Hey, Barclays: Tell the US and its sanctions on Sudan to get lost - By what power are "authorities" in USA levying a fine on a non USA bank?

EVER since I started Sudan Watch six years ago, I have found the issue of US sanctions (especially those imposed on Sudan) mighty confusing and fishy.

My first reaction on reading the below copied report was to wonder what would happen if Barclays refuses to pay the fine.

I say, Barclays ought to tell the US to get lost and explain why the US refuses to sign up to the ICC and continues to impose sanctions on Sudan while using USAID and others to commandeer southern Sudan.

Note, apart from BBC report August 9th, still no news of Sudanese government lifting suspension on BBC broadcasts on FM in the north.

Quote of the Day

"I am tempted to become a official "toilet paper authority"- then, issue a bog standard ruling that everyone not using 100% recyclable paper must pay to me a "statutory fine" of $100".
- Vernier, in a comment entitled "By what power are "authorities" in USA levying a fine on a non USA bank?" posted at the following report, 17 August 2010

Barclays fined $300m by US for breaking sanctions against brutal regimes
American authorities have fined Barclays nearly $300m (£192m) for breaking sanctions put in place against some of the world's most brutal regimes.
From The Daily Telegraph
By Harry Wilson
Published: 9:47PM BST 16 Aug 2010
11 Comments

Barclays is understood to have voluntarily disclosed information on the dealings to the authorities after it became aware it might have broken sanctions Photo: AFP

Barclays on Monday reached a $298m settlement with US prosecutors that allows the bank to close the lid on an investigation into its business dealings with individuals linked to Cuba, Iran, Libya, Myanmar and Sudan.

The investigation relates to transactions worth $500m undertaken by Barclays between March 1995 and September 2006, which are alleged to have involved the bank removing details from payments to hide the identity of the countries of origin, according to documents filed with a Washington federal court on Monday.

Barclays is understood to have voluntarily disclosed information on the dealings to the authorities after it became aware it might have broken sanctions.

As well as co-operating with the US investigation, the bank ran an internal inquiry into transactions conducted between January 2000 and July 2007.

This saw more than 175 current and former Barclays employees interviewed and in excess of 100m records examined.

Disclosures from Barclays' own investigation led to the bank being charged by the US Department of Justice with one count of violating the International Emergency Powers Act and another of trading with the enemy.

A spokesman for Barclays declined to comment.

The US authorities have not yet commented.

No Barclays staff are understood to have been disciplined as a result of the investigation and yesterday's settlement closes down the possibility of any follow-on action by the US authorities against individual employees.

In its interim financial results for the first half of 2010 published earlier this month, Barclays admitted that it was under investigation by the US authorities and had set aside £194m in the period to cover any fines.

Barclays is not the first UK bank to have been fined for breaking US sanctions.

Lloyds TSB was forced to pay $350m in January 2009 after being accused of helping clients in Iran, Libya and Sudan avoid US sanctions.

Like Lloyds, the Barclays settlement involves US prosecutors agreeing to a "deferred prosecution" whereby the charges against the bank will be postponed for two years with the expectation of being dropped thereafter.

American sanctions against Cuba go back to the Kennedy administration in the early 1960s, while sanctions against Libya were introduced in 1986 in reaction to Tripoli's support of terrorist organisations.

Sanctions against Iran have been in place since 1995, while Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and Sudan were added to the list two years later.

However, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 led the US authorities to aggressively step up their investigations into terrorist financing, subsequently leading to several US and international banks being investigated and fined for violating sanctions.

Last December, Credit Suisse was hit with a $538m penalty for hiding several thousand transactions made by clients in Iran, Libya and Sudan, while in March American bank Wachovia paid $160m to settle charges that it had failed to prevent more than $100m being laundered by Colombian and Mexican drug gangs.

Copy of some comments:

perfidiousalbion
5 minutes ago
Time to tell the Yanks to disappear up their own fundament! CUBA is a "brutal regime"? As compared to Karzai in Afghanistan? One of my American grandsons described US foreign policy as "pissing off the World.....one country at a time"' He called that right. With "friends" like the USA, we don't need enemies.
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Perry de Havilland
Today 11:00 AM
Any foreign bank doing business in places like the USA or Russia are fools and deserve all the misfortunes they encounter.
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inthebeginning
Today 10:58 AM
Recommended by
1 person
The Americans are very good at killing off their allies with friendly fire. Isn't it time we dumped them as allies as a matter of self preservation?
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kergoff
Today 10:04 AM
Recommended by
1 person
Who the heck does the USA government think they are, the worlds police man?? The have no right toplace fines on companies who are not American. It is about them the this government stood up against that rotten lot in the USA
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vernier
Today 09:48 AM
Recommended by
2 people
I detect a disturbing trend.
By what power are "authorities" in USA levying a fine on a non USA bank?

Similarly, Israel declares an embargo on goods going into Gaza when commonsense tells us they have no authority to do this.

Apparently, Manchester City footie club (alias Abu Dhabi United) have forbidden their player Craig Bellamy from joining a "rival Premier club". By what authority?

I am tempted to become a official "toilet paper authority"- then, issue a bog standard ruling that everyone not using 100% recyclable paper must pay to me a "statutory fine" of $100.
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chuckwoking
Today 08:24 AM
Recommended by
5 people
Makes me wonder why other countries don't do the same.

Y'know, like India. They could pass a law that makes the chief executives of companies that operate in India, responsible for actions that their companies do in India, even if the executives are not present, are in the US, and so on.

So if say there was a minor gas leak in a place like Bhopal, that kills a mere few tens of thousands, the company could be charged and its executives as well, and those who were responsible for the company in the US could face major criminal charges and be extradited to spend a couple of years in jail awaiting trial, before maybe nothing happens.

Never happen of course. With the US everything is one way.
(Edited by author 3 hours ago)
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zhanglan
Today 03:25 AM
Recommended by
9 people
It would be interesting to know whether any of Barclays' US operations were directly involved in these transactions; if the transactions had been denominated in US$ then there would surely have been a Wire Fraud charge.

Is this perhaps yet another example of the selective extra-territorial application of US domestic legislation to events conducted lawfully overseas? In the Norris/Morgan Crucible case the events were not criminal acts in the UK or the EU where they were committed, yet the US managed to get the 65 year old ex-CEO in remission from cancer extradited without a prima facie case.

We should wake up and smell the coffee here; justice in the US is all about plea bargains and money. Being innocent or otherwise is an absolute irrelevance if someone in the USA decides they don't especially like what you are doing.

As an example - and trying not to refer to the "NatWest 4" - the following case is tangled and confused and nobody comes out of it smelling of roses, but you have to ask yourself why this woman came to be on trial in the USA and why her father was waterboarded 183 times to get him to point the finger at her - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aafia_Siddiqui . Those of you who have read Orwell's 1984 will no doubt recall Winston's rat ordeal in Room 101 which finally caused him to break down and betray his girlfriend. Personally, I find the whole USA legal system these days just as overbearing as Big Brother
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U.S. needs to reverse its sanctions policy on Sudan

Quote of the Day

"America has placed enormous obstacles in the way of its own students and academics learning about Sudan, and in the process has created an impoverished intellectual environment that has lowered the bar on who can be considered an “expert” or “authority” on the country in the media and among policymakers. Of all the self-inflicted wounds of the U.S. policy of sanctions and isolation, this is the most remarkable. A doctoral student looking for a supervisor will have a better chance in the Norwegian town of Bergen than in New York, Massachusetts or California."
- Alex de Waal, Making Sense of Sudan, 02 July 2010

Source: Alex de Waal's blog Making Sense of Sudan
The Missing Academic Generation
By Alex de Waal
Friday, 02 July 2010

In my dealings with American universities, I am often struck how there is a missing generation of scholars on Sudan. There is an older generation of academics who studied, taught and worked in Sudan in the 1960s, ’70s and early ’80s, many of them now either in retirement or approaching that age. And there is a cadre of younger scholars, in doctoral or post-doctoral programmes, who are producing a new English-language literature on Sudan. But there are very few of us in-between.

One reason for the scarcity of foreign scholarship on Sudan is the combination of war and the self-imposed isolation of the country in the 1990s, when visas of any kind were hard to get and the Arabicization of higher education discouraged Anglophone academics from joining Sudanese universities as faculty. For many would-be scholars of Sudan, the point of entry was the NGO sector, especially those working in southern Sudan.

Another reason is the U.S. policy of sanctions, which extends to educational cooperation. America has placed enormous obstacles in the way of its own students and academics learning about Sudan, and in the process has created an impoverished intellectual environment that has lowered the bar on who can be considered an “expert” or “authority” on the country in the media and among policymakers. Of all the self-inflicted wounds of the U.S. policy of sanctions and isolation, this is the most remarkable. A doctoral student looking for a supervisor will have a better chance in the Norwegian town of Bergen than in New York, Massachusetts or California.

Sudanese scholarship has suffered too. Sudanese academics have suffered from isolation, from scarcity of resources, from lack of scholarships and fellowships, and because their expertise is too infrequently recognized abroad. Southern Sudanese have suffered as much as their northern counterparts; the peace studies departments of Darfur’s young universities have been shortchanged.

This will surely change. A good start would be for the U.S. to reverse its sanctions policy.

US Special Envoy Scott Gration: “A New Year for Sudan”

Email received from the U.S. State Department:
Sudan Updates: “A New Year for Sudan”
Scott Gration, Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC
December 30, 2009

We’ve reached the end of the year, a time for reflection but, most of all, a time for looking forward, for making resolutions we intend to keep. It’s clear that 2010 will be a critical year in securing a peaceful future for Sudan. National elections are scheduled for April 2010, and registration for the referenda on self-determination for Southern Sudan and Abyei will begin in July with the vote taking place in January 2011. In between, popular consultations in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, demarcation of the Abyei and North-South borders, reviews of wealth-sharing arrangements, and negotiations on post-CPA issues must be finalized. Direct talks between the Government of Sudan and Darfur armed movements are scheduled to begin in Doha in late January and a negotiated political settlement is still urgently needed to achieve a lasting and just peace in Darfur.

We will continue to work diligently with all parties throughout Sudan in pursuit of peace and stability in Darfur, for full implementation of the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and to prepare for what happens after the CPA expires in July 2011. At the same time, and in accordance with our strategic objectives, we will be monitoring the actions taken by the parties in Sudan and will hold them accountable for their accomplishments and their shortcomings. Make no mistake, failure to make progress and a continuation of the unacceptable status quo by any party will be met by credible pressures from the United States and our partners in the international community.

The road ahead will be tough and beset by numerous and seemingly insurmountable challenges. But in the face of these trials, we will work with steadfast determination with the parties to reach positive agreements followed up by verifiable implementation. The ultimate passage this week of the Southern Sudan Referendum Law is a positive step towards CPA implementation, allowing critical preparations for the referendum to begin in earnest. In this last month of 2009, we have also seen major progress in Chad-Sudan relations, with high-level visits and encouraging steps toward normalization of relations between these two countries. This is a necessary step for advancing the Darfur peace process and achieving lasting changes on the ground for the people of Darfur. I hope that the parties in Sudan will build on these acts of progress and resolve to move forward on the critical issues facing Sudan in the new year. With positive action and political will, the parties in Sudan have an opportunity to work together to bring the Sudanese people the peace, stability, and prosperity they deserve.

Thank you for your continued interest, and have a happy new year, Scott.

YouTube of US Senator Sam Brownback browbeating Sudan envoy Scott Gration

Excerpt from UN Dispatch blog post December 4, 2009:

Activist groups none-too-pleased with Darfur envoy Scott Gration

For more evidence of policy incoherence, watch this painful exchange between Gration and Senator Sam Brownback. (h/t Enough)

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Sudan Watch Ed:  YouTube (above) uploaded by John Prendergast's ENOUGH Project on December 03, 2009 (350 views, so far) with the following info:

"In a subcommittee of the House Foreign Relations hearing on Sudan, Special Envoy Scott Gration reverses his previous stance and admits that genocide is still occurring in Darfur."

Also, note this excerpt from Wikipedia on Sam Brownback:

"...Brownback visited refugee camps in Sudan in 2004 and returned to write a resolution labeling the Darfur conflict as genocide, and has been active on attempting to increase U.S. efforts to resolve the situation short of military intervention.[36] He is an endorser of the Genocide Intervention Network, which called him a "champion of Darfur" in its Darfur scorecard, primarily for his early advocacy of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act.[37] ..."

U.S. Special Envoy Gration Sudan Trip Summary

It is critical that Sudanese citizens take advantage of the recently announced one-week extension to register to vote, as it is the only way for the Sudanese people to maintain their right to participate in the national elections in April 2010.

From US Department of State
U.S. Special Envoy Gration Trip Summary
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
November 27, 2009

The United States Special Envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, has just returned from a November 16-November 23 trip to Sudan. He traveled to the areas of Khartoum, Abyei, and Darfur.

In Khartoum, the two parties to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)—the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)—continue their discussions to resolve key outstanding issues relating to the 2010 national elections and the 2011 referenda in Southern Sudan and Abyei. Without immediate resolution of these disputes, we are concerned about the chances for conducting credible elections and referenda. Unfortunately, the parties have not yet demonstrated the political will necessary to achieve resolution on these difficult and sensitive issues.

Special Envoy Gration also traveled to Abyei to observe the progress in implementing the July 2008 Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling on the boundaries of this area. There is an urgent need for enhanced on-the-ground communication about the PCA decision, including its impact on local communities, in order to allay community concerns and prevent potential conflict.

In Darfur, Special Envoy Gration’s meetings concentrated on the security situation along the Chad-Sudan border. In a disturbing trend, lawlessness and banditry have heightened tensions along the border. Addressing these ongoing security concerns is crucial for achieving a lasting peace in Darfur.

Finally, the Special Envoy visited four voter registration centers in Khartoum, Abyei, and Darfur, as registration for the 2010 national elections is currently underway. It is critical that Sudanese citizens take advantage of the recently announced one-week extension to register to vote, as it is the only way for the Sudanese people to maintain their right to participate in the national elections in April 2010. PRN: 2009/1181

US Special Envoy Scott Gration's latest report from Sudan: “Along the Border”

Email from US Department of State
Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:57:48 -0600
“Along the Border”
Scott Gration, Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC

As our UN helicopter landed in Muglad, the large crowd of locals and tribal elders quickly approached our small plane. We were quickly ushered into a meeting hall, where we listened intently as the Misseriya tribal elders spoke passionately about their community’s concerns.

Muglad is a major town in Southern Kordofan, Sudan, and one of the ancestral areas of the Misseriya. It is just north of the Abyei region of Sudan, an area on the North-South border that has been a hotbed of tension and conflict. Ongoing disputes about the boundaries of this area led to a recent decision this year by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague outlining the final boundaries. I was in Abyei when this decision was handed down, and I returned to the region last week to listen to the people from the area about how they’ve received this decision, including the nomadic Misseriya tribe and the Ngok Dinka, whose traditional homeland is the Abyei Area. Having heard from Ngok Dinka leaders earlier that day, it was time to hear directly from the Misseriya. They made it clear that they were highly concerned about the PCA ruling, voicing their distress that Misseriya land had been taken away.

There has been a lot of misinformation about the PCA decision. Reports that the demarcation commission would build a wall on the border are not true, and reports that the Misseriya would be denied access are also false. In fact, the decision specifically grants access rights to the Misseriya and does not dictate the construction of any sort of barrier.

It is crucial that Sudan and the international community work to implement the ruling of the PCA. It is important that the demarcation of the border get underway, and it is also crucial that, as decided by the PCA, the Misseriya and the Ngok Dinka both are guaranteed access rights to the Abyei region. It is fundamental that we respect the rights and the needs of those who call Abyei and the surrounding areas home.

On this trip I also made a visit to Darfur. I traveled to El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, and then on to El Geneina in West Darfur near the Chad-Sudan border. I met with UNAMID leaders and others to monitor the status of the security situation and related issues along the border. Ending the tension and the conflict on the border is crucial in bringing peace to Darfur. Additionally, with national elections in Sudan coming up in April 2010, I also took the opportunity on this trip to visit voter registration sites in Khartuom, Abyei, and Darfur. I look forward to sharing more of my observations from my trip in the following days.

Thank you for your continued interest, Scott.

US Special Envoy Gration to visit Abyei, Sudan today to discuss border demarcation

The US Special Envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, is expected to arrive in Abyei today. Upon arrival, Gration is expected to meet with Abyei administration, the joint integrated units, and the United Nations Mission in Sudan. Gration will also look into the implementation of border demarcations in accordance to Arbitration Court ruling.

Source: mirayafm.org Thursday, 19 November 2009 15:38.

US Sudan envoy Gration & Ask U.S. - "Innovative Engagement with Advocacy Groups on Sudan"

Email from US Department of State:
Sudan Updates: “Innovative Engagement with Advocacy Groups on Sudan”
Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:06:25 -0600

"Innovative Engagement with Advocacy Groups on Sudan"

Scott Gration
Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC
November 12, 2009

On Tuesday, I participated in the ‘Ask U.S.’ live stream video question and answer session at the White House. Samantha Power, NSC Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs, and I answered questions posed to us by Jerry Fowler, the President of the Save Darfur Coalition, and Layla Amjadi, the Student Director of Stand (the student-led division of the Genocide Intervention Network). In the lead up to this event, the Save Darfur Coalition and STAND asked their members to both vote on which questions would be asked and to submit additional questions for consideration. We are eager to continue an active and robust dialogue with the advocacy community, and this unique event allowed us to engage directly with thousands of members of the Save Darfur Coalition and STAND.

The questions that Jerry and Layla posed touched upon a range of pressing concerns, inquiring about the administration's benchmarks for incentives and pressures, the circumstances in which internally displaced persons in Darfur might return home, the risks surrounding the 2010 elections in south Sudan, the importance of engaging China and Russia on the path forward, and the indispensability of including Sudanese civil society in the peace process. I found the exchange to be extremely useful and hope those who followed it online did as well.

A video link of the event is below if you were not able to watch it live on Tuesday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNSXeMkiZ_M

[end of email]

U.S. Sudan Gration: White House & State Dept partnering with Save Darfur Coalition and STAND to launch "Ask U.S."

Email just in from U.S. Department of State
Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:59:22 -0600:

"Ask U.S." - Engaging on Sudan Strategy
Scott Gration
Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC
November 4, 2009

On October 19, Secretary Clinton, accompanied by Ambassador Rice and myself, released the Obama Administration’s new comprehensive strategy to confront the serious and urgent situation in Sudan. As mentioned in my past blog post, the strategy focuses on three major areas: ending the conflict in Darfur, implementing the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and ensuring that Sudan does not become a safe haven for terrorists.

This approach involves engaging with all stakeholders, in and out of Sudan, and calls for addressing the myriad set of issues facing Sudan in a coordinated and comprehensive way, based on verifiable progress on the ground.

Today, we continue this engagement and conversation in a new and unique way.

The Sudan advocacy community is extremely active and deeply committed to raising critical awareness about the situation in Sudan. The Obama Administration is eager to continue an active dialogue with the advocacy community, and as such the White House and the State Department are partnering with The Save Darfur Coalition and STAND to launch “Ask U.S.”

“Ask U.S.” is an effort to reach out to the advocacy communities and to solicit questions on the U.S. Sudan policy from activists deeply and passionately engaged on this critical issue. As part of the “Ask U.S.” campaign, The Save Darfur Coalition and STAND will collect questions from their members over the course of this week and weekend. Next Tuesday, November 10th, leaders from these organizations will come to the White House and, in a live streamed video event, will pose selected questions to myself and Samantha Power, NSC Senior Director for Multilateral Affairs.

I would like to invite you to join the conversation and to watch the live stream at 3pm EST, Tuesday, November 10th. Through the State Department page on Facebook, you can watch as members of the advocacy community have their questions posed to us, and I also encourage you to participate by inviting your friends and family on Facebook to join in the chat as this conversation unfolds.

We look forward to opening up this dialogue, listening and learning and ultimately building ways that we can work together to support the Sudanese people in their quest for peace, security and prosperity.

The advocacy community has had a major impact by raising awareness about the situation in Sudan. By maintaining an open conversation and working together, we can make a real difference with real progress for the Sudanese people.

We hope you will join us.

[end of email]

Further reading

Voice of America

Now We Need Presidential Leadership

Huffington Post (blog) - ‎Oct 29, 2009‎

Jerry Fowler is the president of the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of more than 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations committed to ...

Editorial: Plotting a new course Philadelphia Inquirer

US Sudan Policy Goes from Rhetoric to Reality ISN

all 547 news articles »

New Zealand Herald

New US Policy Towards Sudan

NPR - ‎Oct 20, 2009‎

The President of the Save Darfur Coalition, Jerry Fowler discusses how the new US policy will try to stop the ongoing conflict in Darfur. ...

Video: Secretary Clinton, Special Envoy Gration on Sudan Policy Sec Santa Barbara Arts TV

Why all the 'howling' about Sudan's debt? Probe International

White House Unveils Sudan Strategy New York Times

msnbc.com - Reuters

all 1,240 news articles »

Save Darfur Coalition wants US to fight debt relief to Sudan

Probe International - ‎Oct 13, 2009‎

The US-based Save Darfur Coalition is making a new push to deny debt relief to Sudan. The activists are aiming to counter lobbying by Sudan at the annual ...

U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration welcomes AUPD report and applauds African Union

Copy of email just in from US Department of State dated Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:28:17 -0600 entitled "Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation"

U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan
Abuja, Nigeria
October 29, 2009

Today marks the release of the much-anticipated report by the African Union’s (AU) High Level Panel on Darfur. The Panel, led by former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, was convened earlier this year to examine the situation in Darfur and to come up with recommendations to address issues of accountability, combating impunity, and bringing about healing and reconciliation for the people of Darfur. I am attending a special session of AU Peace and Security Council in Abuja, Nigeria, where a number of African heads of state are reviewing the Panel’s findings.

We welcome the release of this report and applaud the efforts of the AU, President Mbeki, and his panel of experts. We will study the Panel’s results and recommendations closely. It is critical that we begin laying the groundwork for peace, justice, and reconciliation in Sudan. As articulated in the United States policy on Sudan, accountability for the genocide and atrocities in Darfur is fundamental and necessary for reconciliation and lasting peace. As such, we will continue to work with the AU, Darfuri armed movements, Darfuri civil society, the Government of Sudan, and the international community to address these critical issues and to bring peace, justice, and reconciliation to Sudan. We will also continue to be supportive of finding a way forward that is deemed credible and unbiased by the standards of international justice and that enjoys the confidence of the people of Darfur.

Thank you for your continued interest, Scott. [end of email]

U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration will travel to Turkey, Nigeria & Sudan

Source: US Department of State, October 27, 2009
U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration will travel to Turkey, Nigeria & Sudan

U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration will travel to Istanbul, Turkey; Abuja, Nigeria; and Khartoum and Juba, Sudan from October 27 to November 2, 2009.

Special Envoy Gration will travel to Istanbul, Turkey, to attend a meeting of the Elders, an independent group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. Special Envoy Gration will discuss the current situation in Sudan with the Elders and update them on U.S. efforts to support peace and stability in Darfur and fully implement the CPA. The Elders is comprised of Martti Ahtisaari, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Brundtland, Fernando H Cardoso, Jimmy Carter, Graca Machel, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, and honorary Elders Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Special Envoy Gration will attend the opening session of the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council in Abuja, Nigeria and will be present for the release of the report of the African Union High-Level Panel on Darfur by former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. On the margins of the AU meeting, the Special Envoy will also hold bilateral discussions with several of the African heads of state present in Abuja for the AU Peace and Security Council meeting. Special Envoy Gration will additionally participate in a meeting of the E6, comprising the envoys to Sudan from China, the European Union, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Special Envoy Gration will then travel to Khartoum and Juba, Sudan, where he will continue bilateral discussions with the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) on resolving the outstanding issues of Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) implementation.

"Urgent Priorities: Sudan Issues at the United Nations" by US Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration

Email received today from U.S. Department of State:

"Urgent Priorities: Sudan Issues at the United Nations"

Scott Gration
Special Envoy to Sudan
New York, NY
September 23, 2009

Every year, representatives from around the world gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. It is a time for world leaders to coalesce around common challenges and common problems. It is a time for cooperation and dialog to address the most complex and vexing issues of our day, and it is an opportunity to galvanize international support during the times of crisis around the world.

Sudan is one of these issues, and now is one of those times. I am in New York now to continue ongoing discussions and to initiate new ones with representatives from countries across the globe. My main priorities while in New York are addressing CPA implementation and issues regarding Darfur. These are the two most critical issues facing Sudan. As I’ve said before—CPA is a priority, and Darfur is an urgency.

AGENDA
To give you a sense of the breadth, importance, and reach of the issue of Sudan, consider the range of some of the people we will be meeting with in New York this week: Chadian President Deby, Dutch Minister for International Development Koenders, Irish Foreign Minister Martin, Egyptian Foreign Minister Aboul Gheit, and others. Additionally, we will be participating in trilateral meetings with Egypt and Norway; a meeting of the Special Envoys from partner nations; a meeting of the Sudan Troika (US, UK, and Norway); a meeting with senior officials from NGOs operational in Sudan; and other discussions.

While in New York, I am also speaking at an event hosted by Save Darfur to unveil an exhibition of photographs of Darfur called "Darfur/Darfur.” The exhibit is a series of photographs of Darfur and its people that shows the true suffering that the people of Darfur have had to undergo for far too long.

GOALS
What do I hope to get out of these meetings and others at the UN?

First, I hope to galvanize international support for building peace and stability for Sudan. The United States has a critical role to play, but progress in Sudan requires the support and efforts of the wider international community.

Second, I hope to make real progress in securing support from our international partners on key initiatives regarding armed movement unification and CPA implementation. We need the support of our international partners if we are to make headway on either of these fronts.

It bears repeating, however, that it is the Government of Sudan, the Darfuri armed movements, the Government of Southern Sudan, and other Sudanese stakeholders who bear the final responsibility for bringing peace and stability to Sudan. The international community’s responsibility is to facilitate and to hold the parties in Sudan accountable for their actions.

Thank you for reading. We will be sure to let you know how these meetings go. Thanks again for your continued interest and support, Scott.

"Crossroads" by US Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration

Email received yesterday from the U.S. Department of State:

Sudan Updates: "Crossroads"
Monday, 21 September 2009

"Crossroads"

Scott Gration
Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC
September 18, 2009

For too long, Darfur has been a place of human failing and despair.  For too long, the people of Darfur have suffered. And for too long, they have lived without peace and security. I just returned from another trip to Darfur—my fourth. I went back to assess the current situation on the ground and to listen directly to the people living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. The capacity of humanitarian aid workers to deliver life-saving assistance is making slow gains, Darfuri armed movements are beginning unification efforts, and UNAMID is gaining strength in terms of force deployment and in fulfilling its protection mandate.

We are also making progress on agreements and promises—with rebel groups as well as the Government. These are critical, but the proof lies in the pudding. What really matters is what the parties to these agreements do in implementation. We are at a crossroads. We are moving forward, but we need to stay diligent and focused on ensuring that the agreements are followed through. We will hold all parties accountable for their actions. We will help where we can, but ultimate responsibility lies with the parties in Sudan.

Since I just returned from this visit, I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of our observations. You can also take a look at my flickr photo album to see pictures from our trip album.

IDP Camps
My first stop was in the Abu Shouk camp, which is home to a staggering 54,000 people. I met with camp leaders from Abu Shouk, along with others from four nearby IDP camps. I stressed my long-held view that all IDP returns must be voluntary, at a time and to a location of peoples’ choosing, and only when sufficient security exists. I further clarified that I do not advocate the lifting of sanctions against the Government in Khartoum. Finally, I made clear that I have not called for Sudan to be removed from the list of state sponsors of terror. Despite their remoteness, camp residents remain particularly well plugged in to global debates on these issues. Regrettably, they have also been influenced by the politics of their leadership and by mischaracterizations of my statements. So while it is unfortunate that there was this need to set the record straight, I will continue to return to these camps and engage with the millions of people trapped in these humanitarian prisons. It is their lives we are all trying to change.

A particular source of inspiration on my trip was my visit to a women’s center in Abu Shouk that provides psychological support and skills training for victims of gender-based violence. While I was there, I saw the women weave baskets to sell and watched a demonstration of the use of new solar cookers that are reducing the need for these women to leave the safety of the camp to search for firewood. These gracious women also shared with me their specific concerns over security, health, and education. Women will play a central role in the future of Darfur, and we in this administration will work to help bring women in Darfur the tools they need to rebuild their lives.



Photo: In the Abu Shouk Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, SE Gration addresses and listens to a group of camp residents.



Photo: Women in the women's center at Abu Shouk IDP Camp talk to SE Gration about gender-based violence and new camp initiatives. This women's center is a project of the NGO, Darfur Peace and Development.



Photo:  A woman weaves a beautiful basket during discussions between SE Gration and women at the Abu Shouk Women's Center.

I was also encouraged by a return visit to Zam Zam camp. I came to this camp five months ago, and coming back showed me that while humanitarian gaps still remain (and some new ones have opened) there have been significant improvements in health, water and sanitation, and food distribution. We need to continue to buttress these efforts with greater humanitarian capacity and access, but we are on the right path and are making positive steps. Meanwhile, I was discouraged to hear that many of the aid workers who had been promised complete freedom of movement and access by local government authorities, and agreement I helped to broker back in April, was not being fully respected. It’s unacceptable that this far into the crisis aid workers are still encountering the slightest resistance in carrying out their work. Regardless of the cause of this circumstance, I am pressing for its resolution at the highest levels.

UNAMID
In Darfur we also went to UNAMID’s headquarters, where we met with General Patrick Nyambumba, the UNAMID Force Commander, and Mohamed Yonis, the Deputy Joint Special Representative for UNAMID, both of whom have both been appointed within the last two weeks. UNAMID confirmed that the current conflict in Darfur largely hinges around the lack of local law enforcement, which has resulted in an unacceptable number of kidnappings, carjackings, along with generalized banditry. . Despite major challenges ahead, I am encouraged by the prospects for more robust peacekeeping in the coming months as needed personnel and equipment arrive. I have been told by my UN colleagues that by the end of the year, it is expected that 85% of the force will be deployed. As we reach a critical mass of troops, it will be essential to translate those numbers into a more effective security force that can begin to change the fundamental dynamics on the ground.

Ain Siro
In addition to the IDP camps, I also traveled to Ain Siro, a small village in North Darfur. It is a place that has largely been unaffected by the conflict, and it showed me how life in Darfur used to be. The armed movement commanders I met there expressed their willingness to unify and engage in the peace process. I have said it before, but it really is crucial that we work towards armed movement unification if we hope to have a successful and sustainable peace in Darfur. In these coming weeks my team will be stepping up these efforts, along with a parallel outreach towards civil society, in the hope that we can relaunch formal talks with the Government before the end of October.

Next Steps
Darfur is at a critical crossroads. Armed movements can join together at the peace table, or they can remain fractured; civil society can remain in the shadows of the peace process, or we can make them a centerpiece of peace negotiations; humanitarian efforts can shift from emergency response to sustainable development, or IDPs can remain dependent on NGOs and without local capacity; local law enforcement can step up to provide the security needed to protect civilians, or lawlessness and banditry can continue to reign.

The United States will play a central role in setting the right course, but the responsibility for peace and security ultimately lies with the Government of Sudan and its people. As always, thank you for your continued interest and dedication, Scott.

- - -



Photo: SE Gration discusses issues of CPA implementation with Salva Kiir, President of the Government of Southern Sudan and First Vice President of the Government of National Unity, while in Juba, Southern Sudan.



Photo: Trilateral Discussions. SE Gration facilitates discussions between the NCP (on the left side of the table) and the SPLM (on the right).

Photo source:  Sudan Watch Ed selected photos from Sudan Envoy's Flickr photo album Sep. 2009.

Sudanese sign deal to bolster CPA - Darfur’s rebels should unite ahead of peace talks, U.S. says

Sudanese foes sign new peace deal

Northern and southern Sudan have signed a deal aimed at bolstering a fragile peace accord they signed in 2005, in front of the US envoy to the country.



Photo: The two sides still have major issues to thrash out

Scott Gration said the deal, which agrees how to take Sudan to next year's election, heralded a "brighter future".

But he gave few details, and analysts say it is more of a commitment to work together than a substantial deal.

The two sides were at war for 22 years and have blamed each other for a recent series of deadly clashes.

The BBC's Peter Martell, in South Sudan's capital, Juba, says people are in optimistic mood and are hopeful that the politicians will carry through their promises.

But he says there are several issues that need to be sorted out - not least a referendum which will ask people in South Sudan if they want independence from the north.

The vote is scheduled for 2011, but the exact details have already sparked controversy - with officials from the south threatening to declare unilateral independence if they believe the poll will be unfair.

However, Mr Gration said the new deal engendered a "sense of co-operation" which was "a precursor of good things to come".

"It will result in better co-operation and stronger relations that will result in a brighter future for Sudan, for Khartoum and Juba," he told journalists after the deal was signed.

Full story: BBC News 16:19 GMT, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 17:19 UK - Sudanese foes sign new peace deal.
- - -

Darfur’s Rebels Should Unite Ahead of Peace Talks, U.S. Says.

Rebel movements in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region should unite ahead of talks with the government to promote a single message, U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, said.

“Civil society must also speak up so that their voices are heard on issues related to land reform, elections and human rights,” Graton told reporters in the Southern Sudan capital, Juba, yesterday before heading to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to participate in Darfur unity talks between the government and rebels groups following frequent clashes in the region.

“The United States is working with all parties to get peace in Darfur, he said. ‘‘Conditions are dire there. We have committed ourselves to resolving them.’’

Source: Bloomberg, Friday, 21 August 2009 by Moyiga Nduru - Darfur’s Rebels Should Unite Ahead of Peace Talks, U.S. Says.
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SPLM and NCP sign agreement in Juba

(Juba) - The SPLM and the NCP signed an agreement concerning the implementation of the CPA following their third trilateral meeting in Juba on Wednesday.

The US special envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, facilitated the talks after meeting with representatives of the two signatories to the CPA in Washington D.C. and Khartoum in June and July this year.

Speaking at a press conference in Juba, SPLM deputy chairman Malik Agaar said they had agreed on key aspects of the CPA implementation.

[Malik Agaar]: “We were trying to reach an agreement on how we will implement the issues of the Abyei border demarcation, security, power-sharing, the two areas (Blue Nile and Southern Khordofan), elections, democratic transformation of the country, making unity attractive and Darfur. These are the issues we have now initialed following the trilateral talks in Juba."

The NCP's advisor to President al-Bashir, Ghazi Salah el-Din, said that his party is still committed to dialogue with the SPLM.

[Ghazi Salah el-Din]: “We have our differences as usual. But I think we have achieved a lot by agreeing on ten out of the twelve issues. That does not mean that we have to wait for another trilateral meeting. I must stress that our discussion and our cooperation and our dialogue with the SPLM is an on-going process.”

Scott Gration said that the two parties have yet to agree on two contentious issues.

[Scott Gration]:”There are still two issues that remain to be fully worked out. They are the referendum and the census. These will be worked out both bilaterally and trilaterally in the next month to fully implement the CPA."

The SPLM rejects the results of the census which indicates the number of southerners living in the north, while the NCP is pushing for a 75 percent ‘Yes’ vote for the referendum law to pass through the parliament in order for the south to be able to vote for secession or unity.

They key issues the NCP and the SPLM agreed on included border demarcation and that the 1956 north-south border shall remain in place until after the results of the Abyei referendum.

On wealth-sharing, the two parties agreed that GONU should transfer GOSS's share of oil revenue on time, as provided for under the terms of the CPA.

On the issue of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan, the two parties agreed to determine whether there is need for legislation to govern the process of popular consultations.

The partners agreed to prepare the referendum bill for enactment by the assembly not later than September 15th 2009, and to conduct free and fair elections as agreed upon by the National Elections commission.

These recommendations will be forwarded to the presidency for final ratification to commit the SPLM and NCP to implement the CPA.

Source: Sudan Radio Service, Thursday, 20 August 2009 - SPLM and NCP Sign Agreement in Juba
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US special envoy makes surprise stop in Khartoum

From Sudan Tribune, Friday 21 August 2009 - excerpt:
US special envoy makes surprise stop in Khartoum

August 20, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration met today with 2nd Vice President Ali Osman Taha in Khartoum and presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen.

Yesterday the assistant US Secretary of State Philip Crowley told reporters that Gration has no plans to travel to Khartoum or Darfur during his visit.

Last week the head of the US bureau at the Sudanese foreign ministry Nasr Al-Deen Wali said that Gration will meet in Khartoum with Taha and then fly Juba and Malakal in South Sudan and Al-Fasher in Darfur to inspect IDP camps.

Earlier today Gration told reporters after meeting with Sudan First Vice President Salva Kiir that the US is leaning towards “smart sanctions” that grants exceptions to items needed for development in the semi-autonomous South.

The sanctions "have kept southern Sudan from getting the development that they so desperately need," said Gration, sitting alongside Kiir.

The US special envoy in his testimony before lawmakers last month called for lifting sanctions on Sudan and removing it from the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

Gration stressed that the decision to keep Sudan on the terrorism list was “political” one and that the sanctions were undermining his diplomacy.

In his meeting with Al-Deen, the US official was quoted by the official news agency as saying that the sanctions “caused humanitarian and health problems that the Sudanese people have suffered from,”

This week the US announced that its comprehensive policy review of Sudan that will determine its conflict resolution strategy for the largest country in Africa will be completed this month.

Sudanese Sign Deal to Bolster Peace Agreement

Voice of America - Alan Boswell - ‎17 hours ago‎

Representatives of North and South Sudan signed an agreement Wednesday resolving most of the outstanding disputes on implementing their ...

Sudanese foes sign new peace deal BBC News

'Smart sanctions' for Sudan could help south: US envoy AFP

Darfur's Rebels Should Unite Ahead of Peace Talks, US Says Bloomberg

Wall Street Journal - People's Daily Online

all 88 news articles »

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Southern Sudanese Government Hails Call for Lifting Sanctions

Voice of America - Peter Clottey - ‎8 hours ago‎

The Southern Sudanese government has welcomed calls by US special envoy Scott Gration for a partial lifting of sanctions against Sudan. ...

Report by Sudan Radio Service, Friday, 21 August 2009:
Gration: Building On the Legacy in South Sudan

(Juba) – In a press conference on Thursday in Juba, The United States special envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, reiterated the commitment of his government to supporting the peace implementation process in Sudan.

[Scott Gration]: “The main thing we have been doing is talking about our bilateral relations. The United States has enjoyed a special relationship with the Government of southern Sudan for a long time and the SPLM too. And we are talking about the ways that we can build on the legacy that has been started by those who have come before me and how we can strengthen this relationship and how we can help with the development in southern Sudan. I believe that together this partnership that we are working on strengthening will be the foundation of lots of big things that will come in the future.”

Gration said that sanctions on Sudan should be partially lifted to improve the humanitarian situation, especially in Darfur. He said that the sanctions have kept southern Sudan from getting the development the region needs.

[Scott Gration]: “The sanctions that we are looking to roll back are those sanctions that are hurting the very people we are trying to help. There are some sanctions that limit and hamper our ability to deliver humanitarian assistance. Some of these we need to get exceptions for. There are some sanctions that hurt the Sudanese people. Restriction on the internet that keep Sudanese from getting educational programs, links to the outside world that gives them access to better health care and there are other things that we are looking at that will help the Sudanese people in general. Also, in terms of southern Sudan, there are sanctions that while southern Sudan is exempted have spilled over and have kept southern Sudan from getting the development that they so desperately need.”

Scott Gration was speaking in Juba during a five-day visit to Sudan.

Security Situation in Darfur - Aug 17, 2009

Darfur/UNAMID Daily Media Brief
EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, August 17, 2009/(APO)

Security Situation in Darfur

The security situation in Darfur is reported to be relatively calm. However, minor banditry activities and car-jacking were reported in North Darfur.

UNAMID military conducted a total of 168 patrols in and around villages and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. UNAMID police conducted a total of 136 patrols in and around the villages and camps.

South African Police arrive in Darfur

A total of 79 police officers from the South African police arrived in Darfur on 14 August, to join the AU-UN Mission in Darfur.

The officers arrived in El Fasher and will begin induction training before they are deployed across the region. When the deployment is completed, with these new arrivals, UNAMID now has more than half of its authorized strength of police advisers on the ground.

Source: United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)

Click on label here below for previous reports and latest updates.

US special envoy in Sudan amid growing criticism

Sudan Tribune - ‎5 hours ago‎

August 16, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The US special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration arrived in Khartoum at the start of a five-day visit as criticisms begin to grow ...

Mia Farrow and other Darfur activists accuse U.S. envoy Gration of prolonging Sudan crisis

You couldn't make this stuff up. In an open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force General Scott Gration, actress Mia Farrow and other activists said that Gration's strategy with Sudan was prolonging the crisis. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
(In Arabic speak: "The camel cannot see the crookedness of its own neck")

Analysis by Louis Charbonneau (Reuters) Sunday, 16 August 2009:
Frustrated Darfur activists slam U.S. envoy Gration

UNITED NATIONS - Frustrated by the world's failure to end the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's western Darfur region, some advocacy groups have turned on the new U.S. envoy, accusing him of helping Khartoum thwart peace.

The unusual public censure highlights a growing divide on Darfur. One side are those who feel more engagement with -- and less criticism of -- Khartoum is needed to end the suffering in Darfur. On the other are those who support more pressure, more sanctions and possibly military action if Sudan blocks efforts to secure peace in the region.

The Darfur conflict has been going on for more than six years. The United Nations says as many as 300,000 people have died since 2003, compared to Khartoum's official death toll of 10,000. The world body also says some 4.7 million people in Darfur rely on aid to survive.

In an open letter to U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force General Scott Gration, actress Mia Farrow and other activists said that Gration's strategy with Sudan was prolonging the crisis.

"We believe that your conciliatory stance and reluctance to criticize (Khartoum) both excuses and emboldens (it), thereby facilitating its ongoing reign of terror and well-known strategy of 'divide and rule,'" the letter said.

Gration has advocated loosening some U.S. sanctions against Sudan to enable Washington to deliver development aid to southern Sudan ahead of a 2011 referendum, after which it is expected to split from the north. He also has said there was nothing to justify keeping Sudan on the U.S. terror blacklist.

Gration says he needs to engage the governments of north and south Sudan, rebel groups and other key parties to revive the stalled Darfur peace talks and to ensure the north-south civil war does not erupt again. But he also supports keeping up the pressure -- including most sanctions -- on Khartoum.

John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project, an anti-genocide group, also was critical of Gration. He described his deep disappointment at what he felt has been the Obama administration's failure -- through Gration -- to take the tough line on Sudan that Obama supported as a U.S. senator.

"It is shocking to all of us (activists) to see what has transpired over the last couple of months publicly," he told Reuters in an interview. "And frankly it is shocking to the people of Darfur and southern Sudan."

U.S. POLICY REVIEW

Not all activists focused their criticism on Gration.

Jerry Fowler, president of the Save Darfur Coalition, an umbrella organization for more than 180 groups, said the real problem was how long it was taking the Obama administration to decide what to do about Sudan.

"General Gration is not the issue so much as the administration's failure to finish the policy review and make clear what their strategy for Sudan is," he told Reuters.

The results of a sweeping U.S. government policy review on Sudan are expected to be released soon, possibly this month. U.N. diplomats and analysts say the United States is the key player on Sudan and can offer as an incentive something the Sudanese really want -- normal relations with Washington.

The United Nations participates in a joint U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur that has been slow to deploy because of bureaucratic obstacles created by Khartoum and lack of military hardware. But Washington, and not the U.N., may hold the key to peace in Sudan, the diplomats say.

Prendergast said that in the "vacuum" created by the delay of the policy review Gration has adopted a strategy of "constructive engagement" with Khartoum, similar to the U.S. approach to apartheid South Africa when Ronald Reagan was president. But he said Gration had done so without a mandate.

He also criticized Gration for not publicly describing Darfur as "genocide" as Obama himself has.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Gration said he has been reaching out to the Darfur activist community, speaking regularly with its key members. He said he generally agreed with the activists on what they hope to achieve in Sudan.

He cited a July 29 letter to Obama from the Save Darfur Coalition. It said Sudan must be ordered to bring peace to Darfur, implement the 2005 peace deal that ended a 22-year civil war between the north and south and replace President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who has been indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

If Khartoum does that, the letter says "a clear process toward normalization of relations with the U.S. will be mapped out." If not, then more sanctions and possibly "targeted military action" should be used to save civilian lives.

"Everything in that letter is what I'm trying to do," Gration said, adding that it was important that the advocacy groups and U.S. government work together on Sudan.

"This is a situation where everybody's got to be on the same team working forward," he said.

Fabienne Hara of the International Crisis Group, an independent think-tank that focuses on wars and conflicts, said some of the activists were "out of touch with reality" and that Gration's decision to step up engagement with Khartoum was a welcome and much-needed change in the U.S. approach to Sudan.  

(Editing by Bill Trott)

- - -

Further reading
Setting the Record Straight on Sudan Sanctions: Part II
Enough, Aug 16, 2009 by Nina McMurry, STAND, GI-NET

Sudan Activists Fault Special Envoy's 'Conciliatory Stance' Toward Khartoum
Enough, Aug 16, 2009 by Laura Heaton.  Here is a copy:

"Increasingly frustrated with the direction of US policy toward Sudan, as expressed by Special Envoy Scott Gration in testimony earlier this summer, Sudan activists from around the United States sent a letter to Gration this week outlining how they think the approach is problematic. “We fear that your approach to Sudan is at odds with the President’s promise and will quash the hopes of all Sudanese for justice, peace, and the end of the culture of impunity that has afflicted Sudan,” the letter said. Organizations representing the Darfuri diaspora and southern Sudanese signed on and were joined by prominent Sudan activist Mia Farrow. Among the criticisms articulated in the letter, the signatories criticize Special Envoy Gration’s approach for “neglecting to adequately engage with or incorporate the priorities expressed by Darfuri civil society and the Darfuri Diaspora." The activists logged their complaints with the top Obama administration officials and Congress as well, sending copies of the letter to the White House and to senators and representatives engaged on Sudan. An Arabic version of the letter was distributed to international media.

The original letter and the Arabic translation are available here and here."

- - -

The activists' open letter to Scott Gration 13 August 2009 - an excerpt:

"We implore you to consider the following aspects of your performance as Special Envoy which we consider problematic:

1. Failing to both acknowledge ongoing human rights violations by the GoS and consider these violations as another component of its genocidal campaign
2. Failing to acknowledge behavior by the GoS that demonstrates its lack of commitment to peace and justice
3. Failing to hold the GoS accountable for such aforesaid behavior
4. Failing to define and promote a strong sanctions policy
5. Downplaying Sudan as a “State Sponsor of Terror” and suggesting normalization of relations with the U.S.
6. Neglecting to adequately engage with or incorporate the priorities expressed by Darfuri civil society and the Darfuri Diaspora.

These problems are elaborated below."

Click here to read Scott Gration's statement 'This I Believe' 10 August 2009.

"This I Believe" by Scott Gration, U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan

From the website of U.S. Department of State:
"This I Believe"
Scott Gration

Special Envoy to Sudan
Washington, DC
August 10, 2009

In the 1950s, journalist Edward R. Murrow hosted a radio show titled “This I Believe” that invited Americans to record essays that shared their core beliefs with listeners across the country. The essayists, ranging from heads of state to cab drivers, used the opportunity to tackle difficult topics and to offer “the guiding principles by which they lived.”

As the President’s Special Envoy to Sudan, I have been charged with the awesome responsibility of working to improve the political, humanitarian, and economic challenges confronting the people of Sudan. For the past six months, I have been working incredibly hard and logging a lot of miles to understand this dire and desperate situation better and to chart a course for moving forward. I understand that for the community of people who care deeply about this issue time is of the essence and much is at stake. I want to give you the clearest sense of where I am coming from and what my core beliefs are on the best approach to untangle the complex, varied, and nuanced set of issues facing Sudan.

I learned to walk and talk in Africa; my first words were in Swahili not English. A passion for Africa and African people runs through my veins. I also know firsthand the personal toll of war and what it means to be displaced. Growing up, my family was evacuated three times from our home in the Congo, and we became refugees. I embrace those experiences and they inform my current efforts.

I believe that the road to peace in Sudan runs through Darfur. The atrocities that have taken place in Darfur are a crime against the world that must be resolved. We are working aggressively to reverse the ongoing consequences of genocide in Darfur. Though the incidence of violent deaths has improved dramatically since 2005, the situation remains dangerous and dire. Civilians remain vulnerable, living conditions are unacceptable, and the displaced remain unable to return home in security.

For those who are concerned that we are seeking the untimely return of IDPs, I assure you that that is not the case. I share the same concerns about the idea of having the more than 2.5 million people living in IDP camps attempt returns in an insecure and uncoordinated fashion. We will never abandon or seek to endanger IDPs. Our task for now is to begin the work to create conditions that are conducive for their eventual safe return, including access to food and safe water, addressing land rights, protection of human rights, and freedom from gender-based violence. We are working closely with the African Union/United Nations joint chief mediator, Djibril Bassolé to unify the disparate rebel groups in Darfur so that they can speak with one voice to participate in the peace process. I also believe that IDPs must have a clear voice as their perspectives and solutions become part of this process.

As important as it is to address the issue of Darfur, I believe that we equally dedicate all available resources to achieving full implementation of the CPA. In the next two years, Sudan will face both national elections and two referenda. An unsuccessful and marred election could contribute to significant unrest and instability in a state bordering nine other countries and even incite renewed conflict. In the last few months, we have initiated trilateral talks with the parties to the CPA and have developed an implementation strategy. These talks are ongoing and we are holding all parties accountable for their commitments. We are determined to create the conditions for a peaceful process and post-referendum period whether the result is a single, stable, and unified Sudan or a Sudan that divides into two separate states.

Our work on implementing the CPA is complemented by our efforts to address the pressing needs of Southern Sudan. The South needs urgent attention and assistance in building its infrastructure and promoting development before the referendum in 2011. While the current US sanctions against the government in Khartoum explicitly exclude Southern Sudan, in practical terms they do not.

Large equipment needed for infrastructure or economic development in the South must go through Port Sudan and/or Khartoum in the North, which makes these necessary investments for the South subject to our sanctions. “Smart,” targeted sanctions are absolutely necessary and desirable against key components of the government in Khartoum. I want to be clear. These sanctions should not be lifted.

However, I believe that we must consider specific exceptions or selective rollbacks to facilitate development in the South and fully implement the CPA. We need more flexibility to achieve our desired results, which are: pressuring the North, developing the South, and incentivizing good behavior on all sides.

I believe that we cannot hope to achieve these results and a lasting peace if we only engage with those we already agree with. We must work to mediate and work with all stakeholders—Khartoum, Juba, rebel groups, Chad, civil society, and the international community. It is important to recognize the stated position of the US government on President Al-Bashir. We hold him responsible for the actions of his government and recognize that the justice process is moving forward. I have not met and have no plans to meet with President Al-Bashir.

As we continue moving forward, I will need the support and engagement of the entire community that is dedicated to addressing the challenges facing Sudan. We all have to work together and to be on the same team. Let us continue to exchange our best ideas in support of our important mission.

Thank you for your continued interest and dedication, Scott.

Gration Starts Sudanese – American Dialogue from Juba

Sudan Vision - Mona Al-Bashir - ‎30 minutes ago‎

The US envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration starts today his 4th visit to the country within the bilateral dialogue rounds. The Ceremonies Administration Director ...

Daily Nation

Sudan - Lift US sanctions on Sudan

ISRIA - ‎4 hours ago‎

The US's presidential envoy to Sudan, General J Scott Gration, never a man content to kow-tow to public opinion, has just embarked on what his predecessors ...

ANALYSIS-Frustrated Darfur activists slam US envoy Gration Reuters

Gration Starts Sudanese – American Dialogue from Juba Sudan Vision

South Sudan faces new war over oil Telegraph.co.uk

Sudan Tribune - Sudan Vision

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Daily Nation

Conflicting Priorities Complicate US Policy Toward Sudan

Voice of America - Alan Boswell - ‎Aug 11, 2009‎

The special US envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, testified before a Congressional hearing two weeks ago the United States would have to soon "unwind" sanctions ...

SPLM would not support move to lift Sudan from US terrorism blacklist Sudan Tribune

Hussam Zaki: Egypt Seeking to Achieve Stability in Sudan Sudan Vision

Rift within Obama Administration's Sudan Policy Is Exposed New Sudan Vision

Sudan Tribune - Sudan Tribune

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Reuters South Africa

Obama Envoy Says Sudan Sanctions Hamper Peace Efforts

Bloomberg - Juliann Neher - ‎Jul 30, 2009‎

The Foreign Relations Committee is planning to have a closed briefing to review intelligence findings on Sudan. Gration said the administration intends to ...

US Sudan Envoy Testifies to Congress Voice of America

Darfur activists worry of US easing on Sudan eTaiwan News

Envoy queries Sudan terror status BBC News

Kansas City infoZine - The Associated Press