Darfur Leaders Network: Diaspora Organizing for Peace

Many members of the Darfuri diaspora currently living in the U.S. are dedicated advocates, and are becoming increasingly organized in their call for peace in Darfur. Below is an email interview with Ibrahim Hamid, the president of the Darfur Leaders Network (DLN), an umbrella organization of Darfuri groups in the U.S. (Please note that DLN's website is currently under construction --- be sure to check back soon for updates.)

Ibrahim discusses DLN's founding, its mission, and its challenges --- and its overriding goal to push for sustainable peace in Darfur.

How was DLN started?

The idea of Darfur umbrella organization came when the Save Darfur invited Darfurian activists from across United States for a two day meeting in December 2006 focused on media, advocacy and participated in a rally in front of the Sudanese Embassy.  The participants decided to brainstorm on forming an umbrella organization that addresses the holistic issues such as peace process, advocacy, civil society and movements unification among common denominators if not under one leadership.  The importance of the umbrella organization also stemmed from the fact that Darfurian activists need their voices to be united and to make easy for any third party to deal with Darfurian through this umbrella.

In April of 2007 Darfurian activists convened again in Washington D.C.  Under the auspices of Save Darfur and International Refugee Initiative, the Darfur Leaders Network was born. The DLN was run by a coordinating committee (geographical representation from Northeast, West, Midwest, and South) as a temporary governing body until the election of the standing executive committee at the Philadelphia conference in June 2009.

Who makes up DLN's membership? What will DLN be able to help them with?

Because almost all Darfurian activists belong to either organizations or associations in their local states or cities we collectively decided that the DLN membership should be based on organizational representation. Also almost all these organizations and associations share common mission and vision. Because also we believe women representation is paramount, we decided to include women in At Large Category. Even though some women belong to organizations we felt that it is imperative to include all Darfurian women in the DLN. At large men were also added to include those activists who do not have organizations or associations in their area of residency or people with special expertise that DLN might need their advice.

The DLN started with 17 organizations and associations in its membership and 7 at large women and now increased to 25 organizations (thanks to the DLN outreach committee). Since its inception in April of 2007, DLN has had four workshops on peace processes in collaboration with PILPG and Baker and McKenzie (pro bono law firms) as well as United States Institute of Peace (USIP). DLN also has had two annual meetings.

Are you able to network with the diaspora in other countries?

Yes, we included Darfur Association and Darfur In Exile from Canada and attended all DLN's workshops that took place in Washington D.C. and New York on Darfur peace process in 2007. After our last workshop in New York we came up with a position paper on the Darfur peace process that addresses the root causes to the conflict such as the devolution of power  (power sharing, wealth sharing), restitution, land, etc.  DLN sent delegates to Europe to get buy in for the position paper and our delegates met with Darfur Diaspora in London, Paris and Belgium.

What are your main objectives for the next year?

We plan to finish the DLN's Diaspora Consensus Program and encourage all Diasporas to rally behind our position paper on the Darfur peace process. Our rationale is to unify all Darfur stakeholders among common goals. Our goal this year also is to create a broad coalition of Darfurian, Sudanese and Americans and refine the advocacy strategy towards the US government, UN, AU and others. Capacity building for DLN and its member organizations and women empowerment is one of our top goals this year.

What is the most difficult part of running a network such as DLN?

To run a decentralized organization such as a DLN is very complicated. Darfurian Diaspora in the U.S is new and dispersed across United States and not well established. Almost all of them are working hard in low paying jobs to make their end needs and also volunteer to the Darfur cause.  It is very difficult to bring all DLN representatives in physical meetings frequently. Within Darfuri community there are many differences in term of ethnic or political backgrounds. Therefore, it is hard sometimes to create synergy and harmony among them to build good working relationships.

Is there anything else you would like other activists, policymakers, etc to know about DLN?

Since its inception in April 2007, the DLN worked quietly under the auspices of Save Darfur. However, The DLN is now an independent nonprofit organization (incorporated in Washington D.C.) and has elected president and executive committee. We are looking forward to working with all actors in an effort to stop the genocide in Darfur and working together towards achieving the lasting peace in Darfur.

[Photos from DLN's annual meeting in June.]