Kerry is in Sudan for week leading to referendum - George Clooney has also made Sudan an issue

[karynnj]

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry (D-MA) arrived in Sudan on Tuesday, where he will spend the entire week in the lead up to the long-awaited Jan. 9 referendum that could lead to Southern Sudan's emergence as an independent country.

"Sudan is at a pivotal moment," Kerry said in a statement. "The United States played an important role in ending the civil war in Sudan and making the vote this Sunday possible. Our commitment to the Sudanese people will extend beyond the referendum, whatever its outcome, as we work to improve economic and humanitarian conditions in the region."

This is Kerry's fourth trip to Sudan since first traveling there in April 2009. He met with senior leaders from the North and the South during his last trip in October. Last September, Kerry introduced the Sudan Peace and Stability Act of 2010, which calls for the U.S. government to provide increased aid to Southern Sudan, develop contingency planning in case violence breaks out, review existing sanctions if the country splits into two, appoint a full-time senior official to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, and develop a multi-year strategy for helping end the Darfur tragedy.

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/04/kerry_to_spend_week_in_sudan

But Kerry is not the only handsome silver haired American who has worked hard on this issue - Gorge Clooney is working with the UN in providing surveillance at the border between the two parts of Sudan. Clooney has said that Obama has kept his promise on this issue:

Clooney appeared on ABC's "This Week" to talk about continuing crisis in the African nation as the country faces a heated secession referendum a week from now.

When asked if Obama has kept his vows to tackle issues in the war-torn nation, Clooney said, "Yes, he has."

"It's a tough one to keep, you know?" he said. "There's -- it's a very complicated situation. It is going to get a lot more complicated. We met with the president. The president seems to be very much on top of the issue.

http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/in-the-know/36-news/7661-george-clooney-obama-has-kept-campaign-promises-on-sudan

http://www.smh.com.au/world/as-southern-secession-looms-oil-may-bind-rather-than-break-sudan-20110104-19f30.html

From that Hill article, it would seem that there is bipartisan support for this given that the "Sudan Caucus" sent a letter to the President asking him to act in early December. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/132063-sudan-caucus-members-ask-obama-to-send-clinton-powell-to-prevent-bloodshed

(Note, this article ignores that Obama has had a special envoy, Gration, there since before April 2009 and Senator Kerry was there twice this fall in addition to a first visit that he made in April 2009 with his wife Teresa. )

[karynnj]

1. More information

picture:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/media/ALeqM5gDOoETrNJMKjSJx-_idxKtAmShPw?docId=photo_1294156041511-1-0&size=l


From this article, it now looks very good that this will happen without violence - http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Countdown-Continues-for-Southern-Sudans-Big-Vote---112874094.html

Another article suggests the US government thinks things will go well, though there will be post referendum issues.

“We believe that the right signals are being sent both in North and South in terms of the upcoming referendum and respecting the results. So the environment, we think, is constructive leading into this weekend,” U.S. state department spokesperson Philip J. Crowley told reporters during the briefing on Monday.

“I would say at this point that we are optimistic about the referendum this coming weekend. Sudan and Southern Sudan have come a long way over the past few months,” he added.

He acknowledged that there are still outstanding issues to be resolved between the North and South in reference to post-referendum arrangements such as citizenship, wealth sharing, international agreements, national debt and border demarcation.

http://www.sudantribune.com/U-S-says-environment-in-Sudan,37483

[karynnj]

2. Kick for what may end up being an Obama foreign policy acheivement

[ProSense]

3. Thank for posting these. Politifact just

added an update on the issue: Obama administration efforts continue, slowly

<...>

Still, the Obama administration has done some concrete things. In November, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., traveled to Sudan with two Obama administration officials -- Scott Gration, Obama's special envoy for Sudan, and Michelle Gavin, a senior member of the National Security Council staff -- to press the administration's case.

"Darfur remains a critical issue to the U.S. relationship with the government and to the future of Sudan," Kerry said in a statement after the trip. "I made clear in every meeting that many steps on the road to improved relations could only be taken with real progress in achieving lasting peace and security in Darfur."

Gration made another trip to Darfur in December. An additional official, Dane Smith, was named a senior adviser on Darfur to intensify efforts. On Dec. 16, Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said that Darfur "remains a top priority for the United States. This is reflected in the recent appointment of Ambassador Dane Smith as our Senior Advisor on Darfur. We remain seriously concerned by the violence and humanitarian needs in Darfur, as well as the lack of accountability. At the same time, all states must redouble their efforts to stem the flow of arms into Darfur and faithfully implement the U.N. sanctions regime."

We see evidence that the Obama administration is pressuring Sudan to stop violence in Darfur. It's not clear that the pressure is effective. Until we see more definitive evidence on which way Darfur will go, we're leaving our rating at In the Works.

[karynnj]

4. I agree with the tenuousness of fixing the situation in Darfur,

but there are two separate problems. Millions have died in fighting between the North and the South - as well as the many who have been killed, mistreated and hungry in Darfur. When Senator Kerry made his first trip the two things he was able to announce upon returning were that there was agreement for triparty talks to restart between the North, the South, and the US and he was able to announce that there was agreement to restore the earlier (inadequate) level of international aide that was lowered when some agencies were kicked out.

Now, the first problem looks like there is a real likelihood of peaceful secession that is a huge step in the problem between North and South. There are still many things to work out in the implementation, but even last Fall this referendum seemed in doubt. As to Darfur, things still are incredibly grim - and per one source, the aid level is only about 2/3 rds restored - even if accurate that is still better than would have happened without Kerry's and Obama's work. There are some hungry people with food who would not have it. It is also good that it is seen as a continuing effort that needs to be slowly pushed.

It is incredible that only three months ago some articles suggested that the referendum would not happen or if it did it would be a time of extreme violence.

[ProSense]

5. This would never have

been possible without a sustained effort. The next couple of weeks are going to be interesting.

[karynnj]

6. Some are speaking of a difficult 6 months as the transition actually happens

This is a comkplicated thing and there will be winners and losers. I doubt it will go 100% smoothly. It would be incredible if a year or two from now the two countries were peacefully co-existing and Darfur was no longer a tragic mess. That Bashir is wanted for war crimes and genocide makes it even harder to imagine how all the pieces could be made to come together.

Obama deserves praise for taking this on.

[karynnj]

7. Kerry is encouraged by what he has seen in Sudan per this account

"The speech by President Bashir here (on December 31) as well as his comments in Juba yesterday are extremely encouraging," Kerry told journalists, after a meeting in the Sudanese capital with influential presidential adviser Ghazi Salaheddine.

"They're very positive, very constructive, and I think it sets a good stage for the events that begin in the next days," Kerry said.

Almost four million southern Sudanese are registered to participate in the January 9-15 referendum, during which they will get the chance to vote on whether to secede or to remain united with the north.

"We look forward to a successful referendum which is the precursor to a stronger and new relationship with the United States and other countries," Kerry added.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=43450

(Note this is an Arab source and may be biased towards Northern Sudan.)

This CNN article explains the referendum and the conflict. It also explains the cautiously optimistic, rather than excited or jubilant,tone of comments by Kerry and others. This can still blow up, but many expected last fall that the referendum would be postponed - and that would cause things to blow up. (Let's hope that everyone is exhausted with the decades of violence.)

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/04/sudan.qa/

[mtnsnake]

8. I saw Clooney on one of the talk shows a few days ago talking about this

He always seems like one of the most sincere activists around, and it's fantastic how much of his time he dedicates to good causes like helping out in Sudan. Great actor and human being. I wonder if Clooney and Kerry have gotten together over there.

[karynnj]

9. Don't know if they got together there,

but last fall, Clooney spoke of talking with Kerry after Kerry visited Sudan twice within a few weeks in October.

I was surprised how focused and serious Clooney was - very impressive.

[karynnj]

10. More information

Nice article on Kerry's diplomacy for Obama in trying to move Sudan to a more peaceful place. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i5kEGECgp0uC9mzBA73sQqWK0o1A?docId=CNG.a873154189fae54fc673166df8ae65f2.611


Cool photo of Kerry speaking to a large group of Sudanese:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/media/ALeqM5g-RVYfzGWRQ1Ep3q_DaYfaGEfsZA?docId=photo_1294431905458-1-0&size=l


More information on the trip:

Kerry, who is also the Chairman of the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, arrived to El Fasher along with seven members of the delegation. They were welcomed by UNAMID (UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur) Joint Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari and other senior officials.
<snip>
The delegation further paid a visit to the governor of North Darfur. Then, they flew to Shangil Tobaya, approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of El Fasher, to visit internally displaced people after clashes in the area last December between armed movements and government forces.

UNAMID peacekeepers were recognized for their efforts to preserve peace and stability to the troubled region that just emerged from two decades of war between the northern-based Government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in the south.

"We have great respect for what you're doing, and we hope that your lives and the lives of the Darfurians and of the Sudanese will change over the course of the next year much more dramatically," Kerry told peacekeepers.

http://wireupdate.com/wires/13916/u-s-senator-john-kerry-visits-sudan-ahead-of-souths-referendum/

There was no information on who other than Kerry is in the delegation - whether Senators, Congressmen, SFRC staff, or state department people.