Ambassador Susan Rice

A bipartisan group of 27 Senators wrote to US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice urging her to ensure that the UN Security Council does not tolerate continued human rights abuses and arms embargo violations by the Sudanese government and rebel groups in Darfur.  U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and John McCain (R-AZ) led the group in writing to Ambassador Rice.  They cited a recent report by the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan which states that “…almost all sides in the conflict have failed in their obligation to comply with Security Council sanctions,” and urged her to ensure the UN Security Council reviews the panel’s recommendations for action.

Joining Senators Feingold and McCain were Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Robert Casey (D-PA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Richard Burr (R-NC), Barbara Boxer  (D-CA), Bob Corker (R-TN), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), James Risch (R-ID), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

Read the letter to Ambassador Rice after the jump.

Senate Letter to Ambassador Rice on Darfur – December 14, 2009

Members of the USCIRF recently returned from Sudan and witnessed Khartoum’s crackdown on peaceful Sudanese protesters. These protesters, including high-ranking members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, had gathered in the streets to press Sudan’s President Bashir and his National Congress Party to demand passage of important laws by the National Assembly.

Update: The press conference has concluded. See all of our live-tweets after the jump or read a complete write-up of the press conference on our blog.

Live-tweets from the USCIRF press conference:

• Press conference GoS crackdown about to begin on Capitol Hill. http://tweetphoto.com/6476110
• The US delegation met with 4 Sudanese parliamentarians who were detained after protest – saw their bruises.
• Commission on Religious Freedom: “NCP is more emboldened than anytime in the past… Have hijacked the peace process”
• USCIRF: we have called on the SOS to lead on this issue. Every time the Special Envoy visits he emboldens the NCP
• “For years the US had been a leader – the leader – in advocating for the marginalized peoples of #Sudan” – Rep Wolf
• Rep Wolf: The time has come for Second Clinton and Prez Obama to personally get involved in Sudan.
• “The CPA is not up for renegotiation” – Rep Wolf #Sudan
• This administration’s negotiation with the Sudanese regime fails to recognize the true nature of Bashir – Rep Wolf #Sudan
• Rep Wolf: Bashir and the NCP are not our partners in peace – but they have not been inconsistent. They have consistently obstructed the CPA.
• “Bashir is not an overnight thing – he’s been there for years” – Rep Payne
• Rep Payne: one of the thing we need to begin to talk about is regime change.
• Question – when supporting elections are we risking legitimizing an indicted war criminal? – Rep Payne #Sudan #sudanelection
• Rep Payne: we will not have the CPA pitted against Darfur and terror… All 3 are important, but implementation is important.
• Rep Smith: ominous clouds hang over #Sudan. The CPA is on life-support.
• Rep Smith: now we as a nation are sitting on the sidelines… looking on and hoping the problem goes away.
• The president, the Nobel Peace Prize winner has to use the gravitas from that award and say: ‘#Sudan is my priority.’
• Rep Smith: this admin must get much more serious in dealing with Khartoum or the killing fields will continue.
• The Reps are now taking questions.
• Rep Payne: The benchmarks for Khartoum need to be known.
• Payne: w/out a plan for return “the govt of #Sudan can be off the hook for several million people they despise anyway.”
• Rep Smith: Sudan’s patron is China. I was extremely disappointed that Prez Obama did not forcefully raise the issue when he was in Beijing.
• Smith: arms flowing in to #Sudan and the subsequent deaths of civilians “directly attributable to Beijing”
• Rep Payne: China is the root of much of the evil we have seen in #Sudan.
• USCIRF: The rest of the world is going to take its lead from the US. We need to reach out to the UN, AU, EU, China and be forceful.
• Smith: fully implement the CPA & do so transparently. The ruling junta can have an appearance of free and fair… We’re concerned abt that
• Rep Payne: I feel the goal is regime change, the methods are the issue. Obviously the best way to have regime change is with elections.
• USCIRF: Regarding the election: there are a number of laws that aren’t in place that would guarantee a free and fair election.
• USCIRF: Where are the resources to ensure the election is not gamed? #Sudan #sudanelection
• The press conference is over. Check our blog later today for a full write-up. | http://tweetphoto.com/6477668

Read a complete write-up of the press conference.

Today, Special Envoy for Sudan Scott Gration testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health.  The hearing, Chaired by Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), a long-standing co-chair of the Sudan Caucus, underscored the urgency of the situation and highlighted the significant number of unanswered questions that remain about the Obama administration’s policy.

The tone of the hearing became clear when General Gration faced pointed questioning from Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), who was a special invitee of the committee.  Senator Brownback, author of the original Senate resolution declaring genocide in Darfur, made clear the type of people the administration has chosen to engage with by getting General Gration to admit that he has been negotiating with the same people who are directly responsible for an ongoing genocide.

Elections were also on the minds of the subcommittee members, with a number, particularly Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), questioning whether the political environment exists for credible elections to take place in Sudan in April 2010.  General Gration sidestepped the critical question of political environment, choosing to focus on the logistical issues that Sudan faces and the importance of the 2010 election in order to have a free and fair 2011 referendum on the succession of South Sudan.

Gration did acknowledge, for the first time publicly, that the United States (which is providing $75 million for election administration) is discussing with international partners where to draw the line where it becomes clear that credible elections cannot be held in Sudan and what to do if that line is crossed.  However, with his insistence that elections in 2010 are critical for the 2011 referendum to take place, Gration appears to be favoring electoral compromise on the 2010 elections in exchange for the referendum moving forward.  We at Save Darfur have consistently said such a trade-off would be unwise.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) questioned the amount of cooperation China is providing on Sudan, and noted that President Obama did not publicly mention it during his recent travel to Beijing.  Gration indicated that Obama did raise Sudan, but admitted that he had no further details about the conversation.

Rep. John Boozman (R-AR), pointedly questioned what progress had been made in exchange for its new engagement policy, noting that the situation in Darfur remains no better than on the day President Obama was elected, that the Darfur peace process is moribund, and that insecurity is on the rise in the South.  General Gration pushed back on all three points, noting that in particular, humanitarian groups had been allowed back into the country following the now-infamous March 4^th expulsions; Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) rightly pointed out that the regime should not get credit for finding a half-solution to a crisis that it itself created in the first place.  Nevertheless, the General’s comments perhaps foreshadow his position going into the quarterly review of Sudan policy that is due in January – Gration apparently feels progress has been made.

If there was a bombshell today, it was that the much talked about “classified annex” to the policy review does not actually exist.  In an exchange with Ranking Member Smith, General Gration said he had no knowledge of such an annex, despite Congressman Smith repeating Secretary of State Clinton’s assertion during the policy roll-out that a list of incentives and pressures were included in a comprehensive annex (which was also subsequently referred to in a background briefing by senior administration officials).  This will come as news to the activist and Congressional communities who took on faith the administration’s assertion that it had prepared such a document and had just been reluctant to share it – a number of Members of Congress had asked to see it – and now we’re told it never existed in the first place, beyond a set of what the General referred to as a set of “working papers” from the National Security Council.

Finally, the frustration of the committee was clear in Chairman Payne’s closing remarks where he noted that it had taken a year for the administration to agree to a House hearing on Sudan policy.  General Gration and the administration ignore Congress at their own peril for it is Congress alone that can waive the majority of the sanctions that would ultimately make an engagement policy successful, as well as provide the financial resources for all the activities the administration is promoting in Sudan.  Congress may or may not agree with the administration’s Sudan policy, but it will unite in opposition if it feels it is being misled or left in the dark.  No matter any solution General Gration may be able to conjure up in Sudan, if Congress isn’t on board, it will be an automatic non-starter.  General Gration’s take-away from today’s hearing should be that as he drives back to Foggy Bottom, he should already be planning his next trip back to the Capitol, and the next time, there should be more answers than questions.

Last Friday, the PHR team delivered to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a joint advocacy letter, urging that sexual and gender-based violence (SGV) programming be recognized as an urgent need in Sudan. Forty advocacy and human rights groups called on Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sudan Envoy Scott Gration to recognize the absence of vital SGV programming following the March 2009 expulsion of international humanitarian organizations and key Sudanese NGOs. The number of supporting organizations has since grown to more than 60.

The team from PHR met with General Gration’s office, and with the office of the Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues on Friday, to present the letter and advocate for the inclusion of SGV programs in the Sudan Policy benchmarks.

The elimination of SGV services in Sudan is a perfect storm of collateral damage: when the 16 international humanitarian organizations and NGOs were expelled, these programs — and equally importantly, the network of SGV-focused personnel and leadership — disappeared. In a climate where remaining staff and organizations were afraid to rebuild or renegotiate their contracts for fear of Government of Sudan retribution, services for survivors of sexual violence in Darfur collapsed.

Despite this, and despite the fine work of the State department on a number of gender-based violence issues, the issue of sexual violence was not explicitly recognized in the administration’s Sudan Policy review, nor was it included in the details of US strategic objective #1, which deals with the humanitarian situation in Darfur. It was, however, recognized by the UN panel of experts in the recent report released on the humanitarian situation in Darfur, and has been a key sticking point for activists in the US at the recent Pledge to Protect conference.

Today — just in time for the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women on November 25 — PHR has launched a congressional action for advocates and activists to urge Senators and Representatives to join us in our call to the State department on this issue. Partnering with our co-signatories, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International USA, the Arab Coalition for Darfur, the Enough Project, Save Darfur Coalition and others, we continue to advocate for the restoration of services as basic as emergency assistance for injuries, documentation of injuries sustained during these brutal attacks, access to HIV/AIDS prophylaxis treatment, pregnancy testing and psychological and social support. We ask Hillary Rodham Clinton and General Gration not only to include SGV programs as a benchmark in the Sudan policy, but also:

• To ensure that renegotiation of technical agreements between humanitarian organizations and the Government of Sudan takes place, so that international humanitarian organizations and NGOs can incorporate or SGV programs into their authorized operations in Sudan.
• To monitor Government of Sudan obstruction of SGV services in Khartoum and on the ground: SGV services must be restored and made available to all IDP populations, including West and South Darfur, where humanitarian operations have historically functioned at a lower level than in North Darfur state.
• To support and facilitate coordination between aid agencies, camp residents and UNAMID gender desk officers. The recruitment of gender desk officers must involve camp residents, and the work of gender experts should fully utilize the expertise and resources of aid agencies as well as camp residents, to ensure the establishment of culturally competent services.

We need action to protect the rights of survivors in Darfur: please let your US Senators and Representative know.

Joe Read is a Darfur Fellow with Physicians for Human Rights.

Less than a month after his Administration proclaimed in its new strategy for Sudan that “American leadership is essential to a more effective multilateral approach,” President Obama left China early this morning without any public reference to having brought up Sudan with his hosts. There were background statements to journalists that it was on a list of things discussed. Such low-key treatment was a huge missed opportunity to enlist the support for the new strategy from a crucial country. It also was a rejection of the recent, bipartisan plea by 44 Members of Congress:

As you prepare to visit China, we strongly urge you to make Sudan a priority in your bilateral discussions. As you are well aware, China is a major arms supplier and source of economic strength to the regime in Khartoum, and has a vital role to play in any ultimate resolution of the multiple crises in Sudan.

The Congressional letter echoed a petition signed by tens of thousands of citizen-activists who asked for President Obama to call on the Chinese to work with the U.S. and:

Use their economic and political influence with Sudan to support the Darfur peace process, full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and significant structural, political and judicial reforms to Sudan.

The President’s public silence on Sudan in Beijing follows on a similar silence by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on her recent visit to Egypt – another country that is crucial to bringing peace to Sudan. Their failure to raise Sudan publicly in bilateral meetings with key countries sends an unfortunate message to the Sudanese government and other key actors: The United States is not leading for peace in Sudan.

Michael Gerson recently summed up the urgent need for leadership:

Only a president and his secretary of state can insist on boldness.

Absent that insistence, America’s Sudan policy is in a holding pattern, waiting for the next crisis to refocus global attention. Meanwhile, women are raped, with impunity. Weapons are illegally imported, with impunity. Civilians are attacked, with impunity. And at some point, impunity becomes permission.

The “unstinting resolve” that Candidates Obama and Clinton pledged last year is needed now, more than ever.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement after Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration and National Security Council Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs Samantha Power held a discussion this afternoon on Sudan policy:

“I am pleased that the Obama Administration is continuing to focus on the dire situation in Sudan. Today’s discussion reflected the numerous challenges we face as we work to advance a more stable and secure Sudan. I will continue to talk to the Administration about the comprehensive strategy for Sudan that was released a few weeks ago, and how we can alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people. Congress will work jointly with the Administration to ensure that we end the genocide in Darfur, that the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and South continues to be implemented in a fair and timely manner, and to prevent Sudan from becoming a terrorist safe haven.”

In a letter to the President, Wolf said it would be a “disgrace” for the Khartoum regime to be represented in Washington by lobbyists.  Wolf also urged the president to “personally engage” on the issue of Sudan.

“It is unconscionable that any government with blood on its hands be permitted the privilege of having a Washington lobbyist on retainer,” Wolf wrote, referring to the genocide in Darfur.

Wolf’s letter comes in response to a Washington Post article which described the efforts by one lobbying firm to secure a waiver from the sanctions imposed on Sudan, in order for them to engage in a contract with the Government of Sudan for lobbying services.

A prominent Democratic fundraiser and ally of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) is attempting to secure a lobbying contract with the pariah regime in Sudan, which has embarked on an aggressive effort to enlist U.S. support against allegations of genocide and war crimes.

It’s not surprising that Khartoum is trying every way it can to buy influence in Washington.  What’s appalling is that it can find takers.  The lobbyist Bob Crowe makes it sound as if Khartoum would pay him to influence it, rather than the U.S. government.  That is absurd on its face. It is shameful that any U.S. firm would want to do the bidding of an indicted war criminal.

The government of Sudan should stop looking for shadowy ways to buy influence and start making concrete and lasting progress toward securing peace and security in Darfur, fully implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and implementing fundamental political reforms that allow freedom of speech, association and movement in advance of the national elections scheduled for April 2010. Khartoum can spend millions on lobbyists, but this issue won’t go away until the millions of Darfuris can return home. In the meantime, Khartoum should be spending its resources on aiding IDPs, not buying influence in Washington.

The influence-buying efforts that have been revealed through the Washington Post’s reporting beg the question of how much has not been uncovered.  Who else is working on Khartoum’s behalf that we don’t know about?

Rep. Keith Ellison

Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-5) is currently on a trip to Sudan to “discuss the humanitarian situation in Darfur in the aftermath of the Khartoum government’s decision to expel thirteen aid agencies in the war torn area.” Other items on Rep. Ellison’s docket include implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the progress being made towards national elections, and the return of refugees and IDPs to their homes.

Said U.S. Special Envoy Scott Gration: “The Congressman’s trip comes at a critical time when we are working to unify rebel groups in Darfur and preparing parties to return to the negotiating table. We are pleased that he and other Members of Congress are willing to travel to the Sudan to see the conditions on the ground first hand.”

For more information you can read the press release for the Congressman’s trip or follow Rep. Ellison on twitter.