-Ottawa (June 25, 2009)

African civil society leaders, Nobel Laureates, and justice experts from across the continent are uniting ahead of the African Union summit, to call for action on the crisis in Sudan.  In particular, the leaders are supporting the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and calling for humanitarian access.

The statement, signed by Nobel Laureates Wangari Maathai (Peace, 2004), Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Peace, 1984), and Wole Soyinka (Literature, 1986), as well as 39 other prominent African experts, emphasizes that the ICC plays a critical role in achieving the objectives of “justice and accountability for the peoples of Sudan.”

“The people of Darfur deserve more than negotiating warlords forgiving each other for the violence – including brutal sexual violence – they have perpetrated primarily against women, children and other non-combatants.”

The signatories call for accountability and urge African political leaders to dramatically step up efforts to negotiate an end to the violence in Darfur, and ensure that all parties to the conflict, including the government, armed groups, and especially women who have been building the path to peace, are at the peace table.

The statement comes on the heels of an Opinion Editorial piece penned by Maathai, Soyinka, and Archbishop Tutu, which was published in Jeune Afrique and other African media.

For more information:

Kimberley MacKenzie
Program Associate, Advocacy & Communications
Nobel Women’s Initiative
+613.569.8400 x 114
kmackenzie@nobelwomensinitiative.org