- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Activists gather around the world to "Beat for Peace" for Sudan
- Date: 10th January 2010
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) AEGIS TRUST DIRECTOR, JAMES SMITH, SAYING: "These countries should play a role in having a united voice together, diplomatic voice, to put pressure both on the north and on the south to come together to build a momentum to finish off the unfinished business of the comprehensive peace agreement."
- Embargoed: 25th January 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVAAZ1B0R49CZGDUG5DEI1FWL89N
- Story Text: World famous drummers and activists around the globe kick off 365Sudan - a year of campaigning for international support for Sudan.
Activists made their presence known as they gathered opposite London's Downing Street on Saturday (January 9) - the fifth anniversary of the fragile Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the civil war between Northern and Southern Sudan.
Activists beating their drums - literally - were also joined by demonstrators around the world at events in 15 countries to call on governments to take action to prevent worsening violence in Sudan.
The events were organised by a coalition of groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Save Darfur Coalition and Refugees International.
As well as the demonstrations, a film of the global "beat for peace," featuring drummers from five continents, was released to coincide with the launch of the campaign Drummers from Radiohead, Pink Floyd, The Corrs and The Police appear in the film, drumming together across 5 continents, to mark the five year anniversary of the Peace Agreement - and to begin a one year campaign to urge world powers to prevent more bloodshed in the oil-producing state.
"The violence that could kick off there is so horrific, on par with Darfur and everything. Hundreds of thousands dying and being displaced. Could we drum up an idea something that could get everyone's attention so that this next year is focussed fully on making sure there isn't horrific violence there, in all kinds of ways that it could kick off," said Jamie Catto of Faithless and 1 Giant Leap, who conceived and directed the film.
Catto added that getting the celebrity percussionists to beat their drums for the campaign was an easy task.
"Everyone asks you how hard it is to get famous drummers or drummers around the world to do stuff. In my opinion people are grateful to be asked. There is so much freakiness in the world everyone given a chance to contribute will do it," he explained The 365 day campaign coincides with the one year left until the referendum on whether the south of Sudan should split off as an independent country, due in January 2011.
Two million people were killed and 4 million fled their homes between 1983 and 2005 when Sudan's north and south fought over differences in ideology, ethnicity and religion.
Sudan ended more than two decades of north-south civil war with the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, but relations between the two sides have remained tense.
The agreement has left many issues unresolved including wealth sharing from oil revenues, borders and security, and legislation for the 2011 referendum.
"Our fear is that if it left to us alone, Sudanese, we see that five years has passed and a lot of things have not been done. So that is why we are very much afraid and concerned about that," Sudanese Archbishop Daniel Deng told Reuters Television, ahead of his meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday (January 11).
Aid groups and campaigners issued a series of reports in recent days warning there was a risk of fresh conflict as Sudan counted down the days to national elections in April and the referendum.
But on the same day of the launch of the beat for peace campaign, Sudanese officials dismissed warnings of Sudan sliding back into civil war.
Sudan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement a report "from some foreign organizations...that the north and the south are doomed to go back to war, was not correct and was not backed by facts on the ground."
At least 139 people were killed in tribal clashes in the south's remote Warrap state last week, the latest in a surge of tribal violence, officials said on Friday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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