Tutu to lead Elders' Darfur mission
Sholain Govender
21 September 2007Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is to lead a delegation of The Elders, a group of influential statesmen and women launched on Nelson Mandela's 89th birthday, in the latest initiative to bring peace to Darfur.
At least 200 000 people have died and some 2 million have been forced from their homes during the four-year conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.
UK-based think-tank Ekklesia reported this week that the Elders would travel to the capital, Khartoum, at the end of the month to meet representatives from all sides of the conflict.
They will then go to Darfur to talk to local community leaders and some of the displaced people now living in camps.
"We want community leaders in Darfur to feel that they have been heard by us," Tutu said. "This is not just a quick trip for The Elders. We want the suffering to end - and we hope to contribute to that."
Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel will be among the influential former world leaders taking part, the Catholic Information Service for Africa said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Elders is made up of former heads of state, Nobel laureates, leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists who offer their collective wisdom and experience to tackle some of the world's toughest problems - including conflicts, HIV/Aids, poverty and global warming.
Besides Mandela and Tutu, other founding members include philanthropist Graca Machel, former United Nations chief Kofi Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter, former Irish Prime Minister Mary Robinson and Bangladeshi social banker Muhammad Yunus.
"This group can speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and behind the scenes on whatever actions need to be taken," Mandela said at the launch. "Together we will work to support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair."
Source: BuaNews
