U.S. Policy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tracy Fehr, tfehr@enoughproject.org, +1 202-459-1219

WASHINGTON – On January 29, actress Robin Wright and Enough Project’s Raise Hope for Congo Campaign Manager JD Stier joined a group of human rights activists to deliver a petition to the White House calling for a presidential envoy to support a comprehensive peace process in eastern Congo.

The petition, launched by a group of Congolese women and supported by World Pulse and the Enough Project, has received more than 108,000 signatures from around the world.

A group of Congolese women wrote the petition after M23 rebels took over Goma—a key town in eastern Congo—last November, reigniting the region into war. The women feared for their safety and the safety of their families and decided to call on female U.S. leaders to take immediate action in solidarity with the women of Congo.

“The time is now for the White House to respond in support of the women of Congo,” said actress and Raise Hope for Congo activist Robin Wright.  “This is a critical moment for action that could be a turning point for the people of eastern Congo.”

The petition calls for a U.S. presidential envoy to support a peace process in Congo that addresses both the immediate crisis and the underlying economic and political interests of the parties. It also pushes for an inclusive peace process that ensures women a seat at the negotiating table.

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Raise Hope for Congo is an Enough Project campaign that aims to build a permanent and diverse constituency of activists who will advocate for the human rights of all Congolese citizens and work towards ending the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. For more information on Raise Hope for Congo, please visit: www.raisehopeforcongo.org.

The Enough Project is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on the crises in Sudan, South Sudan, eastern Congo, and areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Enough conducts intensive field research, develops practical policies to address these crises, and shares sensible tools to empower citizens and groups working for change. To learn more about Enough, go to www.enoughproject.org.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tracy Fehr, tfehr@enoughproject.org, +1 202-459-1219

WASHINGTON -- The Enough Project welcomes the U.S. Senate’s decision to approve John Kerry's nomination as the next Secretary of State and looks forward to working with him in this new capacity to address and prevent genocide and crimes against humanity.

Enough Project Executive Director John C. Bradshaw said:

“As Secretary of State, John Kerry will soon face a number of pressing foreign policy issues around the globe from the Middle East to Asia. But his extensive background and knowledge of the Sudans and the Democratic Republic of Congo also position him to positively affect the serious conflicts in these two countries.  The State Department, under Secretary Kerry, can play a key role in promoting an inclusive peace process in the Congo and addressing what he has described as a ‘human tragedy’ unfolding in Sudan's South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. The Enough Project looks forward to working closely with Secretary Kerry and his team in the coming years.”

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The Enough Project is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on the crises in Sudan, South Sudan, eastern Congo, and areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Enough conducts intensive field research, develops practical policies to address these crises, and shares sensible tools to empower citizens and groups working for change. To learn more about Enough, go to www.enoughproject.org.

Enough Project Press Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tracy Fehr, tfehr@enoughproject.org, +1 202-459-1219

Today, January 15, Enough Project Executive Director John Bradshaw and other human rights leaders attended an Oval Office ceremony at which President Obama signed legislation into law, expanding the State Department's Rewards for Justice Program.

"By signing this bill in the presence of leaders of the human rights community, the President has demonstrated his continuing personal commitment to bringing Joesph Kony and other internationally-wanted human rights abusers to justice," said Bradshaw. "This law is also an important step by the U.S. towards a more positive relationship with the International Criminal Court."

Signing ceremony in the Oval Office (White House)

The Rewards for Justice Program has been critical to bringing to justice individuals wanted by specific courts for committing the most serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. The expanded program will allow the U.S. government to provide financial rewards for information resulting in the arrest or conviction of individuals sought by any international criminal tribunal for perpetrating genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

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The Enough Project is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on the crises in Sudan, South Sudan, eastern Congo, and areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Enough conducts intensive field research, develops practical policies to address these crises, and shares sensible tools to empower citizens and groups working for change. To learn more about Enough, go to www.enoughproject.org.