TEN SECOND ACTION: The diplomatic circus surrounding the invitation of Robert Mugabe to the EU-Africa summit has obscured a more ominous silence by the EU. No-one has mentioned the invitation issued to President Bashir of Sudan.

Bashir and his government has remained defiant to the International Criminal Court indictments, obstructed the UNAMID peacekeeping force and caused endless delays to the delivery of humanitarian aid. The Government has rejected troops from contributing nations, delayed the granting of basic rights, denied visas, wrapped aid supplies in red tape and expelled UN and humanitarian officials.

Incredibly, it is reported that Darfur is not even on the agenda of the summit.

The EU has been a generous supporter of the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur, has provided support to the failed peace process and, crucially, it has launched a peacekeeping operation into eastern Chad, partly to protect Darfuri refugees.

It is now time for the EU to impose targeted sanctions against the Sudanese Government ministers responsible for the atrocities in Darfur – banning them from travelling to the EU and freezing the assets of the businesses linked to the regime. These actions will put more pressure on the Sudanese leadership until they work productively to end the crisis in Darfur.

Please take ten seconds to read and send a letter of complaint to the host of the EU-Africa summit, the Portuguese Foreign Minister Luís Amado, available at www.darfurdivestment.org/euafrica/ THIS LINK IS NOW CLOSED

See a call to action in The Times on 4th December signed by Nobel Lauriat’s http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article2994132.ece