Nuba Vision
Volume 1, Issue 2, November 2001
Slovenian People Appeal for Nuba and Africa
In May 2001 a group of key Slovenian people made an urgent appeal to the President of the United States, George W. Bush and the Honourable President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.
This is their letter:
"We have received with great pleasure the news of the first high level summit to take place in our capital, Ljubljana. Clearly, this will be an important occasion for the continuation of the dialogue between the leading superpowers and for strengthening world peace. We suppose that you dedicate to a large part of your meeting to key issues concerning security, economic development and democratic stability of our planet. Naturally, we hope that your talks will contribute to the international relationships in which there is no place for continuation of the arms race. Both on earth and in space.
However, we the undersigned wish to draw your attention to a particular tragedy which should be on the conscience of the world: The civil war that has been raging in Sudan for 18 years, together with the systematic oppression there in the name of a "holy Islamic war"have caused nearly three million innocent deaths. The war and its tragicconsequences continue. This is largely due to the indifference of the international community and the role of the multinational corporations, with the backing of the Sudanese regime. These facts are well-documented by various independent and unbiased humanitarian, religious and secular organisations.
The Nuba are amongst the most affected by the war. They live in a mountainous region in central Sudan, in an area of great interest to oil companies. The Nuba are victims of war and religious intolerance; are subject to violence from the Sudanese arm and, to make matters even worse, are cut off from any humanitarian aid.
In 1999 Slovenia raised the Nuba question in the United Nations. However, we fell that without significant diplomatic mediation and pressure from crucial countries, all our efforts will come to nothing.
Honourable Presidents, we appeal to you and your countries to take a clear stand in support of efforts to prevent the continuation of the genocide of the Nuba, and to decisively oppose the civil war and humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan. We appeal to you to address this tragedy during your upcoming summit, and to use all your authority on the global stage to enable serious discussion and resolution of the following issues:
- the immediate cancellation of the foreign debt of African countries, as stressed in other appeals (such as that of the Supreme Pontiff);
- the establishment of a new world order in which Africa could experience undisturbed development on the basis of its own human and natural potential;
- barring activities of multinational corporations in countries where there is civil war and in cases where their activities contribute to the degradation of conditions or ethnic cleansing;
- financial support to programs decided to improving health conditions and preventing the spread of the diseases which are a consequence of the desperate social condition in some African countries;
- support for all efforts to ban the production, sale and use of antipersonnel landmines;
- the prevention of exploitation and slavery, especially of children and women;
- enabling immediate access for direct humanitarian aid to the Nuba in the Nuba Mountains.
Without the immediate and appropriate response of the international community to the Nuba tragedy, we will all be idle witnesses to another genocide.
It is our sincere hope that our appeal will not go unanswered, that you will shoulder your exceptional responsibility and do everything possible to help while there is still time.
Respectfully yours,
Tomo Kiznar, writer, journalist
Sonja Porle, writer
Borut Pahor, Chairman of Parliament
Vika Potocnik, Mayoress of Ljubljana
Matjaz Hanzek, Ombudsman
Franco Juri, journalist
StaneKerin, Karitas Ljubljana
Milena Zupancic, actress
Boris Cavazza, actor
Dr. Darko Strajn, President of Liberal Academy
Tone Pavcek, poet and writer
Breda Pecan, Mayoress of Izola
Dino Pucer, Mayor of Koper
Dr. Lev Kreft, Professor University of Ljubljana
Danica Simsic, Member of Parlianment