Obama’s U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan Stepping Down

[sudan]

The White House on Monday abruptly announced the departure of president Obama’s special envoy to Sudan Princeton Lyman who held the post since March 2011.
Obama hailed the work done by his special envoy particularly during the transition from a united Sudan to a partitioned one in July 2011.
"For the last two years, Ambassador Princeton Lyman has served as my Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan, building on a long legacy of dedicated service in the United States government. Princeton has done a tremendous job in helping to realize the promise of an independent South Sudan, and working toward the international vision of Sudan and South Sudan living side by side in peace" the U.S. president said according to a statement on White House website.
"I have valued his extraordinary service, which has been appreciated by the United States and the international community. The people of Sudan and South Sudan, who have suffered so much, have the opportunity to seize a brighter future because of Princeton’s efforts to urge both sides to put the interests of their people first. I am deeply grateful for Princeton’s steadfast and tireless leadership, and wish him and his family well" the press release read.
No reason was given for Lyman’s resignation and no replacement was announced. Obama starts his second term next month amid reports of major shuffles in his cabinet.
The outgoing envoy replaced Scott Gration who moved to become U.S. ambassador to Kenya until he later resigned.
Lyman served as ambassador to Nigeria and South Africa and was also Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs in the 90’s.
During his tenure Lyman worked to mediate between Khartoum and Juba to resolve the outstanding issues especially pertaining to borders, oil, Abyei status and insurgency near South Sudan borders.
The U.S. has also been pressing Juba to stop its backing of Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) fighting Khartoum in the border states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan. The issue is main sticking point in the stalled security agreement between north and south Sudan.

 

[waltky]

ICC calls for arrest of Sudan's Bashir...

ICC Calls on US to Arrest Sudan's Bashir
September 18, 2013 — The International Criminal Court called on the United States on Wednesday to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir if he travels to next week's U.N. General Assembly in New York.

The request comes after Sudan said on Tuesday it had applied for a U.S. visa for Bashir, who is sought by the court on suspicion of masterminding war crimes in Darfur. Washington said it had received the application and called the request “deplorable”. However, the United States is not a member of the Hague-based ICC so would not be legally bound to cooperate.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir speaks during a one-day summit in Khartoum

Nonetheless, Washington has led calls for Bashir to face international justice over the bloodshed in the now decade-old conflict in the western region of Darfur and has transferred suspects to the ICC before. The world's permanent war crimes court “invited the competent U.S. authorities to arrest Omar al-Bashir and surrender him to the court, in the event he enters their territory”.

The ICC said it had reminded Washington of two outstanding warrants for Bashir's arrest dating from 2009 and 2010 for alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Sudan dismisses the ICC charges, says reports of mass killings in Darfur have been exaggerated, and refuses to recognize the court which it says is part of a Western plot against it.

ICC Calls on US to Arrest Sudan's Bashir