An Opening for Peace in Darfur

RI President Ken Bacon has been in Sudan this week as part of a Save Darfur Coalition delegation headed by Governor Bill Richardson. Today, the delegation announced that the Government of Sudan and the various rebel groups will cease hostilities for a period of 60 days while they work towards a lasting peace.

Ken sent in this analysis of the agreement today, and reported that he's feeling optimistic on opportunities for progress. It's true that efforts to settle the war in Darfur include numerous broken cease-fire agreements. As Ken writes, "Whether the new peace opening succeeds will depend on the will of both the government of Sudan and rebel fighters." Still, this provides an opening for peace, and the fact that President al-Bashir was personally involved in the discussions that led to the agreement adds to our hope.

For more information on the agreement, Governor Richardson and the Government of Sudan issued this joint statement. Reuters also published this article.

Governor Richardson, who was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 1997 to 1998, has had success negotiating with Sudan in the past. He first worked in Sudan in 1996, when he secured the release of an American pilot and two Red Cross workers, who were being held hostage by Sudanese rebels. In September, he successfully negotiated with al-Bashir to free Chicago Tribune reporter Paul Salopek, who was being held in a Sudanese prison on espionage charges.

It's too soon to say whether Governor Richardson's latest efforts will be as successful, since we need to wait and see if the cease-fire will hold. But I will still hope that the people I met in Darfur in July -- and all of the 2 million people who have been forced to flee their homes -- will see some semblance of peace for at least the next 60 days.