Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Statement on the Completion of the Southern Sudan Referendum
STATEMENT BY SECRETARY CLINTON
The completion of a peaceful, orderly Southern Sudan referendum marks a significant achievement for the Sudanese people and a historic step toward full implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). The United States commends the millions of Southern Sudanese people who participated in this historic process, and applauds both northern and southern leaders for creating conditions that allowed voters to cast their ballots freely and without fear, intimidation, or coercion. The successful vote was also a credit to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau, and more than 40 countries and international organizations.
We welcome the positive statements issued in recent days by international observer missions from the African Union, Arab League, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, European Union, and the Carter Center.As we await the official results of the referendum, we reaffirm our commitment to remain a steadfast partner to both parties as they continue to work toward full implementation of the CPA and to develop their post-CPA relationship. The parties have an opportunity to forge a durable peace between the North and the South, and to build positive relationships with the international community. We hope they will seize this moment, and the United States supports their efforts to ensure a peaceful, more prosperous future for all Sudanese.
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Preliminary reports say the results will show overwhelming support for secession. The question is, will the North recognize it and how will the issue of Abyei be resolved.
Stacy- I am curious as to whether you think the Obama administration would normalize relations with Khartoum and lift sanctions in return for Bashir’s promise to play nice and honor referendum results? If so it would mean that Bashir would likely never have to appear before the ICC for war crimes and the genocide would go unpunished.
Lulu- I have heard the idea floated that if Bashir plays nice we might lift sanctions. I really think if the US wanted Bashir held accountable at the ICC he’d have been magically spirited off to some country where he would be magically apprehended (*cough* CIA *cough) kind of like we helped covertly round up Bosnian Serbs alleged to be war criminals.
I really think if Bashir does not stand up in front of the ICC then it will send a dangerous precedent that genocide will largely go unpunished. After Rwanda, that is unacceptable.
This article will make you sick to your stomach if you think Bashir deserves to spend the rest of his life in a really small prison cell (you have to have an account to see this archived article so I’ll post a long excerpt below):
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/10/13/lawyers_guns_and_money
When I read articles like that I sort of struggle to not totally lose faith in US foreign policy across the board. Also, when I read articles like this I’m just stunned:
http://mondoweiss.net/2011/01/another-american-family-this-time-the-jilanis-will-have-to-grieve-without-justice-over-israeli-killing.html
Perhaps I am naive but I like to think that while much of our policies understandably revolve around insuring the stability of US economic and security interests, we also will stand firm on basic principles of human rights, particularly when it comes to genocide. So far, I’ve been a little disappointed and I honestly struggle with how best to deal with that given I run a blog devoted not only to US foreign policy, but the nation’s top diplomat, whom I greatly admire.