مؤتمر دارفور في لاهاي 20-21 نوفمبر (دعوة عامة)

A Follow-up Letter of Invitation


An International Conference
Darfur in The Hague For Two Days

(Postponed from 23 and 24 October to 20 and 21 November 2004)



Carlton Beach Hotel

Room 1, First floor

Gevers Deynootweg 201

The Hague, The Netherlands



A partnership of:



NSON

NOVIB Oxfam Netherlands

ICCO



Dear brothers and sisters,



Greetings of Peace!



After a thorough consultation of the Organising Committee of the International Conference: Darfur in The Hague for Two Days, we would like to inform you that the conference will finally take place on 20 and 21 November 2004 at the same place - Carlton Beach Hotel, Room 1, First Floor, Gevers Deynootweg 201, The Hague, The Netherlands. The Steering Committee composed of NSON, NOVIB and ICCO deemed it was necessary to postpone the dates of the conference due to its simultaneous schedule with the Darfur peace negotiations in Abuja, Nigeria.

The decision to postpone The Hague conference on the conflict in Darfur/Sudan, which was planed for 23-24 October 2004, came after careful discussions between NSON, the organizer, NOVIB the main sponsor, and others involved in preparing this event. It did not seem wise to hold the meeting at the moment of the resumption of the Abuja`s peace talks between the GoS and the Darfuri movements (SLM/A & JEM).

Now the conference has been rescheduled for 20-21 November 2004 with the same goals and objectives, the same speakers and participants, and the same venue (please, see the enclosed programme and the list of speakers). Also, the postponement will enable certain key players to come to The Hague. Moreover, by the time the conference will start, the contours of the possible outcome of this round of Abuja peace talks might be clear already and will also be on the agenda of the Hague conference. This conference will be streamlined with the same direction of peace and reconciliation efforts by the Sudanese and the international community to end the conflict of Darfur.

The Hague conference is also expected to address issues apparently not in the Abuja`s agenda, such as issues of identity and cultures and their relation to the conflicts in Sudan and here the conference is trying to discuss the possible solutions of the Darfur conflict as a model for the rest of the country.

It is also our fervent hope that the conference will open up a chance for us to analyze and understand the root causes of the problems, express our concerns and propose doable action for the very near future with enduring positive results.



Dear all,

Let us be ready to make space in our agenda for Darfur:

November 20-21, 12.00 – 20.00 0’clock

Carlton Beach Hotel, Room 1 first floor

(Gevers Deynootweg 201)



We are looking forward to see you all on 20th Novemver at Carlton Beach Hotel, in the Hague.

Truly yours,

The organizers of NSON

-Mohamed Gamaleldin Hamid

-Salih Kaki



List of the conference participant speakers:



Dr. Francis Deng, Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Internally Displaced Persons, (confirmed).



Dr. Sharif Harir, vice president of Sudan Federal Democratic Party-Darfur and former professor of Anthropology in University of Khartoum, and Bergen University- Norway, (confirmation is subject to the Abuja peace talks).

Dr. Abdalla Bola, Chairman of Sudan Human rights organization in Paris, France, and former Lecturer on Art and Culture at Sudan University of Science and Technology, (confirmed)

Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar. Outreach Directorate Africa Studies Center at University of Pennsylvania, (confirmed).

Mr. Abulgasim Idris, Ambassador of Sudan in the Netherlands, (confirmed).

Dr. Mohamed Suliman, expert on resources and identity conflict in Sudan.

Mrs. Eman Abulgasim, Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM/SLA)-Darfur. (confirmed).

Dr. Magda Mohamed Ahmed Ali, Ma’ a organization in Cairo, Egypt.



Mr. Mohamed Hassan Mohamed Hillal, Lawyer, civil society activist and expert on Darfur issues, (confirmed).



Mr. Abdelwahid Mohamed Nour, Chairman SLM/A, (confirmation is subject to the Abuja peace talks)..



Dr. Nada Mustafa Ali, Sudanese academic and activist, (confirmed).

Dr. Khalil Ibrahim, Chairman of JEM, (confirmation is subject to the Abuja peace talks).

Dr. Mohamed Abusabib, Uppsala University, Lecturer on Islamic Art, (confirmed).

Prof. Abo Elgasim Saif Eldin Samain, expert on Darfur issues, (confirmed).

Dr. Samson L. Kwaje, Commissioner for Information and Official Spokesman SPLM/SPLA, (confirmed).

Mr. Roeland van der Geer (The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs)



Dr. Karin Willemse , Department of Non-Western History, Erasmus University Rotterdam, (confirmed).



Mrs. Jemera Rone, researcher in the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, Sudan desk, (confirmed).



Moderator:

Drs. Jos van Beurden, independent research journalist with special attention for the Horn of Africa and for the global preservation of cultural heritage

Rapporteur:
Ms. Lyzel Sonnenschein, a clinical psychologist by profession and an experienced editor for international publications at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

Darfur`s gallery:

Mr. Khalid Kodi, a Sudanese artist, Fine Arts Faculty, Boston College , he will set up an especial small gallery of his fine arts (with presentation) on Darfur, within the hall of the conference), (confirmed).


Darfur in The Hague for two days!

International Conference

November 20-21, 12.00 – 20.00 0’clock

Carlton Beach Hotel, Room 1 first floor

(Gevers Deynootweg 201)



Program


Dear brothers and sisters,


You have indicated your intention to attend the International Conference on the Root Causes of the Crisis in Darfur. In this letter we pass some more information about the programme.



The aim of the Conference is to have a genuine dialogue between Sudanese and others on the Darfur crisis and other problems of Sudan, and to come to commonly shared conclusions and recommendations.


The meeting is not meant as an academic conference with presentation of lengthy papers, but as an action oriented meeting meant for dialogue and agreements. Interventions by the speakers will be brief and to the point. At several moments the audience will be involved in the discussions.


We have split up the programme into the following parts:


PART ONE

IDENTITY AND CULTURES IN SUDAN

After a warm welcome by a Sudanese and a non-Sudanese and a brief introduction to the Conference by the moderator, a number of speakers will be asked to focus on commonalities such as tolerance, hospitality, interdependency, intermarriage, mutual respect and recognition, conflict resolution at micro-level and other (multicultural) aspects. Reactions from the audience will be solicited during the open forum.

Next the non-commonalities will be focussed at. A Sudanese will be interviewed extensively, followed by a panel discussion on his statement, after which reactions from the audience will be gathered.

Can the negotiations and agreements reached so far between GoS and the SPLM in the South be a model to solve frictions in other parts of Sudan? Two speakers will answer this question, followed by a panel discussion and a discussion with the audience.


Dinner from 17.30 – 18.30

PART TWO

ROOT CAUSES OF THE CRISIS IN DARFUR AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS


Before we go into the root causes of the conflict in Darfur, the humanitarian impact of the war in Darfur will be discussed. We will try to have a direct telephone line with someone in Darfur to pass the latest news on the situation there. There is ample room for interventions by the audience.

(Sunday at noon)


The focus at this time will be on the root causes of the crisis in Darfur. Contributions will be solicited from GoS, SLA and JEM, together with reactions from other speakers and the audience participation. Special attention will tackle the differences and similarities between the situations in the South and in Darfur.

Next we discuss possible solutions for the crisis in Darfur, again with contributions by GoS, SLA, JEM and one or two other speakers to be selected. Here the audience will be involved too.


PART THREE

THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY



We begin with the role of the Sudanese Diaspora, with special reference to the situation in The Netherlands. Someone will very briefly explain the waves in the coming of Sudanese refugees in the Netherlands and the growth of contacts between different Sudanese in the Netherlands since 1999. Discussion follows about the role of the Sudanese Diaspora.


After this, the role of non-Sudanese will be discussed. We expect contributions about policies and practices of the Netherlands Government (including a report about the recent visit of the Troika to Sudan), of Dutch NGOs and public opinion. Europe and the USA will also be dealt with.

Dinner 17.30 – 18.30


CONCLUSION

A The Hague Declaration on the Crisis in Darfur will be prepared and discussed with the audience.


Additional information:

On both Saturday and Sunday the session starts at 12.00 o’clock. Apart from some tea breaks, on both days dinner will be served.

As far as transport to the meeting hall in The Hague/Scheveningen is concerned, trams 1 and 9 ( direction Scheveningen) and bus 22, the last station.


We are quite confident that - with the presence of so many prominent, well-informed and committed speakers who represent all angles of the present problems of Sudan (see the list below) and with an audience, which also has many committed Sudanese and non-Sudanese amongst them - the conference can become quite meaningful and successful.



It will be a pleasure to welcome you on Saturday the 20rd and Sunday the 21th,


The organisers of the NSON,

Mohamed Gamaleldin Hamid

Salih Kaki







New Sudan Organizations Network (NSON)

Van Ostadestraat 200-2526 GJ The Hague The Netherlands

T:+3170-3888564 & +3170-3809817- F:+3170-3888531. E: [email protected]- Post Bank No.: 9394805- COT: 27252726

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I hope to make it up (till that promised day) trying give a chance to all (concerned people) to be informed about this important event .
take care
Ahmad

Darfur`s Gallery:
Mr. Khalid Kodi, a Sudanese artist, Fine Arts Faculty, Boston College , he will set up an especial small gallery of his fine arts (with presentation)on Darfur, within the hall of the conference), (confirmed).

up

thanks Nada
it is very good to have you here passing by

Hope--------
all will be informed

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