Obama and Bashir: The wrong choice – the wrong side of history
Article
Comments (10)
email Email
print Print
pdfSave
separation
increase
decrease
separation
separation
By Dr El-Tahir El-Faki
It is sometimes understandable that policy makers are forced to side
with one preference or the other in regional political conflicts, and
they makee choices they later regret. Some may try to avoid taking
sides which usually don’t work.
And regardless of the grave humanitarian crisis, war crimes and
genocide committed against ordinary Sudanese citizens, outgoing US
President Obama decided to reward and ease sanctions on Bashir’s
tyrannical regime in Sudan on Friday 13th January 2017 based on:
• Acknowledgement of Sudan’s efforts to reduce internal conflict
• Improvement humanitarian access to people requiring aid
• Curtailment of "terrorism”
The easing of sanctions will be delayed by 25 weeks in order to give
further incentives to the Sudanese government to continue its reforms.
Despite step ups of lobbying including calls by civil right groups and
activists demanding extra pressure on Bashir to end unjust practices
and to stand accountable for the loss of lives in Darfur, Blue Nile
and Kordofan, the Obama administration gave deaf ears and forged
statements that all is well to remunerate.
Reflecting on the ongoing strength of the support for easing sanctions
against Bashir adopted by the successive US envoys to Sudan, it is
important to recall that they have opted to be at odd with views of
the Sudanese people at home and abroad. Scott Gartion was the weakest
link and the staunchest advocate for rewarding Bashir for concessions
he never got.
The Obama administration has kept a blind eye on Bashir’s poor human
rights bustles, including rapes and the use of cluster bombs in
Kordofan and chemical weapons in Darfur recently reported by Amnesty
International.
The sanctions against Bashir’s regime have proved positive since 1997
and they made perfect sense when properly applied against
beneficiaries and individuals involved in crimes and atrocities
against the people. The sanctions were supportive of international
law, of genuine moral principles, a significant diplomatic perform to
oppose brutality, violence and repression.
It is not hard to understand the faltering by delaying the
implementation of an Executive Decree for six months. Obama is aware
he is undermining the policies of his predecessors and tantalising his
successor. And for him to ignore Bashir’s violent intricacies and
aggressions is to literally compromise policy of containment against
tyranny and violence. Mr Obama reluctantly signed the order but felt
at ease to give a probation period for Bashir to test his resolve for
change. By doing so Obama has chosen to ignore the American public
opinion and the Democratic voters in particular who are far more
critical of Bashir and oppose the kind of advance he gave.
Obama’s handling of Bashir seams appeasing and lacks empathy for
ordinary Sudanese lives and rights. Values that sustain democracy and
human rights have been compromised and allowed to exist side by side
and grow with seeds of repression and genocide. The decree erodes the
chains of the ICC claims around Bashir’s neck.
The enduring conflict between Bashir and his opponents is seen by his
advisors to pose major challenges to the ability of the US to advance
her interests in South Sudan and the African continent at large. The
easing of the sanctions is likely to foment anti-American sentiment
due to a perception of U.S favouritism for Bashir. National and the
marginalised people in Sudan anger over US policy is apt to limit the
strength and potency of U.S partnership and weakens legitimacy of
moderate regime in a future Sudan. Meanwhile militant groups may
exploit that anger to mobilize support for influence in areas of
interest to U.S policies.
And Bashir rewarded Obama just a day later on 14/01/2017 by preventing
opposition leaders from leaving the country to participate in a
meeting of the Sudan Call forces in the French capital Paris. The
meeting aimed at discussing the organizational structures of the
alliance and at considering means of peaceful protests, civilian
mobilization and disobedience in the country.
Bashir remains precisely the villain Obama campaigned during his
elections to deal with if voted into power. It is very sad that he is
leaving behind a legacy allying him with a policy that allows Bashir
to continue in power and not to face the dock of the ICC in ‘The
Hague’. And in all this mess President Obama stood on the wrong side
of history leaving Bashir to carry on with the new business
establishment.
We are not against lifting sanctions against our country, but we are
without doubt against loosening the nooses off the rogues that are
behind all the mess in Sudan.
The author is Dr. El-Tahir El-Faki, Chairman of the JEM Legislative Assembly
He can be reached at [email protected]
Comments on the Sudan Tribune website must abide by the following
rules. Contravention of these rules will lead to the user losing their
Sudan Tribune account with immediate effect.
- No inciting violence
- No inappropriate or offensive language
- No racism, tribalism or sectarianism
- No inappropriate or derogatory remarks
- No deviation from the topic of the article
- No advertising, spamming or links
- No incomprehensible comments
Due to the unprecedented amount of racist and offensive language on
the site, Sudan Tribune tries to vet all comments on the site.
There is now also a limit of 400 words per comment. If you want to
express yourself in more detail than this allows, please e-mail your
comment as an article to [email protected]
Kind regards,
The Sudan Tribune editorial team.
26 January 06:59, by Ssam
I cant believe El-Faki has the audacity to talk, coming from a
murderous, ethnically driven, Islamic terror organisations working as
mercenaries killing S Sudanese.
Let me try and educate El-Faki since he clearly hasnt got a clue.
I dont which Sudanese you’re talking about. The ones belonging to your
tribe, rebel group or asylum seekers outside. The majority living in
Sudan are pleased with it.
repondre message
26 January 07:03, by Ssam
But since El-Faki hasnt been to Sudan in last 15 years, he
wouldnt know what the sanctions are doing to the majority of ppl. Just
because it fits your selfish objectives, doesnt mean ppl agree with
it. I dont see Sudanese in Khartoum or Elfashir yelling ’JEM JEM’.
Stay in your air-conditioned hotel man, save us your racist opinion.
As for why America lifted Sanctions;
repondre message
26 January 07:06, by Ssam
1- The sanctions were there for your benefit. It didnt say
will keep sanctions until JEM or Yasir Arman tell us to stop. America
is a sovereign nation, ALL its decision is based on interest and not
activist fake teary stories or suited rebel mercenaries earning a
living off their countries destruction. America has more urgent
matters to take Sudan off the list, but what would your racist mind
know
repondre message
26 January 07:08, by Ssam
The entire sanctions idea is to control Sudan geopolitically,
economically and strategically. To keep China, Russia and others away
until a ’cooperative’ government comes into power. But time told them
this Government can give them all it wants. the abuses or actions of
SD gov are not different to many american allies, Saudi arabia,
Turkey, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan.
repondre message
26 January 07:12, by Ssam
2- Like it or not, sudan is an important strategic ally to
have, whether they play nice or not. They can help with many issues
the region currently cant handle. Libya, S Sudan, Somalia, Alshabab,
Alqaida, Buko Haram and even ISIS.
3- Every country you can think of - EVEN Israel - asked
America to lift Sanctions. What do all these countries dont know that
you El-Faki are so delusional to criticis
repondre message
26 January 07:16, by Ssam
5- America & the world know exactly what you, JEM, SLM (with
all its mercenary subdivisions) & SPLMN are. You were useful for the
time & now you’re a pain. They know you have no popularity in sudan -
all of you combined wouldnt equal 5% of the population. So what
persecution, genocide are you talking about.
repondre message
26 January 07:19, by Ssam
6- America was the first country to report no genocide in
Darfur, before they realised, wait a sec, we can use this to our
advantage. You got to smell something fishy when the same person
claiming WMD in Iraq now stated Genocide in Darfur - Powells. How can
the arabs/gov be targeting darfuries when 1 million live IN Khartoum,
you moron.
repondre message
26 January 07:25, by Ssam
7- PPL are sick of you & Prendergast who milked the Darfur
issue till it became sour. You cant be repeating the same lines on
every Tv station/program for 10 years & ppl not get sick of it. Now
that they see whats happening in Libya, SSudan & Syria the world is
saying. Darfur what? Please that was nothing! The actually see ppl die
& graves - none in Darfur, lie discovered.
repondre message
26 January 07:28, by Ssam
Definition of genocide - one race trying to eliminate another
- many examples; Germany/Jews, Rwanda/Tutsi, Dinka/Nuer, Whites/The
rest of the World ! But when they see Sudanese Arabs & darfuries
around the world, in government & sometimes fighting with each other -
its hard to argue the case Mr. El-Faki. So for your own sanity, move
on, live off the benefits you gained & die peacefully.
repondre message
26 January 07:32, by Ssam
Dr. El-Tahir El-Faki, Chairman of the JEM Legislative Assembly
- Funny - your whole gang numbers in the 2000’s if even that of whats
left.
You should rename it to Chairman of SSudan Nuer elimination
mercenary committee. You pay us, we get rid of it. CV includes, work
in Libya & Darfur.
--
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob
View this message at
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"South Sudan Info - The Kob" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob.
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14or7eamoDh%3DNEwVcmAe0WLgmdLZeZTp74%3DSm5xb0pV-KVA%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
