Stöd och rekommendationer till Jan Eliasson från de kvinnliga mottagarna av Nobels Fredspris och Kvinna till Kvinna

Öppet brev till: 

Jan Eliasson
Special Envoy for Darfur
United Nations
New York, New York
10017

Dear Mr. Eliasson, 

As women Nobel Peace Laureates and advocates for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, we are writing to offer our support and concrete recommendations to ensure women are meaningfully included in the Darfur peace negotiations. 

We recognize the difficulties you face in reaching even minimal common ground to re-invigorate talks between the various armed groups and the Government of Sudan.  In such a situation, women and women's rights are often seen as a luxury to be dealt with at some time in a "peaceful future."  Indeed, in conflicts between men with guns, inclusion of women and issues related to their rights will always be seen as interference with negotiations between the men.

You know as well as anyone that in the war in Darfur, there has been as much violence between rebel groups and the Government of Sudan, as there has been violence by men against women.  Countless numbers of the women of Darfur have been raped in a systematic, widespread tactic to shred the fabric of society.   Just because the women haven't organized and armed themselves does not mean they are not parties in this war. 

No peace agreement will be just or sustainable if women's voices are not heard.  A peace agreement that excludes the women of Darfur will simply further subjugate them.  An agreement without women would not simply ignore them, but instead would leave them without justice and exacerbate, if that is possible to imagine, the already rampant impunity of those in power.

Ensuring that the rights of women are reflected in any peace deal, and that women themselves have a stake in the peace process, will require a fundamentally different approach.  Putting women at the table should not be an ad-on; it must not be left for some indeterminate time in the future.  Instead, women need to be involved and included from the start. 

We are aware of your commitment to make room in the upcoming peace talks not only for the warring parties, but also for a variety of other stakeholders.  The meetings you had with women's organizations in Sudan last autumn were very important steps for the process to be viable and in compliance with the Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.  We are also aware of your December 2007 meeting with women's groups in Sudan to discuss their views on the peace process, and your more recent series of meetings with civil society in Sudan, including women's organizations. 

We consider these initiatives to be essential measures for sustainable peace and we encourage you to pursue them vigorously.  In addition to your existing efforts, we believe the women of Darfur have the right to expect the following:

A voice at the peace table:  We urge you to push for delegations to be comprised of at least 25% women.  A Gender Advisor should also be included among the senior staff of the mediation team, with the budget and personnel to support the inevitable challenges to such an approach.

Justice:  The crimes against women in Darfur need attention at the peace table.  Given the use of rape as a weapon of war, it is fundamental to sustainable peace that such crimes are investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.  Those who have ordered the use of this war tactic, as well as those who have committed the crime of rape itself, must be brought to justice.

Reparations:  In order for there to be sustainable peace, and for the Darfuri society to begin to function again, women themselves must receive reparations for the horrors they have lived through. The UN has developed basic guidelines for reparations, which should be taken as a starting point in peace talks. Reparations are not just about compensation and restitution, but also involve rehabilitation and guarantees of non-repetition. 

We believe that your commitment to inclusive peace talks is crucial to building a sustainable peace in Darfur.  We offer you our support in the pursuit of these goals for the women of Darfur.  Please let us know how we can best be of assistance in your important efforts. 

Yours Sincerely,

Lena Ag
Secretary General, The Kvinna Till Kvinna Foundation

Mairead Corrigan Maguire
Nobel Peace Laureate, 1976

Betty Williams
Nobel Peace Laureate, 1976

Professor Jody Williams
Nobel Peace Laureate, 1997