John Prendergast (activist)

Last updated

John Prendergast
John Prendergast.jpg
Prendergast in DR Congo in 2010
Born Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
OccupationAuthor, human rights activist
Alma mater Temple University, American University
Notable awards Huffington Post 2011 Game Changer Award [1]

United Nations Correspondents Association Citizen of the World Award [2] Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award [3] Princeton University Crystal Tiger Award [4] U.S. State Department Distinguished Service Award

The Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution Peace Award

Contents

[5]

John Prendergast is an American human rights and anti-corruption activist as well as an author. He is the co-founder of The Sentry [6] , an investigative and policy organization that seeks to disable multinational predatory networks that benefit from violent conflict, repression, and kleptocracy. Prendergast was the founding director of the Enough Project and was formerly director for African affairs at the National Security Council.

Career

Prendergast worked for a variety of organizations in the U.S. and Africa in the latter half of the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, focusing primarily on peace and human rights. At the end of 1996, he joined the National Security Council as Director for African Affairs [7] and thereafter served as a special adviser to Susan Rice at the United States Department of State. [8] As a special adviser, Prendergast was a member of the team behind the two-and-a-half-year U.S. effort to broker an end to the Eritrean–Ethiopian War. [9] He was also part of the peace processes for Burundi, Sudan and DR Congo. Prendergast worked for the Clinton White House and two members of Congress, and left government in 2001 to become Special Adviser to the President of the International Crisis Group on Africa issues. [10] Outside of government, he has worked for organizations such as the United States Institute of Peace, UNICEF, and Human Rights Watch.

Alongside Gayle Smith, Prendergast co-founded the Enough Project in 2007. The policy organization aims at countering genocide and crimes against humanity. He is also a co-founder along with George Clooney of The Sentry, an investigative initiative created to uncover the financial networks behind conflicts in Africa. Together, Clooney and Prendergast had also previously co-founded the Satellite Sentinel Project, [11] which aimed to prevent conflict and human rights abuses through satellite imagery. [12] In 2020, Prendergast was named the Strategic Director of the Clooney Foundation for Justice. [13] Other initiatives of Prendergast include founding the Darfur Dream Team Sister Schools Program with Tracy McGrady and other NBA players, which funded schools in Darfurian refugee camps and created partnerships with schools in the U.S., as well as the Raise Hope for Congo campaign, highlighting the issue of conflict minerals fueling war in Congo and supporting a more comprehensive peace process.

Prendergast has been a visiting professor at universities and colleges, including Yale Law School, Stanford University, and Columbia University. He has been awarded seven honorary doctorates, [14] and serves as the Anne Evans Estabrook Human Rights Senior Fellow at Kean University. [15]

Media

Prendergast has written extensively on Africa and is the author or co-author of eleven books. His 2018 book Congo Stories: Battling Five Centuries of Exploitation and Greed was co-authored with Congolese activist Fidel Bafilemba and featured photographs by Ryan Gosling. His two books prior to that were co-authored with actor and activist Don Cheadle. Those are Not On Our Watch , a New York Times bestseller and NAACP non-fiction book of the year, and The Enough Moment: Fighting to End Africa's Worst Humanitarian Crimes . He is currently working on a project concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Gosling and New Yorker writer Kelefa Sanneh. [16]

Prendergast has appeared in five episodes of 60 Minutes [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] and traveled to Africa with Dateline NBC , [22] ABC's Nightline , [23] the PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer [24] and CNN’s Inside Africa, Newsweek/The Daily Beast, and The New York Times Magazine. [25] He has also appeared in several documentaries, including: Merci Congo, Sand and Sorrow , Darfur Now , 3 Points, [26] and War Child. [27] He co-produced Journey Into Sunset, and is Executive Producer of Staging Hope: Acts of Peace in Northern Uganda, [28] both about Northern Uganda. He also appeared in 2014 film The Good Lie .

Comedian Jane Bussmann was inspired by his work and meetings with him to write her 2012 book The Worst Date Ever: or How it Took a Comedy Writer to Expose Joseph Kony and Africa's Secret War, [29] a comic/tragic story of her attempt as a novice foreign correspondent to expose the truth about the war in Uganda. He is also the primary subject in another book by Bussmann, A Journey to the Dark Heart of Nameless Unspeakable Evil. [30]

Criticism

Prendergast's activism has been criticized by Mahmood Mamdani as simplistic, counter-productive, and detrimental to the reality on the ground, especially regarding Darfur and Northern Uganda. [31]

Publications

Prendergast in South Sudan during the Southern Sudanese independence referendum, 2011, with Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, and George Clooney John Prendergast G. Clooney Pres. Carter K Annan S. Sudan 2011.jpg
Prendergast in South Sudan during the Southern Sudanese independence referendum, 2011, with Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, and George Clooney

Articles

Books

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Clooney</span> American actor and filmmaker (born 1961)

George Timothy Clooney is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, four Golden Globe Awards, and two Academy Awards. Clooney has been honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2015, the Honorary César in 2017, AFI Life Achievement Award in 2018, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Cheadle</span> American actor (born 1964)

Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. is an American actor. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned nominations for an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards and 11 Primetime Emmy Awards. His Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony nominations make him one of few black individuals to be nominated for the four major American entertainment awards (EGOT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darfur</span> Region of western Sudan

Darfur is a region of western Sudan. Dār is an Arabic word meaning "home [of]" – the region was named Dardaju while ruled by the Daju, who migrated from Meroë c. 350 AD, and it was renamed Dartunjur when the Tunjur ruled the area. Darfur was an independent sultanate for several hundred years until 1874, when it fell to the Sudanese warlord Rabih az-Zubayr. The region was later invaded and incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. As an administrative region, Darfur is divided into five federal states: Central Darfur, East Darfur, North Darfur, South Darfur and West Darfur. Because of the War in Darfur between Sudanese government forces and the indigenous population, the region has been in a state of humanitarian emergency and genocide since 2003. The factors include religious and ethnic rivalry, and the rivalry between farmers and herders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Congo War</span> Major war in Africa (1998–2003)

The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War or the Great War of Africa or the Great African War, began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 1998, little more than a year after the First Congo War, and involved some of the same issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuba Mountains</span> Geographic area in Sudan

The Nuba Mountains, also referred to as the Nuba Hills, is an area located in South Kordofan, Sudan. The area is home to a group of indigenous ethnic groups known collectively as the Nuba peoples. In the Middle Ages, the Nuba mountains had been part of the Nubian kingdom of Alodia. In the 18th century, they became home to the kingdom of Taqali that controlled the hills of the mountains until their defeat by Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad. After the British defeated the Mahdi army, Taqali was restored as a client state. Infiltration of the Messiria tribe of Baggara Arabs has been influential in modern conflicts. Up to 1.5 million people live in the mountains, mostly ethnic Nuba, with a small minority of Baggara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">War in Darfur</span> Genocidal conflict in Southwestern Sudan

The War in Darfur, also nicknamed the Land Cruiser War, was a major armed conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan that began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups began fighting against the government of Sudan, which they accused of oppressing Darfur's non-Arab population. The government responded to attacks by carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Darfur's non-Arabs. This resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians and the indictment of Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Save Darfur Coalition</span> Advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.

The Save Darfur Coalition was an advocacy group that called "to raise public awareness and mobilize a massive response to the atrocities in Sudan's western region of Darfur." Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it was a coalition of more than 190 religious, political, and human rights organizations designed to campaign for a response to the atrocities of the War in Darfur, which culminated in a humanitarian crisis. By 2013, reports indicated that the conflict had claimed approximately 300,000 lives and had displaced over 2.5 million people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bibliography of the War in Darfur</span>

This is the bibliography and reference section for the Darfur conflict series. External links to reports, news articles and other sources of information may also be found below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International response to the War in Darfur</span>

While there is a consensus in the international community that ethnic groups have been targeted in Darfur and that crimes against humanity have therefore occurred, there has been debate in some quarters about whether genocide has taken place there. In May 2006, the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur organized by United Nations "concluded that the Government of the Sudan has not pursued a policy of genocide ... [though] international offences such as the crimes against humanity and war crimes that have been committed in Darfur may be more serious and heinous than genocide." Eric Reeves, a researcher and frequent commentator on Darfur, has questioned the methodology of the commission's report.

Gérard Prunier is a French academic, historian, and consultant. He specializes in African history and affairs —particularly the Horn of Africa and the African Great Lakes regions.

Alexander William Lowndes de Waal, a British researcher on African elite politics, is the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Previously, he was a fellow of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative at Harvard University, as well as program director at the Social Science Research Council on AIDS in New York City.

The Aegis Trust, founded in 2000, is the British NGO which campaigns to prevent genocide worldwide. Based at the United Kingdom's Holocaust Centre, which opened in 1995, the Aegis Trust coordinates the UK Genocide Prevention All-Party Parliamentary Group, funds the Genocide Prevention Group (Canada) and is responsible for the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Rwanda, which commemorates the 1994 genocide and is central to education of a new generation about the dangers of ethnic division.

<i>Not on Our Watch</i> Non-fiction book on genocide in Darfur, Sudan

Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond is a non-fiction book co-authored by actor Don Cheadle and human rights activist and co-founder of the Enough Project, John Prendergast.

Day for Darfur is an international advocacy campaign that works to bring together activists in cities around the globe in calling for action on the crisis in Darfur, western Sudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racism in Africa</span> Overview of racism in Africa

Racism in Africa has been a recurring part of the history of Africa.

The Enough Project is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization that was founded in 2007. Its stated mission is to end genocide and crimes against humanity. The Enough Project conducts research in several conflict areas in Africa including Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and the areas controlled by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The Enough Project seeks to build leverage against the perpetrators and facilitators of atrocities and corruption through conducting research, engaging with governments and the private sector on policy solutions, and mobilizing public campaigns. Campaigns and initiatives aimed to bring attention to these crises include The Sentry and, previously, Raise Hope for Congo and the Satellite Sentinel Project.

<i>The Enough Moment</i>

The Enough Moment: Fighting to End Africa's Worst Human Rights Crimes is the second book co-authored by actor Don Cheadle, and co-founder of the Enough Project and human rights activist, John Prendergast. Cheadle and Prendergast's first book, Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond, was published in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 2004

United Nations Security Council resolution 1556, adopted on 30 July 2004, after recalling resolutions 1502 (2003) and 1547 (2004) on the situation in Sudan, the council demanded that the Sudanese government disarm the Janjaweed militia and bring to justice those who had committed violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Darfur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sentry (organization)</span> International humanitarian organization in the United States

The Sentry is a non-profit investigative and policy organization that seeks to disable multinational predatory networks that benefit from violent conflict, repression, and kleptocracy, based in the United States. It was founded in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darfur genocide</span> 2003–present violence against Darfuris in Sudan

The Darfur genocide is the systematic killing of ethnic Darfuri people which has occurred during the War in Darfur and the ongoing War in Sudan (2023–present) in Darfur. It has become known as the first genocide of the 21st century. The genocide, which is being carried out against the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups, has led the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict several people for crimes against humanity, rape, forced transfer and torture. An estimated 200,000 people were killed between 2003 and 2005.

References

  1. Hoffer, Steven (October 19, 2011). "Huffington Post 2011 Game Changers".
  2. "United Nations Correspondents Association Citizen of the World Award".
  3. "Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award".
  4. "Princeton University Crystal Tiger Award".
  5. "The Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution Peace Award".
  6. https://thesentry.org/
  7. "Official Delegation Accompanying the President to Africa" (Press release). March 20, 1998.
  8. "Crisis in Darfur". Mother Jones. December 20, 2000.
  9. "U.S. Leadership in Resolving African Conflict: The Case of Ethiopia-Eritrea". Not On Our Watch. September 2001.
  10. "Sudan: Now or Never in Darfur". International Crisis Group. May 23, 2004.
  11. "Satellite Sentinel Project".
  12. "George Clooney, MTV team up on Sudan Satellite Sentinel Project". Film Industry Network. January 8, 2011.
  13. "The Sentry - Clooney Foundation for Justice" (PDF).
  14. Enough Project biography
  15. "Kean". Kean University. March 2014.
  16. "John Prendergast". November 2013.
  17. "Witnessing Genocide in Sudan". CBS News. August 28, 2005.
  18. "Searching for Jacob". CBS News. October 22, 2006.
  19. "Searching for Jacob". CBS News. July 16, 2008.
  20. "Congo's Gold". CBS News. November 29, 2009.
  21. "Fighting Famine in War-Torn South Sudan" March 19, 2017
  22. "Dateline, Winds of War". NBC News. December 3, 2010.
  23. "A View from the Ground on the Killing in Northeast Africa". ABC News . February 9, 2005.
  24. "Crisis in Sudan". The PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. October 20, 2004.
  25. "An American Puts Sudan's Cause in the Spotlight". New York Times Magazine. December 2, 2010.
  26. "3 Points".
  27. "War Child". Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
  28. "Staging Hope: Acts of Peace in Northern Uganda".
  29. Bussmann, Jane (2009). The Worst Date Ever. London: Panmacmillan. ISBN   978-0-330-45765-1.
  30. Bussmann, Jane (2014). A Journey to the Dark Heart of Nameless Unspeakable Evil: Charities, Hollywood, Kony and Other Abominations. Nortia Press. ISBN   9780988879881.
  31. "Prof. Mahmood Mamdani and John Prendergast, "The Darfur Debate"". YouTube . April 14, 2009.[ dead YouTube link ]