Letter to Bush

In my Foreign Seminar today a man from an organization called Citizens for Global Solutions spoke to us about American international involvement. I came across this in the website...take a look, here is the site: http://advocacy.globalsolutions.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pres_bush_letter

and here is my first letter to my President, and maybe yours too...

Write a letter to President Bush. Ask him to ensure that Darfur's perpetrators do not go unpunished.

Simply copy the letter below on your own sheet of paper in your own hand writing. I urge you to hand-write this letter to demonstrate the ugency of this issue and the immediate need for action. Your leaders want to hear from you, especially when they know how much energy and care you put into making your voice heard. So, grab your pen and pad and get writing!

If you'd prefer to write your own personal message and would like additional information on the ICC summons and the situation in Darfur, click here.

Your Name
Your Address
Today's Date

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Bush,

On February 27, 2007, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued summons for Ahmad Muhammad Harun, former Minister of State for the Interior of the Government of Sudan, and Ali Kushayb, a Janjaweed militia leader in Darfur, to appear before the ICC. Both men are accused of committing 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

As an American citizen who cares deeply about ending the atrocities in Darfur, I urge you and the administration to step up your efforts and match those of the Court to bring peace and justice to Darfur’s victims.

The crisis in Darfur has been raging on for 4 years now. I was encouraged when you called the situation in Darfur “genocide” in June 2005, but I am appalled that you have failed to live up to your promise of “Not on My Watch” for the people of Darfur. By calling the atrocities in Darfur “genocide,” you made yourself accountable to both the people of Darfur and the American people. In a region of Sudan where over 400,000 people have died, 2.4 million are displaced, and 3.5 million left hungry and without water, the United States can and must do better. We cannot let “Never Again” become an empty promise.

The United States must work with the international community to ensure that both Ahmad Muhammad Harun and Ali Kushayb appear before the ICC at The Hague. But our efforts cannot end there. The ICC has expressed its ongoing commitment to provide justice and accountability to the people of Darfur. I believe the United States government can play an essential role in that process by I believe the United States government can play an essential role in that process by providing concrete, consistent, and effective cooperation with the ICC on Darfur.

Additional actions for the U.S. must include:

* Turning over satellite imagery and other evidence to the ICC as a member of the U.N. Security Council;
* Building an energized and effective peace process, including strengthening rebel unity;
* Working with the U.N. and the international community to ensure deployment of international peacekeeping forces and implement the three-phase Addis Ababa agreement;
* Taking more forceful punitive measures against the Government of Sudan, including implementing a no-fly zone, a full range of targeted sanctions, and targeted freeze of assets and Sudanese
* off-shore accounts;Paying our full share of U.N. peacekeeping dues and contributing fully to humanitarian aid; and
* Engaging Sudan’s closest allies, especially China, to play a positive and public role in Darfur.

President Bush, I appreciate you being vocal on ending the atrocities in Darfur. But, what we need now is action. Please ensure that our efforts match the Court's in our commitment to the people of Darfur. The future of Darfur depends on it.

Sincerely,

[your signature]