Solidarity is a noble human value.

Statement by Mr. Mini Minawi,
15 December 2017
Catania
Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)

First of all , allow me to express my sincere and deep appreciation for inviting me to address this august gathering for humanity and share you this pressing issue . Also allow me to convey to you sincere greetings from the members of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) .

For 17 years our movement has been fighting  for  the basic rights of our people; freedom , justices , equal citizenship , just peace, security and the prosperity of entire Sudan, Darfur in particular . The SLM is fighting on behalf of Darfur people and other Sudanese undergoing genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the oppressive ,Islamist regime led by General Omar Al Bashir , who is also wanted by International Criminal Court (ICC) for committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide .

It definitely interests you to know to what extent the people of Darfur are suffering oppressive Regime of the NCP. They are being subjected for decades to ethnic segregation, economic deprivation and political marginalization in their homeland.

As a chairman of the SLM I am very much grateful for giving me this opportunity to be with you to convey the voice of the oppressed in Darfur and the voiceless majority in Sudan.

Dear friends
Regarding this very important issue I would like to reassure that , Solidarity is a noble human value and can never be a crime. It is indeed the most cherished value that good people like you always stand to extend their help and support those who are suffering from oppression , suppression and atrocities against humanity. Therefore it’s needless to say that, those who fled their homelands because of brutal regimes need support, (as their freedoms and dignity are confiscated and in some cases are being subjected to all kinds of atrocity including arbitrary arrest, abduction, torture, rape, killing and ethnic cleansing like -in Darfur and the two areas of Sudan.

We should always bear in mind that if not because of Solidarity many other good people could have had lost their lives.

Thank God they have been rescued because of friendly efforts exerted by people like you who cherish this noble value.

Again, it’s needless we remind you that,what is crime and criminal is he who created the conditions which force people to become refugees .
To be a refugee is not a choice but it is a matter of being forced to go into it, and the ones who forced them are the dictatorial regimes in Africa namely the regime in Sudan.

Those Africans who are risking their own lives by crossing the Mediterranean unwelcome water are all refugees of a kind. They are fleeing unbearable conditions prevailing in their homes to seek a safer place in order to spare their lives . They are forced to take that risk.

Dear friends;
Today humanity is at  crossroads as the African migrants crisis has become the biggest human tragedy in 21st century and indeed we need at this gathering to answer the burning questions, such as, what are the root causes of the crisis and how the States in Europe and Eu all together with the International community to address this pressing issue?

The answer is that , people fleeing their homelands, villages, regions and countries because of extremely intolerable  governance system they are facing. In Sudan today the NCP regime is using tribal militia called Janjaweed (now given a name of Rapid Support Force) burning houses of indigenous people, looting  their properties, killing civilians and raping women. These everyday crimes, made more than two million Darfuris to become Internally displaced while about half a million have become refugees in neighboring countries .

Unfortunately at the same time the perpetrators are free enjoying impunity and continue committing atrocities and violating Human rights . This is the root cause of the refugees influx that the world is experiencing now.

The Sudan Liberation Movement as one of the  major actors seeking a comprehensive settlement to the root causes of the crisis in Sudan and the region at large and the one that  close to the victims, it has the honor to have this opportunity to convey briefly the message to the  diverse International community, in particular the civil societies and human rights activists who organised this very important event.
1-The victims are waiting  EU to help them stop impunity by empowering the International Criminal Court (ICC) and bring the perpetrators to justice.

2- The victims calling the EU and international community stop supporting dictatorial regimes and work for dismantling  the Notorious militia  RSF and bringing them to justice instead of rewarding them.

3- Regional peace and security is indivisible, the situation in Darfur,Mali, Libya and Niger needs to be addressed in holistic manner and the major trouble maker in the region is to be identified. All evidence shown that the genocidal regime in Khartoum is the destabilizer in the region, so we call the EU countries with the African Union and the International community to support comprehensive  peace process in Sudan, help ICC bring the perpetrators to justice.

Your role as human rights activist and civil society is indispensable. We want you continue putting  pressure on your parliaments to address this chronic human tragedy.

Finally, once again I would like to reiterate my sincere appreciation and say:

– Long live international Solidarity.
– Let us work for peace, security and prosperity for humanity .

Thank you.

Minni Arko Minawi

Chairman of Sudan Liberation Movement.