Daily Darfur: Obama Bids Bon Voyage to Envoy

President Obama's Special Envoy for Darfur, Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, departs for his first trip to Sudan today. Following a meeting with Gration and movement leaders last night, Obama spoke on the importance of U.S. involvement in Darfur:

"Fortunately, what's happened in Darfur has touched so many people around the world, and we have seen such an extraordinary mobilization of advocates, many of who are sitting at this table," Obama said. "I actually think that America can speak effectively with one voice and bring the moral and other elements of our stature to bear in trying to deal with this situation."

The President also reiterated that resolving the Darfur crisis is a priority for his administration, and expressed "full confidence" in Gration, while noting the difficult task ahead of the newly-appointed envoy. The immediate task, Obama noted, is to push for the reinstatement of expelled humanitarian agencies, but any approach must also consider the long-term imperatives of peace and stability for all of Sudan.

Ben Smith notes on Politico that Obama's approach to Sudan has come under particular scrutiny, as many perceive his concern for human rights to be giving way to Bush-style "cold-eyed realism."

For the full transcript of the President's remarks, see the ENOUGH blog's readout from the meeting.

The Despot in Doha

The administration also expressed frustration yesterday over Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's overly-warm welcome at the Arab League summit in Doha, commenting that Arab leaders should focus their energies on persuading Bashir to readmit the expelled aid groups rather than unconditionally rallying to his side. By the end of its first day, the summit produced a draft communiqué condemning the arrest warrants issued for Bashir by the International Criminal Court.

In his opening remarks at the summit --- and in a moment that should make us all proud --- UN Secretary General denounced Bashir's actions in Darfur:

"Relief efforts should not become politicized," Ban said. "People in need must be helped irrespective of political differences. At the same time, peace and justice are core principles of the United Nations. We must all be committed to both."

You tell ‘em, Ban.

No End to the Complications

Ben Block writes at World Changing that drought and desertification in the Sahel may further complicate Darfur's prospects for peace, noting that competition for scarce resources factors into the root causes of the conflict.

Commenter Rod Downing makes an important clarification, however:

"Your title is fine and the gist of the article is fine. But the following quote from the article is either carelessly used or it suggests the author doesn't fully undertsand the range and depth of the Darfur atrocity:

‘The competition for water and fertile land is considered a driving force behind the violence that has killed more than 300,000 people in Darfur since 2003, according to the United Nations.'

Climate change issues are most astutely referred to as a ‘threat multiplier' in Darfur's conflict; but they are not ethnic-cleansing or genocidal initiators - people and policies are (in this case, by Sudan's government).

Darfur is a complex, multi-layered conflict. Yes, desertification is a factor, but the ‘driving force' is President Bashir and his cadre in Khartoum, with political dynamics going back even farther. "

I'd place the resource competition among the "root causes," not just as a "threat multiplier," but otherwise Rod is absolutely right --- the "driving force" of the conflict are the political dynamic that overlay the environmental concerns.

[Photo of Obama's meeting with Gration and Darfur advocates from the ENOUGH Project.]