Daily Darfur: Peace in Sudan - "We cannot do it alone"

by Martha Heinemann Bixby · 2009-06-24 10:17:00 UTC
Topics:

The Washington, DC conference on Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement continued yesterday, with remarks from high-level US government officials.  The Washington Post has a overview of the conference so far.

Senator John Kerry:

Urging Darfur movements to get on board the peace process, Senator Kerry said, " Time is opportune for those movements leaders to quit the Western capitals and work for peace," adding,  " President Obama is personally concerned with peace in Sudan." "There are prominent Republican figures and Congress members who are in agreement with Obama's stance."

Special Envoy Scott Gration:

...we have to set a foundation for Sudan for peace, security, and prosperity. But we cannot do it alone. It’s going to take everybody working together. And we’ll need your efforts once again, your commitments to ensure that we’re able to create an environment where the parties in Sudan can fully implement the CPA and achieve a long term, a lasting peace for their people.

Our time is short. We only have 164 days until the national election in February of 2010, and we only have 403 working days until the referenda in January of 2011, so time is urgent. It’s time to move forward. It’s time to work together to bring peace to this country that’s permanent and lasting.

James Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State:

Together we recognize the importance of this achievement in bringing an end to the North-South conflict. But at the same time, it’s important that we remember the ongoing conflict in Darfur as well. Millions of innocent people have been forced from their homes as a result of that genocide and now face appalling conditions. And we all recognize that to deal with the problems of North-South and CPA implementation, we need a holistic approach that recognizes that all of the challenges in Sudan are interconnected and we have to work on them together. And we recognize that as we develop our overall approach to Sudan, we recognize that just as we’re committed to the implementation of the CPA too, we strengthen our determination and resolve to work with all the parties together to try to see a resolution of the situation in Darfur as well.

Also at the conference, UN Dispatch's Mark Leon Goldberg asked Special Envoy Gration: "what, if any, news he can relay about Darfur/Sudan Policy Review that the president said would be completed within 60 days of his inauguration?"  Gration's answer?

"Inshallah" was all he said. Meaning, of course, "god willing" it will be completed at all.

UNAMID:

95 Gambian police officers join the UNAMID peacekeeping mission.

Map from Burningbillboard.org

Martha Heinemann Bixby
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