DOES OBAMA EVER TALK TO GRATION - HIS SPECIAL ENVOY TO SUDAN?

IT IS TIME FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TO HAVE A TALK WITH GRATION. LET GRATION HAVE MORE TIME WITH HIS FAMILY. AND IT IS TIME FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA TO LISTEN TO HIS OWN WORDS THAT HE SPOKE BEFORE HE BECAME THE DECIDER IN CHIEF. A GENOCIDE NEEDS HIM TO GET BACK TO HIS PRINCIPLES ON THIS NEGLECTED HUMAN DISASTER.

The Darfuri Internally Displaced Persons in south Sudan's Kalma camp were not able to hold their demonstration Wednesday, August 5, 2009 due to heavy rains. They decided to pick another date and will let the world know. They are following the pouring out of support from around the world.

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Senator Robert Menendez presses Sudan special envoy Scott Gration on why progress toward a lasting peace in Sudan has proven elusive. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, July 30, 2009.
Uploaded by ENOUGHproject

When Gration is replaced, how rich will he be? He must be being given financial incentives by Government of Sudan (GoS) to speak the softball statements about Darfur. Menendez asks " What is it that you don't have that you need, outside of time?"

"Time is a big one. The second thing is we need some space on sanctions, they are things that we are doing that sanctions that are hindering me from bringing development to the south. There are things that are hindering me because of sanctions that are keeping the people of Sudan from getting the education they need, uh I have a simple radio that's a doctor and a blackberry that connects up to five lead institutions so that doctors in Darfur and the south and around can call in and get the latest medical help and I can't even distribute them because of sanctions. The trains, the very elements we need, the equipment that we need to develop the south can't come through port Sudan or Khartoum because it's all sanctioned. We have to take a good look and say, "What can we do so that the southern Sudanese have every opportunity to be birth as a nation? It's not an incubator, but one that can survive on its own... " Gration says here. Gration instills no confidence in his grasp of what has been the history of Bashir and his GoS. A history of lies. Gration has spoken of being friendly with a government supporting genocide. Obama chose the wrong person for this job. Gration is a disaster. Since Bashir likes Gration, it's reason to not trust Gration's judgment.

When I read my transcript of Gration talking in this Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing from last week, I think of the nonsensical talk of our former President, George W Bush. Gration sounds like he is struggling to put together words that sound good to his ears. It is ridiculous that he is bringing up the port of Sudan and Khartoum having problems due to sanctions. Where is Gration's truth-talk about the problems that the refugees are having due to Bashir's support to ruin the Darfuris lives?

Gration is in la-la land. Talking about his getting up every day at 6:00 a.m. to impress us how hard he is working. He sounds immature at best. If he works 24 hours a day and ignores Bashir's history of lying, Gration will still be ineffective.

Gration has got to go.

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U.S. UN Ambassador Susan Rice on Darfur
Uploaded by ourpledge

The transcript portion below is of Susan Rice speaking of Darfur and Obama's vision taken from this video. The video was uploaded by the official BarackObamadotcom campaign headquarters.

During the Presidential campaign, Susan Rice speaks about the foreign relations that Barack Obama and Joe Biden will inherit (2:22). At 2:45 Susan asks "Do the American people want genuine change, do they want the visionary, intelligent, wise, tough and smart leadership of Barack Obama and Joe Biden?

At 1:52 of 15:19 Susan Rice states, "There's been a genocide moving into its sixth year in Darfur and this administration (Bush-Cheney) has done nothing effective to stop it."

At 10:56 to 11:26, Susan Rice states as a supporter of Barck Obama, Presidential candidate: "Barack Obama is also committed to helping to end the genocide in Darfur. Going into six years of killing and maiming, and the Sudanese government still is not facing any meaningful pressure from the United States or the international community. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe in tougher sanctions, combined with real assistance to help the U.N. African Union peacekeeping force stand up and protect civilians is long over due."

At 11:26 - 11:48
These are among the important changes that Barack Obama and Joe Biden will bring...the choice facing you and the American people could not be more stark. It's more of the same versus dramatic change..."

See the video that the above transcript is taken from of Susan Rice speaking for Obama and Biden Uploaded by BarackObamadotcom
Uploaded September 17, 2008

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A youtube by senatorlugar - Senator Lugar of Indiana questions Gration at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on U.S. policy toward Sudan July 30, 2009. U.S. Senator Dick Lugar asked what progress has been made to bring along a broader array of international actors to help Sudan, will key actors such as China, Russia, the African Union Members, and the Arab League bring positive influence to bear, what is the status of filling staff requirements, and why does the Sudan Program Group (which coordinates US policy for Sudan) exist independent of the State Department Africa Bureau and does that cause confusion and issues to drop through the cracks. He also asked about the prospects for return of millions displaced from their homes and what standard is being established for their safe return and continued security.

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Darfur: We Won't Get Fooled Again from Darfur on Vimeo.

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Fast for Darfur

Contact Information for Key U.S. People
Regarding Darfur, Sudan

President Obama

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

You can also write to the President at:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

President Obama can be called:

202-456-1111
or
1-800-GENOCIDE

The White House comment line is available
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vice President Biden

When I went to his link and contact information, it took me to this
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Vice President Biden's mailing address:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/vp_residence/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Main address:
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Link to contact information:
http://contact-us.state.gov

Email form for Secretary of State Clinton:

http://contact-us.state.gov/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UN Ambassador Susan Rice

• United States of AmericaUnited States of America

More information

www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/

140 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017

(212) 415-4000

Link to contact information:
http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml

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Scott Gration

may not be worth the effort.

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Foreign Relations committee members

http://foreign.senate.gov/about.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USA elected politicians contact information at this link:
www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Senate Sub-Committee on African Affairs
At this link are the members' names, email addresses and phone numbers:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress
Sub-Committees listed:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgi-bin/committee_list.cgi?site=ctc

USA MEDIA - HELPING GENOCIDE - OBAMA'S FAILING TO GET THE PICTURE- GRATION HAS GOT TO GO

I can't say it enough - the USA media is not reporting the important story of Darfuris. People like me are trying to get the news out, but it needs to be reported by our news media. And since they are not, blood is on their hands. And on our President's hands.


Below is from While We Wait

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Day 119 - August 4th

The internally displaced persons (IDP) in the largest camp in South Darfur, Kalma IDP Camp, have decided to get out tomorrow (Wednesday) in a demonstration. A leader in the camp, Sheikh Ali Tahir, told Radio Dabanga this morning that they decided to protest the report of the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan, General Scott Gration, and his presentation in front of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (last week) about the situation in Darfur and his friendly policies towards the Government of Sudan (GoS). The Leader said that the camps are simmering with rage towards the Special Envoy's lies and that his words will only prolong their suffering and misery in the camps. He added that the Special Envoy is rewarding Sudanese President Omar al Bashir and his government (GoS). The leader, Sheikh Ali Tahir, said further that General Gration should be replaced as Special Envoy to Sudan and Darfur.

Pro Government of Sudan (GoS) armed individuals entered the Hasahisa IDP camp (West Darfur near Zalengie) last night and started shooting in the air rounds of bullets, a refugee in the camp told radio Dabanga this morning. The Refugee said the residents were terrified all night. He added saying that the intention of the GoS is to drive the residents out of the camp and dismantle the camp.

Armed militias riding in vehicles started looting the neighborhoods of Elwadi, Sabrin, and Shamm Elnassim in Nyala (capital of South Darfur). A victim of the incident said that people were running saying that pro GoS militias are robbing people on the streets and broke into many homes. The victim told Radio Dabanga that the armed men on the vehicle caught up with him with others and robbed them their cellular phones. The victim told Radio Dabanga that he and others went to the police and the police told them that there is nothing they could do except recording the incident.

The IDP in the camp of Fatta-Barno in North Darfur (near Kutum) were visited by the Assistant of Al-Bashir, Nafi Ali Nafi, during his tour through Darfur, A leader in the camp told Radio Dabanga. The leader added that the IDPs told Nafi that the reports of their voluntary returns are lies by the local government officials and there are no returns by any refugees to the destroyed villages. The Leader said to Radio Dabanga that after the visit, the GoS cut off humanitarian aid from the camp. The Leader said the GoS started by cutting off the supply of fuel that powers the engines of the water pumps. Now the fuel is purchased by money collected by people pitching (in the camp and outside from the neighboring villages), the leader reported.

An IDP leader in a camp near ElGeneina (West Darfur) told radio Dabanga that the GoS started to build training camps on the lands of the refugees for the Chadian rebels. The leader said that the camps are built in the area of Tendeki. ElGeneina district is on the borders with Chad. The Leader told Radio Dabanga that the Chadian Rebels in the area of Tendeki are abusing the civilians in that area, he added that he has received many reports of looting and rape.
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On April 8, 2009, it was reported that General Scott Gration, the US Special Envoy to Sudan, proposed a resolution to fill the gap left by the Government of Sudan's decision to expel 16 aid groups from Darfur. The purpose of this blog is to provide daily updates on how Darfuri lives are affected as they wait for aid to be restored.

Updates and comments about the crisis are provided by Mohamed Suleiman, a US-based Darfuri with a broad network of Darfuri contacts from the Diaspora and from IDP camps in Sudan and refugee camps in Chad. For additional information, visit http://www.savedarfur.org/section/heroes_archive/octobers_darfur_heroes/

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Darfur: We Won't Get Fooled Again from Darfur on Vimeo.

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Rahma Profile from iActivism on Vimeo.

.......................................................

Fast for Darfur

Contact Information for Key U.S. People
Regarding Darfur, Sudan

President Obama

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

You can also write to the President at:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

President Obama can be called:

202-456-1111
or
1-800-GENOCIDE

The White House comment line is available
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vice President Biden

When I went to his link and contact information, it took me to this
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Vice President Biden's mailing address:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/vp_residence/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Main address:
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Link to contact information:
http://contact-us.state.gov

Email form for Secretary of State Clinton:

http://contact-us.state.gov/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UN Ambassador Susan Rice

• United States of AmericaUnited States of America

More information

www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov/

140 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017

(212) 415-4000

Link to contact information:
http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scott Gration

may not be worth the effort.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Foreign Relations committee members

http://foreign.senate.gov/about.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USA elected politicians contact information at this link:
www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Senate Sub-Committee on African Affairs
At this link are the members' names, email addresses and phone numbers:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress
Sub-Committees listed:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/cgi-bin/committee_list.cgi?site=ctc

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY GRATION SNOOKERED

PRESIDENT OBAMA

It shows how little our new President has paid attention to his appointed U.S. Special Envoy Scott Gration to Sudan, including Darfur, in that Obama has allowed Gration's alarming statements to be made about Darfur since Gration has had the position go unchecked. Gration is a Khartoum friend. Meaning a friend of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has supported the crimes against the Darfuri people. Listening to Gration speak does not instill any confidence that he understands what has and is happening to the Darfuri people. Listen to him speak from July 30, 2009:

www.senate.gov/fplayers/CommPl ayer/commFlashPlayer

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Government of Sudan on Darfur: Mission accomplished!

by Mohamed Suleiman

Published August 01, 2009 @ 09:04AM PT

Source:
http://genocide.change.org/blog/view/government_of_sudan_on_darfur_mission_accomplished

On Thursday July 23^rd 2009, I watched the film "The Reckoning." I was among other activists and justice-conscientious individuals in San Francisco. In the film, Louis Moreno Ocampo, the Chief Prosecutor in the International Criminal Court (ICC), was very impressive in his relentless pursue of justice. One sentence stuck with me while driving back home and kept ringing in my ears was when he said: "I can wait, al Bashir can wait, the international community can wait, but the victims of Darfur can not afford to wait."

A week later, Thursday 30^th 2009, I tuned in to the website of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee to watch the Special Envoy to Sudan, General Gration, testifying. The issue of genocide and "remnants of genocide" were raised by many Senators in the committee. The response of the Special Envoy I could sum it in, "Let us not dwell on the definitions of genocide but on what we could do to help the suffering people of Darfur, and I have plans for that."

Ask any Darfuris anywhere, what would like to see in Darfur now? The answer whether from a refugee in Kalma or a Darfuri in Diaspora in New York will be: 1) Justice. 2) Security. 3) Just and lasting Peace.

Read more »