Sudan Tribune, Sudan
April 25 2009
US memorial events for Holocaust coincide with Darfur activism
Saturday 25 April 2009 06:44.
April 24, 2009 (WASHINGTON) ‘ Darfur activists in the United States of
America sent an open letter to President Barack Obama in recognition
of the Holocaust Days of Remembrance and expressing concern about the
US administration’s `lack of action to end the Darfur genocide and
bring peace to Sudan.’
The letter coincides with Obama’s keynote address at the US Holocaust
Memorial Museum Annual Days of Remembrance Ceremony. This year’s theme
is `Never Again: What You Do Matters.’
In his speech at the event on Thursday, Obama mourned the loss of many
lives during the Nazi Holocaust, and noted his commitment to `prevent
and end atrocities like those that took place in Rwanda, those taking
place in Darfur.’
The letter recommends that the Obama administration use diplomacy to
restore full humanitarian aid to Darfur, where the government in March
evicted the major aid organizations.
The influence and effectiveness of the Save Darfur movement is
debated. `Save the occasional embarrassment such as over the visit of
Gen. Salah Gosh to the CIA, the Darfur movement has been notably
unthreatening to the U.S. political establishment,’ today wrote Alex
De Waal, a British commentator on the region.
But a member of Save Darfur noted recently his belief that the
movement had made a real difference. Referring to nearly categorical
US opposition beginning last year to a suspension of the ICC arrest
warrant against Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir ‘ a move supported
`unconditionally’ by De Waal, contrary to the position of Save Darfur
– he disclosed that the movement’s leader Jerry Fowler had been
meeting regularly with then-Special Envoy Richard Williamson, and thus
may have influenced the stance taken by even the previous
administration.
Although the activists’ work has elicited praise from the current
administration, it has not prevented a public rapprochement between
the US government and the Government of Sudan.
Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, Obama’s own envoy to Sudan, has said that
chances were `not very high’ that the expelled aid workers would
return. He is also reported to have discussed the possibility of
normalizing the Sudan-US relationship, an approach tried and then
months later rejected by the previous envoy.
The activists’ letter to Obama states, `You, Vice President Biden,
Secretary of State Clinton, Ambassador Rice, and other members of your
Administration acknowledged before your election that a very different
approach was necessary to end the Darfur genocide. Notably, in April
2008, in response to the reports of Bush Administration offers of
normalization talks to the GoS, you stated, `This reckless and cynical
initiative would reward a regime in Khartoum that has a record of
failing to live up to its commitments.’ Your remarks gave hope to
Darfuris that as President you would take decisive action.’
The letter concludes, `We respectfully request that you make it a top
personal priority to escalate US action and leadership to do whatever
it takes to bring peace and protection to Darfur. Never has it been
more true for Darfur and for all of Sudan that `what you do matters.’
‘
Representatives of the following organizations signed the letter:
Americans Against the Darfur Genocide, Armenian Assembly of America,
Armenian National Committee of America, Be Their Messenger, Buddhist
Peace Fellowship, A Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness and
Action, Darfur Alert Coalition, Darfur and Beyond, Darfur Leaders
Network, Darfur People’s Association of New York, Darfur
Rehabilitation Project, Darfur Women Action Group; Dear Sudan, Love
Marin; Defend Darfur Dallas, Fur Cultural Revival, Genocide No
More’Save Darfur, Idaho Darfur Coalition, Humanity United, Investors
Against Genocide, Jewish World Watch, Kentuckiana Interfaith Taskforce
On Darfur, Keokuk for Darfur, Kol Shalom Community for Humanistic
Judaism, Lane County Darfur Coalition, Massachusetts Coalition to Save
Darfur, Michigan Darfur Coalition, New York City Coalition for Darfur,
People’s Union of Darfur, Phoenix Save Darfur, San Antonio Interfaith
Darfur Coalition, San Francisco Bay Area Darfur Coalition, Save Darfur
Washington State, Stanford University STAND, Stop Genocide Now, Sudan
Unlimited, The Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan: The National Network, Use
Your Voice to Save Darfur RI, Westchester Darfur Coalition, and World
Relief Organization.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
