US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
September 29, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The US administration sought to contain the backfire from a story that appeared on the Washington Post showing the special envoy to Sudan backing normal relations with the East African country without any upfront concessions on the part of Khartoum.
The White House hastily rushed to distance itself from the policy set forth by Gration in the story.
“This article wildly misrepresents the policy discussions that have occurred in the White House, with quotes that have been cobbled together out of context,” White House spokesman Tommy Vietor told US ABC network.
The article was published on the eve of a high level meeting at the White House on Sudan policy review reported to include Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Adviser Jim Jones and others.
It is believed that the meeting was to put the final touches on the long awaited comprehensive policy review but US officials today signaled further delays in releasing any new recommendations.
“The policy is being worked on. There are no announcements of a new policy,” the White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters today.
The US assistant secretary of state Philip Crowley said that Washington is in the “final stages” of formulating the new policy.
A senior US official speaking to ABC on condition of anonymity said that there are no such plans to normalize ties with Sudan.
“We would not take a step like that absent significant changes in conditions on the ground,” says a senior administration official.
“The story seems to suggests our approach is to trust the government of Sudan at its word and provide incentives in hope that by providing incentives they will somehow change their behavior,” says the official
“That’s wildly inaccurate. There is no talk of incentives until there is a change of conditions on the ground — verifiable changes in conditions on the ground” the official added.
The story has drawn strong rebuke yesterday from Sudan advocacy groups in Washington.
“The quotes from Special Envoy Gration are deeply troubling. The time is well past for the President, Vice President and Secretary of State to exert much-needed leadership over U.S. diplomatic efforts with Sudan or face the prospect that Sudan will descend into much broader violence” The Enough Project, Save Darfur Coalition, and Genocide Intervention Network said in a press release.
The senior administration official said that she understands why the Darfur groups reacted that way, since they assumed the Washington Post story was accurately reflecting the administration’s position and Gration’s views. But it doesn’t, the official said.
The official added that contrary to the story, the US does not have a position on the required number of votes required in the 2011 referendum of South Sudan to declare its independence.
The newspaper said that Gration backed the views of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) headed by president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir that the percentage required should be around the 75% threshold.
However, Kris Coratti, director of communications for The Washington Post, said the newspaper stands by the story.
(ST)
oshay
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
I totally agree with Scott Gration on this part, Sudan was promised that if it signed a peace deal with the serpent dinka SPLA it will normalize relations with the US. Secondly Sudan has fully cooperated with terrorism intelligence and lastly has pursued a sustainable peace deal with the Darfur issue. Sure mistakes have been made and if Bashir did indeed commit war crimes he should be held to account however the ICC is a political court so I await a more legitimate judiciary to bring him to account.
So all in all, Sudan has fulfilled all its commitments and more but has yet to receive any sort of respect from the US while the SPLM has achieved completely nothing with all the Aid money it receives.
I urge the US to move toward a new chapter with Sudan and for all its people.
suffeeyo
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
This is a complicate history, the easy way U.S have to engage with Sudan is to removed this dictator Omar-al Bashir from the power and put SPLM in charge of the country. believe it or not Bashir have been in the power for more then one decades and he had done nothing in Sudan but just killing the innocent civilians and fought the war with SPLM in the South. Sudan policy does not need expects to examine the policy in sudan, Sudan current government have to be remove from the power. And put new coalitions in the power like SPLM, SPLM is the fresh Government which form the South in last then four years into Sudan we can believe in. NCP is ashame that is why the failed to attend the conference the in Southern Sudan capital Juba.
Kur
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
Whether Creation supports the NCP’s position on the referendum law or not, this will not change the negotiating position of the SPLM. Nobody has the right to determine how many Southern Sudanese votes are required to bring about our freedom. All we need is a simple majority. Those who fought to bring the CPA were not 75%. And those who have died were not 75%. Therefore even a halt intellegent negotiator in the SPLM’s team will not accept surch claim. No one has the right to impose conditions on us. Our destiny is our responsibility and we will take care of it.
Kur
Bonjo
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
Bashsir, NCP and Greaton should be well aware by now that south sudan is going to gain its indenpendence regardless of votes by all means. Whether they manipulate the refrendum votes in 2011, or even raise the percentage require for separation to 210%, we are still going have our independence; period!!!!
kuminyandi
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
Dear Southerners,
This is the time we have to stand up and unite our views regarding this Special Envoy To Sudan Mr. Scott Gration. This man is not familiar with Sudan and sudanese people. He is so out of touch with realities in Southern Sudan.
I noticed he spent most of his times in Khartoum whenever he visited Sudan. It is time for us to demand Obama Administration to replace Mr. Gration from his post as special envoy to Sudan.
Mr. Gration have failed miserably in his duties toward people of Southern Sudan and people of Darfur as well. He is not supposed to take side on hot issues like referendum.
The US administration must investigate this General objectives to Sudan; in which he failed to put southerners as a significant part of peace process in Sudan. Southerners are Frustrated with this individual attitudes by repeatedly taking NCP side and ignoring southener’s side.
If he can not make up his mind in a simple arithmetics equation, how he is going to help us by agreeing with NCP’s approach concerning referendum then.
Dear Southerners, please write your comments and demand that Scott Gration must be replaced with somebody that’s knowledgeable,fair, and well rounded about the Sudan’s problems, and understands and identify with our situation in the South Sudan.
Please Tel President Obama and his administration that, WE, as southerners want another envoy to Sudan because Mr. Gration demonstrated lack of fairness,leadership, and experience.
Do not just comment as your usual commnetaries in this website. Make commentaries that explain and further your case to the international community.
Brothers and sisters, comment to make changes for southern Sudan. God Bless.
Thanks.
Sudan virus
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
At first i hat president Oboma most on US policy in the Sudan.
But now i know the person behind this sick US policy on Sudan. Scott Gration behind the policy :
Racism ideology covered Gration.He wanted to pursue weak policy of US on Sudan so that Sudan continues with instability to make Oboma as a black American president blamed for US policy failure in African countries.
Secondly, Scott is the leading beneficiary of Bashirs huge money for bribery. This is linked to above ideology,otherwise true American are not so corrupt. HOW CAN
PERCENT LIMIT FOR WINNING BE 75% OR ABOVE INSANE GRATION?
Some how Oboma claiming to be a black might too have that in mind.
With the help of America or with out, SUDAN WILL NEVER BE AS BIG AS IT IS.
Hillary B.M.L,M
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
Scot Gration, counting his generation backward, he is an Arab biologically. Those are the sons of Arab slaves taken from Arabian Gulf long ago by British.
Do not worry of this Stupid Arab product, soon Semitic Jews there will do away with him as simple as lizard do to flies.
Njara Ndarago
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
If special envoy to Sudan, is backing normal relations with East African Countries, it will be a most welcomed move and more better because Gration is a wise man to realize that
Khartuom is not a reliable place to getting accurate information about Sudan. From here on i beleive General Scott Gration will surely work in the right direction and act in the interest of common Sudanese men and women.
Intelligent
Moses Kuocgoor
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
Oshay whatever your name is the problem of south and north will never end if immigrant Arabs stop claiming Sudan. Sudan has changed it is not a Sudan of 1970s when this minority group manipulated Sudan in their interest. Khartoum has been built long time ago but when I went there in 2008, I found out that Arabs are just eating and they do not build the roads. If you go to Juba you will see some changes alot of constructions are being carried out by the southerers and you just bark out there for no reason.
It is a time to call Sudanese Arabs by their status. You are not Sudanese. You are pure immigrants who came to Sudan for trade. If you are fortunated to get accommodation you should appreciate real Sudanese. Believe it or not, southerers will vote for secession and we will see you live because Khartoum has been sold by your dictator Bahir to Libya, Egypt and other Arabs countries.Do not dictate us like you do not know what is going on in Khartoum.
On the point of the SPLM/A, if it is not SPLM/A commitment Sudan would have been taken away the above countries for debts. I warn you do not jump to conclusion think about the mess in Khartoum.
Moses Kuocgoor
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
Oshay whatever your name is. The problem of south and north will never end if immigrant Arabs do not stop claiming Sudan. Sudan has changed it is not a Sudan of 1970s when this minority group manipulated Sudan in their own interest. Khartoum has been built long time ago but when I went there in 2008, I found out that Arabs are just eating and they do not build the roads. The roads are deformed and no maintenance. If you go to Juba you will see some changes, alot of constructions are being carried out by the southerners and you just bark out there for no reason.
It is a time to call Sudanese Arabs by their status. You are not Sudanese. You are pure immigrants who came to Sudan for trade. If you are fortunate to get accommodation you should appreciate real Sudanese. Believe it or not, Southerners will vote for secession and we will see where you live because Khartoum has already been sold by your dictator Bahir to Libya, Egypt and other Arabs countries.Do not dictate us like you do not know what is going on in Khartoum.
On the point of the SPLM/A, if it is not SPLM/A commitment, Sudan would have been taken away by the above countries for debts. I warn you. Do not jump to the conclusion think about the mess in Khartoum. We will never stop until we find out the solution to challenge you.
Ahmed Binouf
US debate over Sudan policy drags on with more confusion
The regime in Khartoum still able to navigate through, because its gaining more supporters than ever. More money have been paid to those who were not sure to be part of it or not, economy is not doing well all around the world, Sudan is not part of the worldwide economics disaster, as the regime is living in its own cycle that was not part of the regular international community cycles. They have more money to be laundered or given away as bribes to get it back into the cycle. This is just part of those regime’s last days; they do whatever make them feel good regardless of the output. Buying time for the regime in Khartoum is like buying groceries.
I don’t know what and how the outcome is is going to be after all these money, I hope this will be the last money to be used by this group of cheaters.
Good Day