Voices of Hope Concert for Darfur - Update

The New Year starts and already Sudan is in the news. A 33 year old American diplomat John Granville was shot five times as he returned home from a New Year’s Eve party in Khartoum. His driver died instantly while Mr. Granville died later in hospital. The US State Department and the FBI are sending a team of investigators to help solve the murder. The Sudanese government believe that the attack on Mr. Granville was not terrorist related but with anti-US and anti-Western feelings running extremely high in Khartoum due international criticism of Sudan due to the ongoing conflict in Darfur, it is highly likely that the murder of Mr. Granville could be anything else but terrorist related. On January 1st, 2008 the seven thousand member strong African Union force traded in their green berets for the blue beret of the UN, who has now taken over the peacekeeping mission as part of the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force. The total force in Darfur now numbers 9,000 troops which is well short of the expected 26,000 force agreed upon by the UN Security Counsel. The Sudanese government has still not approved the deployment of non-African troops and it has also said that it would not approve the deployment of air support, in the form of helicopter gun ships, to be used as an extra layer of security by the new hybrid force. That doesn’t seem to make any difference because no nation has stepped up to the plate to donate these much needed aircraft. On Friday, December 28th, 2007 the Sudanese government complained to the UN Security Counsel regarding the reported attacks on Darfur by Chadian government forces, with the support of a number of Darfuri rebel groups. It is currently not known who these attacks were aimed at, but early reports suggest that the attacks targeted pro-Sudanese militias. The Chadian government has denied that any such attacks have taken place. February, 2008 marks the fifth anniversary of the conflict in Darfur and it appears that the conflict will continue due to the shifting of international focus on the growing number of global conflicts. With Kenya, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Pakistan all making headlines, the list of global conflict and possible conflict zones continues to grow. As we all know, international action will only be taken if a conflict results in a severe consequence to the dollar, the Euro or the Yen. This means that thousands or possibly millions of people will continue to suffer and die as a result of global inaction due to their lives being worth nothing. Although 2008 has gotten off to a bleak start, the International Alliance For Human Rights, in conjunction with Hope for Humanity Alliance International will be working towards a global, grassroots attitudinal change in how we, the people of this planet, better deal with conflict, both on a regional and a global level. Both organizations are working with a number of affiliated individuals and like-minded organizations to incorporate change for the future. Our vision of change encompasses less rhetoric and more action, bringing together those that have first hand experience of conflict and those that have power and will to affect change. As most of you are aware, the International Alliance For Human Rights together with Hope for Humanity Alliance International will be staging the largest concert event ever staged to enhance global awareness of the conflict in Darfur. Over the next few works, you will be hearing a lot more about the concert, themed the Voices of Hope Concert for Darfur. It is time for us all to live up to the old cliché of “Never Again,” only from this year on, we will start the process of instituting that promise in earnest. For information pertaining to the IAFHR and the Voices of Hope Concert for Darfur, please call David Nolan at 212.695. 7022, ext. 315 or just shoot an email at dnolan@iafhr.org