and
  • Prioritize the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to all in need to ensure that women’s emergency needs are swiftly met and we demand justice for these horrific crimes; they must not go unpunished.

Our regional and international institutions must be ashamed in the face of the mass suicide 10 years after the Tabit incident. Their continued inaction and impunity have enabled past perpetrators to continue inflicting crimes in Darfur and across the Sudan. Ending the use of rape as a weapon of war must be accomplished by upholding international law. Sudanese women must not be left to resort to suicide restore their dignity.

Thank you for your continued support. Stay connected for updates and ways to take action.

With gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi
President, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG)
The DWAG Team

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Our Projects

Stars for Darfur

About Stars for Darfur

Stars for Darfur is a worldwide campaign to rally global voices working towards women’s rights, civil liberties and social equality to support our efforts and contribute to the restoration of dignity for genocide survivors and victims in Darfur. This project focuses on the engagement of our communities and features prominent individuals to commemorate those affected by the violence.

Following the success of our virtual 2020 Stars for Darfur Event, Darfur Women Action Group announced the decision to extend the Stars for Darfur campaign. The invitation to be a part of the movement is ongoing to any and all supporters. We encourage movement builders to reach out to friends, family, and their community to join us as we strive to empower affected communities and achieve meaningful inclusion and justice for victims.

Origin Story

The campaign’s inception began in 2010 when Italian musician Antonio Esposito and New York-based pianist, composer, and painter Mark Kostabi took an unprecedented initiative to support women empowerment and genocide victims in Darfur. The urgency to help Darfur refugees was set in motion after an eye-opening visit to Darfur. As a result, Antonio Esposito recorded organized a concert and recorded a CD to raise funds for our partner organization, Italians for Darfur to support education for internally displaced children in Darfur. The next year, Antonio Esposito and Mark Kostabi reached out to Darfur Women Action to become our top supporters.

The concept launched from there as an annual fundraising event to raise awareness of the mass-atrocities that have plagued Darfur for nearly two decades. Since 2012, Darfur Women Action Group has hosted charity concerts with live performances and art auctions with paintings by Mark Kostabi as well as handcrafted pieces made by Sudanese women who are eager to see their pieces invested back into their communities. All proceeds that are raised from the event go directly to aiding in the restoration of justice and an end to violence in Darfur.

Stand in solidarity with us by taking one or more of the following actions:

  1. Add your name to our Stars for Darfur campaign to bring more attention to our cause
  2. Organize an event, performance or share artwork to promote the urgency of the crisis and our organization
  3. Write and make public a letter to policymakers and leaders to demand civilian protections in Sudan
  4. Extend an opportunity to Darfur Women Action Group’s President, Niemat Ahmadi for an interview on your platform to share her experience as a Darfur survivor, stories of other women and how Darfur Women Action Group is working to empower victims and seek justice to enable men, women, and children to restore their dignity
  5. Publish an article in efforts to increase awareness on the Darfur crisis
  6. Speak out on the Darfur genocide and/or Darfur Women Action Group on social media

Join us by sharing one of the graphics on your social media platform. Don’t forget to tag us and tell us about your commitment to reach #JusticeforDarfur.

Featured Supporters

Tony Esposito

Antonio “Tony” Esposito is an Italian singer-songwriter and drummer that catalyzed the campaign. He is a reoccurring featured artist for the annual event.

To view his discography and learn more, click here.

Mark Kostabi

Mark Kostabi is a prominent painter, sculptor and composer. He has donated his artwork to multiple auctions and performed at the Stars for Darfur events.

To view his work and learn more, click here.

Paul Kostabi

Paul Kostabi is an American artist, musician, and music producer. He has continued to support Darfur victims and our efforts through the charity concert.

To view his page and learn more, click here.

More supporters to be added.

 

The Silent Auction is Open

Place a bid on one of the art pieces and make a donation

The silent art auction features works by Mark Kostabi and other artists that has been donated to DWAG. The artists and craftswomen have contributed their work to support DWAG’s efforts to advance human rights, women’s rights, and justice in Darfur as well as investing positively back into their respective communities around the world.

SILENT AUCTION

2020 Stars for Darfur

2019 Stars for Darfur

For more information, please contact mediarelations@darfurwomenaction.org

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Our Projects

50/50 Campaign

About the 50/50 Campaign

DWAG is taking a unique approach to genocide prevention and strives to empower and amplify the voices of those affected the most in Darfur. Through the 50/50 campaign we are seeking to build a national network of 50 upstanding citizens who want to make a difference. State representatives are volunteer supporters representing DWAG and working toward advancing DWAG’s mission in their respective states within the US.

This program is open to high school or college students, working or retired adults who want to use their time to do community service, learn about genocide prevention and international issues, or want to gain hands on experience as agents of change.

So far, we have reached individuals in California, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas and Wisconsin. We need representatives in the remaining 41 states to meet our goal of having one representative in every state. If you believe you are an upstanding individual who aspires to be a leader in your community, then you are perfect to join our team!

State representatives are presented with DWAG educational materials and resources to educate other supporters and their own established network about the genocide in Darfur and what they can do to help. Advocacy methods include:

  • Share DWAG educational handouts
  • Organize documentary screenings
  • Share our petitions
  • Rally support for DWAG campaigns
  • Amplify DWAG messages through social media platforms
  • Write letters to elected officials like congresspeople and the president
  • Write letters to the editors
  • Invite other potential volunteers to join
  • Write, update and maintain a blog

State representatives don’t have to spend a lot of time as this is not a full internship, but we encourage them to have time to attend monthly meetings, attend training sessions, and do some social media outreach to bring others to support DWAG’s efforts.

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Our Projects

Women’s History Month 2021: Bold, Brave Beautiful

In commemoration of Women’s History Month, Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) celebrated bold, brave and beautiful women from Darfur and around the world and their stories of resilience and exceptional leadership in the face of insurmountable challenges.

Throughout our “Bold, Brave, and Beautiful” campaign, we featured notable women along with their accomplishments. We will also be raising funds to support the establishment of our Women Empowering Women Centers in Sudan, which will serve as a safe space for survivors to gather, connect, and work together to form a grassroots movement for peace and equality for their country. We encourage you to consider supporting our cause by donating to support these centers that will allow Darfuri women to lead the charge towards peace and equality.

We asked our supporters to join us in celebrating International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by sharing with us their own stories of resilience or that of other brave and bold women you know using the hashtag #BoldBraveBeautiful t0 highlight the stories of important female role models in their lives.

Women are not merely the future, but an integral part of the past and present of global social advancement. We call on our supporters to recognize, share and celebrate the vital role played by women in shaping our societies.

We have a voice and it must be heard.

Women Empowering Women Centers:

Unique in its scope and context, these centers will serve first and foremost as a safe space for female survivors to gather, share their stories, receive psycho-social support, and heal. The centers will provide access to capacity-building tools and resources that are desperately needed in order for women to respond to the needs of their communities. The WEW Center’s activities will provide women

with advocacy training, a network of other survivors, and a connection to the outside world that will allow them to develop a strategic feminist agenda that can be implemented and adopted by policymakers at local, regional, and national levels, giving women from historically-marginalized groups a voice in the ongoing constitution-building process in Sudan.

Help fund our Women Empowering Women Center in Sudan

DONATE

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, showed leadership, strength and compassion in the face of enormous pressure from the family she married into and the weight of the world’s expectations. Her recent interview was vital to drawing attention to centuries of institutionalized racism and sexism. We believe that it will help people understand her side of the story, and also ease the pressure on and give a voice to women in archaic institutions who may never have the chance to speak up. In coming forward with her story, Meghan has become a role model for young women around the world of all races, backgrounds, religions, and nationalities.

View DWAG’s Statement of Recognition

Sylvia Ruth Gutmann is an author, speaker, and Holocaust survivor. Born in 1939, Ms. Gutmann grew up hiding from the Nazis. At the age of 3 she was torn from her mother, who was deported to the death camp at Auschwitz. Having both parents murdered in the Holocaust and eventually immigrating to America, Ms. Gutmann had to learn to assimilate as a survivor of genocide. Although she spent the majority of her life coping with loss, trauma, and loneliness, Ms. Gutmann has dedicated herself to raising awareness about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and advocating for human rights around the world. Ms. Gutmann’s resilience as a survivor of genocide demonstrates the strength and emotional fortitude of women.

See our full Video Feature

Fatou Bensouda currently works as the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). In 2011, Ms. Bensouda was elected by the unanimous decision from the Assembly of States Parties, making her the first woman Prosecutor of the ICC. Prior to her appointment to this prestigious office, Ms. Bensouda quickly rose through the ranks of the judicial system in The Gambia where she was born and raised. Ms. Bensouda has had a rich background in negotiations in treaties such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and served as a delegate in the United Nations while attending conferences on crime prevention. Her first encounter with the ICC was when she was working as the Legal Advisor and Trial Attorney for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

Ms. Bensouda has done outstanding work in justice, accountability, and leading prosecutions against perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Recently, Ms. Bensouda has been working tirelessly to achieve justice for the victims and their families of the Darfur genocide while negotiating with the Sudanese government on trial dates. DWAG is grateful for the Ms. Bensouda’s efforts to prosecute Omar al-Bashir and other officials who are guilty of crimes against humanity, inciting mass rape in Darfur, and the murder of over 300,000 innocent individuals.

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Our Projects

Global Week of Action: End the Genocide in Darfur and Demand Accountability to Prevent Future Genocide  

DWAG’s Global Week of Action: End the Genocide in Darfur and Demand Accountability to Prevent Future Genocide

Please join us from April 19, 2022 through April 28, 2022

Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) cordially invites you to join our Global Week of Action during this Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month. We invite you to organize events in solidarity with the genocide victims in Darfur and to recommit yourself to the fight for adequate justice for victims under the slogan of “A Future Without Genocide.”

The Darfur genocide is one of the worst and longest genocides in history. We need you because of the urgency of the situation. We invite you to join us in our planned activities for our Global Week of Action or organize your own, including rallies, protests, panel discussions, or video screenings, to bring attention back to the forgotten plight of those still suffering in Darfur. The Darfur genocide that began 20 years ago is ongoing while millions are trapped in makeshift camps and fearful of going home because their attackers haven’t been apprehended or held accountable. The fear is still present because the anti-genocide movement has faded out and the voice of concerned citizens has gone silent.

To date, millions of people have been killed, displaced, and rape is continuously used as a weapon of war while most of the world leaders remain silent. Recently, there has been escalating violence against innocent civilians. There are attacks across Darfur against those who have survived genocide and those survivors have been displaced hundreds of times. The Sudanese armed forces have thrown protestors and resistance leaders in jail without formal charges. The armed forces are killing innocent people including human rights activists in places like Jebel Moon and nearby areas as well as setting villages on fire.

Due to a lack of accountability, the genocide in Darfur is still ongoing. From April 19th through April 28th, supporters of DWAG, Sudanese activists, and friends of Sudan and Darfur are invited to join DWAG’s Global Week of Action or create their own week of action. DWAG’s Global Week of Action will include:

  • April 19, 2022
    • Attend DWAG’s Facebook Live discussion with DWAG’S President and Founder Niemat Ahmadi and Darfuri-American singer and actor Dua Saleh
  • April 20, 2022
    • Share on social media: DWAG will share a video highlighting voices in Darfur for supporters to re-share on their own social media.
  • April 22, 2022
    • Write an email or letter to and/or call your congressperson. The template can be found on DWAG’s website and will be linked on our social media the day of.
  • April 24, 2022
    • A Future Without Genocide fundraiser: 2 mile solidarity walk to mark 20 years since the beginning of the Darfur genocide.
      • Supporters are encouraged to go on a 2 mile solidarity walk wherever they are in their world and tag DWAG in a photo on social media.
      • Those in Washington D.C. are encouraged to join DWAG for a 2 mile walk from the Washington Monument to t 

         

        he Sudanese Embassy where we will gather with the Darfur Interfaith Network for their monthly protest.

  • April 28, 2022
    • Launch of the Atrocity Prevention Framework. Details forthcoming.

 

We need your support in the fight against genocide. If we can get people to take action, we can show the world that we care and that in the face of genocide, the world must not look the other way. We can make a difference. Please let us know if you will be joining us in any or all of these activities.

Please share with us your plan so we can help amplify your voice by encouraging people to join you and promote your events on social media.

 

Thank you,

Darfur Women Action Group