Drumbeat for Darfur

Salih Mahmoud Osman, an internationally recognized human rights lawyer at the Sudan Organization Against Torture (SOAT), a UUSC program partner, was recently named the 2007 recipient of The Sakharov Prize, Europe’s top human rights award. The prize, named for Soviet scientist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, recognizes leaders who have dedicated their lives to defending human rights. Given each year on December 10, International Human Rights Day, the Sakharov Prize was first awarded in 1988 to Nelson Mandela.

As an international human rights lawyer and member of the Sudanese parliament, Osman has documented rights abuses and worked to overturn death sentences. At one point, he was imprisoned by the Sudanese government. In a visit to UUSC in April, 2006, Osman talked about the price of the conflict in Sudan. “Members of my family have been killed, tortured and displaced,” he said. “This is one example of thousands of stories of suffering that have not been told.”

Dr. Mohammed Admed Abdallah, who works alongside SOAT at the Amel Center, recently received the RFK Human Rights Award, which “honors courageous and innovative individuals striving for social justice throughout the world.” Adballah’s work on behalf of victims of torture and sexual violence in the midst of ongoing violence in Darfur is helping to change the path of those who have suffered extreme violence.

“Through his extraordinary work and dedication Dr. Ahmed has helped countless innocent victims of horrendous crimes and unspeakable brutalities in Darfur. He courageously confronts these evils and continues to fight to preserve the dignity and human rights of his fellow citizens,” said Senator Edward M. Kennedy at the awards ceremony.

The Sudan Organization Against Torture is one of four UUSC Civil Liberties Program Partner’s focusing on rendition and torture. The Amel Center works in close partnership with SOAT in issues of torture and sexual violence. UUSC continues to work on the ground in Darfur, as well as on advocacy projects to end the ongoing genocide.

Click here to learn about UUSC’s upcoming Days of Action on Darfur.

Sign a petition urging the Senate to support divestment from Sudan.

Posted Nov 20, 2007