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Genocide - Envoy for President Obama - claims it's over in Darfur

by albertacowpoke | June 18, 2009 at 03:20 am

194 views | 46 Recommendations | 13 comments

The world still has not been able to eradicate genocide. One of the most publicized in the West lately has been the Darfur genocide. President Obama.s special envoy to Sudan, J.Scott Gration said on Wednesday that it is over.

Gration says that the Sudanese government is no longer engaging in a coordinated campaign of mass murder in Darfur.

This appears, at least on the outside, to contradict the position of Susan E. Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations.

Gration told reporters in Washington, "What we see is remnants of violence.

"The level of violence that we're seeing right now is primarily between rebel groups, the Sudanese government and . . . some violence between Chad and Sudan."

Last week Ambassader Rice gave a speech at the United Nations in which genocide was addressed and she vowed "Never Again."

UNITED NATIONS, June 17 -- President Obama's special envoy to Sudan, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, said Wednesday that the Sudanese government is no longer engaging in a "coordinated" campaign of mass murder in Darfur, marking a shift in the U.S. characterization of the violence there as an "ongoing genocide."

"What we see is the remnants of genocide," Gration told reporters at a briefing in Washington. "The level of violence that we're seeing right now is primarily between rebel groups, the Sudanese government and . . . some violence between Chad and Sudan."

Gration's remarks come as the Obama administration is finishing a review of its Sudan policy. The comments appeared to expose an emerging rift between Gration and Susan E. Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, who accused the Sudanese leadership of genocide as recently as two days ago.

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Paschen

at 05:42 on June 18th, 2009

Reports from Chad say that Sudan is not only still attacking civilian in its own Darfur, more over Sudan has been conducting intrusions into Chad as well.

I do have serious doubt about this report and Gration opinion.

albertacowpoke

at 06:09 on June 18th, 2009

I agree Paschen, thus the disagreement between Ambassador Rice and Gration. Maybe he has Stockholm syndrome:)

tikun

at 06:46 on June 18th, 2009

Something does not feel good about this announcement.

albertacowpoke

at 06:48 on June 18th, 2009

Thanks tikun, you bet it doesn.t feel right?

sivakaran

at 07:18 on June 18th, 2009

"What we see is the remnants of genocide,"

So, there was a genocide and what action was taken by the international community to stop it?

albertacowpoke

at 07:20 on June 18th, 2009

siva as always, there were a lot of empty words.

sivakaran

at 09:14 on June 18th, 2009

siva as always, there were a lot of empty words.

Unfortunately, it has not changed to date and there is no sign of it changing in the near future as well.

Amy Judd

at 09:09 on June 18th, 2009

There's no way it's over - what a ridiculous thing for Obama's envoy to say. When Omar al-Bashir is still ruling his country however he wants to, defying international arrest warrants and traveling wherever he wants with no regard for the people or the stability of his country, there will always be a genocide in my opinion.

albertacowpoke

at 09:19 on June 18th, 2009

Thank you for your comments Amy:). Could not agree more.

Sputnic

at 10:06 on June 18th, 2009

Genocide is a terrible thing, the methods used vary: from murder that is quick to long term starvation and denial of medical attention, even when a hospital may be a short drive away across a border. It is pleasing to see that so many contributors to now public are opposed to genocide in all its forms !

albertacowpoke

at 10:10 on June 18th, 2009

Thank you for you comments Sputnic.

Yellow Guitar

at 16:11 on June 18th, 2009

So we have the 'remnants of genocide.' Should we expect an announcement that there has been a 'remnant of justice' brought down on the heads of the perpetrators? Sounds like doublespeak to me.

Thank you for posting this piece.