The conflict in Darfur is in its fifth year. Sudanese soldiers and government-backed militias have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur by waging a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” and forced displacement by bombing and burning villages, killing civilians, and raping women. An estimated 2.7 million people have been forced from their homes and at least 300,000 are dead as a result of the violence. These attacks continue today although they are fewer in number and intensity. Rebels too have carried out abuses against civilians. The United Nations Security Council authorized an African Union/United Nations Peacekeeping force for Darfur in July 2007. However, in large part because of obstruction by the Sudanese government, barely one-third of the force has been deployed. The Security Council referred the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, and the Court issued warrants in April 2007 for the arrest of two men – a government official and a militia leader – accused of perpetrating war crimes. Sudan has persistently refused to cooperate with the Court or hand over the suspects. Then in July 2008 the ICC prosecutor requested a warrant for the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. But Sudan and its allies have responded by trying to convince the UN Security Council to suspend the ICC investigation. The UN has not subjected a single senior Sudanese government or rebel official to targeted UN sanctions for crimes committed in Darfur.

Please urge members of the United Nations Security Council to take concrete action to help the people of Darfur.

For more detailed information read the Human Rights Watch reports: They Shot at Us As We Fled to the Trees and Five Years On, as well as our letter to the Security Council about the request for a warrant for President Bashir