On Sudans, China Got Change to Sanctions Only "If Necessary," Russia to Vote Yes

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 2 -- After the US put its Sudans draft resolution "into blue" on April 30, even on May 1 there were further consultations and changes. 

  On May 2 in front of the Security Council, Chinese Permanent Representative Li Baodong told the Press that a change had been made -- Article 41 sanctions only "if necessary." With that, he said, China would vote yes.

  Inner City Press asked US Ambassador Susan Rice if the draft resolution in blue had been modified. She nodded and answered, "Very little, it's a good text." 

 

  Unanimous adoption has been brought about. Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the press that he would be voting yes, "because of the African Union" and its request. He said Russia would make a statement expressing reservations.

  South Sudan representative Agnes Oswaha told Inner City Press that Article 41 is still in "but not explicitly." She entered the Security Council with her ministerial delegation including Deng Alor, who has said that the negotiations with Khartoum have to go beyond the Thabo Mbeki process and have more teeth.

Sudan's Permanent Representative walked into the Council in a bright white suit. One expects another round of dueling stakeouts after the vote. What about the damage at Heglig?

  Separately -- or not -- the buzz in front of the Security Council Wednesday morning was that the proposed lists of 40 new entities to be put on the North Korea sanctions list, whittled by China down to two, was now up to three, with a silence procedure running until noon on Wednesday. Questions were posed to entering Ambassadors but those asked, did not answer.

Footnote: Azerbaijan, May's President of the Security Council, had a press conference on May's program of work scheduled for 12:30, the normal time. But then it was listed as "canceled." One wonders if that means postponed until the Sudan resolution dust settles. Every other recent president has done such a presser. Watch this site.

As South Sudan Celebrates Its Touchdown at UN, Darfur & S. Kordofan Face Deadly Blitz from Al Bashir

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 14 -- At the end of a long day and a much longer process, South Sudan Vice President Riek Machar told Inner City Press that people in Darfur could take hope from his country's admission to the UN on July 14. “It can be done,” he said. “Omar al Bashir needs peace.”

Inner City Press asked Machar about the plight of Nuba peole in Southern Kordofan. “Bashir needs to abide by what was agreed in Addis,” Machar said. “If he does that, everything can work out.”

But speaking to the Security Council on July 13, US Ambassador Susan Rice said Khartoum is “wavering” on the June 28 agreement with the SPLM-North. Inner City Press asked her at the Council stakeout, “they've actually kind of totally broken it. They've said that they don't stand behind it. What's your understanding of where it stands?”

Ambassador Rice reiterated there, “the Government of Sudan did sign an agreement. And it would be most unfortunate if they formally reneged on that agreement.”

South Africa's mission to the UN, preparing celebrations for the birthday of Nelson Mandela upon whose inauguration a song “Black President” was launched, took a lead in celebrating South Sudan's joining the UN on July 14. They wondered why, for example, the people of Western Sahara have had to wait so long, and those of Palestine.

But Thursday was a good news day at the UN. Another longtime South Sudan proponent, Lumumba Stanislaus-Kaw Di-Aping, told Inner City Press that South Sudan is looking to rent space in Uganda House, next door to the US Mission.

His minister Deng Alor, out on First Avenue, invited Inner City Press to visit Juba again, for what would be the third time. Then he got into an entourage of black limousine, the last of which had Virginia license plates.

Months ago in the General Assembly lobby, Lumumba Stanislaus-Kaw Di-Aping told Inner City Press that the strategy of the SPLM was never to go for the touchdown, but in an NFL football analogy to move the ball ten yards at a time, from first down to first down. This week they scored their touchdown.

It was day for dancing, most notably by yet another longtime South Sudan proponent, Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth. But while the song “Signed Sealed Delivered, I'm Yours” had one meaning in Juba, it still rang empty Thursday in Kadugli, and through South Kordofan. These struggles continue -- watch this site.

In Khartoum, UN Council Comes In Just as US Envoy Leaves, Alternative Tours Offered, the Spin of Carnival Rides

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press in Africa
www.innercitypress.com/unsc1khartoum060308.html

KHARTOUM, June 3 -- As members of the UN Security Council arrived in Khartoum fresh from hearing about escalating tensions in Abyei from South Sudan President Salva Kiir, U.S. envoy Richard Williamson was leaving Sudan, saying he was "sad and disappointed" at the lack of prospects for peace. Nafie Al Nafie, advisor to Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, said "if they come back, we will engage." Sudan's Ambassador to the UN Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed, in Khartoum to greet the same Ambassadors he lobbies in New York, was more blunt, saying Williamson "did not negotiate in good faith... He came just to pollute the atmosphere and go."

Now the Security Council is here, slated to meet with Nafie on Wednesday before heading Thursday to Darfur. Some in the Council delegation seem fixated on not being deemed polluters. In Juba, UK Ambassador John Sawers listed several issues he said will be raised to the leadership in Khartoum, including President Bashir, but again did not mentioned the International Criminal Court among them.

Since the Council's meetings with Nafie and Foreign Minister Deng Alor are closed to the press, the Foreign Ministry has offered through the UN an "Alternative Media Program," complete with "child soldiers arrested during the attack on the Sudanese capital," some alleged to be from Chad. The UN's child soldiers envoy Radhika Coomaraswamy gave a briefing in New York about Chad, saying commitments had been won for the release of child soldiers. Whether she interviewed these particular children is not known. Also not known is the origin of a rumor that the UN's plane was shot at. It was not, a media on the trip rushed to clarify.

When the Council members arrived without incident in their special UN plane, it was dark in Khartoum. They were whisked into a greeting room and served tall glasses of fruit juice. Sudan's UN Ambassador was there, glad-handing reporters and diplomats. Busses swept the delegation to a spacious hotel, the Rotana, which is said to only take payment in cash. Out the window, the rides of an amusement park were visible. The UN set up a media room with a half-dozen computers, all tuned to the webpage of the UN Mission in Sudan. "Are they secure?" was a question asked more than once. The answer appeared to be no. Like the UN and its host, outside the carnival rides continued to spin.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc1khartoum060308.html