This morning U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration is testifying before the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. We will be live-tweeting the hearing, “A Review of the Administration’s New Policy and A Situation Update,” this morning so you can see what’s happening on Capitol Hill.
Update: The hearing has concluded. You can see our live-tweets after the jump or read a complete write-up of the hearing on our blog.
Live-tweets from House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health hearing:
- Sudan hearing is standing room only. Should start any minute. http://tweetphoto.com/5755389
- Rep Payne opens the hearing on #Sudan “I sometimes wonder if we’ll get a just & lasting peace w al-Bashir in power” http://yfrog.com/37gcexj
- “The people of #Darfur are still waiting for the suffering to end” – Rep Payne #Sudan
- “What are we doing to promote justice and accountability? Can elections be free and fair w millions living in refugee camps?” -Payne #Sudan
- Sen Brownback: “The genocide that began in 2004 continues under our watch today”
- Sen Brownback: I strongly oppose any policy that provides incentives to a genocidal regime.
- Rep Lee: we are all anxious to see concrete results. The people of #Sudan deserve no less.
- Rep Lee recognizes the work of young ppl and the faith community in leading the fight for peace in #Sudan
- Rep Royce: “General Gration, you and I had an opportunity to see this firsthand in #Darfur”
- Rep Royce tells story of young boy whose hand was chopped off by janjaweed, recounts bombings by Sudanese gov’t Antonov bombers #Darfur
- Rep Royce: these are the war crimes of a head of state that won’t allow NGOs to bring some relief to the victims of this conflict
- Rep Royce accuses the GoS of supporting the LRA and their activities in #Darfur and Uganda
- Rep Royce: “We got a rare victory the other day when the Sudanese president’s planned trip to Turkey was canceled.” #Sudan
- Rep Royce quotes: the US appears to have joined the group of nations that sit idly by and watch as sanctions don’t work to protect #Darfur
- Rep Miller: “All of humanity has failed to act the way we promised 60 years ago” #Sudan #Darfur #genprev
- Rep Woolsey: “I’m truly concerned that so much emphasis is being placed on the logistics of the elections, but…” (Con’t)
- Rep Woolsey: I’m hoping today to hear… what we’re going to do to make sure the elections in #Sudan are not worthless.
- Woolsey, con’t: “…concern must be placed on the political environment in which they take place” #Sudan #sudanelections
- Gen Gration is giving his opening remarks http://tweetphoto.com/5756894
- Envoy Gration outlines the 3 objectives of the new #Sudan policy….
- 1) end the conflict in #Darfur: the gross human rights abuses, the genocide 2) ensure a peaceful post-2011 #Sudan, united or 2 states
- 3) ensure #Sudan not a safehaven for terrorists
- “Voter registration will conclude next week, but far more work needs to be done… To ensure the will of the Sudanese people is expressed”
- Gen Gration: The US has clear interest in forging an international response to #Sudan
- Rep Payne asks implementation of strategy will be crucial… What are indicators of progress? What are the criteria for evaluating them?
- Gen Gration: Implementation is the key. Agreements w/o implementation are worthless.
- Gen Gration: Verifiable, unreversable progress on the ground. Verify then trust. Look for measures and monitoring ways.
- Payne: Is there any plan for IDPs in #Darfur and in Chad. What is plan of return home?
- Gration: we will only support return when it is voluntary, stable & secure and safe enough for them to return. #Sudan
- Sen Brownback asks Gration rhetorical Q: Bashir has participated/lead the genocide in #Darfur? Bashir is an indicted war criminal?
- …Has the US negotiated w/ anyone involved in leading the genocide? Are you dealing w/ a gov that’s conducting a genocide?
- Gration: we have to continue engagement not for enagements sake – we have to continue engagement to save lives. #Sudan
- Rep Lee: I’m somewhat encourged by your new policy that promotes multilateral and international cooperation.
- Rep Lee asks if Sudan WAS discussed on recent trip. Also asks about league of Arab states involvement.
- Rep Lee: Given China’s unparalleled leverage I wrote to Prez Obama to raise the issue w/ their leaders on his trip there last month…
- Gration: centerpiece of new plan: “working with international partners, setting multilateral goals” #Sudan
- Gration: President Obama did being up #Sudan with Prez Hu Jintao
- Lee: have you communicated that the Chinese need to join us in imposing sanctions? Gration: we have. #Sudan
- Gen Gration: The solution is one that involves not just america… Everyone has to be a part of the solution that brings peace. #Sudan
- Rep Smith: I have asked a number of times for classified briefing on annex to the new policy. “This is a passionate concern for each of us”
- Rep Smith asks Gration again about the Admins failure to press China (“who makes it all possible”) on their role in #Sudan
- … China can turn off the spigot of funds that allow Sudan to continue its behavior
- Gration will give briefing. “I don’t know about this annex, but I do know about working papers.” “There is no annex” #Sudan
- Rep Smith: “private diplomacy can only go so far when genocide is continuing.” #Sudan
- Rep Miller: what are we doing to make sure that the elections aren’t used to legitimize a genocidal regime?
- Gration: we’ve been able to do the registration piece… This allows the Sudanese the option of expressing their will in the election
- Gration praises govt of Sudan’s responsiveness in election process: “while it’s not perfect… this is the 1st election in 24 years”
- Gration: we have an “opportunity to work on political transformation through this election” #sudanelection #Sudan
- Rep Boozman asks for specifics on incentives and pressures, benchmarks. #Sudan #Darfur
- Gration says inter-agency group meeting quarterly to review progress on ground and evaluate pressures and incentives. #sudan
- Rep Woolsey asks about the situation in #Sudan for women and children
- Gration re health, food: we have gotten up to the conditions we had before. (but stopgap measures, “we’re working on that”) #Sudan
- Gration briefly says protection issues for women and children still key #Sudan
- Rep Woolsey: What happens if the elections aren’t free and fair? Will we compromise and accept a criminal gov?
- Gration: the elections are something we’re going to have to build on through the referendum, through subsequent elections #sudanelection
- Rep Royce asks about the expulsion of aid groups and the GoS efforts to obstruct relief for ppl in #Datfur and #Sudan
- Gration: “I cannot find any links right now between the Sudanese government and Joseph Kony” #LRA #Sudan
- Royce: “I don’t give the benefit of the doubt to Bashir” #Sudan
- Rep Royce: Do you have any concerns about GoS support for terrorism or religious extremists?
- Brownback re negotiating w “genocidal regime”: “I hope we can work with this administration and stop this complete loss of moral authority”
- Payne: “A lot of us that want to see #Sudan come into the 21st century”
- New Post: More Questions Than Answers at Today’s Gration Hearing | http://ow.ly/Ik9E | #Darfur #Sudan
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
Tags: Barbara Lee, China, Chris Smith, CPA, Donald Payne, Ed Royce, Government of Sudan, Lynn Woolsey, Sam Brownback, Scott Gration, US Congress
