Statement of John Kerry on the Continuing Atrocities in Darfur

[gottaB]

"The UN has reported that the Government of Sudan used helicopter gunships to attack innocent civilians in the western region of Darfur. By continuing to commit massive atrocities, the Government of Sudan has chosen to defy the international community and, predictably, break its hollow promises to halt the killing and allow full humanitarian access.

"Soon after I called these atrocities by their rightful name, both houses of Congress unanimously declared that this systematic killing of African Muslims by Arab militiamen and the Khartoum government constitutes genocide. For the first time in its history, the Committee on Conscience of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has declared a "genocide emergency." President Bush should do the same. America, the beacon of hope and values in the world, should lead the effort to halt the genocide.

"At least 50,000 civilians have already died. Well over one million people have been displaced from their homes, and hundreds of thousands have taken refuge in neighboring Chad. On June 3, U.S. AID Administrator Andrew Natsios warned that up to 1 million people could die by the end of the year. By USAID's own estimates, at least 1,000 people are now dying each day - perhaps 30,000 this month alone while the Khartoum Government exploits the thirty day grace period provided in the U.S.-drafted UN Security Council resolution."

Statement of John Kerry on the Continuing Atrocities in Darfur....

Statement of John Kerry on the Continuing Atrocities in Darfur, jk.com

[ksatriyakiller]

1. when can i start making my own threads????

when can i start making my own threads????

[Old and In the Way]

3. Patience, patience.

I think the privilage kicks in at 20. Posts that is.

Welcome aboard.

[DEMonstate]

8. After 10 posts

[Old and In the Way]

2. Dimson take note.

This is what a real leader of the US is supposed to do. Why haven't you reacted?

[FloridaPat]

4. Didn't Bush do a lot of this in Iraq?

[tedzbear]

5. He better add the continuing atrocities in Najaf to this.

al-Sadr is winning the hearts and minds in Iraq. There is NO doubt about it.

:kick:

[Jacobin]

6. My sentiments exactly. We started the atrocities in IraqNam

Why is he so bent on fixing the ones in Sudan before we fix the ones Smirk started?

[Qutzupalotl]

7. We're unable to intervene where we are needed,

because we intervened where we aren't.

[Charlie Brown]

9. We need to work thru the World community to solve this one

We need to get Sudan's neighbors to put pressure on them, and, if need be, send UN peacekeepers.

[gottaB]

11. Sudan's friends and neighbors, my current impressions

The AU (African Union) has a small peacekeeping force deploying in Sudan, and wants to enlarge it. So far Nigeria and Rwanda have committed troops. Tanzania and Mali have recently pledged troops. South Africa is providing logistical and technical support but no troops at present. Public sentiment in Kenya and Uganda would seem to support intervention, but it's not really a good idea to involve those countries in peacekeeping because of ongoing conflicts with Sudan. The AU peacekeeping operations desperately need financial and logistical support. The Dutch have been leaders among the EU in supporting them.

Eritrea is accused by Sudan of meddling and sponsoring rebel groups. That rules out Eritrea.

Rebel groups have expressed distrust of Ethopia's role in the peace negotiations. Scratch Ethiopia.

Chad is hosting hundreds and thousands of refugees, and has repelled incursions by militias and offical Sudanese forces into Chad. French troops are providing support for relief efforts in Chad. Tensions are high. Scratch Chad.

The Arab League has gone from severely criticizing Sudan to rallying around Sudan to prevent intervention. Officially, their position seems to be that Arab countries must unite to thwart the international US/Zionist conspiracy.

Egypt has many interests in Sudan, and may have an interest in countering emerging Nigerian military and political power. There has been some suggestion of Egypt contributing to the AU effort. Some view Egyptian involvement with suspicion, others welcome it.

Saudi Arabia, I don't know. Opinion in the country seems mixed to me. (Caveat: I don't read Arabic).

Libya has made efforts to provide relief and to negotiate peace. They may be genuinely concerned about the situation, but are perhaps not in the best position to assist in a truly neutral way.

The image of the US is extremely negative in the countries of the Arab League at present. US credibility is at an all time low. That doesn't bode well for intervention. It doesn't seem at this time that the Arab League is prepared to resolve this crisis, and arguably they may be prolonging the suffering of the Darfuris.

Russia and China and Malaysia all have economic interests in Sudan that are keeping them from taking a strong position condemning the atrocities. They also have other reasons for not supporting human rights internationally. Russia can be bribed and or persuaded to go along with Europe and the US in the UN Security Council. China can be bribed and or persuaded to abstain.

Pakistan? The best that can be hoped for in the Security Council is an abstention.

[Charlie Brown]

12. All the more reason we should AVOID committing troops

My understanding of the situation is that Arabs and indigenous Africans have been warring with each other for centuries in this area. The suspicion with which Sudan and its neighbors are viewing one another is evidence that a ground force would only ignite the population against the occupiers. Applying force would only tilt the Muslim countries against us (and further diminish our credibility), and get many soliders killed. If the situation worsens (if the Sudanese establish ethnic cleansing camps or invade other territiories), then I would reluctantly support sending troops. Otherwise, we should stay out of it (though we should contribute to UN efforts to keep the peace).

[gottaB]

13. several points

1. Your trepidation about US involvement seems warranted to me. In all cases of military intervention, even for limited humanitarian aims, it should be seen as a last resort. My feeling is that we are nearing that point. A unilateral intervention, or a rescue operation with just a handful of allies like the UK and Australia would not be a good solution. Just staying out altogether does not seem wise. We should welcome the AU initiative (as State Dept. reiterated today), and be prepared to offer any support they ask for.

2. "Ethnic cleansing camps." Such have been alleged. Whether people are killed in encampents, or forced out of camps into the waiting arms of their tormenters, I don't know what difference it makes. It's a question of how one reads the evidence. In any case, I am not placated by the government of Sudan's claim that a mere 20% of the 6 million Darfuris have affected. Others would say that 1.2 million have been displaced, 2 million are affected. Whether one counts the intended victims of extermination, or all of the people suffering, that's still a whoppping lot of people at imminent risk of death. Hundreds are dying every day. Perhaps many hundreds. The violence continues.

3. Warring for centuries. I dispute that as an adequate explanation of the violence. Three very recent news stories:

• "Our only fault is that the colour of our skin is black," said Hasib, pinching his forearm. "Omar Bashir wants to drive away the African population of Darfur and settle it with Arabs."
  
  Hasib holds al-Bashir personally responsible for the plight of his people.
  
  "Before Omar Bashir came to power, we lived peacefully with our Arab neighbours," said Hasib. "They never stayed in one place for long and if we had problems we always solved them with their tribal elders.
  
  "But since Omar Bashir came to power things have been getting worse."
  
  Death is in the air, villagers say
  
  
• At Mirair, Arab men under a straw awning said they were shocked to hear accusations of betrayal. As we drank cold yoghurt, the sheikh, Ibrahim Saied, flicking his fly whisk, said: "It was nothing to do with Arabs and Africans or the Janjaweed. They left because of fighting between the tribes, and they are African tribes. It was bad that they went, and they are always welcome back. We have lived together for generations here, why should that change now? Of course, we have heard of the Janjaweed. But I think they are bandits, and we are just farming people." Ahmed Bakr Ishaq, 22, added: "We went to school together, we played football together, people from one side married into the other. Of course we did not want them to go. Whatever happened was due to the tribes and outsiders, it was nothing to do with us. Look, no one attacked their homes; they are empty."
  
  But some huts have new occupants, a few families, part-uniformed young men carrying an assortment of weaponry, and soldiers. "We are the Civil Defence Force, we have been told to look after this place," said a man in camouflage trousers, and a blue shirt. "The people here had been threatened by the rebels . We are here to protect them. We brought our families."
  
  Who chased the other villagers away? A soldier said: "It was a fight involving tribes, the Zaghawa and the Masalit. They both support the rebels as well as fighting each other. The villagers were in the middle."
  
  As we were leaving, a man waved down our car and introduced himself as the school teacher: "I used to teach children from both sides of the wadi," he said. "I am very sorry about what has happened. Very sorry. Do you know why they didn't burn the huts? There was a meeting of builders from lots of villages, and they said, 'Why should we burn down homes which will be ours anyway?' That is what it is all about. They will not allow the Africans to come back."
  
  The mystery of Mirair and the official answers that do not add up
  
  
• Back at the technical college, some of the classrooms have been reopened. Habib Yaqub was one of the first students to return. He is from an Arab family, and said he and his parents have close African friends.
  
  His companion, Suleiman, also an Arab, said: "There is a kind of madness which has got into people. We did not have any problems in this town. But there are people who have arrived and just want to loot and kill. That Janjaweed office is a bad place, they plan things there.
  
  No one will admit the Janjaweed are here. Yet everyone lives in fear of the men in white
  

[AspenRose]

10. Fantastic example of "sensitive" leadership

Take note, you knuckle-dragging, neo-con imbeciles. Being "sensitive" often means being attuned to DOING THE RIGHT THING.

Rock on, Mr. Kerry. (Has Bush even SAID anything about Sudan? Does he know where it is or does he need Condi to point it out to him on a map?)

[Charlie Brown]

14. I've read the statement and

for once I'm in full agreement with Senator Kerry. The US should be doing everything it can to alert the International community on the atrocities in Sudan and place a firm policy on the government in Khartoum. Humanitarian assistance is clearly indispensable. I'm not sure I would support a ground campaign, but I can see where airstrikes would be warranted if Khartoum continues to displace and murder civilians. Kudos to Kerry for informing people on this issue in spite of the reluctance of the current administration.