June 9, 2010President Barack ObamaThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20500Dear President Obama:The undersigned human rights and anti-genocide organizations urge youradministration’s unequivocal support for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrestwarrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region of Sudan.We welcome the fact that your administration, like the previous administration, hasdeclared its support for the ICC’s investigations into the grave crimes committed inDarfur. However, it is clear that the international community’s commitment toaccountability in Sudan to date has not been sufficient. Not one of the arrest warrantsissued by the ICC for those allegedly responsible for orchestrating and perpetrating thecrimes in Darfur has been executed. The Government of Sudan’s intransigence in the faceof the arrest warrants has been so pronounced that the ICC’s judges recently sent thecases against Ahmad Harun and Ali Mohamed Ali ("Ali Kushayb")

– for whom warrantshave been outstanding since 2007 – back to the United Nations Security Council foraction. Wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur sinceMarch of 2009, Omar al-Bashir has not only failed to cooperate with the Court, but hascontinued to obstruct humanitarian aid to and prolong the conflict in Darfur.As a longstanding supporter of international justice since the Nuremburg Tribunals and apermanent member of the UN Security Council that referred the Darfur situation to theICC in 2005, the U.S. must redouble its commitment to ensuring accountability forcrimes in Darfur.We call on the U.S. to support all outstanding arrest warrants issued by the ICC forcrimes in Sudan by working with its allies and key regional actors to ensure the arrest of Omar al-Bashir, Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb if they travel outside of Sudan. WhenICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo reports to the UN Security Council on the Darfurinvestigations on Friday, June 11, the U.S. should lead the Council in taking action toensure the arrest of Harun and Kushayb as requested by the ICC judges, and incoordinating UN Security Council action to isolate and ensure the arrest of al-Bashir.We call on the U.S. to lead by example and make a public pledge at the UN SecurityCouncil to provide material and intelligence as needed and requested by the ICC tosuccessfully pursue investigations and convictions for crimes in Darfur.The U.S. must also make clear that its support of those alternative justice mechanismsconsistent with international standards does not replace its commitment to the ICCproceedings. The ICC is designed to try the perpetrators most responsible for the world’s

worst crimes and atrocities. Because of the ongoing failure of the Sudanese justice systemto ensure accountability for the grave crimes committed across Darfur, layers of other justice mechanisms will be essential, though they must be properly executed to bebeneficial. For example, the African Union Panel on Darfur’s recommendation that ahybrid court be created to try cases of crimes in Darfur could be an effective supportingmechanism for peace and justice, but only if that court served as a supplement to theICC’s work. The U.S. must emphasize that such alternative mechanisms are no substitutefor advancing ICC investigations and future prosecutions.Without leadership from the United States, the unacceptable status quo of impunity formass atrocities in Sudan will continue. The U.S. has taken a welcome step in advancingits commitment to international justice by participating in the current ICC ReviewConference in Kampala. Now we call on your administration to lead the internationalcommunity by taking concrete steps to support the ICC in its work for ensuring justiceand accountability in Sudan.Sincerely,Gar Elnabi AbusikinPhiladelphia, PARuth MessingerPresidentAmerican Jewish World ServiceNew York, NYStephen McNeilAssistant Regional Director for PeacekeepingAmerican Friends Service Committee/Pacific Mountain RegionSan Francisco, CAJosh RubensteinAmnesty International USASara Caine Kornfeld"Change the world. It just takes cents" TMDenver, CORoz DumanFounder/DirectorColorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and ActionDenver, CO

Mohamed YahyaExecutive DirectorDamanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy.Falls Church, VACory WilliamsPresidentDarfur and BeyondPhoenix, AZMahmoud BraimaPresidentDarfur Association in the USAAdam OmerDarfur Association of NebraskaLincoln, NEKamaldine MoustaphaDarfurian Association at the city of Fort WayneFort Wayne, INMartha Boshnick & Richard YoungDarfur Interfaith Network Ahmat NourPresidentDarfur People Association at New York Makki MakkiDarfur Urgent Action CommitteeHouston, TXGerri MillerFounder and CoordinatorDear Sudan, Love MarinTiburon, CAGloria CristCo-founderEssex County Coalition for DarfurMontclair, NJMia FarrowActress and Activist