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Congress presses for harder line on Sudan diplomacy, arms embargo

By Daniel Van Oudenaren

December 15, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – Lawmakers in Washington this Monday and Tuesday called on President Obama and senior officials to take a harder line against the government led by President Omar Al-Bashir, which is in trilateral negotiations with the United States and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

US_Great_Seal.pngThe Obama Administration’s unveiling of its official strategy toward Sudan in October was greeted domestically with some hesitation but general approval. Since then, the presidential envoy Scott Gration, who is currently on diplomatic travel, has continued to articulate a defense of his trips to meet with members of Sudan’s senior political leadership.

Secretary Clinton, for her part, in a speech Monday evening suggested that the Administration’s approach to human rights has added a considered dose of realism to US diplomacy, saying “we must be pragmatic and agile in pursuit of our human rights agenda – not compromising on our principles, but doing what is most likely to make them real.” In a mention of Sudan, she recommended “we have to continue to press for solutions,” without elaboration whereby.

But such voices from within the US Executive Branch were met this week with a broadside of criticism and advice from lawmakers, activists, Sudanese expatriates, and an independent commission established by Congress.

In a move led by Senators Russ Feingold and John McCain, 27 total senators signed a letter calling for the UN Security Council to turn to violations of the UN arms embargo on Darfur. The letter, addressed to Ambassador Susan Rice, the US envoy at the United Nations in New York, asks her to “begin a discussion at the Security Council about pressures that can be brought to bear against belligerents in Darfur in the case that these violations persist.”

The senators endorsed recommendations made by a UN Panel of Experts who had concluded research on the abortive arms embargo on Darfur and presented their findings to the UN Secretary General and then this month to the US Congress. Proposed steps include requiring Sudan’s government to submit to the Security Council bimonthly reports on its movement of troops and materiel into and out of Darfur. Other information uncovered by the UN Panel may lead to additional US designations of individuals to be targeted for financial sanctions and travel bans, the senators’ letter suggests.

Another open letter, addressed to President Obama, was released today by 50 leading Sudan advocates and Sudanese expatriates from around the country. It calls for “multilateral asset freezes and travel bans,” support of the International Criminal Court cases against Sudanese officials, denial of debt relief, and enforcement of the UN arms embargo.

In the US House of Representatives, three members on Tuesday morning joined two members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) at an “emergency press conference,” as it was described by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey. The event marked the first public criticism of the Sudan policy from Rep. Frank Wolf, a legislator with long-standing involvement with the issue.

USCIRF Commission Chairman Leonard A. Leo, having recently returned from a five day visit to Khartoum, said “it is time for the United States to exercise strength. The policy of engagement – ‘cookies and gold stars’ – is not working. It is emboldening Khartoum to a point where this peace process is perilously close to failure.”

The sudden renewed furor over Sudan comes after recent crackdowns on demonstrators in Khartoum who were led in part by politicians of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. The latter party, a signatory to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), objects to major gaps in implementation of the 2005 deal, whose terms are set to expire in January 2011.

Mr. Leo, in a statement taken as he was making his return last Thursday, said that “Leadership will come only from the top, and many of the officials we met were urging the Commission to take home a plea for greater US strength and pressure on recalcitrant signatories. We call upon Secretary Clinton in the next two weeks to send a strong message to the CPA signatory parties, as well as the international community, by personally standing with the peace process and seeking to reestablish a level playing field for free and fair implementation of the CPA.”

Also calling for leadership from the top, President of the Save Darfur Coalition Jerry Fowler noted, “With elections rapidly approaching and the atmosphere getting more and more volatile, the situation in Sudan cries out for presidential leadership. In his Nobel address, President Obama recognized that the ‘world must stand together as one’ in dealing with recalcitrant regimes like Sudan’s. That will not happen without sustained engagement by President Obama himself.”

(ST)

16 Comments

  • johnmaker
    johnmaker

    Congress presses for harder line on Sudan diplomacy, arms embargo
    Life is God gift to humanbeing.But what happen in sudan it seem like Al bashir is the life giver.So that he can killed anytime he want and planted more arab people on the clear place he had killed it people.US should not only ban sudan it diplomat,but to send troop to sudan and takecare of the innocent who are been killed day and night by the incompetent govt led by criminal.Soft talk with suadn diplomat does not help innocent at all.I would also suggest that Mr Gration should be releaved right now and us should appoint another envoy to sudan.Thank.

    Reply
  • Samson Shawel Ambaye
    Samson Shawel Ambaye

    Congress presses for harder line on Sudan diplomacy, arms embargo
    God be with USA for asset freezes and travel bans against Bashir and his criminal government.

    Reply
  • DASODIKO
    DASODIKO

    Congress presses for harder line on Sudan diplomacy, arms embargo
    I personally appreciate these scrupulous Congressmen for their individual efforts to bring peace to Sudan. However, I think now is too late to save the CPA. The National Congress Party of the indicted President Bashir has already traversed the road for his party to win the coming elections, by registering all of its supporters including the Sudan arm forces wherever they are and also given a chance to registered twice places of their works and origins. This means, they will vote twice since they have money and all mean of transportation to do that.

    On the other hand, the amendment of the restricted laws stipulated on CPA have not yet been amended, and the NCP continues to arrest the innocent civilians without trials. If the Sergent policeman of the Islamic regime is able to arrest the Minister at the Ministry of Interior because he belongs to SPLM/A; so what would we expect will happen in the time of the election? All opposition parties will go to jail for the NCP to win.

    So I am wondering What America is going to save from the CPA when four years were thrown in the wind. I doubt America and his allies to save even Sudan. The country is heading to war %100; and if the American envoy to Sudan Scot Gration is telling the opposite he is lying to you Or you America wants to continue the status-quo to let this regime continue on power as far as its cooperating with America on its war of Counter Terrorism. Moreover, the regime in Khartoum is killing its own people not the Americans.

    What a shame on the face of dirty politics?

    Reply
  • Lorolokin
    Lorolokin

    Congress presses for harder line on Sudan diplomacy, arms embargo
    This a well come news from the USA and the lawmakers in particullar,Keep up we are behind you.

    Reply
  • Time1
    Time1

    Congress presses for harder line on Sudan diplomacy, arms embargo
    This is the right action by congress, more pressure on the NCP is required, this is make them to follow on with the CPA road map and commit to Darfur peace.

    Reply
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