DARFUR; Satellite images show burned villages in Sudan & Read Our New Report, 'Flashpoint: Abyei' 9MAR11

The difference between Libya and Darfur? Libya has oil and gas, Darfur has sand and nomads. The same hypocrisy that kept the West, that kept First World nations from intervening to stop genocide in Cambodia and Rwanda is preventing decisive action in Darfur while keeping Libya the focus of attention. Too bad Darfurians aren't white, then they would have some chance for help, after all, that worked for the people of the Balkans.....

Burned Villages in Abyei Ask President Obama To Take Swift Action Now! We've taken two trips in the last few months to the disputed region of Abyei bordering North and South Sudan. Throughout this time, we've been sounding the alarm that Abyei was likely going to be a flash point for violence. Sadly, our concerns are now becoming a reality. Over the past week, villages in the Abyei region were burned to the ground, and tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes. In Darfur over the past few months, the UN has also documented aerial bombardment of civilians and burning of villages with tens of thousands of Sudanese driven from their homes. We urge you to join us in acting before this violence leads to a full-scale resumption of war in Sudan. Thanks to our Satellite Sentinel Project, we now have something we've never had before: satellite images that we can use to show the world, with indisputable proof, the systematic nature of violence targeted against civilian populations. Last fall, when we traveled to the region and spoke with the citizens of Abyei, we heard the same message again and again: the people of Abyei were worried that fighting would erupt, and they asked for the United States and other countries to step in to help protect them. Take a look at the Satellite Sentinel Project report, and join us in asking President Obama to take swift, bold action to help stop the violence — in Abyei, Darfur and all of Sudan. Take action now. Thank you for your help to support the people of Abyei and all of Sudan at this critical moment. Sincerely, George Clooney and John Prendergast

Download the Report: SSP2-Final.pdf

The human security situation in the Abyei region of Sudan has rapidly deteriorated in the past week due to renewed violence. Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) has confirmed through the analysis of DigitalGlobe satellite imagery that buildings consistent with civilian infrastructure appear to have been intentionally burned Maker Abior and Todach villages. Some 100 people in the Abyei region have reportedly died in the clashes to date. According to the humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), tens of thousands of civilians have either been displaced by fighting or fled due to fear of further attacks.
Fighting reportedly broke out on Sunday, February 27 between armed Misseriya and a southern police unit in the village of Todach, purportedly sparked by a dispute over the rights of Misseriya to graze their cattle in the area. Evidence of the attack at Todach has been documented by SSP monitoring of the location. Conflicting reports allege that over the next four days, elements of Misseriya militias and/or Popular Defense Forces (PDF) staged attacks on multiple villages, including Todach, Noong, Wungok and Maker Abior. These communities are all within the Abyei region as defined by the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2009 ruling.
The events of the past week contravene security arrangements established by Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and National Congress Party (NCP) officials at Kadugli on January 17, 2011, which stipulated the removal of southern police units from the area in the wake of fighting between Misseriya militias and southern police in early January. Misseriya leaders and northern officials have alleged that the local police in the Abyei region are aligned with the Government of South Sudan and include SPLA elements. As mandated by the Kadugli Agreement, two additional Joint Integrated Unit (JIU) battalions were deployed to replace police units in Abyei; however, multiple accounts confirm the failure of the JIUs to intervene and quell the recent violence in the Abyei region.
The recent violence in the Abyei region has occurred in the context of apparent increases observed by SSP in the military capacity of both the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in regions along the contested border line. The recent violence in Abyei, coupled with the continuing militarization occurring on both sides of the border, has made an already volatile human security environment even more precarious.
Download or view DigitalGlobe satellite images from our latest report, "Flashpoint: Abyei."
Read our full report