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Elders support new campaign for Aung San Suu Kyi www.64forSuu.org

2009-06-03T18:06:00.013+01:00

A new website has been launched calling for the release of Burma’s democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and all of Burma’s political prisoners. It has already attracted thousands of supporters, including The Elders.

64forSuu.org allows anyone to upload video, text, image or twitter messages calling for the release of imprisoned democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, leading up to her 64th birthday on June 19th.

The Elders 64 words for Aung San Suu Kyi:

“Our fellow Elder Aung San Suu Kyi is the symbol of a more hopeful, tolerant and peaceful Burma. We are profoundly troubled by her illegal incarceration and call on world leaders and especially ASEAN members to do everything in their power to secure her release – along with all other political prisoners. We hope to embrace our dear sister in person on her 64th birthday.”

Please add your 64 words to the campaign today!

The Elders always keep an empty chair at their meetings for Aung San Suu Kyi,
their fellow Elder. | photo: Jeff Moore

Update (15 June 2009):

Former political prisoners call for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release

A group of over 100 former political prisoners, including Kim Dae-jung, Anwar Ibrahim and Shirin Ebadi have also recently joined the '64 for Suu' campaign to call for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Elders demand release of Aung San Suu Kyi on 27 May 2009

2009-05-25T22:21:00.017+01:00

Eminent global leaders question legitimacy of 2010 elections

Desmond Tutu: Aung San Suu Kyi, a member of the Elders, remains a symbol of hope for her nation like our founder Nelson Mandela.
Lakhdar Brahimi: ASEAN leaders must reject election results in 2010 if minimum conditions are not met.
Mary Robinson: Aung San Suu Kyi is being punished for conduct over which she had no control.
Jimmy Carter: Aung San Suu Kyi is a hero… Her ongoing detention is a further reflection on the integrity of the government.
Fernando Henrique Cardoso: The path to acceptance for the government of Burma/Myanmar is inclusive dialogue and transition to a more open society.

The Elders leave one seat empty for fellow Elder Aung San Suu Kyi
at a board meeting in Morocco. | photo: Jeff Moore
View images as slideshow | Download High Resolution Images

Marrakech, 26 May 2009

The Elders – a group of eminent global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela – have repeated their call for the release of their fellow Elder Aung San Suu Kyi as her latest 6-year period of house arrest is due to expire.

Chair of The Elders, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, said: “Despite the latest efforts to exclude and silence our sister Aung San Suu Kyi, she remains a symbol of hope for her nation and the world. We are moved by her courage and dignity. She shows the same steel as Nelson Mandela, who endured 27 years in prison. Like him, she has right and goodness on her side.”

Daw Suu Kyi is due for release on 27 May after 6 years under house arrest, but was re-arrested on 13 May and is being held in the notorious Insein prison with thousands of other political prisoners. Her re-arrest followed an uninvited visit to her house by an American citizen. Daw Suu Kyi, her doctor and two staff members are on trial and face five years in prison if found guilty.

Former United States President Jimmy Carter said: “Aung San Suu Kyi is a hero for those who believe in human rights and democracy. Her ongoing detention is a further reflection on the integrity of the government.”

Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “It hurts profoundly that an eminent woman leader has been wrongly held under house arrest for 6 years and now faces being even further punished for conduct over which she had no control.”

The Elders are currently meeting in Morocco and have kept an empty chair for Aung San Suu Kyi, as they always do. Their discussions covered a range of global issues, including events in Burma/Myanmar.

The Elders urge ASEAN governments in particular to make it clear to Myanmar’s leaders that their current actions are jeopardising the legitimacy of elections due in 2010 and the results will not be recognised unless minimum conditions are met.

Those conditions should include the release of all political prisoners, an inclusive national process to review the 2008 constitution and participation by the NLD and other parties in the 2010 election. International observers must also be allowed to supervise the 2010 poll.

The Elders also address the government of Myanmar – urging leaders to increase spending on the health, education and welfare of the people and to accept further humanitarian assistance to help alleviate their country’s poverty and suffering.

Lakhdar Brahimi, former Algerian Foreign Minister, called on ASEAN leaders to send a strong message to the government of Burma/Myanmar: “ASEAN must put the wellbeing of the people of Burma and the region above all else. My fellow Elders and I urge ASEAN to insist that minimum election conditions are met as an important step towards ending the terrible suffering and poverty of the Burmese people.

“The legitimacy of the 2010 poll is dependent on the government meeting those minimum conditions. If it does not, ASEAN and the rest of the world should not accept the election results.”

Former Brazilian President, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, said: “The government of Myanmar is looking for acceptance, especially in the region. The leaders must be told that their current efforts will result in failure. The path to acceptance is inclusive dialogue with the NLD and other parties, the release of political prisoners and peaceful transition to a more open society.”

The Elders said that the entire trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and her companions is a gross travesty of justice.

Desmond Tutu: “We should be very aware that this government will try to convince the world that they are making concessions in relation to Aung San Suu Kyi. I fear that they will find her guilty - but return her to house arrest instead of prison. This is not a concession – it is a manipulation of an illegal process. It must not be accepted by any government, ASEAN or the UN. She must be freed.”

Global coverage of The Elder's call to release Aung San Suu Kyi

2009-05-25T16:46:00.007+01:00

The Elders’ call for the immediate release of their fellow Elder, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been widely reported.

The Times (South Africa). May 27th, 2009

Jakarta Post. May 27th, 2009

The Hindustan Times. May 27th, 2009

Asian Age. May 27th, 2009

Times of Oman. May 27th, 2009

The Elders call for release of fellow Elder Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

2009-05-14T21:39:00.006+01:00

World leaders must not tolerate latest attempt to extend her imprisonment

Desmond Tutu: Release our sister now! Absurd ‘trial’ is an excuse to extend her incarceration.
Jimmy Carter: We stand by Aung San Suu Kyi and call on world leaders to demand her immediate release.
Mary Robinson: Aung San Suu Kyi has been illegally imprisoned for 13 years – this trial is also illegal.

14 May 2009, London

On Monday 18 May the Burmese political leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is to be put on trial. Along with her two housekeepers and US citizen John Yettaw, she has been charged with violating the terms of her house arrest. All those charged, including Aung San Suu Kyi, are currently being held in Insein maximum security prison outside Yangon where numerous other political prisoners are also detained. The trial will be held inside the prison.

The Elders, of whom Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary member, urge world leaders not to tolerate this latest attempt by the military regime in Burma/Myanmar to extend her detention, which has been found to be illegal by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s latest period of house arrest began in 2003 and is due to expire on 27 May 2009. Her Burmese lawyer U Kyi Win says the latest charges carry a penalty of up to 5 years in prison.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, chair of the Elders said: “This so-called trial is absurd. It is an excuse by the junta to extend her incarceration yet again. Our sister must be released immediately!”

President Jimmy Carter said: “The regime is clearly seeking reasons not to release her. We stand by Aung San Suu Kyi, our fellow Elder, and urge the United Nations and ASEAN to dispatch envoys to Burma to demand her immediate release.”

Mary Robinson said: “Aung San Suu Kyi has been illegally detained for 13 years. This trial is just as illegal. It is not credible for the government to persist with this strategy in order to extend her imprisonment. She should be freed immediately. ”

Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained alone in her home in Yangon for 13 of the past 19 years by the military junta of Burma/Myanmar.

Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, who co-founded The Elders, invited Aung San Suu Kyi to join the group when it was formally convened in 2007. Because of her ongoing house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi has been unable to join her fellow Elders, who nevertheless always keep an empty chair for her at their meetings.

Cyprus - the best and last chance for peace

2009-05-12T17:36:00.002+01:00

By Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi

It is tempting to see the results of recent parliamentary elections in northern Cyprus as a blow for the peace process. Voters in the Turkish Cypriot north have rejected the party of their leader Mehmet Ali Talat, who has been meeting almost weekly for eight months with his Greek Cypriot counterpart Demetris Christofias to work out the terms of a settlement to reunify the island.

But the election result has more to do with the dire state of the economy than it does with the peace process. Voters are feeling the pain of economic isolation made worse by the global downturn. While he has lost his parliamentary majority, Mr. Talat is still head of the Turkish Cypriot administration and will continue to lead negotiations on behalf of the north. Both he and Mr. Christofias remain committed to finding a solution, despite the difficulties they face.

What the election result emphasises, however, is that time to find a solution to the Cyprus problem is running out. Talat himself has set presidential elections in early 2010 as a deadline for agreement while Christofias is not without political challenges within his own coalition.

Cyprus presents visitors with a deceptive image. The sunny climate of the eastern Mediterranean draws a steady stream of tourists and EU membership in the south has pushed income levels for Greek Cypriots higher than the EU average. The island might be divided, but life for many is comfortable. However Cyprus remains a conflict zone: there are still fortified streets in Nicosia, a UN peacekeeping operation patrolling the buffer zone and, in the north, a substantial Turkish military force.

All the more reason to make sure that the energy and courage of Talat and Christofias are not squandered. These two leaders have limited political capital and they need more than their own goodwill to succeed.

First, they need their own people to join them in the peace process. By far the majority of Cypriots are unhappy with the status quo, believe a settlement is possible and abhor any return to violence, but they are deeply distrustful of each other and of the peace process. They have seen too many previous efforts fail. A culture of cynicism and complacency seems to be the default position, especially among politicians and the media.

Opening up the debate about what peace could look like would help. When we visited Cyprus late last year, we noticed how few women and young people were engaged in politics. Old men (like us) dominate public debate and we strongly urge Cyprus’s leaders to make more space for those whose voices are not so readily heard.

Second, strengthening links between the two communities is essential. The island has been split for so long that generations have grown up with no idea of life on the other side. It is very difficult for schools, law enforcement agencies, soccer clubs, phone, electricity and water suppliers to cooperate across the Green Line. Teenagers can’t even send text messages across the divide. Trade between the communities is limited.

Lowering these barriers with respect and sensitivity will help heal the wounds of the past and, importantly, build trust. Researchers already estimate that reunification could raise annual incomes by about 1.8 billion euros – more than 5,500 euros per household. Everyone needs to see that there are benefits to reunification that make life easier, make the economy more efficient and outweigh the compromises that any settlement will require.

Third, the major regional powers, whose presence hangs heavily over the island, need to play their part. Greece is urgently called upon to play a more constructive role in the peace process by explaining the benefits of its own normalisation of relations with Ankara and its support for Turkey’s EU membership. Turkey on the other hand could give a tremendous boost to confidence in the peace process by announcing a symbolic withdrawal of some troops from northern Cyprus as a goodwill gesture – a move that would also greatly assist Turkey’s convergence with Europe.

Fourth, explicit international expressions of support for a settlement will help the leaders of both communities feel that success will bring proper recognition and reward. It would certainly help if the European Union promised substantial development funds, including for property settlement issues, once an agreement is in place.

This is the best chance in thirty years for a federal settlement in Cyprus and it may be the last. If these talks fail, partition will probably be permanent and, no matter how benign the environment today, geopolitics will catch up with the island over time. Failure to settle the Cyprus problem is a potentially serious threat to good relations between NATO, Turkey and the EU. Cypriots must seize this chance now to build a healthy, reunited country that can make the most of its economic potential in the region, and play its part in world affairs in confidence and security.

The Elders call for more aid to help stabilise Zimbabwe

2009-05-07T16:20:00.003+01:00

Most people still living in ‘serious deprivation’

Desmond Tutu: This is the best chance in decades for peace and prosperity; now is not the time to ‘wait and see’.
Kofi Annan: Rapid infusion of ‘humanitarian-plus’ resources is needed to help stabilise the country at this vulnerable time.

London, Thursday 7 May 2009

The Elders have written to development ministers in 18 donor countries and the European Commission*, urging them to respond more swiftly, generously and creatively to Zimbabwe’s needs by providing ‘humanitarian-plus’ assistance.

Since the formation of a government of national unity in Zimbabwe in February, schools and health services have reopened and there have been signs of economic progress, but most people are still living in conditions of serious deprivation.

The Elders are also concerned about the lack of political and judicial reform in Zimbabwe which suggests that there is considerable determination in some quarters to resist lasting political change. However, The Elders believe that in this context, the risks of inaction by donors outweigh the challenges of delivering increased aid.

“The inclusive government needs more support to ensure that it can initiate the urgent stabilisation and early recovery programmes that the people so desperately need,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu, chair of The Elders. “Now is not the time for donors to take a ‘wait and see’ approach. This is the best chance Zimbabweans have had for peace and prosperity in decades.”

“There are times when a swift, generous and creative response is required”, said Kofi Annan, who visited southern Africa in November 2008 with Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel to draw attention to Zimbabwe’s humanitarian crisis.

“A rapid infusion of ‘humanitarian-plus’ resources is needed to help stabilise the country at this vulnerable stage in its recovery. Supporting the inclusive government to deliver better services will foster much needed change”, said Mr Annan.

Donors provided around $670 million in emergency aid to Zimbabwe in 2008 and more humanitarian assistance has been pledged for 2009, but they have indicated that they will not deliver long-term development support until the government implements much-needed political and economic reforms.

The Elders agree that full donor re-engagement should be linked to reforms, but in private letters sent to donors this week, they point out that there is a big gap between the provision of emergency food and medical supplies, and longer-term development assistance.

‘Humanitarian-plus’ funds are needed to bridge that gap – for example to rehabilitate water and sanitation infrastructure (the breakdown in water infrastructure was a major cause of the cholera crisis), provide teaching materials for primary and secondary schools, cover school fees for Zimbabwe’s estimated 1.3 million orphans and vulnerable children, support local food production, provide housing for the poor, manage waste and support the revival of the micro-finance sector.

The Elders acknowledge donor concerns about the need for proper and transparent use of aid, but say that there are times when greater flexibility is required and suggest that ‘humanitarian-plus’ funds could be delivered through specially administered accountable mechanisms.

* Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Commission.

Humanitarian situation will deteriorate sharply in Sudan after expulsion of aid workers

2009-03-16T12:50:00.006Z

“The people of Sudan must not be punished any further” - Desmond Tutu

Monday, 16 March 2009

The humanitarian situation in Sudan is expected to deteriorate sharply following the expulsion of 13 international aid agencies by the government and issuing of restrictions on three national organisations.

The Elders – a group of prominent former statesmen and women including former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi and Archbishop Desmond Tutu – say that more than a million people will suffer as a result of the government’s actions.

Archbishop Tutu, chairman of The Elders, said: “The people of Sudan must not be punished any further. Why is the government taking this action against its own citizens? I urge the Sudanese authorities not to exacerbate the awful suffering of the people and allow aid agencies to do their work in safety.”

Kofi Annan said: “Expelling aid workers and confiscating their equipment will only hurt the weakest and most vulnerable. Hundreds of thousands of people have already died in Sudan as a result of conflict. Without assistance more than a million will be at greatly increased risk. The government and the international community have a responsibility to ensure that the most vulnerable are cared for and are not made the victims of events that are beyond their control.”

Lakhdar Brahimi added: “The international community must work together to try to address the worsening humanitarian situation. We know that disease and hunger are acute and violence is a daily reality for those displaced by war. Aid agencies are a lifeline for these people.”

The government of Sudan took action against the aid agencies following the issuing of an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court on 4 March. President al-Bashir has been indicted by the Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Will Africa Let Sudan Off the Hook?

2009-03-03T16:34:00.008Z

Published in the New York Times
Tuesday, 2 March 2009

The Elders Chair, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
photo credit: David Hands

By DESMOND TUTU

THE expected issuance of an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan by the International Criminal Court tomorrow presents a stark choice for African leaders — are they on the side of justice or on the side of injustice? Are they on the side of the victim or the oppressor? The choice is clear but the answer so far from many African leaders has been shameful.

Because the victims in Sudan are African, African leaders should be the staunchest supporters of efforts to see perpetrators brought to account. Yet rather than stand by those who have suffered in Darfur, African leaders have so far rallied behind the man responsible for turning that corner of Africa into a graveyard.

In response to news last July that Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the court’s chief prosecutor, was seeking an arrest warrant for President Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, the African Union issued a communiqué to the United Nations Security Council asking it to suspend the court’s proceedings. Rather than condemn the genocide in Darfur, the organization chose to underscore its concern that African leaders are being unfairly singled out and to support President Bashir’s effort to delay court proceedings.

More recently, the Group of 77, an influential organization at the United Nations consisting of 130 developing states and including nearly every African country, gave Sudan its chairmanship. The victory came after African members endorsed Sudan’s candidacy in spite of the imminent criminal charges against its president.

I regret that the charges against President Bashir are being used to stir up the sentiment that the justice system — and in particular, the international court — is biased against Africa. Justice is in the interest of victims, and the victims of these crimes are African. To imply that the prosecution is a plot by the West is demeaning to Africans and understates the commitment to justice we have seen across the continent.

It’s worth remembering that more than 20 African countries were among the founders of the International Criminal Court, and of the 108 nations that joined the court, 30 are in Africa. That the court’s four active investigations are all in Africa is not because of prosecutorial prejudice — it is because three of the countries involved (Central African Republic, Congo and Uganda) themselves requested that the prosecutor intervene. Only the Darfur case was referred to the prosecutor by the Security Council. The prosecutor on his own initiative is considering investigations in Afghanistan, Colombia and Georgia.

African leaders argue that the court’s action will impede efforts to promote peace in Darfur. However, there can be no real peace and security until justice is enjoyed by the inhabitants of the land. There is no peace precisely because there has been no justice. As painful and inconvenient as justice may be, we have seen that the alternative — allowing accountability to fall by the wayside — is worse.

The issuance of an arrest warrant for President Bashir would be an extraordinary moment for the people of Sudan — and for those around the world who have come to doubt that powerful people and governments can be called to account for inhumane acts. African leaders should support this historic occasion, not work to subvert it.

View 'Will Africa Let Sudan Off the Hook?' in the New York Times

Elders call on Zimbabweans to unite to end suffering

2009-01-31T17:43:00.003Z

International donors should support transition efforts

Elders call on Zimbabweans to unite to end suffering
International donors should support transition effort

Saturday 31 January 2009

The Elders have called on Zimbabweans to unite to end the terrible suffering in their country and urge international donors to support the latest step towards the formation of a new government.

In Harare on Friday, the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai announced that it will join a government of national unity, allowing the Global Political Agreement signed last September to be implemented.

“This is an important step towards ending the political impasse in Zimbabwe,” said former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, “but it is not a guarantee that Zimbabwe’s distress is over. Rebuilding the economy and ending the peoples’ terrible suffering will take much more work on the part of all Zimbabweans, regional leaders and the international community.”

Chairman of the Elders, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, said, “We will be watching closely to ensure that the agreement between the political parties is implemented fairly. But the people of Zimbabwe can no longer be held hostage by politics. Their urgent needs must be met.”

President Carter said: “This political agreement is far from perfect – but political life involves taking risks. The international community should now do what it can to give this agreement the best chance of success. Talking it down will not improve the situation for Zimbabweans - it will only prolong their agony.”

Three members of the Elders, Mr Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter and Mrs Graça Machel travelled to southern Africa in November to assess the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. Informed that they would not be welcome in Harare, they arranged to meet heads of UN agencies, donors, regional political leaders and Zimbabwean civil society representatives over three days in Johannesburg. They were shocked by what they learned in November, and say that since their visit the crisis has escalated.

“Conditions since we visited are even worse”, said Graça Machel. “We should now respect the decisions made by Zimbabweans about their future and do all we can to ease the suffering of the people. It is essential that hospitals and schools reopen and water supplies are made safe. But we must also monitor what is happening very closely at the political level and encourage all parties to work in good faith to implement the terms of the Global Political Agreement.”

'An Assault on Human Dignity' by President Mary Robinson

2009-01-13T19:05:00.003Z

Published in openDemocracy
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

by Mary Robinson

NEW YORK -- All signs increasingly point to an Israeli assault in Gaza which contravenes international legal norms relating in particular to proportionality and collective punishment. This response, tragically, is but the latest in an escalating series of measures which not only fail to protect the Israeli people from terrorist attacks but further fan the flames of conflict across the region.

Last November I visited the Gaza Strip for the first time in eight years, leading a small delegation of women leaders on a fact-finding mission to the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel which sought to hear and learn from the women of the region. I was shocked by the situation caused by the blockage on Gaza in terms of loss of livelihoods, restrictions on movement and a range of other human rights violations. The UN calls it an 18-month "human dignity crisis". Anyone who has seen the suffering can't help but feel outraged. Many women I met asked why, given the truce was in place, Israel did not open the borders for at least some civilian activity to take place.

Hamas had established order, basic freedoms – of speech, association and religion – were becoming restricted. We had in-depth discussions with Palestinian and Israeli women leaders and community members. They were unified in their conviction that more must be done by both sides to achieve peaceful, and, therefore, more durable, solutions to the conflict. They urged us to do everything possible to help ensure the truce between Israel and Hamas would hold.

Thus it was particularly distressing to see Hamas refuse to extend the cease-fire which expired on 19 December and to watch as Israel launched an all out war which is now compounding the suffering that already existed. The most recent attacks come after more than 50 days of an almost-complete blockade of Gaza, exacerbating a dire humanitarian crisis in which more than three-quarters of the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million residents became dependent upon direct food provision, and where supplies of water, medicines, electricity, diesel, cooking oil and even food are unpredictable and unreliable.

It was appalling to hear while in Gaza that the UN had a stockpile of over $150 million of building materials for repairing health clinics and schools in Gaza which the Israeli government had blocked at the border. It was heartrending to listen to poor women farmers in the village of Beit Hanoun beg to be able to work. "Our land has been bulldozed," they told me. "We learned embroidery, but we have no thread. We learned to make candles, but we have no wax." "Our children are hungry and the sick have no medicine." Now I picture these women with no water or electricity, pounded from the sky with bombs and explosives and enduring an invasion. I am profoundly shocked and dismayed that this is becoming the "new normal".

What is to be done now? Clearly, diplomatic efforts to forge a new cease-fire must be intensified and succeed. I add my voice to the call by groups like the International Women's Commission (IWC) for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian–Israeli Peace – an alliance of Israeli and Palestinian women leaders who have demanded an immediate cessation of the aggression by the Israeli military forces in Gaza, which has already cost hundreds of lives. Just as Israel must end its assault on Gaza, Hamas must stop firing missiles into Israel. Only then can the painstaking work of returning to comprehensive peace talks which include Palestinian unity begin anew.

On the humanitarian front, support to hospitals and distribution of food as well as restoration of electricity, basic sanitation and other services must be facilitated urgently, including through access to border crossings that have been closed. The recent reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross accusing Israel of delaying ambulance access to Gaza to assist the wounded is particularly troubling and yet another potential breach of international humanitarian law.

As things stand at present, only the extremists are winning. War is destroying the Middle East. A new way forward must be found, one which ensures both that Israelis can live in peace and security and that the Palestinian people, who have suffered far too much for far too long, are finally able to live in dignity.

View this Op-ed on the openDemocracy website or learn more at Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative

'An Unnecessary War' by President Jimmy Carter

2009-01-09T16:36:00.003Z

Published in the Washington Post
Thursday, January 8, 2009

By Jimmy Carter

I know from personal involvement that the devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided.

After visiting Sderot last April and seeing the serious psychological damage caused by the rockets that had fallen in that area, my wife, Rosalynn, and I declared their launching from Gaza to be inexcusable and an act of terrorism. Although casualties were rare (three deaths in seven years), the town was traumatized by the unpredictable explosions. About 3,000 residents had moved to other communities, and the streets, playgrounds and shopping centers were almost empty. Mayor Eli Moyal assembled a group of citizens in his office to meet us and complained that the government of Israel was not stopping the rockets, either through diplomacy or military action.

Knowing that we would soon be seeing Hamas leaders from Gaza and also in Damascus, we promised to assess prospects for a cease-fire. From Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who was negotiating between the Israelis and Hamas, we learned that there was a fundamental difference between the two sides. Hamas wanted a comprehensive cease-fire in both the West Bank and Gaza, and the Israelis refused to discuss anything other than Gaza.

We knew that the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza were being starved, as the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food had found that acute malnutrition in Gaza was on the same scale as in the poorest nations in the southern Sahara, with more than half of all Palestinian families eating only one meal a day.

Palestinian leaders from Gaza were noncommittal on all issues, claiming that rockets were the only way to respond to their imprisonment and to dramatize their humanitarian plight. The top Hamas leaders in Damascus, however, agreed to consider a cease-fire in Gaza only, provided Israel would not attack Gaza and would permit normal humanitarian supplies to be delivered to Palestinian citizens.

After extended discussions with those from Gaza, these Hamas leaders also agreed to accept any peace agreement that might be negotiated between the Israelis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PLO, provided it was approved by a majority vote of Palestinians in a referendum or by an elected unity government.

Since we were only observers, and not negotiators, we relayed this information to the Egyptians, and they pursued the cease-fire proposal. After about a month, the Egyptians and Hamas informed us that all military action by both sides and all rocket firing would stop on June 19, for a period of six months, and that humanitarian supplies would be restored to the normal level that had existed before Israel's withdrawal in 2005 (about 700 trucks daily).

We were unable to confirm this in Jerusalem because of Israel's unwillingness to admit to any negotiations with Hamas, but rocket firing was soon stopped and there was an increase in supplies of food, water, medicine and fuel. Yet the increase was to an average of about 20 percent of normal levels. And this fragile truce was partially broken on Nov. 4, when Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas inside the wall that encloses Gaza.

On another visit to Syria in mid-December, I made an effort for the impending six-month deadline to be extended. It was clear that the preeminent issue was opening the crossings into Gaza. Representatives from the Carter Center visited Jerusalem, met with Israeli officials and asked if this was possible in exchange for a cessation of rocket fire. The Israeli government informally proposed that 15 percent of normal supplies might be possible if Hamas first stopped all rocket fire for 48 hours. This was unacceptable to Hamas, and hostilities erupted.

After 12 days of "combat," the Israeli Defense Forces reported that more than 1,000 targets were shelled or bombed. During that time, Israel rejected international efforts to obtain a cease-fire, with full support from Washington. Seventeen mosques, the American International School, many private homes and much of the basic infrastructure of the small but heavily populated area have been destroyed. This includes the systems that provide water, electricity and sanitation. Heavy civilian casualties are being reported by courageous medical volunteers from many nations, as the fortunate ones operate on the wounded by light from diesel-powered generators.

The hope is that when further hostilities are no longer productive, Israel, Hamas and the United States will accept another cease-fire, at which time the rockets will again stop and an adequate level of humanitarian supplies will be permitted to the surviving Palestinians, with the publicized agreement monitored by the international community. The next possible step: a permanent and comprehensive peace.

The writer was president from 1977 to 1981. He founded the Carter Center, a nongovernmental organization advancing peace and health worldwide, in 1982.

View 'An Unncessary War' in the Washington Post

The Elders: Current government cannot lead Zimbabwe out of humanitarian crisis

2008-12-07T12:31:00.016Z

Bitter disappointment' at the failure of the regime
Elders release report on Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis following visit to region by Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel.
SADC should engage more actively in accelerating transition of power
Region should unite to address cholera epidemic
'Deep concern' about human rights violations and disappearance of Jestina Mukoko of the Zimbabwe Peace Project

Download Full Report:
Zimbabwe Initiative: Report on the Visit to Southern Africa, November 2008 (PDF)

Members of the Elders meeting in Paris. From left Gro Brundtland, Lakhdar Brahimi,
Ela Bhatt, Jimmy Carter, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson, Fernando H Cardoso.
Photo by Thierry Boccon-Gibod.

Paris, Sunday 7 December 2008

The Elders have released a detailed report on the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe following their recent visit to the region. The report calls on SADC leaders to acknowledge the seriousness of the refugee crisis in the region, stop deportations to Zimbabwe and establish a regional coordination mechanism to address and contain Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic.

Speaking in Paris, where they are meeting privately, The Elders have also expressed their concern about the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation, ongoing human rights violations and the inability of the current government to relieve the suffering of their people. They urge SADC to engage more actively in accelerating the transition of power in Zimbabwe to an inclusive power-sharing government.

Three members of The Elders, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter and international advocate for women and children's rights Mrs Graça Machel tried to visit Zimbabwe on 22 and 23 November but were unable to enter the country. Instead they met Zimbabwean political leaders, civil society and business representatives, donors, aid workers and UN agency heads over three days in Johannesburg.

The report of their visit is addressed to Zimbabwe's political leaders, SADC leaders and donors. It has also been received by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council.

While the focus of the report is the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, the Elders group as a whole has been following events since their colleagues' visit, and have added their support to calls for an accelerated transition of power in Zimbabwe.

"There is bitter disappointment in the current leadership," said Mr Annan. "This government has not demonstrated the ability to lead the country out of its current crisis. The process of transition to an inclusive government must be accelerated and I urge SADC leaders to play a more active role in pressing for that to occur."

Graça Machel urged SADC leaders to visit Zimbabwe themselves. "We were not able to enter the country, but I am pleased that South Africa's government is planning a fact-finding mission and I would urge all the leaders of SADC to visit Zimbabwe to assess the humanitarian situation first-hand. Zimbabwe's leaders are failing their people and the region cannot ignore the suffering of millions any longer."

"Zimbabwe urgently needs the rapid formation of a workable government," said President Carter. "The regime has been in denial about what is happening in their country, and the region has not really wanted to know either," said President Carter. "The cholera epidemic has shown just how serious the situation in Zimbabwe has become."

The Elders chairman Archbishop Desmond Tutu was not able to join the Elders in Paris for their meeting, but said from South Africa that Robert Mugabe "has destroyed a wonderful country. A country that used to be a bread basket has now become a basket case."

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, former UN Commissioner for Human Rights and acting chair of the Elders said: "There are grave and flagrant human rights abuses occurring. Jestina Mukoko, Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project was abducted from her home last Wednesday by a gang of plain-clothed men armed with guns. We are deeply concerned about her and others who have disappeared."

"The future of the country cannot be in the hands of the present government," said former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland.

Former Brazilian President Fernando H. Cardoso said: "There is no longer any alternative - Zimbabwe's economy is at a standstill and the situation will only get worse while the political situation remains uncertain."

Ela Bhatt, founder of the three-million strong Self Employed Women's Association in India appealed to the leaders "to restore normalcy and peace so that the poor can earn their daily bread. When workers are not able to pay for a few loaves of bread with their monthly earnings, their leaders are not meeting the most basic needs of their people."

Lakhdar Brahimi, former Algerian Foreign Minister said "A liberation movement and its leaders lose their legitimacy when they not only ignore the suffering of their people but actually act in a manner that increases their suffering dramatically. African leaders in general - and SADC leaders in particular - have a duty to come to the assistance of the people."

Elders to meet President Sarkozy on 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights

This weekend the Elders are meeting privately in Paris, where they are also celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

On Monday they will meet President Nicolas Sarkozy and attend a ceremony at the Elysee Palace to mark the anniversary.

The Elders-inspired Every Human Has Rights campaign has reintroduced the Universal Declaration to millions of people around the world. For more information and to make your commitment to upholding the Declaration go to www.everyhumanhasrights.org

About The Elders

The Elders are Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu and Muhammad Yunus. Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary Elder.

The Elders' story began in a conversation between musician Peter Gabriel and businessman Richard Branson. They discussed the idea of a new gathering of world leaders - people of moral standing, independent of government or financial influence - to guide and support the 'global village'. For inspiration they looked to traditional societies where elders are often trusted by their people to help resolve disputes and protect the interests of the entire community. Gabriel and Branson took their idea to Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, who were immediately enthusiastic.

On his 89th birthday in 2007, Nelson Mandela publicly announced the formation of The Elders, saying: "This group derives its strength not from political, economic or military power, but from the independence and integrity of those who are here ... I believe that, with their experience and their energies, and their profound commitment to building a better world, The Elders can become a fiercely independent and robust force for good, tackling complex and intractable issues."

As globally respected leaders, The Elders offer their collective experience, and their independent voices to support the resolution of conflict, to seek new approaches to easing human suffering - and to give voice to those who struggle to be heard.

The Elders: Zimbabwe is failing its people

2008-11-24T16:18:00.008Z

* The scale of the crisis must be acknowledged and addressed by Zimbabwe's leaders

* Elders call on SADC countries to act immediately on cholera, refugees

Download press release (PDF)
Photos & video from 24 November press conference

Johannesburg, Monday 24 November

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter and international advocate for women's and children's rights Dr Graça Machel have concluded a three day assessment of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.

Unable to travel to Zimbabwe as originally planned, the Elders instead met political leaders, businessmen, aid workers, donors, UN agencies and civil society representatives in Johannesburg over the weekend, many of whom travelled from Zimbabwe to see them. They also held meetings with leaders of South Africa and Botswana.

While the nature of the problems in Zimbabwe has been well known, their meetings revealed a sharp deterioration in the crisis recent weeks.

FOOD
Food is the most serious problem. There is not enough to meet immediate needs and an acute shortage of seed and fertiliser means that April's harvest will produce a fraction of what is required. Donor assistance for the planting season reached only 25 per cent of the poorest rural smallholders.

The number of people reliant on food aid from UN and other agencies has increased from 2.6 million in October to 4.9 million in November. Half the population, 5.1 million people, will need food aid by January.

World Food Programme has already cut back on rations to make stocks last longer - leaving people with a daily allowance that provides just under 1500 calories, well below the bare minimum for survival. Without immediate increases in food availability, malnutrition rates will inevitably increase sharply.

HEALTH
Four major hospitals, including two in Harare, have closed their doors to almost all patients for lack of medicine and basic supplies - including running water. Hundreds of pregnant women needing caesarean sections or other assistance to give birth safely are being turned away. Staff numbers are falling as people make the search for food a priority.

About 15 per cent of the population is infected with HIV. 3,500 die every week. The AIDS crisis has left almost one in four children without one or both parents.

EDUCATION
School attendance has fallen sharply from over 85 per cent in 2007 to just 20 per cent. Universities have not opened at all this term. A teacher's monthly salary barely covers a day's average transport costs.

WATER AND SANITATION
Zimbabwe's collapsing health and water infrastructure has led to a major cholera outbreak that now raises the risk of a trans-regional cholera epidemic.

An estimated 6,300 cholera cases have been recorded in 9 out of 10 provinces in Zimbabwe, with fatality rates far above accepted international emergency levels of 1 per cent. Cases are already being recorded in South Africa and other neighbouring countries

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CASH CRISIS
Hyperinflation means monthly salaries have plummeted in value with severe cash shortages making it very difficult for even those with incomes to buy enough to eat. The government has recently permitted the use of US dollars in some stores, but this is leading to a two-tier economy between those who have access to foreign currency and the majority who do not. Hyperinflation is affecting the dollarized sector as well.

MASS MIGRATION AND DISPLACEMENT
Zimbabwe's failing economy and humanitarian disaster has created an estimated 3 million refugees. The SADC region has ignored this refugee exodus, refusing to name it as such, which means that many of those who leave risk arrest and deportation.

IMPASSE ON FORMING A GOVERNMENT
The failure to implement the Global Political Agreement is accelerating the humanitarian disaster. Without political progress, none of these issues can be properly addressed.

"We knew when we planned this trip that the situation in Zimbabwe was serious," said Mr Annan. "What we have learned in the past few days is shocking. It is not just the extent of Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis, but the speed of deterioration in the past few weeks that is most worrying. The scale, depth and urgency of the situation are underreported."

President Carter said: "The signing of the 15 September agreement raised hopes in Zimbabwe and around the world, but the failure to implement it in good faith and create a workable power sharing government is leading to despair and accelerating the crisis. Regardless of the challenges in implementing the agreement, all parties should now make the welfare of the people their first priority and put an end to the unnecessary suffering of millions."

"The state is no longer able to offer basic services", said Dr Machel. "It can no longer feed, educate or care for its citizens. It is failing its people."

On leaving South Africa, the Elders will continue to follow events in Zimbabwe closely and use their influence wherever they can to ensure that the situation in the country is widely acknowledged and addressed.

Recommendations:

Political agreement

All political parties should implement, in good faith, the Global Political Agreement as a matter of urgency, and work to form a truly inclusive government to tackle the humanitarian and economic crisis, also working with regional and international partners.

Food

Donors should provide sufficient resources to meet emergency humanitarian needs, including the current $140 million required to feed people until April. The should also support the consolidated appeal of $550 million by 35 agencies to address urgent needs in all sectors in 2009.

Humanitarian agencies must have unimpeded access, to assess needs and deliver humanitarian assistance without restraint.

The Elders call on the United Nations, especially the WFP and FAO to work with the government and others to bring critical support to smallholder farmers in particular, especially in seed and fertiliser. This could enable a new 'Home Grown Help' initiative to be launched in time for the 2009-10 agricultural season. The government will also need to review current policies that create disincentives for agricultural production such as price controls and monopolies.

Health

To address the cholera outbreak it is essential that the region comes together to set up a medical task force to help deal with those affected and to contain the spread of the disease.

The government of Zimbabwe, working with the UN and international agencies, should find creative ways of retaining doctors, nurses and other essential staff, and ensure that medical supplies are available.

Extraordinary measures to attract qualified health workers from surrounding countries should be brought in to address the fatal cholera epidemic. The Elders call on SADC to ensure proper capacity, regional coordination and cooperation.

Education

Government, with assistance from donors and aid agencies, should create incentives for teachers to go back to school, including transport allowances, adequate salary, housing and access to food.

Water and Sanitation

Government, with assistance from donors, should ensure the emergency treatment of existing water sources, along with efforts to rehabilitate water and sanitation infrastructure.

SADC region

The SADC region needs to acknowledge that the crisis in Zimbabwe is affecting neighbouring countries and it is in the interests of all that it be addressed immediately.

The Elders want to thank all those who met them and helped make their stay in the region so productive, especially those who travelled from Zimbabwe to meet them, as well as the Presidents of South Africa and Botswana. SADC must play a crucial role in ensuring not only that the power-sharing agreement is implemented as soon as possible, but that work to get Zimbabwe back from the brink begins as well.

Media contact - Katy Cronin: media@theElders.org

Crisis in Zimbabwe - Video & Images from 24 November, 2008

2008-11-24T07:55:00.004Z

Video from 24 November 2008

Press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter and international advocate for women's and children's rights Dr Graça Machel have concluded a three day assessment of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe (read related press release)

Press Conference Photos, 24 November 2008

View images as slideshow | Download High Resolution Images

Media Contact : Katy Cronin katy.cronin@theelders.org

The Elders cancel visit to Zimbabwe: meetings to continue in South Africa

2008-11-22T21:39:00.004Z

Download media release (PDF)

Johannesburg, Saturday 22 November 2008

The Elders are cancelling their trip to Harare this weekend, saying the government of Zimbabwe has refused to cooperate in any way to make the visit possible.

The three members of the Elders’ delegation are former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter and international advocate for women’s and children’s rights Mrs Graça Machel.

“We need no red carpet treatment from the government of Zimbabwe,” said Mr Annan. “We seek no permission other than permission to help the poor and the desperate.

“However the refusal of the Zimbabwean government to facilitate our visit in any way has made it impossible for us to travel at this time,” said Mr Annan.

“Millions of people are in need of help in Zimbabwe. We want to use our influence to increase the flow of assistance, immediately and in the longer term, to stop the terrible suffering. We are here to show solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe and to assure them that they are not alone.”

“I am extremely disappointed that we are unable to visit Zimbabwe,” said Mrs Machel. “We want to talk to the people and hear their stories directly. We want people to know that we care, and that we will do all we can to help them. People are dying from hunger every day in Zimbabwe and hospitals are unable to treat the sick. With schools struggling to stay open, children are missing out on an education. One in four children has lost one or both parents. The government’s attitude to our visit is deeply regrettable.”

President Jimmy Carter, who actively supported Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle while in office, said: “I am partisan. I make no apology for that. I supported Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and I oppose suffering and misery. But I am very sorry that we are unable to visit Zimbabwe. We will continue with our plans to learn as much as we can while we are here in the region, where millions of Zimbabweans inside and outside the country face a daily struggle for survival.”

The Elders will remain in South Africa to brief themselves as fully as possible about the situation in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries. They will speak to humanitarian agency representatives, civil society actors, businesspeople and officials from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the region.

Mr Annan said: “In preparation for the visit, I spoke to many regional leaders, who are all extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe and who welcome the Elders’ visit in the expectation that it will make a real difference for the country and the region.”

A press conference to present the Elders’ findings will be held on Monday in Johannesburg as planned. Further details of the press conference will be released as soon as possible.

Media contact: Katy Cronin - katy.cronin@theElders.org

The Elders visit to Zimbabwe

2008-11-21T05:59:00.008Z

Download media release (PDF)

Johannesburg, 20 November 2008

Former United States President Jimmy Carter and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan are arriving in Southern Africa on Friday to make a first hand assessment of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.

They will be joined in this assessment by fellow Elder and international advocate for women's and children's rights, Mrs Graça Machel.

Mr Annan said: "The Elders are deeply concerned about the impact of the deteriorating economic situation in Zimbabwe on the population. The purpose of our visit is to meet those working on the ground to better assess the extent of the crisis and how assistance can be improved.

"Food shortages, a lack of seed and fertiliser for planting and the breakdown in health services are all having a serious effect on the people. We understand that the situation requires an urgent response and that delays will only prolong the people's suffering.

"We have sought meetings with political leaders in Zimbabwe and would be pleased to hear their views. As we said earlier, we have no intention of becoming involved in the ongoing political negotiations in Zimbabwe. My colleagues and I look forward to our visit."

About The Elders

Convened in 2007 by Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, The Elders is a group of globally respected leaders who offer their experience and independent voices to support innovative and cooperative approaches to addressing global challenges.

The Elders are: Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu and Muhammad Yunus. Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary Elder.

Contact: katy.cronin@theelders.org

Visit to Zimbabwe in the news

2008-11-21T01:00:00.004Z

Annan and Carter will go to Zimbabwe despite criticism
International Herald Tribune

International envoys' Zimbabwe visit condemned by Robert Mugabe
Times Online

Annan to lead team on humanitarian mission to Harare
Guardian.co.uk

The Elders to visit Zimbabwe

2008-11-16T15:08:00.001Z

Download this post as a PDF

Friday 14 November 2008

Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel highlight escalating humanitarian crisis

Three members of The Elders plan to visit Zimbabwe in late November to assess the country’s escalating humanitarian crisis.

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former United States President Jimmy Carter and international advocate for women and children’s rights Mrs Graça Machel plan to visit Zimbabwe on 22 and 23 November. They will also visit South Africa on 24 November.

“Relieving the suffering of millions of people must be the priority of Zimbabwe’s leaders,” said Mr Annan. “But global attention is also slipping as Zimbabwe’s humanitarian crisis worsens.”

During their visit the Elders plan to make a first-hand assessment of how to more effectively respond to current humanitarian needs, and how to avoid further deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe and its spill-over effects on neighbouring countries.

“We hope that our visit will also add momentum to the global response to longer-term issues of reform and development once an inclusive government is in place and operational,” said Mr Annan. “It is crucial that the international community supports a Zimbabwe-led process of recovery, and provides sufficient funding for its implementation.”

Mr Annan emphasised that this will be a humanitarian mission. “The delegation will not be involved in the current political negotiations,” he said. “However, we urge Zimbabwe’s political leaders to move swiftly to fully implement the 15 September agreement, particularly the provisions on humanitarian and food assistance. Delays in forming a government are prolonging the suffering of the people.”

The Elders have been observing the decline of Zimbabwe’s economic and humanitarian situation with concern for some time. The World Food Programme estimates that 5 million Zimbabweans nearly half the population – will need emergency food aid by early next year. Fuel and seed shortages mean crops are not being planted, exacerbating the food crisis.

About The Elders

The Elders’ story began in a conversation between musician Peter Gabriel and businessman Richard Branson. They discussed the idea of a new gathering of world leaders – people of moral standing, independent of government or financial influence – to guide and support the ‘global village’. For inspiration they looked to traditional societies where elders are often trusted by their people to help resolve disputes and protect the interests of the entire community. Gabriel and Branson then took their idea to Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, who were immediately enthusiastic.

On his 89th birthday in 2007, Nelson Mandela publicly announced the formation of The Elders, saying: “This group derives its strength not from political, economic or military power, but from the independence and integrity of those who are here … I believe that, with their experience and their energies, and their profound commitment to building a better world, The Elders can become a fiercely independent and robust force for good, tackling complex and intractable issues.”

As globally respected leaders, The Elders offer their collective experience, and above all their independent voices to support the resolution of conflict, to seek new approaches to easing human suffering – and to give voice to those who struggle to be heard.

The Elders are: Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu and Muhammad Yunus.
Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary Elder.

Media Contact: Katy Cronin katy.cronin@theElders.org

The Way forward - by Kofi Annan

2008-11-16T09:12:00.001Z

Originally published in the International Herald Tribune 16 November, 2008

The ink is hardly dry on the communiqué from Saturday's Group of 20 meeting, where members pledged to work together to revive their economies. Time, political will and in particular the Obama administration will determine whether the goals and ambitions set out will be realized. But the communiqué's significance should not be underestimated.

First, that the pledge should emerge from a G-20 meeting - a forum of advanced and emerging countries - rather than, say, a G-8 or OECD meeting, bodes well for a more inclusive response to the global economic crisis.

Events of the past few months have again underscored that no single country or small subset of countries, even the most powerful or wealthy, can manage the forces unleashed in our globalized world. The Washington meeting potentially represents the beginning of an era of unprecedented cooperation for concerted action on other equally pressing issues, such as climate change, food security and poverty reduction.

Second, it is proposing a process and a timetable both to brake if not reverse the slide into global recession, and to reform the international economic architecture. To date, response has been in crisis mode. But the underlying issues require a sustained response, being systemic in nature: insufficient regulation and supervision of the financial markets; unsustainable energy policies; unpredictable and insufficient assistance for the most vulnerable; and uncoordinated macro-economic policies.

These issues could not be more relevant for Africa. The economic meltdown has come at the worst possible time. Notwithstanding the persistence of conflict and untold humanitarian tragedy in far too many places, including the Horn of Africa, Darfur, eastern Congo and Zimbabwe, the continent has enjoyed a decade of real progress, albeit starting from a low base relative to other parts of the world.

Africa has seen growth rates that are higher than in the past, impressive increases in foreign direct investment and breakthroughs in governance, accountability, education, disease control and the quality of life.

The current crisis comes as Africa struggles to maintain this positive momentum after a year of rising food prices and unprecedented volatility in fuel costs. Food and fertilizer are punishingly unaffordable for consumers and farmers. Recession and slowdown in high-income countries, as well as China, India and the Middle East, are resulting in plummeting commodity prices and exports, reduced remittance flows and decreases in foreign direct investment.

African leaders face an almost impossible challenge: how to protect their fragile economies and vulnerable people from global recession at a time when their revenues are decreasing. Maintaining levels of public investment is the basis for political stability and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Inability to do so could have profound consequences - in terms of unemployment, poverty and social and political tensions.

Last week, at the Tunis meeting of African ministers of finance and central bank governors, the outlines of a way forward were agreed: continued macro-economic stability, strengthened regulation and oversight of financial institutions, and renewed efforts to improve governance and accountability structures.

African countries want to diversify economic activity, strengthen regional infrastructure and recognize the need to create the conditions to encourage investment and domestic savings.

At a time when private capital flows are diminishing, increased access to loans and grants from the international financial institutions and predictable development assistance, are critical.

Failure to honor aid commitments would be a breach of faith and potentially disastrous for the ability of Africa to achieve the Millenium Development Goals. For richer countries, this is not about charity. It is about self-interest. By helping Africa to build roads and railways, power plants, and irrigation and water treatment systems, donors will increase capital exports to Africa at a time when their own industries are facing a collapse of demand.

Aid can be a global stimulus - a powerful way to convert excess capacity in wealthier countries into long-term and high-return benefits, including quick recovery from high unemployment. There is an important brokerage role to be played - to encourage partnerships between governments, development banks, export credit agencies and the private sector to catalyze this two-way stimulus.

Development assistance can also contribute to global security. Problems in one country, let alone one continent, cannot be contained within borders. If African countries cannot overcome the many social and economic challenges they face, these problems will spill over rapidly.

Migration to Europe, for example, cannot be managed without addressing the social and environmental fundamentals that are contributing to both conflict and mass movement of people.

Africa still has a long way to go; too many leaders remain unaccountable to their people, and the capacity of regional institutions to prevent and manage conflict remains weak. But in my lifetime, and in the last decade, there has been enormous progress.

Since the 2002 Monterrey meeting on Financing for Development, a compact has been emerging. Richer countries will put development issues at the heart of global agreements, whether on finance, trade, climate change, intellectual property or other pressing issues. Developing countries will prioritize good governance, accountability and the Millenium Development Goals.

Success in tackling the great challenges before us requires genuine partnership and mutual accountability. The least-developed countries must also have a voice and be fully represented in the institutions empowered by the global community to take the lead.

Whether the G-20 meeting on Saturday was a success or not now depends upon the follow-up. It will have served us well if it launches a new era of inclusive economic cooperation and diplomacy.

Kofi Annan, the former secretary general of the United Nations, is chairman of the Africa Progress Panel. He is appearing Monday at the Forum for New Diplomacy hosted by the International Herald Tribune and the Académie Diplomatique Internationale.

Amid the turmoil, do not forget the poor

2008-10-31T12:00:00.001Z

This piece was originally published in the Financial Times.
30 October 2008

By Kofi Annan, Michel Camdessus and Robert Rubin

There are two lessons that history and our personal experience teach us. One is that when crises occur, the least responsible are usually the worst affected and the least able to cope. The second is that crises can provide the momentum for reform and radical change. These moments are fleeting and need to be grasped to put arrangements in place that will prevent their recurrence. In today’s globalised world, that means new arrangements that are more effective, efficient and equitable.

So it is with the current financial meltdown. Its full impact has yet to be fathomed, but will include global economic slowdown, reduced trade, more competition for credit and a flight to safety among investors. Pressure will increase on public expenditure and aid levels, which may decrease. Right now, the political focus is on protecting consumers and taxpayers in industrialised countries. But poor people and poor countries could soon end up paying the heaviest price for a mess they have had no hand in creating.

A response to the crisis that does not take into account the needs of the world’s poor – or, worse, that results in reduced levels of engagement – would be grossly unfair. We all share responsibility for the persistence of poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy on a vast scale. The sense of injustice they engender is a threat to economic and political security. The sense of responsibility that has galvanised western politicians into action to restore confidence in the financial system should, in a globalised world, also result in actions to accelerate achievement of the millennium development goals.

At mid-point to 2015, it is clear that the MDGs are off track, but also that they need not be so. The many individual success stories provide a good basis for scaling up and achieving a real breakthrough in human development, not in the next 50 years, but the next decade. More accountable and effective governance in African countries is essential. A combination of political commitment by leaders in the developing world and of increased levels of investment, and technical and financial assistance from richer countries can make it happen. And in relative terms, this is not a costly proposition.

The Group of Eight leading industrialised nations and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries must honour their existing commitments, particularly aid levels, to the developing world and not use the crisis as a pretext for abandoning them. These commitments have been hard won and are encouraging many African and other developing countries to plan around MDG achievement. Not honouring commitments would send a powerful negative message to them and undermine the fragile but growing sense of mutual accountability that is emerging between Africa and its traditional partners for addressing the continent’s many challenges.

The energy going into discussions to establish a new global system of financial governance is welcome. The past few months have shown how inadequate the current system has become: markets are global but our regulatory controls have remained local. The new system needs to involve all players, not just from Europe, the US and Japan but also Brazil, China, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and others. Poorer countries need a voice at the table, too.

The International Monetary Fund needs to be engaged in monitoring global markets and responding to crises, as well as being made more representative and participatory. Responsibility for major strategic decisions should be removed from the executive board and entrusted to a more representative and politically high-powered council that, inter alia, would replace the IMF committee, which has only a consultative role. These ideas are not new and were proposed after the Mexican and Asian crises in the 1990s. That moment of opportunity to put in place a robust global regulatory system was lost; let us not lose this one.

Another step should be to broaden the G8 annual meetings to reflect current economic and geopolitical realities. The needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa, could be more systemically addressed in discussions about global problems, whether relating to the economy, trade, migration, food security or climate change.

In four weeks, the Doha high-level meeting on financing for development will be the time to ensure that sufficient resources are available to meet the challenge set out at the turn of the millennium. And in two weeks’ time, the global financial summit will be taking place in Washington. Now is the moment to ensure that an inclusive approach is taken and the needs of the poor are not forgotten.

Big problems are the opportunity for big thinking. We know that globalisation can be a force for good. But if its benefits are to be shared, and the world not to be polarised between those who are in and those who are ever more marginalised, we need a new mindset and new global arrangements. We face a moment of risk and opportunity. We urge political leaders to summon the courage and vision to seize it.

The writers are members of the Africa Progress Panel.

Summary Report of The Elders’ Visit to Cyprus

2008-10-20T19:55:00.005+01:00

Download 'Summary Report of The Elders' Visit to Cyprus' as PDF

8-9 October 2008

Lakhdar Brahimi, Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter walk down
Ledra Street across the UN buffer zone in central Nicosia

“There are moments in history where everything is working for you. A moment like that is on hand for Cyprus. [But] the two leaders can’t do it on their own. They need the support of the community, the media – inside and outside Cyprus – and the support of the rest of the world.” Lakhdar Brahimi

“We have said to these two splendid leaders that this is their moment in history. It is a moment we hope they will catch.” Desmond Tutu

“In all the negotiations in which I’ve been involved there have had to be compromises and concessions. But in each case the concession or compromise was much less important than the ultimate goal of peace, accommodation, friendship and common purpose.” Jimmy Carter

Overview and purpose of the visit

Three members of The Elders, Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu, paid a two-day visit to Cyprus in early October to support the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities who have recently begun direct, open-ended negotiations to try to reunify the island. The Elders made it clear that the purpose of their visit was not to get directly involved in the peace talks, but to lend their support to the leaders and to members of both communities who want to end the decades’ old division of the island.

Archbishop Tutu, President Carter and Mr Brahimi commended Turkish Cypriot leader Mr Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Mr Demetris Christofias on their efforts to move the peace process forward. Wanting to learn more about the situation on the island, the three Elders also held discussions with young people, civil society groups and political parties from the two Cypriot communities. They also met representatives of the United Nations, who are facilitating the discussions between Mr Christofias and Mr Talat, as well as members of the diplomatic community.

The timing of the Elders’ visit was opportune. The peace talks, which formally started on 3 September, had lost some momentum after early enthusiasm; the leaders had not met for several weeks and had started to air their differences in the media. The Elders’ visit helped to refocus the political leaders, the public and the media on the promising opportunity at hand to achieve lasting peace. The Elders described the visit to Cyprus as a productive, informative and enriching experience.

Meetings and main findings

The Elders were warmly welcomed in Cyprus. In their meetings with people from different communities, age groups and various walks of life, the overwhelming message they heard was the desire for peace and a lasting settlement to the Cyprus problem. During their conversations, the Elders were informed of the realities of life in Cyprus as well as the hopes and concerns of both communities.

The Elders’ first meeting was with a group of about 30 young people from the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities who are actively involved in bicommunal activities. The young people spoke of their eagerness for reconciliation, their support for the two leaders’ efforts to reach a settlement and of wanting to live as ‘Cypriots’ rather than being identified with one community or another. However, these young people face daily frustrations in their efforts to interact: it is not possible to send text messages between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot mobile phones; students who cross the UN buffer zone to go to school have to show their passports twice a day; and some say their parents won’t let them cross without accompanying them, even to go to the cinema with friends. Despite these challenges, the Elders urged the young people at the meeting to focus on the future rather than the past. They were encouraged to continue to serve as ambassadors for peace within and between their communities.

The Elders with young people from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities

The Elders next met UN Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Cyprus, Mr Alexander Downer, and UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, Mr Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, to learn more about the latest political developments on the island, some of the challenges to reaching a peace deal, and the UN’s role in facilitating the negotiations between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders. The Elders shared relevant experiences from Afghanistan, the Middle East and South Africa where visionary leadership, compromise and flexibility helped negotiating parties come to an agreement.

Slovak Ambassador Anna Turenicova – who supports an ongoing process to facilitate inter-communal dialogue and cooperation among political parties of both communities – hosted a meeting with the Elders and representatives of fourteen Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot political parties. All expressed their support for the current talks between Mr Talat and Mr Christofias and the goal of unifying the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation of two constituent states with political equality and a single international personality. The Elders observed that there “seems to be agreement for peace” among the parties and goodwill to overcome past differences. They urged the political parties to keep the overall goal of peace in mind and resist becoming bogged down in details, emphasising that this “once in a lifetime chance” should not be missed.

The Elders with political party leaders and Slovak Ambassador Anna Turenicova

At a gathering of about 50 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot civil society representatives, the Elders shared their experiences of living and working in divided communities. Archbishop Tutu and Mr Brahimi spoke of apartheid in South Africa; President Carter spoke of growing up in a racially segregated USA. The Elders told participants how prejudices and obstacles which had seemed insurmountable could be overcome without resorting to bloodshed – aided by fortuitous timing and the ability of leaders to put aside their differences, accept compromises and concessions, and offer their hands in peace and reconciliation. The Elders also noted that there are very few women in politics in Cyprus and that more should be done to ensure that women play a greater role in political life and the peace process.

The Elders with civil society representatives

The Elders held separate meetings with Mr Christofias and Mr Talat on 9 October. They made it clear to both leaders that they did not seek to intervene in the negotiations; Cypriots must find the solution to the Cyprus problem themselves. As representatives of all The Elders, Tutu, Carter and Brahimi commended and encouraged the leaders in their mission to achieve a settlement. They emphasised that this is an auspicious moment, with the world wishing the leaders success. But, as the Elders said to both Mr Talat and Mr Christofias, they are the main reason that peace is now possible. These two relatively young, courageous and charismatic leaders, with similar ideological and trade union backgrounds, share a determination to end the division of the island.

The two leaders acknowledged that this is an opportune moment in Cyprus’ history. They recognise that there are difficulties and disagreements between them but ultimately they are both working towards the same goal – a unified, peaceful, stable and prosperous Cyprus. Both leaders elaborated on some of the substantive and operational challenges that they are facing to achieve an agreement acceptable to their communities including matters of governance, property, territory and security. Mr Christofias and Mr Talat also acknowledged the support provided by the UN in helping to facilitate the talks, yet emphasised that ultimately the job of reaching an agreement rests in their own hands.

The Elders encouraged the two leaders to continue to meet regularly, to remain positive about each other and the peace process, and to prepare their communities for reasonable compromises. They also urged the leaders to continue to implement further confidence-building measures such as setting up educational exchanges between university lecturers from both communities. With the eyes of the international community eagerly watching in hope of a settlement, the Elders reminded the two leaders of the “once in a hundred years” opportunity that they have at hand. At a time of global instability and uncertainty, a peace deal in Cyprus would have positive repercussions not only for the island but for the region, the European Union and rest of the world.


Brahimi, Carter and Tutu with Demetris Christofias and his adviser George Iacovou in the office of the Greek Cypriot leader		Brahimi, Carter, Mehmet Ali Talat and Tutu in the office of the Turkish Cypriot leader

Following their meeting with Mr Christofias in his office in the southern part of Nicosia and on their way to meeting with Mr Talat in the northern part of Nicosia, the Elders took a walk down Ledra Street, crossing the UN buffer zone that divides the city. Located in a central Nicosia shopping district, the Ledra Street crossing has long symbolised the division of the island. In April 2008 the two community leaders agreed to open the crossing as a confidence-building measure and it has now become a popular attraction for Cypriots and tourists. The Elders welcomed the opportunity to see the crossing themselves.

The Elders also held a well-attended press conference to inform media of the purpose of their visit and key findings. They emphasised the historic opportunity for the two leaders and all Cypriots to make history, and urged greater domestic and international support for the talks. They also spoke of the need for concessions to be made by all stakeholders, and the importance of balancing compromises against the ultimate goal of peace. In this context, the Elders urged the media to be aware of the important role they play in peace processes by choosing what to report and how to interpret it. They highlighted the need to remove barriers which not only obstruct contact between the communities but also hamper effective collaboration between law enforcement agencies, universities, telecommunication companies, etc. Asked about their experience with truth and reconciliation processes, the Elders, and Archbishop Tutu in particular, emphasised that any process must be appropriate for the specific country and that truth alone does not automatically lead to healing; time is also an important factor.

Prior to their departure the Elders met ambassadors based on the island. They spoke about efforts to increase trust and confidence between the communities, the challenges of peace processes, the art of compromise and the benefits of peace. They also addressed issues related to Cyprus’s EU membership and Turkey’s membership application. The Elders indicated that the international community could do more to support the ongoing efforts for reconciliation without interfering in the actual negotiations. The international community – and in particular the EU – should be prepared to provide, in the event of a settlement, financial assistance to support implementation of the agreement.

The Elders left the island optimistic about the significant progress being made by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders toward reaching a settlement. They were encouraged in particular by the hope among young people they met for lasting peace in Cyprus. Archbishop Tutu said many times during the visit that he looked forward to returning to a reunited island: “I’m not as young as I look and I want to come back to celebrate a united Cyprus with all people living together in peace and equality.”

Tutu, Carter, Mabel van Oranje (CEO of The Elders) and Brahimi in Ledra Street

Media coverage

The Elders’ visit was front page news in Cyprus across English, Greek and Turkish language press. Radio and TV news also covered the visit extensively. International news agencies based in Cyprus (AP, AFP, DPA, Reuters and Xinhua) published photos and stories which were picked up in Europe, Australia and the USA. Greek and Turkish media reported the visit in brief.

Most media reports picked up on the Elders’ enthusiasm and excitement about the prospect of a lasting settlement. Headlines included: “Support for efforts, wishes for the future – Visit of support by three Elders (Philelefteros); “Elder Statesmen boost to Cyprus peace process” (Cyprus Mail); “Elders Bring Peace Message to the Children” (Cyprus Mail); “Peace Invasion – Tutu, Carter, Brahimi visit Cyprus” (Politis); “Tutu: We believe that it’s possible to reach a solution on this beautiful island” (Kibris) and “Elders throw weight behind Cyprus peace drive: Failure not an option, say respected statesmen” (Cyprus Weekly). A selection of articles is available on The Elders’ website.

Next steps 
The Elders were delighted to hear that, shortly after their visit, Mr Talat and Mr Christofias reaffirmed their commitment to meet once per week and also agreed to cancel military exercises planned for later this month – an important confidence-building measure.

Archbishop Tutu, President Carter and Mr Brahimi – on behalf of the other members of The Elders and with the support of the staff team – will continue to follow events in Cyprus closely. If they can contribute to supporting the Cypriot leaders in their ongoing peace efforts, they would be happy to consider such a request. The Elders will ensure that what they have learned from the visit to Cyprus reaches the ears of the international community – in Brussels in particular, but also in other world capitals.

Visit to Cyprus - Images and Video from 8-9 October, 2008

2008-10-09T09:27:00.007+01:00

Video from 9 October 2008

Three members of The Elders visited Cyprus 8 - 9 October, meeting
political leaders, civil society representatives and young people from the island’s
Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities (read related press release).

Photos from 9 October 2008

View images as slideshow | Download High Resolution Images

Video from 8 October 2008

Photos from 8 October 2008

View images as slideshow | Download High Resolution Images

Media Contact : Katy Cronin katy.cronin@theelders.org

Visit to Cyprus in the News

2008-10-07T12:15:00.003+01:00

Carter, Tutu in Cyprus to boost peace push
Yahoo News / AFP

World peacemakers offer support for Cyprus talks
Associated Press News

Elders group visits Cyprus to support peace process
China View

'Elders' Visit Cyprus to Support Talks Between Greek, Turkish Cypriots
Voice of America

Global Village's Elders Visit Cyprus
Turkish Press - Daily News

Britain: Keep up momentum in talks
Today's Zaman

Desmond Tutu arrives in Cyprus on Elders visit
The Famagusta Gazette Online

Comment: Carter knows his Cyprus politics
The Famagusta Gazette Online

Members of The Elders group to visit Cyprus to support peace process
The Financial Mirror

UN Sends Diplomatic Heavyweights
The Cyprus Mail

South Africa's Tutu Visits Cyprus
Reuters Africa

PACE tells Cypriot leaders not to miss opportunity for solution
Hot News Turkey

The Elders to meet youth from Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities

2008-10-07T04:35:00.001+01:00

Download this post as a PDF

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi say the world wants Cyprus to find peace

Three members of The Elders arrive in Cyprus tomorrow, Wednesday 8 October, to meet political leaders, civil society representatives and young people from the island’s Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi aim to lend their support and encouragement to those working towards ending the island’s decades of division.

Commending the efforts of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, the Elders emphasise that they will not be involved in the current negotiations

Elders’ Chairman Archbishop Tutu said: “We are here to say that the world wants this island to find peace – we wish it with all our hearts. We encourage all Cypriots to look forward to the potential benefits that a peaceful resolution can bring. And we want to make sure that the current efforts of the Cypriot leaders to reach a lasting settlement are fully supported by the international community.”

The Elders said they are looking forward to their first meeting, which will be a discussion with young people from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.

President Carter said: “Today’s young people are the ones who will live with the outcome of their leaders’ work. The first time in their lives that they will cast a ballot may even be to vote on the outcome of the current peace process. I hope that day is not far off. I am all too aware of the many years it has taken to get to this point.”

Apart from their meeting with young people, The Elders plan to meet the leaders of the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities, Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General for Cyprus, Alexander Downer and Head of the UN Mission in Cyprus, Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, political party leaders and representatives of local civil society organisations.

Mr. Brahimi said: “The leaders, Mr. Christofias and Mr. Talat, should be commended for the important steps they have taken so far in their discussions to work towards a settlement. We support efforts by other members of the two communities to encourage dialogue. These are essential steps on the path to peace.”

Download PDF for additional biographical information

Media Contact : Katy Cronin katy.cronin@theelders.org

MEDIA AVAILABILITY – The Elders’ visit to Cyprus

Wednesday 8 October 2008
Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi will make a short statement to media on arrival in Nicosia
15:15 UNDP - Act Offices, UN Protected Area
Contact: Jose Diaz, UN spokesman +357 22 61 4409

Thursday 9 October 2008
The Elders press conference
14:15 Ledra Palace Hotel
Contact: Katy Cronin, The Elders katy.cronin@theelders.org
Valid U.N or media accreditation required for both events

The Elders to visit Cyprus to support peace process

2008-09-26T00:15:00.027+01:00

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Friday 26 September 2008

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Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Lakhdar Brahimi urge greater international recognition of recent progress towards a lasting settlement

Three members of The Elders will visit Cyprus in early October to lend their support to the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, and to commend Mr Demetris Christofias and Mr Mehmet Ali Talat for their efforts to reunify the island. The Elders urge the international community to embrace the fact that a lasting settlement is within reach, and to actively support the leaders and the peace process.

Elders Chairman Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi will travel together to Nicosia on 8-9 October for meetings with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders.

“After decades of division, this is a time of hope for the people of this beautiful island. These opportunities don’t come around very often,” said Archbishop Tutu.

“The Elders will not be involved in the negotiations themselves; that is for the Cypriots to do,” he said. “However, we will do what we can to ensure that the foresight and courage of Mr Talat and Mr Christofias are acknowledged and supported in Cyprus, in the region and around the world. We also hope to meet political and civil society representatives from both communities, as well as the UN officials facilitating and assisting the process.”

The Elders, formed in 2007 by Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, are a group of globally respected leaders who offer their collective experience and independent voices to support innovative and cooperative approaches to addressing the global challenges of our time.

For more information please go to www.theElders.org
The Elders offer their skills and experience to support peaceful resolution to conflicts, to articulate new approaches to global issues that cause human suffering, and to share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.
Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders on 18 July 2007 in Johannesburg on his 89th birthday. Members of The Elders are: Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu and Muhammad Yunus. Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary Elder.
Media Contact : Katy Cronin katy.cronin@theelders.org

Ela Bhatt urges ‘partnership with the poor’ at opening of UN meeting on MDGs

2008-09-25T19:00:00.014+01:00

Watch Ela Bhatt's address at the United Nations

Download original press release

25 September 2008

Bhatt highlights the right to decent work as part of The Elders’ “Every Human Has Rights” campaign.

New York

Ela Bhatt, a member of The Elders, today addressed the opening session of the United Nations High-Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals in New York, calling on governments to recognise the working poor as the “backbone of every nation”, who must be active decision-makers and participants in ending poverty.

Bhatt, founder of India’s million-strong Self-Employed Women’s Association, told the assembled heads of government: “Poverty is powerlessness. Poverty cannot be removed unless the poor have power to make decisions that affect their lives. So yes, poverty is a political issue.”

Bhatt told the UN meeting that basic rights to work, food, health and education are still not being addressed by governments as part of the development process.

“Let us remind ourselves that in committing to the Millennium Development Goals, we are in fact pledging to become partners with the poor. It is time for the state to get in partnership with its own people,” said Bhatt.

“Every Human Has Rights” – an Elders campaign

In the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Elders have joined partner organisations in Every Human Has Rights, a global campaign to embrace the values and goals of the Declaration. This month the campaign highlights the right to decent work.

“A word that is largely absent from the Millennium Development Goals is ‘work’. In my experience, the link between poverty and growth is decent work. This means full employment at the household level; it builds the local economy and strengthens a community,” said Bhatt.

Bhatt urged donors to “spend your good money in building local capacities and the local economy; support the efforts of the poor to build their own organizations so they can decide and manage their own destinies.”

In 2007, Ela Bhatt was named as one of the founding members of The Elders, a group convened by Nelson Mandela and Chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Elders are an independent group who offer their skills and experience to support peaceful resolution to conflicts, to articulate new approaches to global issues that cause human suffering, and to share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

Katy Cronin, Communications Director, The Elders +44 77788 710 789
www.theElders.org

Sharon Johnson, Every Human Has Rights + 44781408709
www.everyhumanhasrights.org

Elders join call for states to provide necessary helicopters to Darfur peacekeepers.

2008-07-30T19:13:00.006+01:00

The four Elders who travelled to Sudan last year – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, President Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel – have provided the foreword to a report calling on states to provide critically lacking helicopters to Darfur peacekeepers. The organisation Crisis Action released the following statement, announcing the report’s release:

Download the Crisis Group's statement as a PDF
Thursday July 31, 2008

NEW REPORT CALLS ON STATES TO
PROVIDE HELICOPTERS TO DARFUR
PEACEKEEPERS

On anniversary of Darfur mission, a new report targets Czech
Republic, India, Italy, Romania, Spain and Ukraine for needed
peacekeeping helicopters

New York – Marking the one year anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1769 – which authorized deployment of the Darfur peacekeeping mission –a new report sets out for the first time which countries have the critically-lacking helicopters needed to protect civilians in Darfur.

The report, titled “Grounded: the International Community’s Betrayal of UNAMID” carries a foreword by the group of Elders who visited Sudan recently, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, President Jimmy Carter and Graca Machel and is endorsed by more than thirty human rights groups, think tanks and NGO’s including the Cairo Institute for Human Rights, International Crisis Group, the Sudan Organisation Against Torture and the Save Darfur Coalition.

“Early this month peacekeepers were attacked in Darfur. They were outmanned and outgunned. Because no country has provided helicopters for the UN force there was no back- up and seven peacekeepers paid with their lives. On today’s anniversary of the mission it’s time the international community got serious about enabling peacekeepers to do their job of protecting civilians and handed over these helicopters,” said Amjad Atallah, a spokesperson for the coalition.

The report, written by aviation expert Thomas Withington is the first to look in detail at which countries have available resources that could be provided to the mission.

It finds that:

Of the 18 transport helicopters required by the force, not a single one has yet been offered; this compares to an estimated 350 such helicopters in use in Iraq.

The report identifies more than 20 countries with surplus aircraft that could be made available for the mission.

The six countries best placed to provide transport helicopters, Italy, Ukraine, India, Spain, Romania and the Czech Republic, between them have an estimated 71 helicopters available, four times the requirement.

NATO member states alone could jointly provide 104 such helicopters, almost six times the requirement.

The report’s conclusions are based on extensive research of helicopter capacity and investigations into the number of helicopters already deployed in theatre. The report assumes a three helicopter rotation i.e. for every one helicopter deployed, two others need to be available on rotation.

In the foreword to the report, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, President Jimmy Carter and Graca Machel state,

“This report sets out for the first time which states have the necessary helicopters and estimates how many are available for deployment to Darfur. It identifies a number of countries -- including the Czech Republic, India, Italy, Romania, Spain and Ukraine -- that have large numbers of helicopters that meet the required specifications and are not on mission or mission rotation elsewhere. Many of these helicopters are gathering dust in hangars or flying in air shows when they could be saving lives in Darfur.”

The report notes that the resourcing issue is much deeper than simply an issue of helicopters and that many other basic supplies, from boots to ration packs, are also yet to be provided. It also makes clear that UNAMID is only part of the solution to the situation in Darfur and that a peace process is essential to a long term solution.

Actor and Darfur activist George Clooney, who has been appointed by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as a “UN Messenger of Peace” for his work on Darfur said,

“Many governments have offered expressions of concern, but few have offered the most basic tools necessary to keep civilians safe and for peacekeepers to do their job. To ensure the success of UNAMID and the safety of peacekeepers, we do not need more rhetoric, we need resources. It is time for governments to put their helicopters where their mouths are.”

The report recommends:

Countries with the ability to provide these helicopters must do so immediately.

Security Council members – especially the P5 - must engage in concerted diplomacy to make sure this happens.

Any upgrades needed should be resourced by the member state, the UN or third countries.

Those countries without helicopters should redouble their efforts to assist the UN to fill the other gaps in resources for the force.

Pressure should be maintained on the Government of Sudan to stop obstructing the full deployment of UNAMID.

Events are expected in key capitals to mark the anniversary. In New York City activists planned to bring a helicopter to the United Nations headquarters, underscoring the need for leading nations to supply the critically-lacking helicopters to the UNAMID peacekeeping mission. Groups will also highlight a petition with more than 50,000 signatures – urging the permanent five members of the U.N. Security Council to fulfill their obligations and commitments to the Darfuri people.

Editors Notes:

The full text of the report is available here: www.globefordarfur.org

On July 31, 2007, the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1769, which authorized a peacekeeping force 26,000 strong to protect the Darfuri people. The mission – the largest authorized force in U.N. history – has only deployed 9,000 to the region, many of which were held over from the African Union force that preceded it. The resolution's passage was marked by much self-congratulation, but the U.N. Security Council has failed to match words with deeds that would ensure the swift, full and effective deployment of the UNAMID mission.

Organizations endorsing the report include: Aegis Trust , Americans Against Darfur Genocide, The Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA), ARI, The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, The Centre for Army Conversion and Disarmament Studies, Collectif Urgence Darfour, Darfur Action Group of South Carolina, Darfur Australia Network, Darfur Call, Darfur Hilfe, Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre, Darfur Union, ENOUGH, European Union of Jewish Student, FEMNET, Genocide Alert, Genocide Intervention Network, The Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA), International Crisis Group, International Refugee Rights Initiative, Italians for Darfur, Japanese for Darfur, NAS International, Dream for Darfur, Physicians for Human Rights, San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition, Save Darfur Coalition, Save Darfur Canada, Society for Threatened People, Sudan Advocacy Action Forum, Sudan Organization Against Torture (SOAT), STAND Canada, Team Darfur, United Nations Association (UNA), Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Waging Peace.

###

Statements by the Elders on Zimbabwe and Iran, July 16-18, Johannesburg.

2008-07-18T17:31:00.009+01:00

Download July 18th Statement on Iran
Download July 17th Statement on Zimbabwe

Statement by The Elders on Iran, July 18, 2008

(Johannesburg, South Africa) We welcome the news that US Under Secretary of State William Burns will be joining the EU, China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK in talks on July 18 with Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The current impasse needs to be resolved through negotiations that recognize both the rights and the obligations of signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.

At the same time, media reports suggesting that Iranian nuclear facilities could be attacked are deeply troubling, for the unilateral use of force would exacerbate an already tense situation in the region and have unpredictable and far-reaching consequences. Such action would be contrary to the United Nations Charter and international law.

Instead we urge good faith negotiations aimed at addressing the security concerns of all parties. And we call upon Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in clarifying all outstanding questions related to its nuclear program.

Over the longer term, we must work for sustainable security in the region, end the isolation of Iran, halt nuclear weapons proliferation and advance peaceful relations among people and nations – both regionally and globally.

Statement by The Elders on Zimbabwe, July 17, 2008

(Johannesburg, South Africa) As the Elders meet in Johannesburg, in the wake of a Zimbabwean election that African observers deemed to be neither free nor fair, the people of Zimbabwe are living in an atmosphere of continued political violence, their economy is in a freefall, and uncertainty is a central feature of their daily lives.

This crisis of governance must not be allowed to continue, for human lives and livelihoods are at stake. We all have an interest in and all share a responsibility for its resolution.

The Elders therefore call for a speedy and robust mediation to resolve the political crisis, create a democratic and effective government and start a process of reconciliation and healing.

That mediation effort should have but one master: the Zimbabwean people. And they in turn should know that they have the support of the international community. They do not stand alone.

Progress requires certain conditions to which all parties must agree and upon which responsible parties must act;

The political violence must stop.
Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangarai must be able to enter into a dialog on an equal footing, as two leaders.
Political prisoners must be released.
The duly elected Parliament must be convened.
Humanitarian agencies must be allowed to resume their work of assisting the people.
And the current interim Zimbabwean government must meet its responsibility to protect its citizens.

The Zimbabwean people deserve security, true democracy and a process of reconciliation upon which lasting peace can be built. Set aside the political ambitions of a few, and work to achieve the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people.

Let Zimbabwe return to its greatness and its rightful place in the international community.

Note to Editors

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Members of The Elders are: Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

For media enquiries: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theelders.org

The Elders greet Nelson Mandela to honour his 90th birthday

2008-07-18T02:00:00.007+01:00

Download original press release

July 18, 2008

(Johannesburg, South Africa) On the occasion of his 90th birthday, the Elders greet Nelson Mandela, the leader who inspired them to come together in their shared search for solutions to the world's toughest problems. Leading the Elders is their Chairman, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and joining them is their CEO, Mabel van Oranje as well as Richard Branson, a key advisor and founder of the organization. They are, left-to-right: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mabel van Oranje, Lakhdar Brahimi, Nelson Mandela, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Graca Machel, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson, Ela Bhatt, Richard Branson.

Note to Editors

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Members of The Elders are: Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

For media enquiries: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theelders.org

The Elders Statement on Zimbabwe

2008-06-30T14:02:00.006+01:00

Download this post as a PDF

June 30, 2008

(Johannesburg, South Africa) The crisis in Zimbabwe requires leadership, wisdom and moral courage that the African Union can provide.

As leaders gather for the African Union summit in Sharm El Sheikh today, we ask that they clearly state that the results of the June 27 elections in Zimbabwe are illegitimate – for they occurred under the cloud of targeted political violence, precipitating the withdrawal of one of the two candidates. The African election observers left no doubt: the elections were neither free nor fair.

Secondly, we ask that the African Union’s brave leaders appoint a special envoy to pursue a robust mediation effort, working across the parties to build confidence, create a transitional government; prepare for free and fair elections; and start a process of national reconciliation.

Third, we ask that the AU require that the Zimbabwe’s current government meet its responsibility to protect its citizens by bringing an end to political violence and abuses of human rights and by reversing its decision to suspend the work of aid agencies.

The crisis in Zimbabwe affects all Africans. And the fate of all Zimbabweans is on our conscience. The African Union has a commitment to good governance, justice, respect for human rights and the rule of law. Its leadership is needed at this pivotal moment. It can help Zimbabwe return to the greatness that inspired so many of us during its proud history.

Let us be inspired again.

Note to Editors
Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are: Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

For media enquiries: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theelders.org

Elders renew call for release of Aung San Suu Kyi on occasion of her birthday

2008-06-19T06:00:00.004+01:00

June 19, 2008

Every human has rights and they must not be denied. On the occasion of Aung San Suu Kyi's 63rd birthday we once again call upon the Burmese government to release our fellow Elder and Nobel Laureate from house arrest. The people of Burma elected Aung San Suu Kyi to high office, placing their faith and trust in her and in the values she espoused. She and they have the right to live lives characterized by dignity and liberty. She, and they deserve no less.

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Elders Join African Leaders in Call for Free and Fair Elections in Zimbabwe

2008-06-13T13:00:00.000+01:00

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Public urged to show support for people of embattled nation
June 13, 2008

Four members of the Elders, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Lakhdar Brahimi, Graça Machel, have joined their fellow African civil society leaders in urging an end to violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe ahead of the presidential run-off elections at the end of the month.

In an open letter, dozens of Africa’s most respected leaders call for the election to be conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner and demand that all of the people of Zimbabwe be allowed to vote freely and without fear of retribution

“The eyes of the world are watching Zimbabwe and it is critical that the people are allowed to express their political will,” said Archbishop Tutu. “The violence and intimidation we have seen in recent weeks are simply unacceptable and I urge people around the world to speak up in support of the people of Zimbabwe and their right to choose their leaders.”

Civil society organizations and individuals can show their support for the people of Zimbabwe by going to >> www.zimbabwe-27June.com and adding their names to the open letter.

The full text of the letter and its signatories follow:

Zimbabweans fought for liberation in order to be able to determine their own future. Great sacrifices were made during the liberation struggle. To live up to the aspirations of those who sacrificed, it is vital that nothing is done to deny the legitimate expression of the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

As Africans we consider the forthcoming elections to be critical. We are aware of the attention of the world. More significantly we are conscious of the huge number of Africans who want to see a stable, democratic and peaceful Zimbabwe

Consequently, we are deeply troubled by the current reports of intimidation, harassment and violence. It is vital that the appropriate conditions are created so that the Presidential run-off is conducted in a peaceful, free and fair manner. Only then can the political parties conduct their election campaigning in a way that enables the citizens to express freely their political will.

In this context, we call for an end to the violence and intimidation, and the restoration of full access for humanitarian and aid agencies.

To this end it will be necessary to have an adequate number of independent electoral observers, both during the election process and to verify the results.

Whatever the outcome of the election, it will be vital for all Zimbabweans to come together in a spirit of reconciliation to secure Zimbabwe’s future.

We further call upon African leaders at all levels – pan-African, regional and national - and their institutions to ensure the achievement of these objectives.

The Signatories are:

Abdusalami Alhaji Abubakar Former President of Nigeria (1998-1999)
Kofi Annan Former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997-2007), Nobel Laureate and member of The Elders
Kwame Appiah Laurence S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University
Boutros Boutros-Ghali Former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1992-1997)
Lakhdar Brahimi Former United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq and South Africa, member of The Elders
Pierre Buyoya Former President of Burundi (1987-1993, 1996-2003)
Joaquim Chissano Former President of Mozambique (1986-2005)
John Githongo Former Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics in Kenya
Richard Goldstone Former Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa
Mo Ibrahim Founder of Celtel International and Founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Sam Jonah Former Chief Executive of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation
Angelique Kidjo Musician and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Wangari Maathai Founder of the Green Belt Movement and Nobel Laureate
Graça Machel President of the Foundation for Community Development and member of The Elders
Ketumile Masire Former President of Botswana (1980-1998)
Moeletsi Mbeki Deputy Chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs
Benjamin William Mkapa Former President of Tanzania (1995-2005)
Festus Mogae Former President of Botswana (1998-2008)
António Mascarenhas Monteiro Former President of Cape Verde (1991-2001)
Elson Bakili Muluzi Former President of Malawi (1994-2004)
Ali Hassan Mwinyi Former President of Tanzania (1985-1995)
Kumi Naidoo Secretary General of CIVICUS
Babacar Ndiaye Former President of the African Development Bank
Youssou N'Dour Musician and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Njongonkulu Ndungane Former Archbishop of Cape Town and Founder of the African Monitor
Moustapha Niasse Former Prime Minister of Senegal (1983, 2000-2001)
Loyiso Nongxa Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand
Karl Offmann Former President of Mauritius (2002-2003)
Mamphela Ramphele Former Managing Director of the World Bank and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town
Jerry John Rawlings Former President of Ghana (1993-2001)
Johann Rupert Chairman of Remgro Limited
Mohammed Sahnoun Former UN/OAU Special Representative for the Great Lakes region of Africa and former Assistant Secretary-General of the OAU
Salim Ahmed Salim Former Prime Minister of Tanzania (1994-1995) and former Secretary-General of the OAU (1989-2001)
John Sentamu Archbishop of York
Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo Former President of Benin (1991-1996)
Miguel Trovoada Former President of São Tomé and Príncipe (1991-2001)
Desmond Tutu Nobel Laureate and Chairman of The Elders
Cassam Uteem Former President of Mauritius (1992-2002)
Zwelinzima Vavi General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions
Joseph Sinde Warioba Former Prime Minister of Tanzania (1985-1990)

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Elders join Ban Ki-Moon in Convening Health Leaders

2008-06-07T12:00:00.004+01:00

Global Health Meeting
May 8-9, 2008
The Carter Center
Atlanta, Georgia

The global health system may be as strong as its weakest link. Some states suffer from a weak and crumbling health infrastructure, and their populations are vulnerable to disease as a result. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals is jeopardized and efforts to eradicate diseases are compromised. The Elders therefore have used their convening power to reach out to leaders of health financing agencies in the public, private and philanthropic sectors to seek a shared commitment to strengthening national health systems around the world. Leading the effort on behalf of the Elders are former President Jimmy Carter, former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and former President Mary Robinson.

Most recently these three Elders joined UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in convening a May 8-9 meeting at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, to consider strategic ways for public and private institutions as well as civil society to intervene on critical global health priorities and harmonize their respective health programs so as to assure coherent action to transform commitments into lives saved.

Leaders of major health institutions and agencies, including the heads of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the World Bank, as well as private sector actors, leaders from civil society, research institutes and foundations including Rockefeller, Gates and MacArthur took part in the day-long session preceded by a dinner conversation among them.

The meeting focused on three topics identified by the Elders and the Secretary-General as priorities in the area of global health – strengthening health systems, advancing maternal health and addressing neglected diseases. During the meeting a press conference was held with Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, WHO Director General Margaret Chan, Jimmy Carter and Gro Bundtland to describe their conclusions and shine the spotlight on the issues discussed during the conference. As President Carter noted during the press briefing, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s commitment to global health issues is unswerving. All participants pledged to continue to work in close consultation.

With this meeting, the Elders deepened its partnership with the Secretary General and the many inter-governmental agencies, private corporations and philanthropic institutions that share a commitment to the cause of global health.

Download the PDF listing the Global Health Meeting Participants.

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Elders Statement on Aung San Suu Kyi

2008-05-27T04:24:00.004+01:00

Download original press release here

May 25, 2008

(Cape Town, South Africa) Statement by Desmond Tutu, Chair of the Elders:

"On behalf of the Elders and people of conscience everywhere, I call for the immediate release of Burmese human rights advocate and fellow Elder Aung San Suu Kyi. This brave and beautiful woman is the world's only imprisoned Nobel Laureate. According to Burmese law, her detention should expire today, allowing her the freedom that she has sought for so many others. The people of Burma chose her as their national leader seventeen years ago. Yet their vote goes ignored and their voices unheard. The country's leadership has an opportunity to begin to right that wrong, to respond to the people's will and to abide by their country's laws.

"At the same time the Burmese junta should open their country to the aid that has been offered in the wake of a terrible cyclone that has claimed over 100,000 lives. This has been a time of tragedy for so many Burmese families. Let it be a time to celebrate the newfound freedom of this visionary leader who stands up for peace, justice and human dignity - and stands up for the Burmese people who have suffered for too long."

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Elders Founder Peter Gabriel named as 'TIME 100 most influential people in the world'

2008-05-08T02:03:00.012+01:00

May 8th, 2008

Elders Founder Peter Gabriel was named one of 'The 2008 Time 100'. Gabriel is featured as one of the "Heroes and Pioneers", with a letter written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Peter Gabriel
By Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

I did not know Peter Gabriel from a bar of soap when I met him for the first time on his friend Sir Richard Branson's Necker Island in the Virgin Islands. But within moments, he had charmed me. I heard him sing his Biko, which still moves me to tears each time I hear it, as we stood round the piano he was playing. He volunteered to give me my first swimming lessons and was a great hit with two of my grandchildren who met him there.

What is his secret? He has a heart—in our part of the world, we would give him our highest accolade and say, "He has ubuntu." It is that marvelous quality that speaks of compassion and generosity, about sharing, about hospitality. Peter founded WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance), presenting 50 festivals in more than 40 countries and conducting workshops in schools around the globe. He is a passionate human-rights advocate who participated in the 1988 Human Rights Now tour, and he co-founded Witness, which provides cameras and computers to activists.

In 2007 he and Branson co-founded the Elders, which Nelson Mandela and his wife Graça Machel launched in Johannesburg on Mandela's 89th birthday. With our world battered by so many problems—ethnic conflict, oppression of women and children, climate change—their idea was that a group of eminent people would serve as Elders for our global village. A dozen of us—including Kofi Annan, President Jimmy Carter and Fernando Cardoso (with an empty chair for Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma)—have accepted their offer and challenge.

Peter, 58, has received many awards, including the Man of Peace award given by Nobel Peace laureates. He has ubuntu, and he deserves this latest accolade richly.

Bishop Tutu, the former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984

View original Time.com article here

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Elders mark World Press Freedom Day, May 3rd

2008-05-03T17:20:00.009+01:00

This public service announcement is available for global TV, radio and internet distribution via Internews

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Elders announce their Chief Executive Officer

2008-04-30T20:36:00.002+01:00

Download original press release here

April 30, 2008

(Johannesburg, South Africa) Desmond Tutu, Chair of the Elders, today announced that Mabel van Oranje will serve as the group’s first Chief Executive Officer. She will oversee the day-to-day operations for the Elders, a group of eminent individuals convened by Nelson Mandela to use their wisdom, independent leadership and experience to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems.

“My fellow Elders and I are delighted to have found such an accomplished and dynamic individual to steer the operations of our group,” said Tutu, “Mabel brings a strong background of work on some of the most challenging issues and a global perspective to this position, and I believe she will be instrumental in helping the Elders fulfill our mission.”

Van Oranje, who assumes the position on July 1 and will be based in London, currently serves as the international advocacy director of the Open Society Institute, which is part of the Soros Foundations Network. She is also a founder and co-chair, together with Martti Ahtisaari and Joschka Fischer, of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Previously, she was the executive director of the Open Society Institute-Brussels (1997-2003), the representative office of the Soros Foundations Network in Western Europe. She founded and was the executive director from 1993 through 1997 of the European Action Council for Peace in the Balkans, a West-European non-governmental organization dedicated to establishing peace, democracy and stability in the Balkans. In 2005, the World Economic Forum elected Van Oranje a Young Global Leader. Jane Wales will continue to serve as acting CEO, until June 30th, 2008.

For media enquiries: Please contact Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Elders Lead Global Philanthropy Forum

2008-04-21T20:54:00.007+01:00

Redwood City, California. April 9th - 11th, 2008

The Elders' Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson played active roles in the 7th Annual Global Philanthropy Forum. This years forum, titled 'Human Security, Human Rights, and the Shared Responsibility to Protect: A conversation between elders and emerging leaders', sought to build alliances and spread the ideas necessary to promote human rights, advance global health, manage natural resources, spread economic opportunity and stop mass atrocities.

Elders' Chair, Desmond Tutu gave the Welcoming Keynote address, and participated in the panel discussion, 'The Conflict Continuum - From Prevention to Resolution to Reconciliation'. Tutu discussed Zimbabwe's current challenges; lessons from the crisis in Kenya and Darfur; the importance of storytelling; and his hope for a new era of women's global leadership.

During the panel, Tutu said "I would hope one day that we will get a women led revolution... If we're really hoping one day to have true peace in our globe, it is going to be because of [a mother's] attributes. The attributes of affirming, of nurturing, of bringing to birth, will be the ones that are the dominant."

Mary Robinson participated in a panel titled 'Women, Children and Conflict', describing some of the stories she heard from brave and incredible women on a recent trip to Eastern Chad. She talked about how many women who have been affected by conflict are building strength by linking up to find more effective solutions to address gender based violence, poverty, and gaps in opportunity.

While at the conference, Robinson took the opportunity to meet with several social entrepreneurs from around the world, discussing their challenges and opportunities in creating social change.

A number of The Elders' advisory board and senior advisors also shared their own perspectives at the event. To access video of Elders' founders and Advisory Board members Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel; Jeff Skoll and senior advisor Helene Gayle please visit the Global Philanthropy Forum website.

Statement by the Elders on the Middle East

2008-04-08T22:33:00.001+01:00

Download original press release here

April 8th, 2008

The Elders have been exploring ways that they can contribute to peace and to the world’s understanding of the complex issues involved in the Middle East conflict.

They had planned a visit to the region in April to meet and listen to representatives from government, civil society, business and the public in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. The Elders will continue consultations with key leaders in the region and outside with the purpose of developing a comprehensive report, but have decided to postpone their visit.

Note to Editors

The Elders, a group of twelve leaders from throughout the world, were convened by Nelson Mandela in July 2007 on the occasion of his 89th birthday, to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems. The Elders’ first mission was to Sudan in September and October 2007. For their report and other information on the Elders, visit www.theElders.org

For media enquiries:
In Europe, Middle East and Africa: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
In U.S.: Sam Hiersteiner (+1 202 295 0171)

Or please email: media@theElders.org

Statement on Tibet from Desmond Tutu on Behalf of The Elders

2008-04-02T19:09:00.004+01:00

Download original press release here

April 2, 2008

The people of Tibet wish to be heard. They have long sought autonomy, and chosen negotiation and mediation as their means of attaining it. They now turn to protest. The Chinese government should hear their voices, understand their grievances and find a non-violent solution.

That solution is offered by our friend and brother His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has never sought separatism, and has always chosen a peaceful path. We strongly urge the Chinese government to seize the opportunity he provides for a meaningful dialogue. Once formed, this channel should remain open, active and productive. It should address issues that are at the heart of the tension, respecting the dignity of the Tibetan people and the integrity of China.

Throughout, the international community will be reassured if the government allows members of the press and United Nations Human Rights investigators full access within Tibet. Without that access, progress is unlikely and an opportunity may be lost.

Notes to Editors

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are: Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

In addition to working independently, The Elders will work to complement, not duplicate or compete with the efforts of other organizations. They will seek opportunities to partner with established groups in ways that help shine a light on work already underway or to assist in bringing the group’s efforts to another level.

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org

For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101); and Sam Hiersteiner (202-295-0171) Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Best Hope for Sustainable Peace: Women

2008-03-08T20:40:00.004Z

Download original press release here

March 8, 2008

With a political deal now signed and poised for implementation, we have high hopes for peace in Kenya. But one vital piece is still missing that would do much to guarantee stability for that troubled country: Kenyan women must be part of the solution.

One of the untold stories of the crisis, which has threatened to tear the country apart, is that behind the scenes, away from the media spotlight, Kenyan women came together across political parties, religious differences and ethnic backgrounds to speak with one voice. They urged their leaders to reach a political solution and address the historic economic and social marginalization that has fueled the conflict following disputed presidential elections last December. Now they must be given the opportunity to use their collective strength and common agenda to put Kenya on a course for a better future.

As the plans for power sharing and reconstruction are developed, we urge full involvement of Kenyan women in the coalition government and reform agenda, and in gaining access to land and other support to rebuild devastated communities. More importantly, we support Kenyan women’s pledge to be central to the healing that needs to occur for nation building to take place.

African women have played significant roles in resolving conflicts in countries such as Burundi, Liberia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and South Africa. They have the potential to contribute to solving other crises on the continent like the one in Zimbabwe. On this International Women’s Day, we call on the global community to acknowledge the vital role which women leaders around the world play in helping to resolve conflict and foster peaceful and prosperous societies.

As members of The Elders, a group who came together last year under Nelson Mandela’s inspiration and Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s chairmanship to speak freely on global issues, we want to reaffirm the importance of promoting women’s leadership, and highlight the ongoing urgent need to protect the human rights of women. We welcome the fact that today a growing number of women hold positions of political authority around the world. We celebrate the progress that has been made in countries like Liberia where Africa’s first woman President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is working tirelessly to bring security and development to her country.

But for countless millions of women and girls, there is little that we can celebrate. The situations they find themselves in are truly intolerable. Women make up most of the world’s poor. Gender-based violence and systemic discrimination against women continue in many countries around the world. Women are particularly at risk in most conflict situations, and maternal mortality and HIV/AIDS rates for women are worsening. Adolescent girls are especially vulnerable, and empowering them is key to tackling these challenges. Young girls are often overlooked in efforts to help poor communities despite the fact that they have tremendous impact on household survival and how societies function.

The results of a new poll on women’s rights in 16 nations by WorldPublicOpinion.org released this week show an overwhelming majority of people around the world say that it is important for “women to have full equality of rights compared to men,” with most believing it is very important. In countries from Iran to China to Indonesia, there is widespread support for government and UN action to prevent discrimination.

The recognition of women’s rights as human rights is testimony to the success of decades of advocacy by women and their allies. Women’s advocacy has brought about pioneering change in areas such as women’s access to education and political participation, as well as in awareness-raising about issues of women’s health and violence again women. It has also transformed interpretations of the human rights framework to take greater account of women’s lives.

As part of our Every Human Has Rights Campaign to mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights during 2008, the Elders are working with a wide range of organizations and networks to remind the world of the unfinished work to promote women’s leadership and protect the human rights of all women.

Co-written by members of The Elders: Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, and Mary Robinson.

For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Elders Mission to Middle East

2008-03-06T20:30:00.000Z

Download original press release here

March 6, 2008

With a deep concern about the long-standing conflict in the Middle East and an equally strong wish for peace, The Elders are sending a three-person team on a mission to the region. Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States who negotiated the Camp David Agreement, and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, will visit Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia from April 13-21 to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the interlocking Middle Eastern conflicts.

The Elders will listen to all parties in the countries. They will meet with leaders from governments, civil society, and key groups that influence the conflict, in an attempt to understand their various perspectives. At the end of the mission, the Elders will prepare a report for the public to help people understand the urgency of peace and what is needed to secure it. The Elders will also meet and begin to work with groups that will reinforce the efforts by the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to negotiate a peace agreement based on a two-state solution.

Each of the Elders brings a unique perspective and considerable knowledge and experience in the region or in conflicts that share some characteristics with those in the Middle East. “As Secretary General of the United Nations, I was acutely sensitive to the centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in the mind of many in the Middle East,” said Kofi Annan. “I have just completed an intense and grueling negotiation in Kenya and learned that conflict is easier than peace, but persistence makes peace possible.”

As a former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson said: “For decades we sought ways to contribute to peace in Northern Ireland,” said Mary Robinson. “In the end, we took risks to bring those who espoused violence into the political process. Many thought it was impossible, but it worked.”

“One of the greatest rewards of my life was to help Prime Minister Menachem Begin and President Anwar Sadat reach agreement for peace at Camp David,” said Jimmy Carter. “But one of the great frustrations since then has been the failure to achieve a comprehensive peace. We genuinely hope that our efforts to learn from each of the parties could contribute to peace.”

Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Chair of the Elders commented, “In South Africa, we sometimes feared that we could never attain peace or democracy, but it happened, and we would like to see our good fortune replicated in the Middle East.”

Note to Editors

The Elders, a group of twelve leaders from throughout the world, were convened by Nelson Mandela in July 2007 on the occasion of his 89th birthday, to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems. The Elders’ first mission was to Sudan in September and October 2007. For their report and other information on the Elders, visit www.theElders.org

For media enquiries:
In Europe, Middle East and Africa: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
In U.S.: Sam Hiersteiner (+1 202 295 0171)

Or please email: media@theElders.org

Desmond Tutu and global 'Elders' back Save the Children campaign

2008-02-25T18:41:00.007Z

February 25, 2008

The Elders help the youngest: The Elders' Partnership with Save the Children in the Every Human Has Rights campaign makes headlines on Politics.co.uk. The story reads:

Save the Children's campaign to cut drastically the numbers of children who die before reaching their fifth birthday received a global boost today with backing from 'The Elders', the group of world-renowned global figures brought together last year by Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel to tackle global crises.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "There is nothing more precious than the life of a child. This is where we find hope for the future. I encourage people around the world to make their voices heard and back this campaign."

The global goal to cut child mortality is woefully off track. In order to tackle this, Save the Children last week launched a campaign asking 10 million people around the world to take action by 2010 for the 10 million children who die every year.

Jasmine Whitbread, Chief Executive of Save the Children, said: "This is a fantastic boost to Save the Children's new campaign. The Elders are reminding the world that every human has rights - and today they have spoken out for the rights of the youngest. There can be no greater priority in the world than ensuring children have the chance of life. Now families across the world can join such distinguished figures as Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan to challenge this injustice and help save children's lives."

The Elders Every Human Has Rights campaign, with its aim of getting people all over the world to hold governments and others accountable to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is collaborating with Save the Children and others to promote human rights. As well as Archbishop Tutu, two more members of the Elders have added their personal support to the campaign.

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said: "It is crucial the world gets on track - there's no clearer indicator of progress than keeping children alive."

Graça Machel, international advocate for women's and children's rights said: "Keeping children alive is a global responsibility and priority. This campaign is driving action around the world to make sure that the promises made to children across the world are kept."

You can read the full text of the www.politics.co.uk story "The Elders help the youngest: Desmond Tutu and global 'Elders' back Save the Children campaign" here.

For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Elders' Chair Desmond Tutu in the International Herald Tribune

2008-02-20T05:53:00.018Z

February 20, 2008

Elders' Chair Desmond Tutu (far left) sitting with fellow
Elders Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel in Sudan last fall.

The International Herald Tribune published an op-ed by Elders' Chair Desmond Tutu on the 'Taking the responsibility to protect', on Monday, February 19th, Tutu writes:

"In contrast to the crises in Rwanda in 1994 and Darfur in 2003, we see today in Kenya the formation of an international consensus that it is unacceptable to ignore violence of the kind that has occurred in recent months or to consider the crisis as purely an internal matter of the state.

What has brought about this change in attitude? We can't underestimate the importance of the leadership and people of Kenya committing themselves to finding a just and equitable way forward. But it should also be acknowledged that the international community has moved far faster in addressing this conflict than it has in similar situations elsewhere. The United Nations has engaged at the highest political levels, the Security Council has issued a statement deploring the violence, and the secretary general and the leadership of human rights offices have been mobilized. African leaders have provided invaluable mediation. This now centers on the work being done by Kofi Annan, Graça Machel and Benjamin M'Kapa, at the request of the African Union.

I believe what we are seeing in Kenya is action on a fundamental principle - the Responsibility to Protect. At the UN World Summit in September 2005, government leaders pledged that states must protect their populations from mass atrocities and, if they fail, the international community must take action."

Desmond Tutu's Op-ed comes at a time when Elders Kofi Annan and Graca Machel are deeply engaged in the Kenyan Peace Process, and coincides with the launch of Every Human Has Rights' campaign partner The Global Centre for Responsibility to Protect.

You can read the full text of the op-ed 'Taking the responsibility to protect' here.

For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Message to Kenyans by The Elders Chair, Desmond Tutu

2008-02-04T18:05:00.005Z

Download original press release here

February 4, 2008

[Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as delivered via radio interview on BBC World, Network Africa Feb 4, 2008, Cape Town]

“This is Archbishop Desmond Tutu – and my heart aches for Kenya.

You and your countrymen and women have suffered greatly. It is in your power to stop the violence -- if you act as one.

You have an opportunity now to stand up for peace. Support the agreement that has been mediated by my fellow Elders Kofi Annan, Graca Machel as well as former President Benjamin Mkapa.

The agreement reached on February 1st allows for an end to the violence. It addresses the humanitarian crisis of refugees and the internally displaced. It seeks to break the political logjam that sparked the crisis. And it will be the basis for settling historical injustices.

Join me in appealing to the goodness and strength that is in every Kenyan. Respect the rights and dignity of one another. Expect your leaders to do the same. And let your leaders know that that this peaceful path is Kenya’s way forward.

If you are asked to take up arms, reject that call. By putting down your arms you will demonstrate the character that God gave to each of you, and to which I now appeal.

God Bless.”

Note to Editors

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg
South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are:
Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem
Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and
Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

In September 2007, Chair of The Elders Desmond Tutu led a delegation including Elders
Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter, and Graça Machel on their first public mission to Sudan
The group met with government and opposition, civil society and international organization representatives, and with Darfuri local community leaders and persons displaced from their homes. They hope to help strengthen and deepen the framework for assuring a permanent peace in Sudan, by listening to, learning from and reporting on the views of the people in Darfur and others concerned with the crisis. Chair Desmond Tutu said, “This is not just a quick trip for The Elders – we want the suffering to end – and we hope to contribute to that.”

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Elder Kofi Annan to lead African Union mediation panel in Kenya

2008-01-14T20:00:00.003Z

Download original press release here

January 14, 2008

The Elders applaud the efforts of the AU in forging a peaceful dialogue and remain ready to help.

Elders Kofi Annan and Graça Machel along with former Tanzania President Benjamin
Mkapa will arrive in Nairobi, Kenya tomorrow to help mediate talks between President MwaiKibaki and Raila Odinga of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement.

Elder Kofi Annan leads the panel of 3 mediators, at the invitation of President John Kufour,President of Ghana and Chairman of the African Union (AU).

Mr. Annan has called on both sides to bear in mind the interest of Kenyans and show
goodwill, leadership and maturity. The mediation panel will establish a secretariat in order to work as expeditiously as possible to resolve many of the issues and restore peace in Kenya. Both the government and opposition in Kenya have welcomed the panel.

Chair of The Elders, Desmond Tutu was in Nairobi in the immediate aftermath of the
Election, pressing for calm and peaceful mediation. The Elders believe it is essential the Kenyan government live up to its responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocities, assuring that security forces carry out their role without ethnic bias or violations of human rights, and that the international community stand ready to help should the Kenyan government be unable to live up to that duty.

Note to Editors

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg
South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are:
Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem
Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and
Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

In September 2007, Chair of The Elders Desmond Tutu led a delegation including Elders
Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter, and Graça Machel on their first public mission to Sudan The group met with government and opposition, civil society and international organization representatives, and with Darfuri local community leaders and persons displaced from their homes. They hope to help strengthen and deepen the framework for assuring a permanent peace in Sudan, by listening to, learning from and reporting on the views of the people in Darfur and others concerned with the crisis. Chair Desmond Tutu said, “This is not just a quick trip for The Elders – we want the suffering to end – and we hope to contribute to that.”

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Statement of The Elders on Kenya

2008-01-05T20:00:00.003Z

Download original press release here

January 5, 2008

To the Kenyan people, we wish to express our sympathy for the turmoil, tragedy and loss you have experienced in recent days, and to appeal to the goodness in each of you to save your country and protect your countrymen and women from harm by choosing a peaceful path forward.

To the government of Kenya, we urge that you act upon your responsibility to protect Kenya's citizens and allow them to live free from harm and with dignity. To the leaders of the Orange Democratic Movement, we ask that you urge your supporters to adopt a non-violent approach. Should the Kenyan government fail in this duty, we ask that the international community stand ready to assist in the protection of human life and human rights. None of us can turn a blind eye to the violence and ethnic targeting taking place in Kenya.

The Elders have called for an international review of the election and its aftermath, and for peaceful dialogue. We have offered assistance in both regards. We stand in solidarity with our Chairman, Archbishop Tutu, who is helping in the search for peaceful solutions. We support our Kenyan brothers and sisters' pleas for peace, justice and democracy.

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Jenny Murphy (202-903-0212)
Or please email: Jmurphy@gloverparkgroup.com

Statement of The Elders on Benazir Bhutto

2007-12-29T20:00:00.003Z

Download original press release here

December 29, 2007

My colleagues and I express our heartfelt sympathies to the family and followers of Benazir Bhutto, and to Pakistan, the country she loved. We await an international investigation into this shocking crime, which was an attack on us all. Ms. Bhutto's legacy is best honored by advancing the habits, processes and institutions of true democracy, including a vibrant civil society, an independent judiciary and a free media. With those rights come responsibilities -- responsibilities that Ms. Bhutto believed all Pakistanis would willingly assume. We share that conviction, for the answer to this loss is not a resort to violence or to oppression. If Pakistan were to collapse into conflict the enemies of peace and human rights will have been victorious. Her memory, and her country deserve better.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu
On behalf of the Elders

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Statement of The Elders on Polio

2007-12-18T20:00:00.005Z

Download original press release here

December 18, 2007

The challenges in global health are many, but with partnerships such as that announced
last week between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rotary Foundation to
eradicate polio, solutions are increasingly within our reach. Polio is a virus that in its severest forms causes paralysis and even death, primarily in children. The Rotary
Foundation has made the eradication of polio its top priority since 1985, and through its partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI – a joint effort by the World Health Organization and UNICEF), it has succeeded in reducing the total number of polio cases by 99 percent over the past two decades. However, the wild polio virus still persists in four countries - Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan - and a major sustained effort on the part of the global community is necessary if it is to be eliminated. Eradicating this disease could be one of the world’s most significant public health accomplishments.

The Elders have made a strong commitment to improving the state of global health, and
believe that these kinds of partnerships, such as the one between Rotary and the Gates
Foundation, are crucial for the success of any global health program. In the process of implementing these campaigns, it is imperative that efforts are made to strengthen local health systems. Improving health systems should be pursued by assuring specialized and sustained training of local health-care workers, and through all other efforts to build local capacity. Our efforts must be focused not only on specific diseases, but also more broadly on bolstering and building sustainable health systems. It is only by doing so that lasting public health improvements will take hold.

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Every Human Has RIghts

2007-12-10T20:00:00.003Z

Download original press release here

December 10, 2007

The Elders Call on a Billion Citizens to Sign and
Uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Cape Town, December 10, 2007— To begin the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), The Elders and partners today launched the Every Human Has Rights campaign to empower global citizens to protect the first-ever comprehensive agreement on human rights among nations.

The Every Human Has Rights campaign calls on citizens to uphold the goals of the
Universal Declaration in their daily lives and to hold governments accountable for the same. Through this effort, one billion people around the world will sign the Universal Declaration, taking responsibility and pledging to speak out to protect the freedom and rights of others in their communities.

“Today, we remind people around the world that there are universal values we all share and universal rights to which every individual is entitled,” Archbishop Tutu, Chair of The Elders said. “We launch this campaign to create an atmosphere in which no person, government, or entity can deny freedom and liberty for any human. By calling on individuals to sign the Universal Declaration, we are asking the citizens of the global village to empower themselves and their communities by standing behind its values and goals. But we are also asking that one united human family join together to protect and defend the rights of each other.”

Persistent Abuses Galvanize Human Rights Icons
The Every Human Has Rights campaign launches at a time of human rights uncertainty around the globe, and will aim to raise awareness, particularly in areas of the world where governments ignore “equal justice, equal opportunity, [and] equal dignity without discrimination,” as voiced by Eleanor Roosevelt, champion of the Universal Declaration 60 years ago.

The Elders, a group of global leaders convened by Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel to address some of the major problems facing the world, became the first signatories to the online pledge, as an empty chair draped in orange drew attention to the continued imprisonment of Burmese human rights defender and Elder, Aung San Suu Kyi. The Elders Chair Archbishop Desmond Tutu, members Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, and Graca Machel, President, Foundation for Community Development, Mozambique, shared the stage with leaders of human rights organizations to demand respect for the basic human rights agreed to in the UDHR.

An Unprecedented, Diverse Coalition
A diverse group of global NGOs, civil society organizations and businesses are partnering in the Every Human Has Rights campaign to highlight UDHR principles, including the right to health, women’s rights, and freedom of expression. Launch partners include ActionAid, Amnesty International, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, International PEN, Witness, Realizing Rights, Save the Children and UNICEF and throughout the year we will expand to include partners from civil society organizations in the developing world through networks like Civicus and directly. Through an innovative collaboration with Google and Witness, individuals and communities from around the world can tell stories of human rights abuses
and human rights triumphs, which will then be brought to life on Google Earth.

“The UDHR’s 60th anniversary offers a chance for a global conversation about the values that unite us as one human family,” said Mary Robinson. “But it can be more. It can also be a moment for new visions and actions rooted in the best traditions of our past. 2008 can be a year in which people from every walk of life learn about and reflect on our shared rights. Now a new generation takes on a task to ensure that every human truly does have the rights they deserve – and that every government lives up to an agreement made 60 years ago to deliver those rights.”

Background on UDHR
Signed on December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration marked the first time in history that nations came together to agree on basic principles of justice, equality, and rights for all of humanity. Signatories took this action as the world began to confront the devastation in the wake of World War II, the Holocaust, and the use of the atomic bomb.

UDHR has exerted a moral, political and legal influence throughout the world, far beyond the aspirations of its drafters. It has been a primary source of inspiration for all post-war international legislation in the field of human rights. All of the United Nations human rights treaties and resolutions as well as the regional human rights conventions - the European and American conventions and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' rights - have been directly inspired by UDHR.

Campaigning at a Critical Time
Today, nearly 60 years after its signing, the world is confronted with the need to reaffirm UDHR in the face of abuses across the globe.

“Human rights are not a privilege, they are everyone’s entitlement and it is an indictment of all of us that the rights of women and children are continually trampled on and ignored. So, as we approach the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we now have the opportunity to enforce the Declaration’s principles ensuring that every single woman and every single child enjoys the rights of all human beings,” said Graca Machel.

Additional Information
To find out more about the Every Human Rights Campaign, our partners, and the web tools giving voice to people from every corner of the globe, visit www.theElders.org/humanrights

Note to Editors
Nelson Mandela announced the formation of The Elders, July 18th, 2007 in Johannesburg South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Founding members of The Elders are: Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

In addition to working independently, The Elders will work to complement, not duplicate or compete with the efforts of other organizations. They will seek opportunities to partner with established groups in ways that help shine a light on work already underway or to assist in bringing the group’s efforts to another level.

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

Statement of The Elders on Pakistan

2007-12-08T20:00:00.001Z

Download original press release here

November 8, 2007

Chair of The Elders Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel and Mary
Robinson issued the following statement today regarding Pakistan:

“We, members of the Elders, strongly condemn President Pervez Musharraf’s
suspension of the constitution and imposition of martial law in Pakistan. These illegal acts have resulted in abuse and incarceration of judges, lawyers, human rights activists, journalists, and other moderate and democratic opposition forces. Instead of a war against terrorism, the attacks have been against freedom and democracy, apparently precipitated by the prospect of having his recent “reelection” declared unconstitutional. President Musharraf’s commitments to relinquish his military rank next month and to hold free and fair elections early in 2008 are now in doubt.

The Elders support all those freedom-loving Pakistanis who have chosen to join in
peaceful expressions of opposition to these dictatorial acts, and call upon political
leaders throughout the world to insist on a return to a lawful government under
Pakistan’s constitution.”

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
or Maria Pahigiannis (+1 202 885 2728).
Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Elders report on Mission to Sudan

2007-12-05T20:00:00.006Z

Download original press release here

December 5, 2007

The Elders report on Mission to Sudan
Transcript of Press Teleconference, December 4, 2007

Robert Pastor:
Thank you. My name is Robert Pastor. I am the Interim Co-Director of the
Elders, a group of 13 distinguished World Leaders that were first
convened last July in Johannesburg by Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel,
and Desmond Tutu. The goal of the Elders is to contribute to resolving
global crises and to offer new approaches to global issues. They chose
as their first mission to go to Sudan, to Khartoum, to Juba, and to three
camps in Darfur to listen and to report. And today they are issuing their
first report, Bringing Hope and Forging Peace. It’s on the website of the
www.theElders.org together with a video and some photos of the mission.
This is a unique international launching in that the four members of—that
participated in this mission to Sudan are in four separate countries. And
of course the press is coming from even more than that

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chair of the Elders and of the mission, is
joining us from South Africa, and will discuss briefly the purpose of the
mission and welcome you. Graça Machel, former Minister of Education
and the leader of Children’s and Women’s rights is joining us from
Mozambique. Jimmy Carter, former US President and Nobel Peace Prize
Winner, like that of Bishop Tutu, is joining us from Beijing. Lakhdar
Brahimi, former Foreign Minister of Algeria and a special UN Envoy is in
the sky as we speak between Paris and Berlin and will hopefully be
joining us at the end of this press conference. Each will offer a few brief
remarks and then we’ll open it up to questions from all of you. I’d like to
ask the Chair, Archbishop Tutu, if he would welcome you and describe
the purpose of the mission.

Desmond Tutu:
Thank you very much, Bob. I want to welcome all of you to what is, for
us, certainly a unique occasion, this virtual teleconference. As Bob has
said, we have Elders participating really from four different countries, and
then Bob himself is in the United States giving us a fifth. And I want to
thank him and all who have assisted him in putting this together. And
thank you for coming.

Let me make a few preliminary remarks. The situation in Darfur and the
Sudan is one that every one of us admits cries out for help from the
international community, which is why we chose it as the site for our first
mission. We had—we felt a moral imperative to join and contribute to the
efforts of so very many people—so very many outstanding organizations
to work to stop the atrocities, to seek to protect the people who are so
vulnerable, and to make our contributions to the promotion of peace. We
sought as our primary goal—we sought amplify the voices of people who
are not normally heard and to call the world’s attention to the fact that,
even though it is a fraught and desperate situation, peace is possible if
we take action now. And as we say in our report, the call of Darfur’s crisis
is the simple fact that those who have the greatest stake in the future, the
poor, displaced persons, have the least voice in defining it.

My colleagues will share some their impressions from the trip and outline
our accommodations. But I wanted to share with you one feeling, one
conclusion. Darfur is experiencing some of the most awful atrocities and
continues to do so. And it all—yet it also permitted us to see that people
can be good. People are fundamentally good, that they have an incredible
kind of resilience. The dignity of the people forced to live in terrible
squalor in the camps and I also—I think we wanted to highlight the
bravery of the humanitarian workers trying to help—to bring help to those
who are suffering. And I found those incredibly inspiring, and I hope that
others, too, would find the courage, the determination, the commitment of
the humanitarian workers to be something to inspire them. We want to
emphasize that peace in Darfur requires the full implementation of the so-
called Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South. And
we believe it can happen. So, I pass on to my next colleague.

Graça Machel:
We visited Sudan and Darfur as Elders because we wanted to have a
first-hand understanding of the extent and the depth of the tragedy which
is unfolding there. We listened to as many people in the region as
possible and we common thread in all of them. The stories they told us,
they all end in one particular concern: the need for security. Security
cannot be overemphasized as the priority number one of everyone we
managed to speak to. People live in fear every day. They cannot return to
their homes, but they are also not safe in the camps. I was particularly
struck by many horrific stories of rape or gender violence from young
girls, mothers, elderly women. No age is spared. Rape has become a
norm. Women show that this type of brutality and aggression can be
compared to what they have experienced in the hands of their protectors.
The government of Sudan seemed not to understand the gravity of this
reality, the realities of these women. Or in other sense, I believe they
don’t want to face it. We tried as much as we could to bring them to
senses to understand how this violates the very existence, rights and
dignity of these women. But it seems to us that the government of Sudan
is trying to hide behind and saying rape is not taking place in the camps.

We—we are very touched by the conditions in which humanitarian
organizations are working. Extremely difficult conditions, yet the
commitment and the dedication so far all of them, it was really the duty of
how human solidarity can be spent in such hot conditions. Much later we
learned that in October, at known, 7 of them were killed. So we are very
concerned about the safety and the working conditions of humanitarian
organizations. We are even more worried because as they find it difficult
to do their work, the millions of the people in the camps cannot have food;
they cannot have the medications they need. And more particularly,
children, who are most vulnerable of them all, naturally will face the worst
diseases. Malnutrition will reach proportions which we cannot describe.
So we are really concerned that the humanitarian organizations should be
allowed to do what they are meant to do on behalf of the rest of human
kind but this the people and this place can’t.

We also were told by everybody that they believe that UNAMID forces will
protect them and to allow them to go back home and to run a normal life.
But we are worried that obstacles are being raised to the effective
determent of these forces. As Africans, we appreciate that most of the
forces will be African, but we also urge the government to accept the UN
forces as quickly as possible and to cooperate fully with the United
Nations and the African Union. This will be my introductory remarks. I will
now pass on to President Carter.

Jimmy Carter:
Thank you, Graça, and our Chairman Archbishop Tutu. I happen to be
right now in Beijing, meeting with Chinese leaders. We had been going to
Sudan, both North and South Sudan for 20 years, as representing the
Carter Center, but this is—has been a wonderful opportunity for us to
learn at first-hand what is actually going on in that extremely troubled
region that has been too much ignored by the general world population
and also by the leaders who are in political authority, both in individual
nations and also within the United Nations organization itself. We were
able to meet while there with President al-Bashir on two occasions. Very
frank and firm discussions on both sides. We went down into Juba, which
is the capital of Southern Sudan, to meet with Salva Kiir and his entire
cabinet and, as Graça has pointed out and the Chairman, we were also
able to visit three of the Darfur displaced persons camps. So we were
able to learn what goes on there. We had very disturbing meeting with the
commanding officer of the very small African force, which only comprises
about 5,000 people now and are inadequately provided with
transportation or weapons or any kind of support services. All of them
have hopes that they—UNAMID forces, which has been approved
strongly by the United Nations Security Council, will be implemented. But
it seems obvious now that obstacles are being placed in the way of the
formation of this force. Graça has already pointed out that government of
Sudan insists that the force be overwhelmingly African, but even the other
support that the Africans cannot provide are not being permitted to come
into Sudan. Ground areas for the force to be landed and deployed and
transportation for the forces are being obstructed or are not yet available.

There are two major agreements that have been consummated in the last
few years, both very significant. I think the most important overall has
been the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that was negotiated under
the leadership of former Senator John Danforth from the United States
and supported by the United States government and helped by the
Africans, as well. This ended a 20 year war between the North
government and the Southern Sudan Revolutionary force that had
resulted in the deaths of more than 2 million people. And this
Comprehensive Peace Agreement has absolutely got to be consummated
and honored on both sides. At this point, there are several important
issues that haven’t been resolved, and there is a real danger that this
entire Peace Agreement will be broken down and that war will break out
again between the North and South with devastating consequences. If
this happens, obviously, then the plight of the people in Darfur will be
exacerbated even worse than it is already.

What needs to be done in our recommendations is an immediate cease-
fire. The government of Sudan, the Darfur Rebel groups and the
Janjaweed militias, who have been supported and authorized in the past
by the government of Sudan, must commit themselves to an immediate
cease-fire, disarmament as agreed and return to rule of law. This has not
yet been done. The second this is that the United Nations and African
Union are working together under the auspices, both of the United
Nations and the combined African nations, to negotiate peace in Darfur,
which has been done. And this has not yet been implemented. I’d only
involve just a portion of the Darfur rebel groups and another effort was
made in Libya that has proved to be frustrated because many of the rebel
groups did not come together and civil society was not represented in the
rebel groups that did attend. We have urged the rebel groups to unite and
participate in the talks with a united voice, speak coherently. They did not
do that in Libya. And just in recent days, the rebel groups in the South—
South Sudan Liberation Organization—has convened a number of these
groups and they are now trying to forge a comprehensive statement.

The genius of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is that it does
recognize that peace in Sudan requires free elections, which has to be
preceded by a census to determine which people live in the North and
South, how old revenues will be distributed in the future, and whether or
not South Sudan can vote within six years or whether they become an
independent nation or they remain part of Sudan. And of course there are
some border disputes and delineations to be worked out as well. This
must be carried out. Since we were in Sudan, the North and South have
become parted in that the South withdrew from the government, but at
least the leaders of the North and South have been negotiating with each
other, which is encouraging. This is a very important process. One of the
keys to it is to hold a census and to hold elections that are now scheduled
for 2009. The census is to be begun in February.

Not related directly to the Elders is the agreement by the government of
Sudan and also the leaders of the Southern Peoples Liberation
Movement in the South to have the Carter Center kept to monitor the
process of conducting the census and also the conduct of election in
2009. We are willing to do that from Carter Center, if both sides continue
to insist that we take that responsibility. Also, the political party leaders,
who are excluded now from the political process completely, have also
asked us to participate.

I think the most important thing that the international community can do is
to make sure that the pledges of the United Nations to form the so-called
UNAMID forces, which would bring a total of about 26,000 troops, that it
be honored and that specialized support be provided on an urgent basis.
The government of Sudan must stop its obstacles to the conclusion of this
commitment and accept the UNAMID forces and so they can join in with
the predominantly African force and provide some non-African support
that the African countries are obviously not able to provide themselves.
The humanitarian agencies are—including Oxfam and many others,
continue to report that they are being harassed and their own personnel
are being sometimes being killed and prevented from doing that
humanitarian work. This is also is a responsibility for the United Nations
and the international community to enforce. All the countries that have
influence with the Sudan government should combine their efforts to force
the Sudan government to comply with these international laws and rules
that have been promulgated by the United Nations Security Council and
others.

I don’t know if Lakhdar Brahimi’s on the line or not. But I think I might
make just two or three more comments. First of all, the United Nations did
pass a Security Council Resolution 1769 that authorizes this peace
keeping force to be deployed, and it was passed by—unanimously—by all
the permanent members of the Security Council and also other members.
But just to make this pledge is certainly not enough. The Elders strongly
support these pledges and also the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,
and we would like to remind people again, as I said earlier, that this could
result in a devastating war breaking out unless the government of Sudan
cooperates fully with the restraints that are being placed on it, which will
lead to peace throughout Sudan and we hope in the future, democracy,
freedom, and the alleviation of suffering for all the people now. It’s time
now for the united—united forces of the international community to
combine our efforts and to not ignore this situation, as too many have
done so up until this moment.

And now I think, Bob, I’ll turn it back over to you for the time for questions
and answers, and then later, as I understand, Archbishop Tutu will
conclude.

Robert Pastor:
Thank you very much, President Carter, Graça Machel, and Archbishop
Tutu. Now open for questions.

Operator:
Ladies and gentlemen, if you have a question at this time, please press
the 1 key on your touchtone telephone. Our first question comes from
Talal Al-Haj. Sir, you may begin.

Robert Pastor:
May I ask that you would identify your name and also designate the
person to whom you’d like the question answered, if you could.

Talal Al-Haj:
My question is to President Jimmy Carter. Concerning the—my name is
Talal Al-Haj and I’m from the Al Arabiya Television based in New York,
and I’ve been following this for a few years. Actually, I’ve done the first
documentary about the people of Darfur in 2004 for all the world to see. I
went with Kofi Anon for 10 days, and I’ve been following this. My question
is, to study the international community and the 1769 resolution, there
was a big protest by the whole world about the catastrophe really, the
crisis—the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, but when the time comes to
deliver the capabilities, like the United Nations peacekeeping operation
division needs 18 helicopters, logistical and 6 tactical, and nobody
seems—wants to volunteer with such helicopters in spite the
[unintelligible] they made before. Now, the force—there’s no point in
sending a force which has no capabilities. Otherwise, going to be
humiliated by the Janjaweed or the rebels [unintelligible] the African
forces, the 7 thousand—or 5 thousand by now—have done so, and they
are trying to keep the peace and preserve their lives. There’s no pointing
in sending a force without proper capability and a force with peace.

Robert Pastor:
And your question?

Talal Al-Haj:
--the international community is not willing to come forward and give them
the capabilities they need. And secondly—my second part of the
question, the rebels are not getting enough pressure. All the pressure I
can see from the United Nations—I’ve been following it—is really directed
towards the Sudanese government and they deserve to have that
pressure. But the rebels should have also an incentive to cooperate. They
haven’t attended the Libya Conference. There is nothing being—no
sanctions threatened against them really, and nothing—they’re not
fearing them. And they have no incentive, really, to cooperate. Abdul
Wahid is sitting in front. They have no pressure on him, who is a major
rebel leader.

Robert Pastor:
Thank you, Talal. I think we’ve got the questions. President Carter?

Jimmy Carter:
Well, there are some agreements by al-Bashir or the government of
Sudan lately they’ve at least said that they would accept Chinese forces
and a unit from Bangladesh. And both of them have now been deployed.
However, Sudan has not accepted from Norway and Thailand and Nepal.
I just came from Nepal and talked to the commanding general of their
armed forces there in Katmandu, and he says they are quite willing to
provide this assistance, proving Sudan will accept. And I think the
absence so far has been united pressure from the powers in the United
Nations—the United States, Great Britain, China—I’m here in China—and
Russia and so forth, to make sure that the government of Sudan is
flexible in accepting any kind of offer to fulfill the UNAMID commitment
that African countries obviously cannot provide for themselves. We had
quite a discussion about that personally with al-Bashir, and he basically
agreed with that premise, but he said it had to be proven that the African
countries who volunteered could not provide services and obviously, as
you say, helicopters are one of those things that African countries do not
have to provide. And he ought to let them come in from whatever source
they will be available.

The rebel forces led by Abdul Wahid and Khalil Ibrahim have not agreed
to cooperate, and they are two of the large and well-known leaders. And I
think there again the government of France should put maximum
pressure on Abdul Wahid. If he won’t participate in finding—trying to find
peace for the people in the Darfur that he claims to represent, he should
be expelled from France or other ways should be used to make him
conform himself properly to deal with the people who are willing to seek
for peace. And Khalil Ibrahim is in the same category. So, the essence of
this from the point of view of the Elders is for us to encourage the entire
world community to put pressure on those who do influence in Khartoum
and who do have influence in Paris, for instance, to force the rebel
leaders to participate.

Robert Pastor:
Thank you. The next question?

Operator:
Our next question comes from Charlayne Hunter-Gault with National
Public Radio.

Charlayne Hunter-Gualt:
I’m in Johannesberg, and I was just wondering if any of you have
had any further contact with President al-Bashir since leaving before this
report was issued or any of the other centers of power that might have
some impact on this situation. Or do you expect this report, you know, in
and of itself to make a—have an impact?

Jimmy Carter:
Charlayne , this is Jimmy Carter. I can respond from my point of view,
and I hope the others will as well. Separately from the Elders, as you
know, al-Bashir agreed to invite the Carter Center to participate in the
process of conducting a census and also monitoring the conduct of
election later on. This is something that we’ve done now in 69 different
occasions. And we—I have sent, since I got back home, delegation of
experts on election monitoring to Sudan, to the North and South. They
met with al-Bashir and his top leaders. They met with the opposition
parties, who are out of power now, and cleared the former Prime Minister,
who al-Bashir overthrew 17 years ago—18 years ago now—and took
office. And they also met with Salva Kiir in the South. And all of them
have encouraged us to help with this census and with the election. By the
way, the Parliament has moved forward in forming the election law and
the funding for the census has been provided by the government. So, at
least that aspect of the potential peace in the future is taking shape and
we’ll monitor that as long as we are permitted to do so by the disputing
parties. The key factor, though, is that the UNAMID forces need to be
formed in order to make peace possible so that a proper census can be
conducted. You might be interested in knowing that they have now
divided Sudan up into 56,000 small regions, each one of which will be
monitored by a team, and those census monitoring teams are now in the
process of being trained.

Desmond Tutu:
Can I just add that we had warned that the peace process was on the
verge of collapse and no sooner had we left the Sudan, when in fact what
we had feared happened because the ministers from the South withdrew
from the government of national unity and immediately President Carter
and Minister Brahimi got on the phone. Brahimi spoke to President al-
Bashir, and President Carter spoke to President Kiir and proposed to
them what we had already done, the possibilities of mediation by some of
us and the President of the South accepted. President Bashir said he
didn’t think that was necessary. So we reacted quite quickly after we left
when a crisis broke out in the Sudan.

Robert Pastor:
And also, if I might add, President Carter met with the Secretary General
of the UN also in a debriefing after the meeting. And Archbishop Tutu met
with him before that. But in the meeting afterwards, Secretary General
said that those conversations and the efforts by all of the Elders had
brought the two sides back from the brink of war. And they were very
appreciative of that and desired further cooperation, and we’ve been in
touch with the UN frequently since then.

Next question?

Operator:
Thank you. Our next question comes from Nora Boustany of Washington
Post.

Nora Boustany:
Yes, anyone could answer. Precious little has been said by Arab heads of
state on what the Sudanese leadership could do to respond to ICC
warrants of arrests or calls by the international community for pacifying
what is happening in Darfur. Have any of you thought of embarking on
some kind of diplomatic mission to bring Arab leaders on board to bear
pressure on President Bashir?

Desmond Tutu:
I haven’t. I don’t think that we did anything in particular in that regard.
Although, we did express a disquiet fact that someone who was facing
arraignment by the ICC should have been appointed a Minister of
Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan. I hope, I mean we hope, that Sudan will
indicate that it respects International Humanitarian Law and international
institutions such as the ICC by agreeing to hand over the two people who
have been indicted.

Nora Boustany:
Thank you.

Robert Pastor:
Next question.

Jimmy Carter:
By the way, when we met with the whole leadership of the Sudan ruling
party, we made a very strong presentation on this subject. They admitted
that they were signatories of the International Agreement on the
International Criminal Court but said that their Parliament had not yet
ratified the agreement that they themselves had signed. And they flew in
the face of the International Criminal Court by taking this indicted criminal,
as the Archbishop has said, and giving him a promotion to a position
which is ridiculous in that now he’s supposed to enforce human rights in
the country where he’s already been indicted for gross violation of the
same human rights. So this is a blatant refusal to comply with
International Law, which the Sudanese government signed an agreement
to implement in through the International Criminal Court.

Robert Pastor:
Next question?

Operator:
Thank you. Our next question comes from Celean Jacobson with the
Associated Press.

Celean Jacobson:
I am Celean Jacobson in Johannesburg with AP. The question is to
anyone. Your report comes a few days before the start of the EU African
Summit in Lisbon. And there has been some concern that the issue of
Darfur is not going receive enough attention there. Would you like to see
more focused discussion on Darfur? And what would your message be to
those African and European leaders?

Jimmy Carter:
I think the Archbishop can answer that best.

Desmond Tutu:
We, certainly, yes, would hope—I mean—that it would be something that
they take seriously on their agenda. But I mean there are other issues
which concern us, which we would hope would equally be—have that
attention. I mean, although we went to the Sudan, we were very
concerned about what is happening in Zimbabwe and we would hope, I
mean, that that would be another item fairly high up on the agenda of the
EU/AU meeting, as also the situation in Burma. Those are three particular
crises that we have been concerned with and would hope, I mean, that a
greater credibility would accrue to these high level meetings if in fact they
were shown to be concerned about issues such Darfur, but Darfur
particularly would be—I mean if they didn’t discuss Darfur, you want to
find out what are they talking about?

Jimmy Carter:
Well, I think one of the reasons for our going to Sudan to look at the
Darfur issue was because it was not being addressed adequately by
international forums because of sensitivities about criticizing each other in
very sensitive violations of basic human rights. And my hope at this press
conference this evening—or whatever time it is in your place—will help to
encourage both the African Union and also the EU to, I would say elevate
Darfur to the top position in matters of concern to the world that are not
being addressed adequately. So, we hope that our voice will add a small
impetus to the elevation of the importance of this issue.

Robert Pastor:
Graça Machel, would you like also to respond to the question about the
agenda for the AU summit?

Jimmy Carter:
Graça, I think if your husband, Nelson Mandela, would let his own
personal voice be heard there at the Summit, it would make a great
impact.

Desmond Tutu:
Graça?

Robert Pastor:
We may—we may have lost her.

Desmond Tutu:
Oh, dear.

Robert Pastor:
Next question?

Operator:
Our next question comes from Opheera McDoom of Reuters News
Agency.

Opheera McDoom:
Hi, this is Opheera McDoom from Reuters News Agency in Sudan. I was
with you on the trip. I actually had a question for Graça, which is a bit of a
shame that she’s not here. Maybe someone else could answer it. Would
you say that Sudan was in a state of denial on the issues such as rape
and security and violence in Darfur? And also, Martin Luther Agwai, the
head of the UNAMID force, has said that Africans can’t do the job in
Darfur. Why is it that you think and from your discussions that Bashir and
President Bashir want the Africans to continue in Darfur? Is Sudan
serious about the deployment of UN forces in Darfur, or are they just time
wasting?

Jimmy Carter:
Well, I don’t think it’s up to us to judge people’s motives, but it’s very
important for African leaders at the top level of African Union influence to
speak out strongly on one basic question dealing with UNAMID, and that
is that, sure, everyone agrees that African forces should be pre-eminent
in the UNAMID force whenever they are capable of performing specific
duties. But when there is a vacuum there, and it is obvious to any
reasonable person that African forces cannot fulfill a particular vital
mission, then other countries that volunteer their services—helicopters is
a good example—should be welcomed in by the government of Sudan to
fulfill the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, with which, by
the way, the government of Sudan has expressed its compliance.

Robert Pastor:
Graça, are you back on the line?

Graça Machel:
Yes, I am. I missed part of the conference call. I’m sorry.

Desmond Tutu:
Oh, I am glad you are back.

Robert Pastor:
The question for you, in part, was about the issues that you raised with
regard to rape and sexual violence and whether you felt in particular the
AU/European Summit might want to address these questions?

Graça Machel:
I don’t think, to my knowledge, that the agenda of the Summit has the
specific action to deal with this kind of issue. I think one of the features of
many of the summits is that they concentrate on the general things of
relations among states, but not specifically necessarily on issues which
may be of a high priority to people’s lives in this case. So, to my
knowledge, I don’t think this is going to feature. I think if I want to
comment on the issue of rape, most of the countries of which you find
rape as weapon of war, the response has been found to be extremely
inadequate in terms of the country itself. In the case of Sudan. There is
no political will to accept that rape is taking place and is violating the
rights of woman. There is no decision to accept that. Consequently, there
is no even openness for the organizations—the national organizations,
who are willing not only prevent but also to support the victims, they are
not allowed. In certain cases we were told even that you can’t talk of rape
to certain leaders. You have to say as if it is a [unintelligible], which is a
completely concept in different classes. So the response is issues which
violates the rights of women can be of a second degree, I think. But here
we have a huge responsibility as national organizations, as voices of
influence really to raise it very prominently that this is unacceptable. And
second, that the capacity to assist the victims has to be made available
so that those women, those girls can deal with the impact of things, and
to be best to run a normal life. But I accept that there is a lot to be done
for that to happen.

Robert Pastor:
Opheera, is that a full answer to your question or do you have other
questions?

Opheera McDoom:
Yes, for Graça, from your meetings in Sudan, you’re talking about having
implementation of mechanisms to help victims of rape, but I’m in Sudan,
I’ve been covering this conflict for four and a half years. Not once has
anyone here admitted that there is a problem of systematic rape. So do
you think the government is in a state of denial? And how can you create
mechanisms for something if people are denying there’s a problem in the
first place?

Graça Machel:
I know that in some national organizations, they are trying to do the work.
In the very difficult circumstances, they are trying. We were even told of a
regional organization, which was expelled from Sudan precisely because
it was speaking out against rape. But one thing, it is not necessarily for
the organizations themselves. I’m saying we are dealing with a
fundamental issue of human rights. It looks like that the globally the
instruments that we have are very inadequate. Let me give you an
example. In the whole history of Bosnia, where it was also recognized
that rape was used as a weapon of war, how many people were
convicted, were proved and convicted? So, that’s the mechanism—these
are the kind of mechanisms I’m talking about. We’ve just [unintelligible]
the country and some international instruments themselves to give to
those organizations which will be implementing at the national level.
That’s what I was trying to say.

Operator:
Our next follow-up question comes from Nora Boustany of Washington
Post.

Nora Boustany:
Yes, with all due respect to the participants in this discussion, for a
number of years now we have been talking about Darfur, rape in Darfur,
the reluctance of the Sudanese government to submit to the international
way. What are you doing differently that you think will bring about a
difference? I’m sorry to sound so cynical, but there’s been a lot of time
and effort and passion spent on Darfur in the public arena, and precious
little results. What are you expecting differently with your efforts?

Desmond Tutu:
Can I try to give a very brief answer? We don’t come here believing that
we are the know-alls and the omniscient ones who are infallible, but we
do believe that we have a measure of experience. Many of us, I mean
quite a few, have been heads of state, heads of government, people who
headed up fairly significant international organizations. We come, we
hope, with a level of credibility that the world has recognized. A number of
us are Nobel Peace Laureates. We believe that some of that kind of
authority, if you like, that kind of experience helps to highlight and, you
see, one of us is in China just now. He has access, the kind of access
that not too many people would normally have, access to people in top
places to be able to speak often behind closed doors, seeking to bring a
new kind of pressure, the pressure of persuasion, the pressure of
integrity, the pressure of an experience garnered over a long period of
time. And also coming with an independence and perhaps a fearlessness
to try to speak up.

We are not saying we are better than any of the other people. We are
actually saying we want to support the efforts of the United Nations, of the
AU, and of very many other civil society organizations to give added
momentum. We are saying this thing must be highlighted. Peace is
possible. Peace can be attained, and we hope can persuade some of
those who have an influence with the key role players in this matter, try to
get them to use their leverage for improving, for resolving a very, very
fraught situation. And so, I don’t think you are being cynical. It is a very
good, practical question. And we are saying yes, this thing has gone on
for too long. We hope we can bring to bear a fair amount of say, well,
argue with prestige and significant kind of authority, moral authority, that
may just begin to help to move the players.

Jimmy Carter:
I’d like to add one other thing. One of the purposes of our going there was
to bring these issues again to the attention of the international news
media. And just the ones who have questioned us this evening, the Arab
media, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, maybe others that
are on the line—we have a long list of them—if you all would join in with
us and give the highest possible news coverage and editorial support, it
would undoubtedly have more influence on your government and on
world opinion than the voice of a dozen or so of us Elders. So we hope
that this evening’s conference will form some kind of a friendly and
cooperative partnership dealing with one of the worst human rights
violations and crises that exists in the entire world. It’s been overly
neglected not only by political leaders in office but by those like us who
are out of office and also by the news media. So, I hope that we have
formed a good partnership tonight in promoting new awareness and a
new attention to be brought to this disgrace to the human race.

Graça Machel:
Let me just say something. I think it would be very strange if a group like
ours, regardless of how many other people have added their voice
against what is happening in Sudan, if you would contact a group like
ours and then finally pick a side and watch, not simply, even if it is just
simply to add our voice.

Jimmy Carter:
And some of us Elders will stay deeply involved in the question of Sudan
and Darfur in the weeks ahead, no matter what happens.

Desmond Tutu:
Thank you, Jim, for being there. Thank you for your contribution.

Desmond Tutu:
Thank you, Graça, for your contribution. Thank you, Bob, for helping to
arrange. Thank you, media. We are now disappearing.

[End of recording]

Excerpts from The Elders press conference on their Mission to Sudan Report

2007-12-05T20:00:00.005Z

Download original press release here

December 5, 2007

Excerpts from The Elders press conference on their
Mission to Sudan Report

Desmond Tutu:“The situation in Darfur and the Sudan is one that … cries out for help from the international community…We felt a moral imperative to join and contribute to the efforts of so many people…and make our contributions to the promotion of peace.”

Jimmy Carter: “We encourage the entire world community to put pressure on those who have influence in Khartoum and who have influence in Paris, for instance, to force the rebel leaders to participate [in the Darfur Peace Negotiations].”

Graça Machel: “The government of Sudan seemed not to understand the gravity of this reality [rape and gender-based violence], the realities of these women. I believe they don’t want to face it.

International Criminal Court

Tutu:“We hope that Sudan will indicate that it respects International Humanitarian Law and international institutions such as the ICC by agreeing to hand over the two people who have been indicted.”

Carter:“Sudan flew in the face of the International Criminal Court by taking this indicted criminal…and giving him a promotion to a position which is ridiculous in that now he’s supposed to enforce human rights in the country where he’s already been indicted for gross violation of the same human rights."

UNAMID

Carter:“The most important thing that the international community can do is to make sure that the pledges of the United Nations to form UNAMID forces…be honored and that specialized support be provided on an urgent basis.…”

Machel:“We are worried that obstacles are being raised to the effective deployment of these forces. As Africans, we appreciate the most of the forces will be Africa, but we also urge the government to accept the UN forces as quickly as possible and to cooperate fully with the United Nations and the African Union.”

Carter: “All the countries that have influence with the Sudan government should combine their
efforts to force the Sudan government to comply with these international laws and rules that have been promulgated by the United Nations Security Council and others.”

“It’s very important for African leaders…to speak out strongly on UNAMID, sure, everyone agrees that African forces should be pre-eminent in the UNAMID force whenever they are capable of performing specific duties. But when there is a vacuum there…then other countries that volunteer their services—helicopters is a good example—should be welcomed in by the government of Sudan to fulfill the mandate of the United Nations Security Council”

North-South Peace

Carter: “There is a real danger that this entire Peace Agreement will be broken down and that war will break out again between the North and South with devastating consequences.”

For more information please visit: www.theElders.org
For media enquiries, please call: Sara Latham (+44 7787 524 101)
Or please email: media@theElders.org

The Elders Set Their Agenda

2007-10-23T20:00:00.003+01:00

Download original press release here

October 23, 2007

A team of The Elders, composed of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter, and Graça Machel - recently completed their first public mission to Sudan where they visited Khartoum, Juba, and three sites in Darfur. They met with President Omar al-Bashir, senior members of his government, President Salva Kiir of the government of Southern Sudan and Ministers in his government, leaders of civil society organizations and opposition political parties, UN and African Union officials, representatives of international non-governmental organizations, and a wide segment of leaders from Darfur and the IDP camps. The Elders will shortly issue a report on their mission. For a transcript of their concluding press conference, please visit www.theElders.org.

“Our hearts are with everyone who wants to end the tragic war in Darfur, but we hope to use our voices to ask the world to shift its eyes to the national challenge of Sudan and to the only long term solution that can permit the people to have an assured peace and a guaranteed voice of their own: free elections and democracy,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chair of The Elders.

In addition to Sudan, The Elders are exploring both how they can contribute to resolving other crises and helping the public to understand them. The Elders are looking at three other crises: Myanmar, the Middle East, and Zimbabwe; and are also examining approaches to four global issues: human rights, global health, climate change and women’s rights.

Mary Robinson said, “Part of the wisdom of The Elders is to remind the young of the importance of values. I am excited at the possibility to remind the world that in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which turns 60 next year - we actually have universal values that are accepted by every government in the world. Yet many people still aren't aware of these commitments and we all know the rights the Universal Declaration affirms aren't being implemented today in too many places. Our challenge is to use the 60th anniversary to begin to change that.”

Mission to Sudan - Departure Statement

2007-10-03T20:00:00.001+01:00

Download original press release here

Excerpts from The Elders Press Conference
Sudan Mission, Rotana Hotel
Khartoum, Sudan
October 3, 2007, 11:15pm local time

Desmond Tutu:
We were distressed, as most people would have been, by the immense suffering of our sisters and brothers in Darfur. We thought that that was going to be our particular concentration. We wanted to do something to end that suffering, hoping we would not be seen as just one other group visiting the area. We are still committed to doing all we can to end the suffering of those wonderful people.

We found that this land is in a critical stage of its history, that we couldn’t deal with Darfur without dealing with peace in the rest of Sudan, that peace in Darfur depended on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and from all that we have learned, and we have met with the president twice, we have met with the president of the government of Southern Sudan, we have met with members of the diplomatic community, with representatives of the U.N, EU, representatives of NGOs, we have been to two IDP camps, and we believe that peace is so crucial, that it is so desperately needed. Everywhere we went, people put as their priority concern: security, peace. The peace that is so indispensable for Sudan, for Darfur depends on democracy.

It is quite clear to us that a crucial element in ending the suffering of the people of Darfur is for the hybrid force, UN/AU peacekeepers, to be deployed as quickly as possible. Our hearts are with everyone who wants to end the tragic war, but today want to use our voices to ask the world to shift it’s eyes to the national challenge of Sudan and to the only long term solution that can permit the people to have an assured peace and a guaranteed voice of their own: free elections and democracy.

I am going to ask each one of my colleagues to speak on one of three areas of
discussion. President Carter on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Darfur Peace
Agreement, Lakhdar Brahimi on the United Nations and African Union issues and Graca
Machel on what we heard and learned in Darfur and from the people with whom we met.

President Jimmy Carter:
If the Comprehensive Peace Agreement breaks down, nothing that is done in Darfur will alleviate the suffering of the people there, so we consider this to be of crucial importance. Along with the CPA, obviously the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and several things that have now arisen in this nation and has come to our attention causes concern, and I’ll be very brief with those. First of all the National Congress party, primarily the regime that’s in power now, and as you know and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in the south have strong differences of opinion. When we hear vital issues discussed by president Bashir and the same issues discussed by Salva Kiir, there is a dramatic difference between their interpretations of issues. One of those obviously is demarcation of the border between the north and south. This is supposed to have been completed long ago, but it’s not, and there are still some very strong differences of opinion about exactly where that border should be. There is a committee that was established. It is not functional. The Chair is not permitted to make any public statement to describe differences that exist between the north and south, and I think it is accurate to say he will be leaving soon, which leaves something of a vacuum there in a procedure by which major differences can be decided about where are the oil wells. Are they in the north or the south? And of course that carries over as you know into Darfur Peace Agreement. This includes an ancient argument; the difference between 1905 and 1956 and exactly where that border should be.

As you probably understand, it was agreed in the past that all that oil that is clearly in the north will belong one hundred percent to the national government, and that found in the south will be divided in half. This is a cause that is so important that it could very well lead to renewed bloodshed, although I have to say quickly that both in the north and south we found no one that wants to go back to war. They both pledged that no matter what happens they will not go back to war.

One particular part of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement that is very important is the
holding of a democratic election. The last democratic election that was held in this
country was in 1986. The pledge is, from both sides, we will hold an honest, open, fair, democratic election in 2009 and that a census must be taken obviously to see where people live, who they are, how many they are, how many are qualified to vote. This has not yet been started; it was supposed to have begun last July. Now there is agreement between the north and the south that they will start on the 1st Feb, 2008.

There is also a promise of thirty million dollars that will cover the cost of this. So far only seven and a half million dollars have been forthcoming and there is some argument about whether the government should provide the remaining funds or the donor
countries, but that is a matter that has to be decided.

How the election law will be written is very important because it will describe the
procedures by which the new government will be formed, how many come will come
from the regions, how many will be first-past-the-post, to get the most votes. That
mixture has to be decided. It is a matter of argument in many countries and it is going to be a matter of argument here too. That has to be done soon, we hope this month, and it is important.

We need also to be sure that the conduct of the election will be approved not just by the SPLM and the National Congress party but also by the other political parties that are headed by border groups in this country, because they obviously will put forward
candidates and they will be participating in the election.

The other part that is very important is the Darfur Peace Agreement, with which
everybody is familiar. As you know it has not gone forward yet. The one signed in Abuja was only signed by one rebel group, the other two groups there did not sign it, they rejected it and there are other non-signatories now. An effort is being made, as you know by United Nations and the African Union to bring to Tripoli on the 27th of this month of October, people who represent the rebel groups and who also represent the government. As you know the only qualification for the rebel groups is that they have some guns and they are qualified to kill people and so far that is the only criteria by which rebel groups are defined. There have been six major rebel groups identified, now estimated to be perhaps twenty eight, and now those rebel groups are fighting each other and they are fighting other people who are completely innocent.

There is no provision yet to make sure that those who are not at war, the civilians who live in the country and want peace will be represented in Tripoli and how will their representation will be chosen. Those are very, very important questions. Some of those rebel groups have no constituency except their own bandit members, quite often, who carry an AK47. They don’t have any civilian supporters but those are the ones, so far, that are being qualified.

When that negotiation starts later this month, just three weeks from now, we hope that
the participants will be patient because this complex an issue can not be resolved in a few days or a even a few weeks. There needs to be time to feel out both sides, to bring in new participants if necessary and to be patient all round. That includes not just the government of Sudan and the people from Darfur but it also includes the United Nations, the international community and, particularly, the African Union.

The last thing I will to say is there has to be a ceasefire. There is no reason for the government still to be bombing people. They deny that they bomb any civilians but
obviously civilians, and goats and cattle, get killed. We think that they should not bomb at all unless they are called upon officially by the forces of the African Union to help them with helicopters and planes to put down an attack on the authorized forces here. We are very concerned too about a compensation package for the displaced persons who will be going back to their homes. When we met a few minutes ago with the president he said that the government intends to provide funding for them to return to their village to build them an even better house than they had, to provide them operating expenses including tools, for instance if they want to be farmers. If that is done it will be it will be a wonderful thing. It needs to be assured and carried out.

All those factors go into whether or not this country will see peace and that includes as the chairman so eloquently said that includes both the Comprehensive Peace
Agreement and also the Darfur Peace Agreement.

Graca Machel:
The main reason we chose to undertake the first mission to Darfur is because we wanted to have first hand understanding of the depth and the extent of the suffering of people in Darfur। We wanted to meet the people, to listen to them, to touch them, to develop that relationship which many times is not what you say but it is the way you show concern, and the way you show your sympathy। We really wanted to show solidarity to the people of Darfur and we think that in these interactions we have a fair understanding of how deep is the tragedy there।

We spoke to the women. Every single woman who spoke to us representing internally
displaced persons, representing community leaders, representing even some of them
were government officials, NGOs, UN, but every single person we spoke to, the first
thing they told us was they need security. They need security. They gave us examples of what happens to them, even graphically to show how women are being raped, are
beaten and brutalized. I think they thought that we may not get a clear translation they went at length to use gestures to show how brutal it was, the kind of assault they are subjected to.

So security was one thing which was very, very emphatically raised with us. But we were told about security not only by women. All leaders in different levels, it was quite clear that despite the Abuja agreement security has not improved in camps, not only in camps but even humanitarian workers; their movements have been restricted and they can’t reach rural areas and they can’t go far from where is there area of action.

We were told that it’s like people are feeling more and more at siege. Even in terms of free expression, people would look around before they can say what they want to say. There was an incident where I had to ask security forces to go away so I could speak to women and that they could speak freely with us. So we were quite sensitized with the issue of physical security but even to speak, to speak freely. So the space of freedom, even the space of assistance to those who need assistance is shrinking and this is of major concern to us, a major concern.

People told us clearly that they urgently need demilitarization, not only of the rebel
groups and also of the government, but even within communities. The groups which
multiplied themselves, they constitute danger for people within the camps, within the
villages, within the cities where they are so it is a sort of a demilitarization of society altogether. And this is urgent; it does not need to wait for negotiations whatsoever.

Of course, as it was mentioned by President Carter, people need peace, but lasting
peace. So, they need space for compensation, but they need space also for reconciliation. Women told us that yes, it is important to have the negotiations, the
agreements which are going to be signed, but it is important also to give them training within the communities to resolve conflict, to have the skills needed for reconciliation because the tribes, groups are looking at each other, not in terms of equality and solidarity but pointing to each other, and in discussion groups this came over very, very strongly, not only in one of the groups but in both groups; those of us who went to Nyala, and those who stayed in Al Fasher, this was clearly raised there.

Reconciliation has to be, as they told to us, with hope that something may happen to
help, to contribute, to end the conflict.

Lakhdar Brahimi:
We also believe very, very strongly that the military aspect of things is not going to solve the problem, but it is indispensable, as work is being done to achieve that political solution. And by the way I think it was stressed everywhere and everybody understands that anybody who aspires to be a leader at any level in Darfur or
elsewhere, anybody who aspires to be a leader and refuses to speak to others, refuses
to negotiate does not deserve to be called a leader and will not be a leader. And I think we call on the international community to make it abundantly clear that they are not going to support in anyway or manner anyone who refuses to take every single chance that is available to make peace.

The other thing is the military, we spoke to General Agwai, a marvelous radiant young
officer from Africa, from Nigeria, who is actively preparing the advent of UNAMID, the so called hybrid force between Africa and the United Nations … There’s a lot of talk about this hybrid force and arguments about whether its going to happen. Before I came here, in New York, the Archbishop and I met a lot of people including the leaders of the African Union. I think that the hybrid force is a done-deal. It is going to happen. It is extremely difficult, it is complicated, it takes time, too much time from our point of view. I would like it to happen tomorrow, but those who say that there are insurmountable hurdles; I think they are not right. The agreement is there, the United Nations Security Council has adopted the resolution, it has been accepted by the African Union, and by the Government of Sudan. As I told you, there is a Special Representative of the Secretary General already appointed - Mr. Addada – an African, a force commander, and he is working with the General we met in Al Fasher last night. They are preparing their force.

The discussions that are taking place on how many troops and where those troops will
come from are technical issues that even if there is some arguments about it at the
moment, I am one hundred percent certain that they will be resolved and that this force will come here.

Our appeal really, to the two contributors - to the United Nations and to the African Union – is: hurry up. Make it happen sooner rather than later. Because I think their presence will give confidence to the people of Darfur and will revive hope, and I am confident, will also send a very strong message to those who want to stand in the way of peace, that peace is going to come and is going to become a reality in this country in general, and in Darfur in particular.

Tutu:
Just before we take questions, I wanted to say that … we seem to have the tale of
two countries. You listened to one side and you thought yes, and you listen to the other and you heard a diametrically opposite image. But I suppose that’s part of the complexity of this particular situation.

The second point I want to make is I was very deeply touched by the dignity of the
people who lived in camps. I would have been devastated by the circumstance under
which they live. The shelters cannot keep away the rain. I am sure they just dissolve in the rain. They do not keep out the cold in winter. They don’t keep out the heat in
summer. They live in unbelievable squalor and yet and yet they were there clean and
tidy. The men in spotless white garments and they were speaking with dignity and they
could laugh. I want to salvage them.

And I also want to pay a very warm tribute to the humanitarian workers. When people
speak about ghastly situations Darfur is one that you almost always invariably find in that list. I agree, and I say Darfur is one of them most awful places, but Darfur also gives us the opportunity to find out that people can be good. Those humanitarian workers are fantastic. Many of them, well almost all of them, could go and work anywhere in the world and yet they come to that place where they know that colleagues have been killed.

Where they know that they are going to be running the gauntlet of possible abductions
and so on. And so on behalf of the Elders, we want to say to those humanitarian
workers: Thank you. Thank you for the kind of thing that you are doing. Thank you for
making us a little more proud of being human. And we are deeply committed, we are
even more determined than before we came here that we’re going to something about
changing the condition of the people of Darfur.

Question: Did you raise the issue of rape in the region with President al-Bashir?

Graca Machel:
I did raise the issue of rape in the camps, and I must confess it was one of the most depressing moments of our discussion। The government doesn’t have an understanding of what it means when women have to say repeatedly to different people, not only one but to different people in different locations, to say: We are being raped। We are being beaten, we are being brutalized। We are fearful। I don’t think the people we talked to tonight, I don’t think they understand. That’s all I can say. I don’t think they understand.

Question: Did you raise the indictments by the International Criminal Court as well as a fund for compensation and reconstruction?

Jimmy Carter:
In an earlier meeting with Minister Nafi Ali Nafi, we discussed the indictments against Sudanese officials for crimes against humanity. He pointed out that although Sudan is a signatory of the agreement establishing the International Criminal Court, that it’s not officially adopted by Sudan because the parliament has not yet ratified it. And he disagreed with the right of the ICC to indict these two men who have been named. We deplored and condemned quite strongly the fact that one of them has quite recently been promoted in effect and put in charge of human rights when I believe that he’s been charged with 50 human rights crimes himself. So this is an issue that is not satisfactorily resolved. And that, in my personal opinion, the non-ratification of the ICC is not an excuse for Sudan not to bring these people to trial, when they have been indicted by an international court.

There are two different funds, and we’ve just had this clarified for us today. One, of the funds is reconstruction. And that’s the one from which Sudan will use funds borrowed from China. That’s the one to rebuild roads and infrastructure and water systems and things of that kind. What the president described to us tonight, as I’ve already said twice, is an additional compensation fund for displaced persons who will be going back home to let them repair their lives by having a place to live where they used to live and to farm the land where they used to farm, and raise cattle where they did. So there are two different issues.

Desmond Tutu:
To try to meet the desperate cry for security is the implementation of deploying the hybrid force, and when you do that, I mean not just deploying it but funding for equipment, I mean one of the things that have already been accepted – I mean the three phases of that agreement. I’ve already put out a statement in language that was slightly un-Elder-like, where we were calling on all those people who care about the situation for goodness sake to tell their governments get cracking and for many maybe its going to be unrealistic expectations, but many were saying get the force, I mean this hybrid force in place yesterday. Because they believe that it is going to make a significant dramatic change to the security situation. That would be one thing, we don’t claim - and I think this is important – we don’t claim that we are going to be able to effect change. But we think I mean that we do have access. I mean a President Carter can pick up the phone and if he says he wants to talk to and they’re not likely to turn him down. Mr. Brahimi, Graca Machel as a former, or spouse of a former…TWO former (conversation breaks up into laughter).

But thank you for staying up until tomorrow morning.

Mission to Sudan – Arrival Statement

2007-09-30T20:00:00.002+01:00

Download original press release here

30 SEPTEMBER 2007

[Khartoum, Sudan - As delivered by, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chair of The Elders]

We, the Elders, are here because we care deeply for the fate of our planet, and we feel intensely the suffering of millions of people in Darfur who yearn for nothing more than peace and dignity.

We are here in Sudan because we want to listen to the voices of those who have not been heard and want to explore ways that we can lend our own voices to peace.

The Elders are a new group of older people, who have spent their lives seeking ways to improve the human condition. Invited by Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel, we came together on July 18th to discuss how we could contribute our experience to resolving some of the world’s most difficult crises and how we could offer our thoughts for addressing global issues.

I am honored to have been asked to chair The Elders. Other Elders include: Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Graca Machel, Nelson Mandela, Mary Robinson, Muhammad Yunus, and we have kept a thirteenth chair for Aung San Suu Kyi, whose courage and commitment to democracy inspires us all. We all pray for her liberation and that of her country.

We do not represent our countries or any country or non-governmental or inter-governmental organizations. We consider ourselves Elders of a global village. Due to the urgency of the conflict and immense human suffering in Darfur, we have decided to come here first. This is our first mission.

Our goals are two-fold. First, we have come to listen, learn, and report on the views of the people of Darfur and others concerned with the crisis. Second, we want to find ways to contribute to the peace process. We understand that peace in Darfur depends in part on the success of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South, and so we are visiting Juba first to learn about the state of the CPA and what might be done to accelerate its implementation.

We will be meeting with President Al-Bashir and his government officials, opposition leaders, civil society organizations, diplomats from many interested countries, the Darfur-Darfur Forum, and United Nations and African Union officials in Khartoum. We will visit Vice President Salva Kiir in Juba and then travel to Al-Fasher and Nyala to speak to the people, and particularly the women, of Darfur and to understand better their concerns and their aspirations.

We do not want to raise anyone’s hopes by this visit. Over long lives, we have come to understand that we cannot make all the things happen that we want, but we have also learned that if we work together and if we have moral force at our back, that we can sometimes do more than we think. We hope to lend all our strength to those who are determined to bring an end to this devastating war.

When we return on October 3rd from Darfur, we will offer our preliminary observations, and we will then write up a report for everyone who cares about Darfur. Until our visit concludes, and we reflect on what we have learned and write the report, we will keep our ears open but will also reserve our judgment.

I would like to introduce each of the members of my delegation and ask if they might say a word. Three of us – Graca Machel, Lakhdar Brahimi, and I – are children of Africa, and so we feel the pain of this country very intensely. Graca has fought for the rights of children and women in Africa and the world. Lakhdar has been one of the world’s most skilled diplomats, negotiating peace in Lebanon and seeking reconciliation in Haiti, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Our fourth member, Jimmy Carter, probably knows Sudan and much of Africa better than us; he has improved the health of the people of this country.

In conclusion, we are here because we care and while we have no formula for solving the country’s problems, we do hope to lend our support to a solution.

The Elders’ first mission will be Darfur

2007-09-17T20:00:00.002+01:00

Download full press release here

September 17, 2007

Due to the urgency of the conflict and immense human suffering in Darfur, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chair of The Elders, announced today that he will lead a delegation to Sudan, on September 30th – 5th October.

The delegation will include Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter, and Graça Machel. The Elders is a humanitarian initiative founded by Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel earlier his year, which brings together a historic group of world leaders to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems.

The group will meet in Khartoum with government and opposition, civil society and international organization representatives, and will then travel to Darfur to visit local community leaders and persons displaced from their homes.

As Elders of the global village, they hope to help strengthen and deepen the framewor for assuring a permanent peace in Sudan, by listening to, learning from and reporting on the views of the people in Darfur and others concerned with the crisis.

Independent of any government or international organization, the Elders are consulting widely, including with leaders from the United Nations and the African Union, and have lent their support to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1769 approved on July 31, authorizing a UN/AU peace-keeping force and the UN-Government of Sudan Joint Humanitarian Communiqué of March 28, 2007.

Desmond Tutu said: “We want community leaders in Darfur to feel that they have been heard by us. And to the extent that we could then communicate their aspirations, their longings, particularly the women’s groups, we will do so. This is not just a quick trip for The Elders – we want the suffering to end – and we hope to contribute to that.”

Notes to Editors:

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of this new group, The Elders, on 18 July 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Other members of The Elders are: Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world.

While working independently, The Elders will not duplicate or compete with the efforts of other organizations. They will seek opportunities to partner with established groups in ways that help shine a light on work already underway or to extend their reach.

Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu Announce The Elders

2007-07-18T20:00:00.003+01:00

Download original press release here

July 18, 2007

Johannesburg, South Africa – Out of deep concern for the challenges facing all of the people of our world, Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, and Desmond Tutu have convened a group of leaders to contribute their wisdom, independent leadership and integrity to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems.

Nelson Mandela announced the formation of this new group, The Elders, today in a speech he delivered on the occasion of his 89th birthday. He was joined by founding members of the group, Desmond Tutu, Graça Machel, Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, Li Zhaoxing, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus. Founding members, Ela Bhatt and Gro Harlem Brundtland were unable to attend.

“This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken,” Mandela commented. “Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”

Tutu, Chair of The Elders remarked, “Despite all of the ghastliness that is around, human beings are made for goodness. The ones who ought to be held in high regard are not the ones who are militarily powerful, nor even economically prosperous. They are the ones who have a commitment to try and make the world a better place. We – The Elders – will endeavor to support those people and do our best for humanity.”

The Elders will use their unique collective skills to catalyze peaceful resolutions to long-standing conflicts, articulate new approaches to global issues that are or may cause immense human suffering, and share wisdom by helping to connect voices all over the world. They will be working together over the next several months to carefully consider which specific issues they will approach. The Elders’ criteria are not only the magnitude and importance of the challenge, but a deliberate view that their role could contribute significantly to solving the problem.

In addition to working independently, The Elders will work to complement, not duplicate or compete with the efforts of other organizations. They will seek opportunities to partner with established groups in ways that help shine a light on work already underway or to assist in bringing the group’s efforts to another level.

“I see The Elders as a small but independent group that may fill an existing void in the world community,” said Jimmy Carter. “Almost impervious to the consequences of outside criticism, the group will conduct unrestrained analyses of important and complex issues and share our ideas with the general public and with others who might take action to resolve problems."

The Elders will invite new members who share the attributes of the original ten: trusted, respected worldly-wise individuals with a proven commitment and record of contributing to solving global problems. Elders will step down if they are elected to public office.

“I have worked with extraordinary people at the community level, people who have brilliant ideas and are making a huge effort to solve problems but often their contribution is localized, and their voices are not strong enough to be heard,” said Graça Machel. “The Elders can play a role in amplifying the voices of the millions of citizens of the world.”

Several years ago entrepreneur Richard Branson and musician and activist Peter Gabriel discussed with Mandela the obstacles to solving difficult conflicts facing the world. Their idea of a small, dedicated group of leaders, working objectively and without any vested personal interest in the outcome, began to develop and eventually grew into The Elders.

Founder Peter Gabriel said, “In traditional societies, the elders always had a role in conflict resolution, long-term thinking and applying wisdom wherever it was needed. We are moving to this global village and yet we don’t have our global elders. The Elders can be a group who have the trust of the world, who can speak freely, be fiercely independent, and respond fast and flexibly in conflict situations.”

The Elders will be independently funded by a group of Founders, including Branson and Gabriel. Additional Founders include: Ray Chambers; Michael Chambers; Bridgeway Foundation; Pam Omidyar, Humanity United; Amy Robbins; Shashi Ruia, Dick Tarlow; and The United Nations Foundation.

“This group of Elders will bring hope and wisdom back into the world. To play a role in bringing us together to stop unnecessary human suffering and to celebrate the wonderful world that we are so privileged to be part of,” said Founder Richard Branson.

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