[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 49 (Monday, December 15, 2008)]
[Pages 1510-1511]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Darfur Human Rights Activist Halima 
Bashir

December 10, 2008

    The President. I have just had the distinct pleasure and honor of 
visiting with Dr. Halima Bashir, who wrote a book called ``Tears of the 
Desert.'' This good soul brings firsthand accounts to what life is like 
in Darfur. She has witnessed violence, deprivation, and she carries a 
message of a lot of people who want our help.
    I assured her that, in spite of the economic difficulties, our aid 
will continue to flow. We will use our influence to make sure the aid 
gets to the people of Darfur.
    I also made it clear that I am frustrated with the pace of 
activities; that the United

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Nations must expedite sending troops, peacekeepers, to provide security 
for the people. That's what they want; they want to be able to have a 
secure life, and that we'll help.
    The United States continues to stand at the ready to provide 
airlift. The pace of action out of the United Nations is too slow. We 
support the mediation process by the A.U.-U.N. mediator. In other words, 
we recognize in order for there to be peace in Darfur that parties must 
come to the table in good faith and solve the problems.
    And finally, it's very important for President Bashir of Sudan to 
know that he cannot escape accountability; that if he so choose, he 
could change people's lives--the condition of people's lives very 
quickly.
    I've appointed a Special Envoy to Sudan to help put pressure on the 
Government. The United States must continue to rally the international 
community to put pressure on the Government as well. The urgency of the 
situation is never more apparent than when I had the honor of visiting 
with this brave soul.
    And so I welcome you to the Oval Office. And I welcome any comments 
you want to make.
    Halima Bashir. Yes, of course. Thank you very much for the President 
to invite me to the White House. And I think this is--I'm very happy 
because now Darfur victims' voices is heard in the White House and to 
the American people and to the world. And I think the President, the 
message I send to him is going to do more work in Darfur to handle the 
situation, and to--[inaudible]--and the ICC ruling and just to stop the 
genocide and the crisis in Darfur. Because now more than 5 years, and we 
do not need to wait anymore. We need real action.
    And thank you very much.
    The President. Thank you very much. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 1:27 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Djibril Yipene Bassole, Joint AU-
UN Mediator for Darfur; President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir of Sudan; 
and Ambassador Richard S. Williamson, U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan.