A full 36 hours after the beginning of the crackdown in Khartoum, we still have not heard the Obama administration address the troubling situation in Sudan. This morning the BBC reports that Sudan People’s Liberation Movement’s (SPLM) Secretary General Pagan Amum (one of those arrested yesterday) has stated that peace in Sudan is in serious crisis.
Headlines this morning in the Sudanese papers demonstrate the urgency. The “Juba group” of political parties has demanded the resignation of the Ministers of Justice and the Interior, as well as the police chief of Khartoum, for their actions yesterday (in Arabic). Meanwhile, Omar al-Bashir’s National Congress Party (NCP) alleges that the opposition yesterday attempted to undermine the elections, overthrow the government, and take control of the government (in Arabic). NCP members particularly called out Hassan al-Turabi, the intellectual who helped Bashir come to power in 1989, for being behind the plot.
The Sudan Tribune also carries a number of stories on yesterday’s events. Reading about the subsequent protests in the South, which turned ugly quickly, one realizes that it’s not hyperbole when Sudanese and others speak of being on the edge of the abyss. Things could get much worse if the right flame is lit.
Given the silence of the Obama administration and the precariousness of the situation in Sudan, I wanted to highlight Jerry Fowler’s statement submitted to the House Foreign Affairs Committee last week. He called for the United States policy to address political repression throughout the country, support the process of democratic transformation of Sudan per the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and support the civil society efforts of Sudanese striving for these goals.
Our central concern is the need for increased emphasis on the implementation of the aspects of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that focus on political transformation. Without such a transformation, the prospects for long-term peace and stability in Sudan and the region are slim. The key to lasting peace in Sudan is ending the dominance of a NCP-led government which represents a minority of a minority of the Sudanese people by creating open space for Sudanese to resolve their differences without the need to resort to extreme violence.
Addressing political repression throughout the country
We are concerned that the [U.S.] strategy does not address the broad human rights situation in Sudan. The continuing crisis in Darfur denies millions of Sudanese the hope of a normal life free of violence and political repression. Adequate civilian protection is also an urgent need in South Sudan. The administration’s strategy does a good job of highlighting these immediate concerns. But those are not the only human rights challenges facing Sudan today, and indeed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement provides a framework for addressing the broader concerns. A challenge is that it is not clear whether either CPA party is committed to implementing the parts of the CPA that address those concerns.
As the administration implements the strategy, we urge it to:
(1) Express support for the human rights and civil liberties of all Sudanese, not just those in Darfur and South Sudan
(2) Press the Government of National Unity (GNU) to reform the country’s national security laws to be consistent with international human rights standards and to implement the 2005 Bill of Rights
(3) Pay close attention to the fragile Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement
(4) Support the work of Sudanese human rights defenders who have been systematically targeted over the years, including many who were forced to leave in the country in March 2009
(5) Consider initiating a dialogue with all the primary Sudanese political parties
Emphasizing democratic transformation
The national elections scheduled for April 2010 could give Sudanese the opportunity to choose their own leaders for the first time in more than 20 years. But the strategy document and comments from administration officials provide neither benchmarks for considering the elections to be “free and fair” or “credible” nor a commitment to making them so. If the Government of National Unity does not pass and effectively implement necessary laws allowing freedom of press, freedom of speech, and freedom of association and ending the arbitrary powers of the security services, the election has no chance of credibility – no matter the level of American largesse for logistical support. We are dubious of the value of moving forward with elections at all if there is no open political space in which they can be contested. Again, the creation of that political space is a key component of the CPA, a vital part of fully implementing the CPA, and the key to ending the myriad Sudanese conflicts.
As the administration implements the strategy, we urge it to:
(1) Demonstrate strong American and multilateral leadership to push the NCP to create an atmosphere suitable to holding elections
(2) Make public the measures by which it will be judging the credibility of the elections
Supporting non-Darfuri Sudanese civil society efforts
Secretary of State Clinton spoke about the need to empower Sudanese to solve their own problems, and we all agree that this is the ultimate goal of our advocacy and General Gration’s hard work. The strategy document, though, does not appear to take account of many significant and promising efforts within Sudan by those working for peace, justice, and democracy. One such effort is rallying around the Juba Declaration by political parties and civil society. While the strategy document does mention engaging Darfuri civil society, it does not address how the U.S. government can strengthen the hand of tireless non-Darfuri activists and peacemakers within Sudan. Their monitoring and reporting of pre-election conditions will be critical in assessing whether “free and fair” or “credible” elections can take place.
As the Administration implements the policy, we urge it to:
(1) Hold consultations with leading Sudanese civil society organizations (particularly those operating in northern Sudan – not just Darfur and South Sudan) and opposition political parties
(2) Strengthen the voices of civil society and human rights defenders by pushing the National Congress Party to end its crackdown and grant these individuals and organizations more freedom to operate
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
