For the past two years, as Special Envoy to Sudan, Air Force Major General (ret.) Scott Gration has repeatedly made serious errors of judgment, spoken inaccurately about a range of issues, and has alienated the political leadership in South Sudan, along with civil society, rebel leaders and the humanitarian aid community working in Darfur.Recently, we spoke with two Darfuris living in refugee camps in eastern Chad and asked them “Was Scott Gration good for the Darfur peace process?” Here is what they told us:
The Obama administration has nominated Scott Gration to be the U.S. ambassador to Kenya. Such a post would give him an important role in U.S. anti-terrorism efforts and would impact a range of African countries. General Gration’s missteps, miscalculations, and disingenuousness during his tenure in Sudan, which are fully outlined in a recent article by Sudan expert Eric Reeves, make him unfit to be ambassador to Kenya.
Please take this Urgent Action asking Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, to vote decisively against his confirmation
FACEBOOK ACTION: “Like” the above video that is posted on Senator John Kerry’s facebook page (you must “Like” the page first) and leave a personal comment of support.
You can also post your own message to John Kerry with a link to the video. Sample:
@JohnKerry Senator Kerry, please listen to Darfuris and their opinion on Scott Gration’s impact on the Darfur peace process when considering Gation’s appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Kenya. Please vote against his confirmation to such an important position. http://bit.ly/bZ0KpV
Dear @JohnKerry Grations approach to #Darfur failed. Pls oppose his confirmation as Amb. to #Kenya http://bit.ly/fMuBN7 #Sudan
IF YOU ARE AN ORGANIZATION: Please consider signing on to an organizational letter to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. If you would like to read the text of the letter please contact aj@idahodarfurcoalition.org. To sign on please send your organization’s name, name of signatory, and city and state to AJ by Sunday March 27, 2011.
For more information you can read:
- Eric Reeves’ “The Role of Scott Gration in the Current Abyei Crisis,” March 6, 2011
- Dissent Magazine by Reeves The Senate Should Not Confirm Scott Gration as U.S. Ambassador to Kenya.