US seeks sanctions on Sudanese individuals over Darfur

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said yesterday that "the US strongly believes the time has come to designate individuals under UN Security Council Resolution 1591 for targeted sanctions."

He said "The activation of targeted sanctions against those individuals who are responsible for committing violence in Darfur or impeding the peace process continues efforts to end impunity and as a down payment towards justice and accountability. We're determined to pursue the designation of appropriate individuals from all parties involved in the violence in Darfur. Indeed, we are preparing to designate some individual soon and we'll be working towards designation of more. This is going to be a rolling process."

He said "the Sanctions Committee is looking at a number of individuals. George, I'm not going to -- not at liberty at this point to get into specific numbers, but I would emphasize the fact that we're looking at individuals from all sectors, including from the government. We think that this is important. I would note that as names come forward and as the Security Council acts under 1591, that this is going to be a continuing process, that this is going to be constantly updated as we're able to gather the necessary information not only that we need, but that the Security Council needs in order to act and have these actions be enforceable by law...there is a Sanctions Committee and they consider a number of names. The names then that are agreed upon move forward to the Security Council. There is a common period, I think it's a 48-hour common period. And if there's no comment or objection to any of the names in the 48 hours, then they are so designated. And then on the -- from the US side in order to have this be -- have the force of US law, then there's a executive proclamation that needs to come out of the White House. I don't know if the executive proclamation is the term of art, but an action from the White House to make sure that the action has the force of law in the United States."

Asked that "it was mentioned there that it was just a formality to sign off on that list there, but they've never signed off on. What was the reason for that?"

McCormack said "I'll look into it.. I know that there are a number of different discussions that are ongoing. But part of the process, and from our perspective, is to make sure that we have all the necessary information that we need so that these actions in the Security Council have the force of law in the United States and they will be able to stand up in a US court of law if need be. So we want to make sure that any actions that are taken are effective actions and that whatever names are designated and put forward through the UN have rock-solid information that the US Government, if need be, can act upon."

McCormack did not specify if the sanctions would include travel sanctions, and/or financial sanctions, saying this action is "a down payment on justice being done for the crimes committed in Sudan. Again, I'm going to wait for the process to play out before I get into any specifics. I don't want to preempt any announcements."

He said "We're pushing this issue hard on a lot of different fronts. A lot of different countries are working in good faith on the issue. They understand what's happening in Darfur. It's a tragedy. And that is why we are working on the issue of the security forces. That is why we're working on the issue of humanitarian aid. It's vitally important that the world, while we are working towards a final political solution, also remember the need for humanitarian aid. That's something that the US has also taken the lead on.

"And I talked about the political solution. That's the other front. And that is -- it is in Abuja, we hope, where ultimately the issues that are the source of conflict among the various groups in and around Sudan will be able to solve their problems. There are some -- there was a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between some groups in the south and the government. That is now being implemented. We hope that that agreement and the example of its implementation can serve as an example to those other groups that are now outside of that agreement that are now meeting in Abuja to try to come to an agreement. We believe a lot of the key players necessary to an agreement are there in Abuja now. We are there. We're there 24/7. And certainly people back here in Washington are watching this issue very closely. Deputy Secretary Zoellick is deeply involved in trying to move this issue forward across all of these international fronts as well as within the US Government."

He added "there is a mechanism that the international community has agreed upon so that those who have committed crimes in Sudan will be held accountable for what they have done. Let me point out the example of Charles Taylor and how it has taken several years for him to actually stand before an international court. The course of justice sometimes will take longer than we would hope. That doesn't mean that we don't -- we won't always seek that justice be done. And I think it is a lesson for those who think that they can run and hide, that they can somehow escape the judgment of the international community for the crimes that they've committed, with Charles Taylor as an example for them, and others that have been taken before the international tribunal -- the ICTY for those who committed crimes in the former Yugoslavia. It doesn't matter how long it takes, the international community will act. It will follow through on its promise to render judgment and to hold accountable those who have committed crimes."