Our friends at Humanity United and several other groups have launched a new initiative called Sudan Now. We joined with them in a series of print and online ads this week as the Administration’s long-running Sudan policy review appears to be entering its final stages. It’s vital that the Administration get the policy right. Key elements in a strong policy will be that it is:
- comprehensive (addressing Sudan’s interlocking crises, including Darfur, implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the war in southern Sudan and the proxy war with Chad);
- multilateral (the U.S. must work with other countries that have leverage on the various actors to address these crises);and
- based on a balance of incentives and pressures.
Above all, effective implementation of the policy will require the personal and direct engagement of President Obama. More details on what we’re looking for can be found in the letter to President Obama signed by more than 113,000 citizens that I delivered to Special Envoy Scott Gration on August 5.
Meanwhile, we also have partnered with the Sudan Inter-Faith Working Group, a broad array of faith-based organizations, in the Moved by Faith initiative. Together, we are seeking clergy of all faiths to sign on to a letter that tells President Obama that his “strong leadership is critical in realizing peace and justice in Sudan.” The complementary efforts of Sudan Now, Moved by Faith and the citizen sign-on letter show the breadth and passion of the movement calling for President Obama to lead for peace in Darfur and all of Sudan.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
