US lobbyist drops Sudan account after pressure

Feb 8, 2006 (WASHINGTON) — Sudan’s lobbyist in the US State Department has resigned of the lobbyist for the government of Sudan after pressure generated by rights advocacy group, and some US senators.

Khartoum had hired a former foreign-service officer, Robert Cabelly, — managing director, C/R International — to serve as a lobbyist on Sudan’s behalf and to remove Khartoum from a State Department list of countries under sanctions for their complicity in human trafficking.

“The Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net) today announces a significant victory of the emerging anti-genocide constituency, the resignation of the lobbyist for the genocidal government of Sudan, said a press statement issued today.

The Government of Sudan has hired Mr. Robert J. Cabelly, to lobby on its behalf.

Thousands of members of the GI Network urged U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to fire Sudan’s lobbyist in light of the ongoing crisis in Sudan that has been declared a genocide by both President Bush and the U.S. Congress.

Pressure from GI-Net members and many other individuals and organizations in the Darfur activist community led to the lobbyist’s departure.

“We commend those concerned Americans who insist that the United States continue to be firm with Sudan as long as the genocide continues,” says GI-Net Director of Advocacy Sam Bell.

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) was a leading sponsor in pressing for the State Department to revoke the license of Sudan’s lobbyist.

Despite initial claims by the State Department that Sudan’s lobbyist would aid in communication between the two governments, the United Nations reported last fall that civilian deaths due to attacks by the Sudanese government had nearly doubled — a clear sign that the United States’ message was not getting through, GI-Net argues.

(ST)