Big News: A win for Darfur from SAVE DARFUR COALITION 14DEZ10

FINALLY, a high level diplomat has been appointed for Darfur! Now it is up to us to make sure this is not a cosmetic position, but one that will work for an end to the conflict, an end to the violence against the children, women and men of Darfur. Check out the report from the Save Darfur Coalition

Please watch this short video message where I share scenes from my trip to Darfur and the many rallies and public events held during 2011. Dear Craig, Exciting News — a high-level diplomat for Darfur has been appointed! After thousands of grassroots activists like you lobbied for a diplomat, Secretary of State Clinton yesterday named Ambassador Dane Smith to be a high-level U.S. diplomat dedicated exclusively for Darfur. This is exactly what we advocated for — now Ambassador Smith must make sure world leaders do not forget about Darfur as the referendum in South Sudan approaches. Appointment of a high-level diplomat for Darfur is a capstone to a busy and amazing year for us — and while there are times I get frustrated with how long it can seemingly take to create change, I'm humbled by the work we've been able to do — all thanks to generous and active supporters just like you. I'd love to share some of the highlights of 2010 with you now in the hopes that you will feel truly proud of your connection with us and the role you play in protecting civilians from violence and advocating for the human rights of millions in Sudan. You made your voice heard. They listened. Time and time again we've asked you to send your messages to U.S. and global leaders urging them to stay focused on Sudan. From asking Vice President Biden to make Sudan a priority on his 2010 trip to Africa resulting in high-level talks with leaders in Egypt, Kenya and South Africa to sending over 70,000 of your messages to President Obama about the unfair national Sudanese election last spring — your actions truly made a difference. At a time when the world was seemingly losing interest in the plight of innocent individuals and families in Sudan, our work together put the issue in the international spotlight — most notably President Obama giving a major speech to the United Nations high level meeting on Sudan in September. You stayed vigilant in promoting protection and justice. Together, we successfully led efforts to prevent a repeat of the merciless retaliation against civilians following a new warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes, Bashir cruelly retaliated against civilians in Darfur by expelling over a dozen international aid groups, forcing an emergency response by the United Nations and others to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. When the new warrant for genocide was issued, your outcry helped prevent a repeat of this retaliation. You helped share the stories of what life was REALLY like in Sudan. Last winter, we sent a delegation to Darfur, Khartoum and Juba to conduct a human rights assessment and report back to you — our dedicated activists — and to our nation's elected leaders about the grim everyday reality for so many in Sudan. We learned that people living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps were still plagued with fear of violence and retaliation. One person told me "I lost my family, I lost my country, and I may lose my life." On top of that, the conditions at the camps, especially when it came to access to water, were truly heartbreaking. Long lines and broken pumps meant that thousands were not getting access to the water they and their families desperately needed. But with your help, our delegation was able to gather critical information and spread the word about the real situation in Sudan — information that would help us keep the pressure on U.S. leaders to make Sudan a priority and get resources to those who needed it most. You took to the streets. During the times we struggled to get world leaders to pay attention to our messages, calls and meetings, we asked you to show up in a way that they couldn't ignore. From our participation in the Sudan365 "Beat for Peace" drumming events to our work with Sudan Freedom Walk to host a rally and concert on Capitol Hill, we made sure that our calls to protect the human rights of the people of Sudan could not go ignored. You are doing everything you can to prevent massive violence against civilians. It's hard to even say it, but with the January 9th, 2011, referendum on South Sudan independence just weeks away, the situation in Sudan is extremely volatile. We've been calling on you for weeks to take action to help us do everything we can to ensure a fair and free referendum and get the infrastructure in place to prevent widespread unimaginable violence in the region. Our actions are making a difference and for that we can't thank you enough. We'll also be communicating with you frequently about how the situation is unfolding and how you can help in the coming weeks. These are just a few of the many examples of what we accomplished together this year. And with so much more to do in 2011, I'm really looking forward to your ongoing commitment to the people of Sudan. Your actions, your support, and your commitment is vital to everything we do. On behalf of all of us at Save Darfur, I wish you a joyous and healthy holiday season and thank you again for your unwavering support. Appreciatively, Mark Lotwis Save Darfur Coalition P.S. While we have so much to be proud of in 2010, next year is already shaping up to be one of our most challenging yet. We'll be in touch in early January with more about our plans and how to stay involved.

The Save Darfur Coalition — an alliance of more than 190 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations — raises public awareness about the ongoing crisis in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to promote peace throughout the Darfur region and all of Sudan. The coalition's member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Sudan. Please join the movement at http://www.savedarfur.org.