For Immediate Release
September 30, 2009
September 30, 2009
Contact
Eileen White Read, 202.741.6376
[email protected]
Eileen White Read, 202.741.6376
[email protected]
Andrea Clarke, 202.460.6756
[email protected]
Mame Annan-Brown, 202.483.4701
[email protected]
Sudan Advocacy Groups Call on National Security Adviser to Release Names of Outside Groups and Individuals he has met with on Sudan Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Post today revealed that U.S. National Security Adviser James L. Jones and U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan Major General Scott Gration met with former National Security Adviser Robert “Bud” McFarlane to discuss Sudan policy at a time when McFarlane appears to have been working for the Government of Sudan.
In the wake of these revelations, the Enough Project, Save Darfur Coalition, and Genocide Intervention Network released the following statement:
“Our three organizations call on National Security Adviser Jim Jones to publicly release the full list of outside individuals and groups that he has personally met with to discuss Sudan policy and U.S.-Sudan diplomatic relations. This transparency is in keeping with President Obama’s repeated pledges to govern openly and with the benefit of public input into the policymaking process. It would also offer important reassurance that the National Security Adviser is seeking a broader circle of counsel on Sudan policy than an individual who appears to be working for the Sudanese government headed by a wanted war criminal.”
Sam Bell, Executive Director of Genocide Intervention Network, commented, “We appreciate the National Security Adviser’s interest in these matters, as the crisis in Sudan is urgent and constitutes a threat to global peace and security. It would be of great interest to know what other sources were consulted by the National Security Adviser in developing the Administration's policy regarding Sudan.”
Jerry Fowler of the Save Darfur Coalition added, “The expose in the Washington Post makes clear that the Sudanese government thinks it can normalize relations with Washington through buying influence rather than actually changing its behavior on the ground — all the more reason for an approach to Khartoum that is a sensible balance of pressures and incentives, rather than just incentives alone.”
John Norris, the Executive Director of the Enough Project, commented, “We can only hope that the Obama Administration is also willing listen to the voices of the many Sudanese – North, South, East and West – who have suffered so profoundly under National Congress Party abuses and violence. These are the voices that have been marginalized too often, and lasting peace will only come when they are heard at last.”
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About the coalition: The Save Darfur Coalition – an alliance of more than 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations – raises public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of people throughout the Darfur region. The coalition's member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Darfur. For more information on the coalition, please visit www.SaveDarfur.org.
Enough is a project of the Center for American Progress to end genocide and crimes against humanity. Founded in 2007, Enough focuses on crises in Sudan, Chad, eastern Congo, northern Uganda, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. Enough's strategy papers and briefings provide sharp field analysis and targeted policy recommendations based on a "3P" crisis response strategy: promoting durable peace, providing civilian protection, and punishing perpetrators of atrocities. Enough works with concerned citizens, advocates, and policy makers to prevent, mitigate, and resolve these crises. Visit www.enoughproject.org.
About Genocide Intervention Network – Genocide Intervention Network is working to build the first permanent anti-genocide constituency, mobilizing the political will to stop genocide when it occurs. Accessible online at www.GenocideIntervention.net, Genocide Intervention Network empowers individuals with the tools to stop genocide. Visit www.genocideintervention.net.