I just got back from a trip to Sudan and this is what I saw:
I had the opportunity to see the danger first hand when I traveled to the town of Malakal just a few days after a militia attack that resulted in 30 deaths, several burnt buildings, and the displacement of over 100 orphans caught in the fighting. The devastation was a stark reminder of the ongoing militia tensions in the South and the troubling indications that those tensions are being stoked by the North.
Nowhere are North-South tensions as great as in the border region of Abyei. As I wrote in January, if the split of the South is a peaceful divorce, Abyei is the child over which custody remains undetermined. Nor are border tensions limited to Abyei. Right next door in South Kordofan, delayed elections are scheduled for May 2nd with huge implications for security in the border regions and throughout the North. If there is going to be a peaceful transition to independence, free and fair elections must be held and the status of Abyei must be resolved before July 9th.
It is important to remember that after July 9th Darfur will still be part of the North and, unfortunately, the violence and instability I saw in Malakal is not unique to the North-South border. While the international community focused its attention on the South, the situation in Darfur deteriorated. The Sudanese Air Force continues to bomb Darfuri villages and the government has repeatedly obstructed the delivery of critical food aid to refugees displaced by the violence.
I spoke with an aid worker who witnessed state security forces rounding up a group of Sudanese employees for one of the key aid groups in Darfur. Two of the Sudanese workers were held for months.
The government of Sudan has a history of abusing the Darfuris and other marginalized groups but even residents of the Sudanese capital are not free from the threat of violence by Omar al-Bashir and his thugs.
I spoke with Sudanese who listed the names of numerous activists who have been arrested, tortured and raped by security forces in Khartoum. State run media has ignored recent protests and the government has censored or intimidated the few independent media outlets remaining in the country.
As I left Sudan I felt encouraged by the spirit of the people I met on my trip but mindful of the immense challenges facing all Sudanese. Obviously, there is a long way to go to reach a comprehensive peace in Sudan but I left the country with two distinct impressions for the way forward:
Do not rush to reward Khartoum – The United States has offered the government of Sudan normalized relations for recognizing the results of the January referendum. The realization of Southern independence should be appropriately celebrated, but with key issues of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), like Abyei, unresolved and continued attacks on civilians in Darfur, the United States must not to rush to reward Khartoum with further incentives like lifting of sanctions and debt relief.
South Sudan must not repeat the sins of the North - The new Republic of South Sudan will be led by the SPLM, a party that has received significant support from the United States in its struggles with the North and which will rely heavily on international assistance. The good will that has been built up between the SPLM and international partners, including the United States, should be put to good use to remind the SPLM that it is not in their interest to repeat the sins of the northern regime from which they struggled so hard to escape.
Activists in the United States must keep these issues in mind as we continue to work for a comprehensive peace in all Sudan. As we continue to press the Obama Administration not to rush to reward Khartoum we will need your energy, passion and activism. Watch for actions you can take in the coming weeks to help promote peace in all Sudan.
We hope you’ll join us.
