Ambassador Susan Rice

Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations

U.S. Mission to the United Nations
140 East 45th Street
New York, NY 10017

Dear Madam Ambassador,

We are pleased that you spoke forcefully about the UN Secretary-General’s latest
report on the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), which reports dozens of
instances in which the Government of Sudan has denied peacekeepers freedom of
movement and access. As you said, this is a blatant violation of the terms of the
Status of Forces Agreement and greatly impedes UNAMID’s ability to carry out
its important peacekeeping mission. A fully operational UNAMID is critical to
protect civilians and monitor the security situation until a viable political
settlement can be reached to end the conflict.

We are writing to you about another recent report on Darfur presented to the UN
Security Council by the Panel of Experts on Sudan in October. As you are likely
aware, this report states that almost all sides in the conflict have failed in their
obligation to comply with Security Council sanctions and to cooperate with the
monitoring efforts of the Panel of Experts. We urge you, as you did with the UN
Secretary-General’s report on UNAMID, to speak out publicly about these
reported violations. With the next Panel of Experts currently being constituted, it
is especially important that the Security Council make clear that obstruction of
their work is unacceptable.

In their report, the Panel of Experts found that violations of international

humanitarian and human rights law remain rampant in Darfur. The report states,
“The Darfurian population continues to be victimized by effects of attacks and
counter-attacks involving most of the armed movements that frequently lead to the
disproportionate use of force by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their auxiliary
forces, and results in killings, injuries and displacements.” The report documents
a number of specific violations of the UN arms embargo by the Sudanese
government and armed movements, especially the Justice and Equality Movement.
The report also suggests that auxiliary forces of the Sudanese government, known
as the Janjaweed, continue to carry arms and engage in violence.

The Panel of Experts report recommends that the Security Council request the
Government of Sudan report to the Sanctions Committee on a bimonthly basis on
movements of troops and material into and out of Darfur, the scope and state of
disarmament of Darfurian tribes, and efforts to ensure the protection of all
Darfurians. The report also recommends that the Security Council explore

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possible ways to provide assistance to the Dakar Contact Group’s monitoring of
the Chadian-Sudanese border. Finally, the confidential annex of the report
provides information on a number of individuals who could be added to existing
sanctions lists.

We urge you to ensure that these recommendations are carefully reviewed and
discussed by the Security Council. While we realize some Security Council
members may oppose action at this time, we believe it is important to begin a
discussion at the Security Council about pressures that can be brought to bear
against belligerents in Darfur in the case that these violations persist. As we have
learned from the past, such pressures will only be effective if they have
multilateral support. We hope ongoing attempts to achieve a peace agreement will
succeed and that such pressures will not be necessary, but we should be prepared
if the parties continue to drag their feet as they have in the past.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you
and General Gration to deliver on the administration’s commitment stated in its
Sudan strategy to “work to more concretely transform widespread international
concern about Darfur into serious multilateral commitments.”

Sincerely,

________________________ _________________________
Russell D. Feingold John McCain
United States Senator United States Senator

CC: The Honorable Hillary Clinton

United States Secretary of State

The Honorably Scott Gration

United States Special Envoy to Sudan