Continued US Presence Must be a Priority for Lasting Peace in Sudan

Salem-News.com

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - “We believe Senator Danforth and Secretary Powell, in partnership with Secretary Clinton, could once again play a historic role in securing a truly lasting peace for the people of Sudan.”

In a bipartisan letter to President Obama, the four co-chairs of the Sudan Caucus today have urged the President to send Secretary of State Clinton, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and former Senator John Danforth to Sudan in an effort to assure the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) is fully implemented and respected by all parties involved.

Senator Danforth and Secretary Powell played an instrumental role in securing the CPA and thus should be at the forefront of this continued diplomatic process. By sending a delegation of past and present leaders to Sudan, President Obama would show the world that the United States continues to bear influence and responsibility for the performance of the CPA.

December 2, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama
The President
The White House
Washington D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

With the South Sudan referendum just weeks away, we urge you to call upon Secretary of State Clinton, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and former Senator John Danforth to go to Sudan as soon as possible to communicate at the highest levels that the United States, as a guarantor of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), will not tolerate anything less than the agreement being fully implemented and respected by all parties involved.

The United States continues to bear influence on and some responsibility for the CPA. Both Secretary Powell and Senator Danforth have a long and distinguished history when it comes to Sudan, while an official visit from Secretary Clinton can communicate high-level commitment from your administration at this critical juncture.  Senator Danforth’s leadership was instrumental in negotiating the historic CPA that brought about an end to more than 20 years of brutal civil war.  Secretary Powell was at the forefront in championing this diplomatic effort.  Both were present at the signing of the accord in Nairobi and are respected American statesmen of the highest caliber who have a deep history and knowledge of Sudan and who are held in high esteem by the North and South. Secretary Clinton has dedicated significant State Department resources to ensure that past gains for peace and democracy will not be abrogated in the coming months.  A cooperative effort now from these three authoritative figures will demonstrate the power of our message.

Earlier this year, the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, predicted that over the next five years, “...a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in Southern Sudan” - more so than any other country.  We must avoid such horrors at all costs. 

We believe Senator Danforth and Secretary Powell, in partnership with Secretary Clinton, could once again play a historic role in securing a truly lasting peace for the people of Sudan.  We urge you to give this request every consideration.

Best wishes.

Sincerely,

Rep. Michael E. Capuano
Sudan Caucus Co-Chair

Rep. Michael T. McCaul
Sudan Caucus Co-Chair

Rep. Donald M. Payne
Sudan Caucus Co-Chair

Rep. Frank R. Wolf
Sudan Caucus Co-Chair

Alysha Atma spends many hours working on projects that support and benefit the beleaguered people of African nations who spend way too much time off the western media's radar. This writer explains that she is a culmination of all her experiences, most importantly knowledge she says, and all that she still needs to learn; lessons of love, laughter and the extraordinary giving of both young and old. She says she has the enormous fortune of learning from the best; every person around her, and the amazing strength and fortitude of those she has never met but will always strive to listen to. "I continue to work and write because I believe in the power of community and the power of one, both contradictory to each other and yet can move together in a very powerful way. I feel a responsibility to use my place, freedoms and connections here in the US to stand up and yell for those who need my voice and actions. I have seen such strength in my fellow humans that I cannot even begin to comprehend, they have traveled distances, have gone without food, water, shelter and safety for days and weeks at a time. I have a responsibility as a fellow human to put our common humanity before anything else. Everyone deserves to look towards tomorrow, to dream of a safe future and to have a peaceful present." You can write to Alysha Atma at: alysha.atma@gmail.com