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Should the Mass Kiling in Sudan Be Considered a Genocide?
A Debate Between Africa Action and Kofi Annan’s Adviser
Debate on Alberto Gonzales Continues; Democrats Lash Out
At His Role in Approving Torture
No Mercy: Gonzales Clemency Memos to Bush Facilitated Texas
Executions
Should the Mass Kiling in Sudan Be Considered a Genocide?
A Debate Between Africa Action and Kofi Annan’s Adviser
A new United Nations report on Sudan criticized the government
and its militia of systematically abusing and killing civilians
in the country’s western Darfur region. But the report
concludes that the Sudanese government did not pursue a policy
of genocide.
The report does say that some individuals, including government
officials, had acted with "genocidal intent". Over
the past two years, at least 70,000 people have been killed
in Darfur and more than two million people have been forced
to become refugees.
The 176-page report was prepared by a five-member UN-appointed
commission and delivered to the Security Council last week.
It recommended that Security Council immediately refer the
situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC),
the world’s first permanent war-crimes tribunal.
But the Bush administration is strongly opposed to the court
and could use its veto to block a referral. Washington has
proposed a war-crimes tribunal in Tanzania to prosecute atrocities
committed in Darfur. The State Department concluded in September
2004 that genocide had occurred in Darfur.
- Edward Mortimer, Director of Communications, Office of
Secretary General and an advisor to Kofi Annan.
Debate on Alberto Gonzales Continues; Democrats Lash
Out At His Role in Approving Torture
The full Senate continues debate today on the confirmation
of Alberto Gonzales to Attorney General. During 8 hours on
the floor Wednesday, some Senate Democrats sharply criticized
Gonzales’ role in laying the legal groundwork that led
to the torture of detainees at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib.
We hear excerpts from speeches by Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen.
Edward Kennedy.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 10-8 along party lines
last week to endorse Gonzales. The close vote prompted speculation
that Democrats might seek to block a vote on the Senate floor
through a filibuster. But leading Democrats indicated this
was unlikely, instead extending debate until at least Thursday.
It now appears that at least 30 Democratic Senators, including
Minority Leader Harry Reid will vote against Gonzales’
confirmation. Meanwhile, Republican Senators took to the floor
to defend Gonzales’ record as White House counsel. Republican
Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah was among his staunchest supporters.
This is some of what he had to say.
- Sen. Orrin Hatch (R - Utah), United States Senate, February
1, 2005.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats took the floor to blast Gonzales
in his role as White House counsel in setting the stage for
abuse of detainees. Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts delivered
some of the most fiery criticism.
- Senator Edward Kennedy, (D-Mass), United States Senate,
February 1, 2005.
No Mercy: Gonzales Clemency Memos to Bush Facilitated
Texas Executions
Journalist Alan Berlow reports Alberto Gonzales, “repeatedly
failed to apprise the governor of crucial issues in the cases
at hand: ineffective counsel, conflict of interest, mitigating
evidence, even actual evidence of innocence.” [includes
rush
transcript]
While Alberto Gonzales’ role in laying the legal groundwork
for the torture of detainees took center stage at yesterday’s
Senate debate, his time as Bush’s gubernatorial counsel
during his days as Texas Governor was largely overlooked.
At that time, one of Gonzales’ most important jobs
was to brief Bush on each execution in the state. During Bush’s
six years as governor, there were 152 executions. For the
first 57 of those cases, Gonzales wrote a briefing –
an “execution summary” – for those Bush
to review.
Journalist Alan Berlow obtained the memos and wrote about
them extensively in The Atlantic Monthly in the summer of
2003. Berlow concluded Gonzales, “repeatedly failed
to apprise the governor of crucial issues in the cases at
hand: ineffective counsel, conflict of interest, mitigating
evidence, even actual evidence of innocence.”
- Alan Berlow, Washington-based freelance journalist who
frequently writes about death penalty issues. He first obtained
the clemency memos and wrote about them in the Atlantic
Monthly in the summer of 2003.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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