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'Elder' Carter Not Taking Any Guff in Darfur

Ex-prez shouts at minders trying to keep him from refugees

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 3, 2007 9:58 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Soft-spoken Jimmy Carter threw down today with Sudanese security officials who told him he couldn't meet fearful refugees, hollering "We're going to anyway!" and threatening to tell their president on them. The ex-president is touring Darfur, with a group of fellow diplomatic rock stars called "the Elders," to encourage pending peace talks and promote fair elections next year.

After his outburst, 83-year-old Carter agreed to a compromise with his security detail, which was already touchy about an earlier security breach by Carter, in which he would meet with refugees in another location. Ethnic Sudanese intimidated by government officials had been slipping notes to members of Carter's party, too afraid to speak out.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, second from right, is accompanied by an unidentified senior Sudanese General into the residence of the governor of North Darfur, El Fasher, Darfur, Sudan, Oct. 2, 2007. A group of elder statesmen, including former U.S. President Carter and Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu,...
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, second from right, is accompanied by an unidentified senior Sudanese General into the residence of the governor of North Darfur, El Fasher, Darfur, Sudan, Oct. 2, 2007....   (Associated Press)
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, left, meets with the sheikh, or tribal leader, of a pro-government tribe in Kabkabiya town in Darfur, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007. Carter got in a shouting match Wednesday with Sudanese security officials who blocked him from a town in Darfur where he was trying...
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, left, meets with the sheikh, or tribal leader, of a pro-government tribe in Kabkabiya town in Darfur, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007. Carter got in a shouting match Wednesday...   (Associated Press)
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter arrives in El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007. A group of elder statesmen, including former U.S. President Carter and Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu, urged all sides in Darfur's bloodshed to reach a peace deal as they began touring the...
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter arrives in El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007. A group of elder statesmen, including former U.S. President Carter and Nobel peace laureate Desmond...   (Associated Press)
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Reports from the Elders' visit
BBC

 
Darfur • Jimmy Carter • Sudanese • The Elders

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