December, 10 2008, 07:10am EDT
Human Rights Must be Top Priority for President-Elect Obama
Africa Action Highlights New Report Released by the Genocide Prevention Task Force
WASHINGTON
This year Africa Action commemorates Human Rights Day by urging the new
administration to make human rights in Sudan a priority from day one.
"On the 60th anniversary of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
we must irreversibly affirm the importance and protection of this
document to our national security," said Gerald LeMelle, Executive
Director of Africa Action. "All people are guaranteed the right to
life, liberty and security of person. Protection of human rights guards
against the scourge of failed states and must be inseparably integrated
as a pillar of our foreign policy.
On Monday this week the Genocide Prevention Task Force released a
report that details fundamental actions that need to be adopted by the
President, Congress and American people in order to end the genocide in
Darfur and other future mass atrocities.
Michael Stulman, Associate Director of Policy and Communications said,
"To date, the U.S. response to genocide and crimes against humanity in
Africa has ranged from nonexistent to weak and inconsistent. By
implementing the recommendations of the Genocide Prevention Task Force,
the U.S. can protect human rights by taking proactive rather than
reactive steps. In 2009 the post-Bush U.S.-Sudan policy must include a
greater diplomatic effort to strengthen global undertakings that
support UNAMID and other multinational peace-keeping mechanisms as
outlined in the Report."
Africa Action and partners will continue our campaign to stop the
genocide in Darfur in 2009. For more information and all the latest
analysis on the genocide in Darfur, please visit www.africaaction.org/darfur
To view copies of the report on-line visit the Genocide Prevention Task Force website <www.ushmm.org>.
Africa Action is a national organization that works for political, economic and social justice in Africa. Through the provision of accessible information and analysis combined with the mobilization of public pressure we work to change the policies and policy-making processes of U.S. and multinational institutions toward Africa. The work of Africa Action is grounded in the history and purpose of its predecessor organizations, the American Committee on Africa (ACOA), The Africa Fund, and the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC), which have fought for freedom and justice in Africa since 1953. Continuing this tradition, Africa Action seeks to re-shape U.S. policy toward African countries.
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