WASHINGTON: A fact-finding team followed-up the Save Darfur Rally in Washington D.C. (April 30) with a visit to Juba and the borderlands of Southern Sudan and Darfur (May 3 - 11). In Juba, they met with President Salva Kiir of Southern Sudan. They then investigated the plight of displaced Darfurians and Dinka returnees - especially from Darfur - interviewed liberated slaves, and delivered 2,000 survival kits and 20 tons of sorghum seed.

Alek Ater Deng with her sister Agawei’s baby Nyanjok. Agawei was shot dead by the Government militia in Darfur.

Members of the team are: Sudan Campaign Leaders: Joe Madison - Save Darfur Rally M.C., civil rights activist and Radio One talk show host, his wife Sherry Madison; Simon Deng - former Sudanese slave; Dr. John Eibner - Executive Director of CSI (USA); Liora Kasten - Executive Director of the American Anti-Slavery Group.

Conclusions

Despite agreements signed by the Government of Sudan, the genocide process continues in both Northern and Southern Sudan.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Black Sudanese are in danger of dying this rainy season (May-September) because of continuing violence, and the lack of food, shelter, seed, clean water and medicine.

Tens of thousands of Black Sudanese remain enslaved in Darfur and neighboring Kordofan.

Promised "peace dividends" have not been delivered by the United States and other nations to Southern Sudan, and are therefore not likely to be delivered to Darfur in the immediate aftermath of the signing on May 5 of a peace agreement between Khartoum and one rebel faction in Darfur..

The fledgling Government of Southern Sudan is a potential source of stability for Sudan. But its institutional development has been stymied by U.S. policy - e.g., the failure of President Bush to meet with Southern Sudan’s President Salva Kiir. (The pledge made by President Bush to Sudan Campaign activists on April 28 to meet with President Kiir raises hope of a positive shift in U.S. policy.)

Recommendations

The U.S. Government and non-governmental donors should cut strangulating bureaucratic red tape and deliver emergency food, seed, survival kits and medicines to vulnerable displaced populations. (Seed must be delivered within three weeks, after which it will be too late to plant in the borderlands of Darfur and Southern Sudan.)

President Bush should meet President Salva Kiir to establish a rainy season emergency humanitarian aid program and to hasten the delivery of promised "peace dividends", including help to strengthen Southern Sudan’s national institutions.

President Bush should initiate long overdue action to secure the liberation and repatriation of Sudan’s forgotten slaves.

Contact: Joe and Sherry Madison – (202) 373 1445, Simon Deng – (917) 698 5440, Dr. John Eibner – (805) 777 7107, Liora Kasten – (617) 426 8161.

Pictures

Joe and Sherry Madison at the only working water well in Majang Kaar CSI  

Joe Madison meets Southern Sudanese President Salva Kiir in Juba CSI  

Eye to eye with death, emaciated baby girl Abuk held by John Eibner CSI  

Stranded in Malualkon, these returnees were thrown out of El Obeid, most are Christians CSI  

Darfurians in Jaac. No shade, no roof, only one borehole for approx. 4’000 people. CSI  

Displaced from Darfur. In human terms, the situation in Jaac is hopeless. CSI  

Returnees from El Obeid without shelter. In the meantime, the seasonal rains have started CSI  

Ken Gar Kon, returned from El Obeid. Ken’s son was enslaved in 1988 from Rumaker CSI  

High resolution pictures available upon request.