How we can help Obama's new policy achieve peace in Darfur.

On Monday, the Obama Administration released its long awaited policy on Sudan. Announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who in a show of unity was accompanied by Special Envoy to Sudan General Scott Gration and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice and to date it has gotten mixed reactions from the international community. It is my personal fear that these disagreements or differences of opinion on the Sudan Policy will be figurative nail in the coffin for any kind of foreseeable peace in Sudan.

Sam Bell, the executive director of the Genocide Intervention Network, called the policy "thoughtful and well-crafted" where as Senator Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, expressed grave concern stating “such a policy is engagement to the extreme, and blind to fundamental principles of justice.." With leaders on this topic and in this field straying in different directions on the current policy plan what kind of message are we sending to the rest of the world? How is this arguing actually helping the people of Darfur?

The newly released policy correctly calls for not just an immediate end to the genocide in Darfur but the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) as well. The CPA is absolutely vital to achieving peace in Darfur. The CPA ended a 20+ year civil war between the North and South of Sudan that left millions dead and displaced. The implementation of the CPA is vital for many reason but most obvious is the fact that if it fails peace in Darfur will be impossible as all of Sudan will likely fall back into civil war.

Now the only reason that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir signed the CPA in the first place was because of extreme pressure placed on his government by various other world governments and the international community. So it stands to reason that the same amount of pressure or more will need to be applied to Bashir yet again to get him to actually follow through. If given the opportunity Bashir would love nothing more then to sabotage the CPA and attempt to retake the oil rich south of Sudan. But how are we going to help apply this much needed pressure if we are all to busy arguing amongst ourselves?

The time is now, come on people, we are wasting the one thing that the innocent people of Sudan don't have and that is time. The President didn't just release a Sudan policy that involves clowns and hoops of fire did he? This policy has its flaws sure but it also has some meat to it as well. Instead of standing on the sidelines pointing fingers and expecting failure so you can shout "I told you so" like some fifth grader, we need to roll up our collective sleeves and get in the mess.We need to put pressure on the Sudanese Government as well as our own.

For this policy to materialize into anything other then more hollow political promises, the Obama Administration must act swiftly and with resolve. If our administration should stall or waiver in any way, Khartoum will see it as a sign of weakness and continue their current course. We need our government to live up to the expectations of this policy and the only way we can assure this is if we all stand together and make it perfectly clear that any deviation will cost them the thing they value the most, votes.

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How we can help Obama's new policy achieve peace in Darfur.

President Obama: The Time is Now

Hello everyone, I apologize for the lapse since my last posting but I am back and re focused.

It has been 188 days since it was reported that General Scott Gration, the special envoy to Sudan, had proposed a resolution to fill the gap left by the expulsion of 16 major aid organizations from the Darfur region by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. To date, nothing has been done.

The situation only grows worse daily as the violence continues not only within the Darfur region but also those stuck within the IDP camps struggling to deal with starvation, malnutrition, and disease have been further targeted by the Government of Sudan. There have been reports that at least one IDP camp has been targeted for closure by the Sudanese Government.

Today several organizations representing over 1000 Darfuri peoples living within the U.S. sent an open letter to President Barack Obama expressing grave concern over recent attacks and the direction of U.S. policy under Special Envoy Gration.

It is time for us to let the President and our administration know that we also want to see a stronger and more proactive U.S. policy toward Sudan to achieve peace for the people of Darfur.

This was originally posted by Katie-Jay on October 6th, 2009 at Stop Genocide Now and I am re-posting in an effort to further their great efforts. I not only ask you to email the President and his administration but I also challenge you to spread the word and ask your friends to join these efforts. Use your Twitter and Facebook to reach out to everyone you know.

"In these crucial days for Darfur and all of Sudan, as violence erupts and tension builds, it is crucial to keep pressuring our leaders to do what is right for innocent civilians.

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Please e-mail President Obama. Copy and paste this message, and feel free to add your own thoughts.

Dear President Obama:

Special Envoy Gration keeps talking about trust, carrots, honey, cookies, and stars as policy towards a genocidal government. However, Human Rights Watch has reported this week on new attacks in Darfur by the Sudanese government, with dozens of innocent civilians dying and several villages destroyed.

Your appointed Special Envoy to Sudan, General Scott Gration, is quoted as recently saying: “Up to now, the efforts I’ve seen make me say, ‘Yes, I’m willing to take a risk that I’ll be betrayed,’ and if that trust is violated, then I believe pressure should come.”

Innocent civilians will continue to die, as the US Special Envoy takes the risk and waits to be betrayed, over an over again by al-Bashir.

You both promised a strong policy with tough measures to ensure peace and justice come to Darfur, and it is now time for action.

Sincerely,

your name

-Please take the extra minute to send the same message to Secretary of State Clinton.

President Obama: The Time is Now