ACTION this week

Take the time to sift through some of the many articles about Darfur in the Canadian media recently, and then make the effort to respond, as a letter to an editor, or even to the author themselves. All such contact information can be found on newspapers' web pages.

You may find some of the following information useful in creating your responses:

Current Media Talking Points: Canada must take the lead.

Over the past week, a number of leading Canadians have called for Canada to take the lead on Darfur in the international community. Senator Roméo Dallaire has called for the deployment of 1500 Canadian troops to Darfur as part of a 20,000-strong UN mission; the NDP Party has called on Canada to lead; Liberal MP Keith Martin has fought to table a motion calling on Canada to take action (link req’d).

It is time to make our voices heard, this time to the media. Making a buzz in the media will push our government, especially on its current weak stance on the need for a UN force on the ground (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060502.DARFURDEBATE02/TPStory/TPInternational/Africa/).

Why does the UN need to go in?

1. The recent peace deal is already under siege. Some rebel factions haven’t signed on yet. There are dissenters within the rebel faction that has signed. The violence against civilians hasn’t stopped. The government of Sudan has a long shameful history of violating peace deals (as recently as one signed in 2005 with rebels in the South).
2. There is a consensus among the experts that the only way to strengthen the peace deal and halt the slaughter is to replace the current African Union mission with a far more robust UN mission capable of protecting civilians from attack. Even the force commander of the AU mission is calling for the UN to deploy in force (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/4ee77a372e28d8b42b8382ae4928ad8d.htm).
3. Greater humanitarian aid and access is needed urgently. The World Food Program has cut rations to 1000 cal/day for displaced persons in camps in Darfur, and the lack of security for relief workers limits their ability to distribute the resources they’ve already got.

Why Canada?

• Canada doesn’t have a colonial or imperialist history: our international reputation will help build legitimacy and support for a UN mission.
• Canadians are demanding action
  • Canadians demand action: 1000+ attended rally in Toronto on April 30, 2006.
  • Lt Gen. Roméo Dallaire recently called for 1500 Canadian troops as part of Canada’s role in Darfur.
  • The NDP has called for Canada to take the lead internationally on Darfur.
• Canada must demonstrate a commitment to the Responsibility to Protect docrtrine we helped create. According to this doctrine, sovereign states have a responsibility to protect their own citizens from genocide, ethnic cleansing and other crimes against humanity. If states are unable or unwilling to fulfill that responsibility falls on the wider international community, including Canada.
• UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has specifically stated that troops from developed nations will be needed in order ensure that a UN mission to Darfur has the capacity to fulfill its mandate. The mission needs Canada, among others, to participate militarily.

What Canada Should Be Doing:

1. Canada must add its diplomatic voice to the growing number calling for the rapid deployment of a robust UN force to Darfur.
2. That UN force must be given a mandate under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter so that they are empowered to protect civilians on all sides from attacks, and the resources necessary to carry out that mandate, including roughly 20,000 troops.
3. Canada should encourage other developed nations to contribute to the UN mission by stepping forward with an offer of roughly 450 ground troops¹ and a squadron of CF-18 fighter jets² to enforce the UN-imposed no-fly zone over Darfur, and provide air support and intelligence for the entire UN mission.