US senator Kerry to visit Darfur

[ProSense]

US senator Kerry to visit Darfur

KHARTOUM (AFP) – US Democratic Senator John Kerry, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will visit Darfur next week, a US official said on Monday, amid signs of thawing US-Sudan relations.

"John Kerry will arrive in the middle of next week, he will visit Darfur and meet with officials in the country. His visit will last a few days," the official said, requesting anonymity.

US President Barack Obama's new Sudan envoy Scott Gration is currently in Sudan, where he appealed for stronger relations with Khartoum and met several Sudanese officials.

Gration was in south Sudan on Monday and might meet President Omar al-Beshir in Khartoum before returning to the United States at the end of the week.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Beshir last month for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the six-year conflict in Darfur.

more

[AtomicKitten]

1. I so appreciate JK calling attention to Darfur.

I realize Pres Obama's plate is full, but he must lead on this. Our inaction on Rwanda was disgraceful.

K&R

[ginnyinWI]

2. Obama visted Darfur as Senator in 2006.

There was a documentary about his visit on TV recently. He knows about it first-hand.

[AtomicKitten]

3. Glad to hear that.

I missed it completely!

[ginnyinWI]

11. I found a link about it

This is not the documentary itself, just tells a little about it.
http://www.linktv.org/programs/obama

I did watch it though. In Africa, Sen.Obama is given the rock star treatment and talks to a lot of people about Darfur's problems. You might remember this part of the event: both he and Michelle took HIV tests to encourage the local people to do the same. I remember it being in the news.

[politicasista]

4. Yep. He also took part in the "Save Darfur" rally

in I think 2006 or 2007 when he was in the Senate.

I too am glad Senator Kerry calling attention to Darfur too.

:hi:

[Divine Discontent]

5. John Kerry is INCREDIBLE. To those few on here that insulted him the past 4 years

screw you. The man is a great leader, and a wonderful Democrat.

[ObamaKerryDem]

6. Couldn't agree with you more! *high fives* :) n/t

[karynnj]

7. I agree - there are very few people with the

long consistent record on foreign policy and other issues that Senator Kerry has. Though there may be changes in position, the values and goals that he spoke of all the way back to the early 1970s are the values he has fought for since then.

The SFRC under his control has had some incredibly interesting hearings. Kerry has opted for some hearings where the goal is to delve deeper and problem solve to use the Fullbright idea of "round tables" rather than formal hearings. This allows the various witnesses to interact with each other and the Senators - rather than having rounds of questions. (Here's a link to one on Afghanistan - http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090205a.html ) He also had hearings on broad topics - like outreach to the Muslim world, which ended up happening on teh same day that Kyl had a Dutch hate monger speak in a Congressional conference room. Here is a link to all the hearings so far this year - http://foreign.senate.gov/hearing.html Kerry may well become one of the best, most influential chairs of the SFRC.

It sounds like Obama's envoy has made some connections. Having as senior a person, known to be an ally of the President's there, might be able to move in the right direction - though this may be an intractable problem. I hope they can push the country to allow international aid back in.

Good for Kerry.

[Divine Discontent]

9. thanks for that information :) eom

[rockymountaindem]

8. +1

[globalvillage]

10. From 2004

Kerry Says US Should Lead On Darfur
"If I were president, I would act now. As I've said for months, I would not sit idly by. We cannot simply accept another Rwanda. The United States should ensure the immediate deployment of an effective international force to disarm militia, protect civilians and facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in Darfur."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/09/mil-040909-23f187a2.htm

Another reminder of four years wasted as Bush sat idly by.


Godspeed, Senator.