US says Sudan policy review to be completed within two weeks
August 17, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The United States announced today that is finishing up its comprehensive policy review of Sudan that will determine its conflict resolution strategy for the largest country in Africa.
The release of the long awaited policy review was delayed by behind the scenes divisions within the Obama administration on the balance between the use of sticks and carrots with Khartoum.
The US presidential envoy to Sudan Scott Gration, currently visiting the region complained to US lawmakers last month that the decade-long unilateral sanctions imposed through executive orders and the status of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism are undermining his diplomatic leverage.
Gration, testifying at the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said that “the consequences of the sanctions that result from that, and other sanctions, are preventing us from doing the development we absolutely need to do,”.
“At some point we’re going to have to unwind some of these sanctions so that we can do the very things we need to do,” he said.
Later Gration told Reuters that his remarks he made to US lawmakers had been misunderstood and that he was only suggesting limited changes to sanctions that would contribute to the development of South Sudan.
Crowley said that the public will see “the fruits of General Gration’s labor emerge here very shortly,”. It is not clear if that is an indication that the US envoy lenient approach has prevailed in the debate within the administration.
The US diplomat said that Gration will not travel to Khartoum or Darfur but that his itinerary only includes Juba and Malakal in South Sudan.
Yesterday the head of the US bureau at the Sudanese foreign ministry Nasr Al-Deen Wali said that Gration will fly to the town of Al-Fasher in Darfur to inspect IDP camps.
Crowley’s briefing did not explain why the Darfur stop was cancelled. However, many IDP’s across the camps have expressed outrage at Gration’s conciliatory stance with Khartoum and his refusal to use the term genocide in describing the Darfur conflict.
While in South Sudan, Gration will “finalize agreement on a bilateral action plan between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the National Congress Party (NCP) to ensure the full and complete implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in advance of critical election and referenda milestones in 2010 and 2011, respectively”.
Gration has expressed worry over the slow pace of preparations for the 2010 elections and 2011 self determination referendum for South Sudan.
The Southerners say that the result of the census conducted last year are “questionable” and so it should not be used for determination of electoral constituencies but the dominant National Congress Party (NCP) rejects the argument.
The US special envoy will travel to Addis Ababa for a meeting aimed at uniting rebel factions from the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and bring them to the negotiating table in Doha.
The legacy SLM led by influential Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur residing in Paris is boycotting the meeting amid strained relations with Gration.
The US state department Gration will also meet with Ethiopian Prime minister Meles Zenawi after which he will fly to Egypt for meetings with Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Sudanese Presidential Advisor Ghazi Salah Al-Deen, Libyan Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation Musa Kusa, and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
Gration may meet members of South Sudan government in Cairo as well, Crowley added.
In London, more than 200 Darfuris demonstrated to protest Gration’s “appeasement” policy towards Khartoum.
Yesterday, Darfur advocacy groups sent a letter to Gration deploring his strategy in dealing with Sudan saying that he is “at odds with the President’s [Obama] promise and will quash the hopes of all Sudanese for justice, peace, and the end of the culture of impunity that has afflicted Sudan,”.
“U.S. policy must not simply ignore history and start “fresh” with the GoS with “no preconceptions.” U.S. policy must be tough-minded, and define specific benchmarks for significant improvements by the GoS if it wishes to avoid substantial new pressures being applied, let alone pressures being relieved”.
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Mabior Ayuen Dengajok
US says Sudan policy review to be completed within two weeks
US President Hussein Obama need to know that the government of Sudan under leadership of National Congress Party NCP, well known National Islamic Front had biggest threat to United states of American, more harmful that Taliban, for instance, in 1990, they current government of Sudan invited Osama Bin laden into Sudan to train Mujahedeen and that why Bill Clinton bombed Khartoum in 1998 if I’m correct.
In recent conflict between Israel and Palestine, Khartoum has also shown direct support to Hamas groups.
They have killed thousands of civilians in Darfur let alone South Sudan, president Bush administration however called mass killings in Darfur as a “genocide” wow, you haven’t learnt that even a child must have seen it on media, pictures of dying civilians have been shown internationally, taking another example, the Issued of Warrant arrest against Bashir is another prove that he have committed crime against humanity and he still continuous committing that crimes, by supplying arms to reach civilians in South Sudan. In addition to that, NCP have also burnt down houses and killing civilians in Abyei.
“This is discrimination attack against civilians”
What else do you needs to learn?
Lifting sanction on Khartoum government is another way of creating genocide in any part of Sudan and its human rights violations to give support directly or indirectly since more evident are been provided from international.
Lifting sanction on Khartoum could be biggest threats to American people and to the people of Sudan.
Akol Liai Mager
US says Sudan policy review to be completed within two weeks
Bringing Peace to Darfur and achievement of Justice for the victims of Darfur genocide sparked a continuous struggle in the White House between human right followers led by Ms Susan Rice and evil right followers led by Scott Gration.
There is no doubt that the followers of evil are being backed by their big boss Ma`alim Obama. The leader of this group is now back in the country to overlook the process of rewarding the regime for killing 350000 thousand furs on one hand and checking his boys he assigned them to remove SLM/A chairman Mr Abdel-Wahaed Mohamed Nur.
The bad news to Mr Gration is that, major generals, Ismail Adam and Nimr Mohamed Abdel-Rahaman has either rejected his initiative to revolt against their leader Mr Nur and get reward at the same time with Khartoum regime, or the deal might have collapsed.
The two major generals made it clear on their statement filed to Sudanile website on 16/08/09 that they are standing by their leader and the coup that was announced in the same website is just a fabricated one by mr Gration.
The question to Mr Gration to answer is that; with more than 20 movements now in Darfur, does Darfur needs more factions to be added onto the list?
I hope for victory for the victims and their advocates in the White House.
Oduck Bol
US says Sudan policy review to be completed within two weeks
America care about innocent citizens of south Sudan than GOSS. Now Gration is worrys for slow step of preparation of election of 2010 and 2011. Gration is 100% right. The true is that SPLM and NCP both are worry for themselves. NCP worrys that if people go to vote,they will lose power and SPLM has the same ideas also. So SPLM and NCP want to be in power for their lives. It is better for them to have civil war in Sudan or citizens killing each other than election that will take them out in the power. 21 years citizens of south Sudan have been Victims between NCP and SPLM and they are now relying on United State of America to sit them free from dieing between tow governments that are NCP and SPLM through CPA and elections. NCP and SPLM must do election.
Oduck Bol
Biliu
US says Sudan policy review to be completed within two weeks
What readers most understand is that USA is not a wish-maker, nor international police aiming to address domestic criminals acts, simply, it’s a superpower country let by it’s welfares and interest, George .W. Bush has burdened the USA foreign polices with critical issues which demands the current administration to review, imposing unilateral sanctions on Sudan was sternly opposed by the UN, there was no certain point on which we can legalize or consider them as a favor to Sudanese citizens, Sanctions were there before Darfur crisis and not even became tougher after the crisis.
Betting on USA is a great mistake and unjust decision for Darfurians, what they need is a unity among themselves, through out the USA history, they never support rebel groups or build an official attitude for favor of any right or freedom fighters, Sudanese most recall that it was USA administration who armed Nimiri government against SPLA, and the same USA which is strongly opposing the Separation of the South.
Terrorism was the reason which made USA to impose sanctions on Sudan, from that perspective; the USA will review its policy on Sudan, and Darfur Crisis will not be on the policy review agenda. I expect that sanctions will partially unwind except of those of weapons, I understand the disappointment of the Darfurian people over that fact, but USA foreign are not built on sympathies but on welfares.