Rockers Beat For Peace In Darfur

Joining the efforts to prevent any more bloodshed in Sudan, drummers from rock bands including Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Snow Patrol are taking part in the Beat For Peace campaign created by Faithless drummer Jamie Catto.

The Beat for Peace campaign is a film which calls for an end to conflict in the African country after millions died in the civil war which ended in 2005. The documentary, which is part of the wider Sudan365 campaign, features the musicians alongside other artists from Sudan, Australia and Japan.

“I wanted to be involved in this project because I think music is such a powerful way of bringing people together. Of course, I’m biased in thinking that what’s underpinning it all is always the beat – always drummers,’” said Radiohead’s Phil Selway, “Hopefully this film will show that together people can make a huge noise and through this film I hope people’s focus will be brought back to what is happening in the Sudan over this very important next year.”

This next year is important because January 9, 2010, marks the fifth anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South Sudan and one year out from the referendum that will determine whether the Southern region of Sudan will separate from the North.

Groups from across the world joined together on this day and called on their leaders to take urgent diplomatic action to prevent a return to violence in Sudan. Events were held in Mali, Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Kenya, London, Edinburgh, Italy, Norway, New Zealand, and Cairo among others.

With many highly contentious issues still to be resolved and with the growing violence in the South and unresolved conflict in Darfur, there is a real risk of a return to widespread conflict that could destabilize the entire region and place civilians in grave danger.