Important Steps in Darfur

Save Darfur just issued a release about the agreement made in Darfur through the good offices of Governor Bill Richardson.

The promises from President Bashir in this agreement are encouraging. They include commitments to:

A 60-day ceasefire with an international peace summit to be held before March 15, 2007.
Sudan's cooperation to work with the African Union and United Nations on the deployment of a hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur.
Ensuring "zero tolerance" policies for gender-based violence in Darfur.
Free access for humanitarian aid workers and journalists.

Like everything about Darfur, this is likely to be overlooked today. Many are apt to be skeptical because Bashir has made promises before. But if it is implemented, it marks significant change. Allowing aid workers and journalists into the area is in itself a significant step.

Here's the full Save Darfur release. The group adds in its email: We call urgently upon Sudan, the United Nations, the African Union, and the Bush Administration to make these promises become a reality for the long-suffering people of Darfur.