Ahead of January 9th referendum on whether to divide Sudan into north and south, a group of organisations known as the Satellite Sentinel Project is launching a project using satellites to "watch" Sudan for war crimes before a vote. The Satellite Sentinel Project, which begins on Wednesday, is meant to provide an "early warning system" for human rights and security violations before the January 9 referendum. The satellite project received funding for six months from Not On Our Watch, an organization co-founded by Clooney and his Hollywood friends, actors Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, David Pressman and producer Jerry Weintraub.

The group has also been active in raising money to help the many displaced people in the Darfur region of western Sudan, which has been ravaged by war and genocide.1

• 1. “Clooney, Google, UN watch Sudan using satellites”, The Times of India, December 29. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Clooney-Google-UN-watch-Suda...