Dear Supporters,
Happy International Justice Day!
Today marks the 19th anniversary of the 1998 Rome Statute: the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In honor of International Justice Day, we would like to express our unequivocal support to the ICC and call on our supporters to join us in commemorating this important day.
Despite our grave concern about the lack of enforcement of accountability for President al-Bashir we firmly believe that ICC has brought hope to millions of those of who have been victims of genocide and mass atrocities, including the people of Darfur. The ICC may be a young institution, but it has proven its necessity in pursuing accountability for those who need it the most. In spite of the many challenges, today ICC has given us a lot to reasons to celebrate. For example, the ICC worked tirelessly to bring those who perpetrated crimes in Uganda, DRC, CAR and Ivory Coast to justice.
Additionally, even though president al-Bashir has been defying justice, Bashir and his allies have recognized the fact that accountability is real and that impunity will no longer be an option it is just a matter of time.
We, therefore, call on you to join us to speak up and demand that our leaders support justice for genocide victims and accountability for perpetrators has experienced over the last 14 years. The ICC currently has two arrest warrant in place of al-Bashir, yet has not tried him because he has not been brought to The Hague for trial. Today as we take into account the mechanisms of justice and accountability the international community has put in place; a man accused of the world's worst crimes war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide celebrates his impunity.
ICC has done an excellent job in investigating the crimes committed in Darfur and had issued five arrest warrants between 2009 and today. However our leaders have failed to enforce the ICC arrest warrant, and Bashir continued pursuing his genocidal policy in Darfur and across Sudan, killing innocent civilians, forcing millions out of their home, raping countless women and throwing innocent students and human rights defenders in prison. It is incredibly outrageous to see that a man responsible for all this free.
Let us take this opportunity on this important day to recommit ourselves to fighting for justice by letting our leaders know that impunity for Bashir will never ever be an option
We know the facts, and with your support, we can urge our leaders to do what is right by the principles of justice and accountability. We have the power to change the situation and encourage our leaders to work towards building sustainable justice and peace in Darfur and-elsewhere. With your support, we can assure that next year on International Justice Day; we will have more than a cause for celebration.
Thank you for your continued support! Sincerely, Niemat Ahmadi
President and Founder www.darfurwomenaction.org
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________(c) 2017 Darfur Women Action Group