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www.endgenocide.org



August 1, 2014

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

On behalf of over 10,000 activists who have sent you letters of concern for South Sudan, we urge you to
take decisive action to avert a catastrophe on the largest scale seen on the African continent in decades
by personally convening a top level meeting at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. We further encourage
you to work with key partners toward a joint public statement reiterating commitment to hold the
parties accountable, including through new targeted sanctions, if a transitional government is not
formed within the agreed upon 60 day deadline.

The timing is critical. As Secretary Kerry has noted, famine is looming in South Sudan. The country now
faces the worst food security crisis in the world, threatening the lives of over 50,000 children if this man-
made crisis is not addressed. Just days after the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the negotiated 60 day
deadline for setting up a transitional government in South Sudan will be reached, and it could be just a
matter of days before a famine is officially declared. A sustainable political settlement allowing
unhindered access for humanitarian aid is urgently needed to prevent this humanitarian catastrophe
from getting far worse.

Already thousands of people have been killed and 1.5 million displaced since violence broke out in
December 2013. The upcoming deadline for setting up a transitional government and the presence of so
many key African leaders with an interest in promoting peace and security in South Sudan provides an
exceptional opportunity to push through the current political deadlock. Seizing this opportunity would
send a strong message to both sides that the international community is committed to peace in South
Sudan and prepared to follow through with accountability measures for those who block the way to
peace. Failing to prioritize saving lives in South Sudan would send a very different message,
emboldening hardliners. Saving lives in South Sudan must be addressed at the highest level.

The parties in South Sudan need to hear the message clearly that roadblocks to humanitarian aid must
be lifted. There is no room for illegal checkpoints, arbitrary and illegal taxation, and looting and
extortion when famine is looming. The same is true for bureaucratic road blocks to humanitarian aid.
The Government of South Sudan must restore the budgets of key line ministries responsible for food
security, health, nutrition, water sanitation and humanitarian assistance and avoid setting up new
bureaucratic hurdles that would get in the way of delivery of aid.

The United States has been a strong voice for peace in South Sudan and a leader in providing much
needed humanitarian aid. We welcome Secretary Kerrys personal involvement in traveling to the region

and working to help broker the current Cessation of Hostilities agreement. When questions loomed
around the referendum on South Sudans independence, you took advantage of the UN General
Assembly to convene world leaders and focus on ensuring the referendum went forward as scheduled.
Now, with so many key regional leaders in the nations capital, the United States must not miss the
opportunity to push the parties to stop the killing and avert a famine that could claim the lives of
millions.

We also note that the United States will have further opportunities to focus the worlds attention and
push for action with the UN General Assembly and the United States presidency of the UN Security
Council in September. A strong message coming out of the highest levels of the U.S.-Africa Leaders
Summit will both maximize leverage days ahead of the 60 day deadline and set the basis for further
stronger measures the following month, should they be necessary.

As an organization representing those dedicated to a peaceful South Sudan, we urge you to personally
engage to convene and speak in unity with Africas key leaders to ensure that a strong message is sent
to the parties in South Sudan that a sustainable political solution is the only acceptable option.

Sincerely,

United to End Genocide


CC:

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Samantha Power
Ambassador Susan Rice, National Security Advisor
U.S. AID Administrator Rajiv Shah
Ambassador Donald Booth, Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan
Gayle Smith, Senior Director, National Security Council