Target: Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of United Kingdom
Goal: Support robust genocide prevention efforts in Sudan and worldwide.
During a siege of the Sudanese city of El Fasher that lasted one-and-a-half years, paramilitary forces operating for the nation’s government allegedly conducted widespread civilian killings and rapes. Mass displacements from razed and burned communities followed. It is not the first time these forces have been accused of genocide and other war crimes. Several global humanitarian organizations, as well as the International Criminal Court, have documented these reported crimes.
The United Kingdom (UK), which guides the course the United Nations (UN) Security Council takes on issues relating to Sudan, has absconded its responsibility and allowed the atrocities to continue. Britain’s Foreign Office recently declined to implement a large-scale civilian protection program for Sudan that would have helped deter the war crimes and sexual violence allegedly being used regularly by paramilitary forces. This lack of initiative is worsened by the UK’s vow only months prior to take on a larger role in preventing genocide via a Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes. Compounding the inaction is reports that British intelligence agencies had knowledge of the aforementioned siege well before it began.
Sign the petition below to demand the UK honor its responsibilities and its vows to stop the worst acts humanity inflicts against itself.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Prime Minister Starmer,
“The UK has opted to take the least ambitious approach to the prevention of atrocities.” This damning and callous statement was made in justification to the meager additional humanitarian funding devoted to ending the sexual violence and genocide unfolding in Sudan. This failure not only demeans the UK’s penholder status for Sudan on the UN Security Council, but it completely undermines lofty proclamations made by the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes about the UK’s guiding role in genocide prevention worldwide.
In the meantime, the massacres, the destroyed communities, and the unchecked violence continue, and millions of people are paying the price of indifference. Words without actions mean nothing. Back up your words by properly funding and supporting the Foreign Office’s atrocity prevention unit and the Genocide Determination Bill and by lending your full support to the UN proposal for a crimes against humanity prevention duty.
Demonstrate that humanity can learn and can stop tragic history from repeating itself.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Sean Woo
