The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC is beginning a new “Working Group” on Sudan. CSIS is the K Street “think tank” that has already offered one seriously deficient account of the catastrophe in Sudan (“US Policy to End Sudan’s War: Report of the CSIS Task Force on US-Sudan Policy,” Co-chairs Stephen Morrison and Francis Deng, February 2001; a critique by Ted Dagne, Roger Winter, and Eric Reeves is available upon request). Loaded with “carrots” for Khartoum, the document gave little evidence of understanding what “sticks” might be necessary to force the NIF regime to negotiate a just peace. Now CSIS seems ready to begin the process again: here is a call to the first meeting, this one focussing on oil development (the email notice attached below was forwarded to me by a thoroughly dismayed individual: I’ve certainly not been invited to attend). The only featured participants are:
Florence Fee, former head of Chevron’s Task Force during the
exploration and planning phase of their work in Sudan (1979-90)
Carl Bildt, Lundin Petroleum
Reg Manhas, Talisman Energy
Roger Diwan, Petroleum Finance Company
Just how likely is it that the terrible realities of oil development in southern Sudan are going to be discussed honestly with representatives like Reg Manhas of Talisman and Carl Bildt of Lundin? These men and their corporations deny the most fundamental findings of all human rights groups reporting on oil development in Sudan. They deny the findings of the UN Rapporteurs for Sudan, of numerous humanitarian personnel and organizations, and of the many journalists reporting from southern Sudan.
What can possibly come of an investigation into the “past and present status of oil operations” (language from the CSIS call to meeting) if it is organized around the lies, the transparent lies and disingenuousness, of the representative of Talisman Energy and Lundin Petroleum? Why are there no representatives of human rights groups that have reported on oil development in southern Sudan?
Perhaps CSIS deserves some queries.
—Eric Reeves
******************************************************
—–Original Message—–
From: Sarah Skorupski [mail to: SSkorups@csis.org]
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 11:40 AM
To: Sarah Skorupski
Subject: REMINDER – CSIS Meeting on Sudan and Oil
This is a reminder that the first meeting of the new CSIS Working Group on Sudan will be held Wednesday, April 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at CSIS, Room B1-C, 1800 K Street, NW, Washington, DC.
In this first session we will briefly discuss the scope, purposes and plans for the Working Group, followed by four expert presentations on past and present status of oil operations:
Florence Fee, former head of Chevron’s Task Force during the
exploration and planning phase of their work in Sudan (1979-90)
Carl Bildt, Lundin
Reg Manhas, Talisman Energy
Roger Diwan, Petroleum Finance Company
If you have not done so already, please let us know, either by phone or
email, if you will be able to attend. If you have any questions, please feel
free to call Stephen Morrison, Africa Program director, or Sarah Skorupski, Africa Program coordinator, at (202) 775-3219.
***
Sarah Skorupski
Program Coordinator and Research Associate
Africa Program
Center for Strategic and International Studies
1800 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
ph. 202-775-3219
fax. 202-775-3190
email. sskorups@csis.org