Obama administration appoints senior advisor for Darfur
December 13, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – The Obama administration announced the appointment of a former diplomat to lead the U.S. efforts to resolve the seven years old conflict in the restive region of Darfur.
He directed the African Economic Policy Staff 1989-90 and was Chief, Food Policy Division, in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, 1979-81.
“Ambassador Smith brings more than three decades of Foreign Service experience to this job, including a tour as the deputy chief of mission right here in Khartoum, where I’m speaking from. He will also play a vital role in our diplomatic efforts concerning Darfur, as well as to help us implement our initiatives and programs in the field” U.S. special envoy for Sudan Scott Gration told reporters via teleconference today.
The move appears to be in response to calls by Sudan advocacy groups on the U.S. administration to appoint a full-time envoy to work on the Darfur conflict.
Obama came under heavy criticism after it was suggested last month that it will decouple the Darfur crisis from the list of demands by Washington to remove Sudan from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
On Monday, Gration urged all parties to lay down their arms in Darfur after a three-day visit to the region.
“We call upon all parties to commit to an immediate ceasefire, all movements to join the peace talks,” Gration said in a conference call from Khartoum.
He insisted the Sudanese government bore the main responsibility for ensuring peace in the region, while also urging rebel groups to work towards ending the conflict.
“Too many people have died because some rebel leaders would rather continue fighting than negotiate a peace deal. This is unacceptable and should not be tolerated,” Gration said.
In recent days Sudanese troops have attacked the only Darfur rebel group to have signed a peace deal with Khartoum in assaults that left one dead and several wounded, the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force said.
Darfur has been gripped by a civil war since 2003 that has killed 300,000 people and displaced another 2.7 million, according to UN figures. Khartoum says 10,000 people have died in the conflict.
Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) faction leader Minni Minnawi signed a peace deal with the government of President Omar al-Bashir in 2006.
But a larger SLA faction, led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur who lives in exile in France, has refused to take part in the process.
The military powerful Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) suspended its participation in the peace talks last May hosted by the Arab Gulf state of Qatar after accusing the Sudanese army of breaching a cessation of hostility accord signed between the two sides.
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kitir
Obama administration appoints senior advisor for Darfur
This reasonable step will be quietly welcomed by people of Darfur who disappointed by the previous stances of United state who decided to shift eyes from Darfur and focus on South, we know the importance phase of south problem and need to work closely with emerging issues there, but neglecting Darfur has conveyed negative signals to arrogant NCP to dishonour it commitments towards the strive region, and set up so called the new strategy, to launch the remaining phase of killing by escalating the situation on ground, carrying out murderous air attacks against civilians on ground.
The new envoy is highly demanded to stay in Darfur , observe the situation by himself instead waiting the reports from US as a practical way to deal with changing reality on Darfur, also his permanent presence with negotiating groups in Doha will push ongoing peace process a head.
You welcome in Darfur