Damanga for Freedom and Democracy

Damanga for Freedom and Democracy
Dear Mr. Yahya
On behalf of the DLN executive committee I thank you for your letter dated July 9, 2009
regarding the DLNÕs Philadelphia conference. DLN is so appreciative to your participation in the conference. However the DLNÕs executive committee is deeply regrets and astonished by the way you addressed your concerns and hereby reply to your letter as follows:
1- As you know from the start we all pledged to create the DLN as an umbrella organization and elect its executive body in a general conference and we all participated in the preparatory meetings before the conference.
2- From the start we all agreed that stronger Darfurian umbrella organization such as the DLN is important to tackle the holistic issues such as peace process, advocacy, Diaspora and civil society as well as movement unification. DLN is not created to compete with its member organizations.
We stressed on this fact knowingly that some have fears that their organizations will be
disappeared or overshadowed by stronger DLN, especially some organizations that have closed membership and never practiced any democracy and transparency within themselves. It is our believes from the start that we should start from top- bottom and trickle down the democracy and transparency principles to some DLN member organizations. DLN is so proud that for the first time as Darfurian umbrella organization in the U.S. to set the right tone and practice in a true democratic way in electing its executive officers and we hope that will encourage others to follow same.
3- You have participated in all the preparatory meetings before the conference and in setting the election rules but you have never raised any concerns about the democratic process until the process is finished. You have been selected by the conference to join the executive body and been urged to accept the nomination but you refused and you said Ómy hands are full and I will continue to support the process and the DLNÕ. It is unfortunate to break away from the group just because the election results came different to what you wanted. As you know in democracy people shouldnÕt ask to be selected for a certain position but the ultimate decision is for the constituents to exercise that right and elect people as they see appropriate and all should respect the peopleÕs choice. It is so ironic to talk about democracy and transparency and you never practiced that in your organization (Damanga) itself.
4-Since 2007 we have had two workshops, and two annual meetings in New York, Washington and Philadelphia. The average participants to these conferences were 40 DLN members and activists recommended collectively by the DLN coordinating committee and approved by the full DLN. As you know the Philadelphia conference was not an exception, we followed same procedures in inviting people and no one was left out without invitation. We asked you personally if you have any other activists in your mind you want to invite but you didnÕt provide us with any names before the conference.
5- Damanga has only two members ( Daoud Salih and yourself) and we invited both of you to all DLN conferences and workshops. You know that some of the DLN member organizations have more than 100 members and elected officers and still been represented by only one or two in the DLN conferences and workshops and they never raised any concerns because they know the DLN membership is based on organizational representation and one representative is enough to brief and give the feedback to his/her organization or Association about any DLN’s event.
6- You are one of the signatories to the DLN Article of Incorporation and we explained to you the scope of the DLN activities before you joint your colleagues to register the DLN in Washington D.C.
7- Under DLN there are 26 member organizations and associations and 7 at Large women and all pledged to create this umbrella organization to advocate for the people of Darfur collectively and to encourage all other Darfuri in Diaspora as well as the movements to unify under common goals. DLN never assumed that every Darfuri organization should join the group. It is absolutely voluntarily membership and any organization that doesn’t have the culture of diversity and transparency and doesn’t believe in unity and collective work has the right to opt out of the umbrella organization with or without any reasons. As such DLN is open for you to join again at any time and be part of the united front to advance our goals and bringing about lasting peace to Darfur.
Wish you and your organization all the best
Ibrahim Hamid
President, Darfur Leaders Network