Darfur Peace and Development

October 9, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – Several Sudan advocacy groups in Washington expressed concern over the policy that is expected to be rolled out by the Obama administration describing as lacking particularly in challenges related to the South.

File photo showing US Special Envoy for Sudan meeting with President Barack Obama (The White House)

In a statement the ‘Sudan Now’ campaign group said that while the long awaited policy “appears to be well-calibrated approach of incentives and pressures, it doesn’t address the deeply flawed diplomatic strategy that his administration is already pursuing in response to the multiple crises in Sudan, particularly in Darfur and the South”.

The press release disclosed that endorsement of the new policy is awaiting approval by US president Barack Obama.

The Obama presidential campaign team has promised to release the policy early in the administration term but divisions within the government agencies has slowed down the process.

In particular the US special presidential envoy Scott Gration has been pushing for a softer approach with Sudan’s ruling party, the National Congress Party (NCP) drawing fire from advocacy groups.

In late September the White House hastily rushed to distance itself from remarks made by Gration in the Washington Post reiterating his support for normalizing ties with Khartoum.

‘Sudan Now’ warned that based on their knowledge of the upcoming policy leads them to believe that it is “undermining the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) by floating ideas and alternative approaches to its strict implementation, making the resumption of North-South war more likely”.

The Sudan People Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the NCP trade accusations over lack of CPA implementation.

Both sides are deadlocked over two major items of the CPA including the elections and referendum. It does not appear that any breakthrough has been made.

In recent months tribal violence has escalated in South Sudan making death toll over there higher than that of a separate conflict in Sudan’s western region of Darfur.

“President Obama must be unequivocal in publicly supporting the strict implementation of the CPA. Widespread allegations of support by the ruling National Congress Party for ethnic-based southern militias demand an immediate investigation, and improving the security situation in the South should be prioritized,” John Prendergast, the Enough Project’s Co-founder, said.

“The president should state clearly his support for the referendum as the cornerstone of the CPA, and direct Special Envoy Gration, Secretary Clinton, and Ambassador Rice to forge an international coalition to support this process” Prendergast added.

On Darfur, the ‘Sudan Now’ campaign said that current US policy trying to forge unity among Darfur rebels undertaken by Gration is doomed to fail with possible violent repercussions.

“Negotiators can help Darfuri rebels and civil society reach agreement in their demands rather than trying to micromanage the organizational structure and leadership of rebel groups—which almost never ends well”.

The US role is seen pivotal in forging peace agreement in Sudan, four years after successfully brokering the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the longest civil war in Africa.

(ST)