Bush Admin may harden Sudan policy; genocide charges eyed

By Susan Solan

NEW YORK, June 12, 2004 (Dow Jones) — The Bush administration is considering tightening its policy toward the Sudanese government due to escalating violence in the Darfur region, where thousands have been killed and over a million forced from their homes by Arab militias, the New York Times reported on its Web site.

People in the region claim these militias have been getting support by the Sudanese Army, according to the newspaper.

The Bush administration is trying to discern if the Darfur violence can be defined as genocide rather than their current terminology of ethnic cleansing, according to Bush officials, who added they are also considering sanctions on Sudanese officials linked to the forced migrations.

Secretary of State Colin Powell told the New York Times in a telephone Friday the link between the militias and the Sudanese government was strong and that many people are still at risk of dying in Darfur and the neighboring nation of Chad.

“Without having a full intelligence report in front of me…we believe that the government of Sudan did provide support to these militias,” Powell said.

While Powell didn’t call the situation in Darfur genocide, he said Bush administration lawyers had begun a review to see if the conditions for genocide have been met, the Times reported. If they do so, the U.S. may be pressured to become more actively involved.