*** Please help with the Big Catch Up! ***

From Never Again

Dealing With Darfur- what's at stake?

Never Again Contact: Danielle Coleman

Date: May 24, 2007

Type of Contact: Panel Discussion at the New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park W New York, NY 10024

Reporter: Danielle Coleman

This past Thursday, Reuters organized a panel discussion at the New York Historical Society composed of Sudanese U.N. ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem, television journalist Ann Curry, actress Mia Farrow, International Crisis Group senior adviser John Prendergast,and the U.S. State Department’s senior envoy to Sudan Lauren Landis to discuss the current state of affairs in the region of Darfur. While at times it appeared that it was the panel against the Sudanese ambassador, Mr. Abdalhaleem kept on message declaring that the Sudanese government was open and ready for peace negotiations. However, he was realistic in regards to the importance of having a united rebel front to negotiate with. He referred to the goal of the Rebel Letters campaign, stating, “We want without any delay for their groups to unite…”. The ambassador went further, claiming that Sudan would welcome special envoys and would consent to a ceasefire during the peace talks. While it will take months for a peace talk to actually come about, all members of the panel called for a greater troop presence in the area, but not do specify on the ultimate number. Both Landis and Prendergast also called for immediate sanctions against the Sudanese government. By the end of the discussion, it became clear that while the U.N. ambassador and his detractors did not see eye to eye, each member was concerned for the innocents who are suffering in Darfur and agreed that they should focus their efforts on bringing peace in some form.

The article by Reuters can be found using this link: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN2443906620070525