America’s Role in Creating the Refugee Crisis

Sudan

Diplomatic relations began between the U.S. and Sudan in 1956, following Sudan’s independence from Britain and Egypt.  In 1967, after the start of the Arab-Israeli war, Sudan broke off relations with the U.S. due to the U.S. backing of Israel.  Relations were re-established in 1972.

Since Sudan gained its independence, the country has been embattled in civil wars between the North and the South, largely over resources.

In 1989, Sudan’s President Omar al Bashir came to power after leading a coup against Sudan’s democratically elected leader.  Since then, he’s been elected to office three more times through various means that include violence, voter intimidation and corrupt elections.

America’s policies towards Sudan have been notably irrational and inconsistent.

In 1993, Sudan was designated as a state sponsor of terrorism — amongst other reasons, for supporting the Palestinian group Hamas — although it was noted that Sudan “remained a generally cooperative counterterrorism partner and continued to take action to address threats to U.S. interests and personnel in Sudan.”

In 1998, President Clinton committed his own act of terrorism:  He bombed the Al Shifa factory, which was Sudan’s largest medical supplier.  It was a retaliation for bin Laden’s bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; bin Laden was believed to be in Sudan.  The Clinton administration justified the bombing this by saying the factory was a cover-up and was producing nerve gas, and that bin Laden had a financial stake in the factory.  This was later proven false.

The bombing is believed to have contributed to thousands of deaths due to lack of affordable and available drugs that were wiped out by the bombing as this factory manufactured a whopping 90% of Sudan’s pharmaceuticals.  Renowned journalist Seymour Hersh heavily criticized the bombing, which Clinton carried out with impunity.

The genocide in Darfur started in 2003, at the behest of al Bashir, after rebels in Darfur picked up arms against the government, saying their region was neglected.

In 2009, al Bashir became the first sitting president to ever be indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC).  He is accused of directing gang rapes, massacres, and killing sprees against civilians in Darfur.

The government then expelled all international aid from the region.

In 2010, a second ICC warrant was issued for al Bashir — this time for charges of genocide.

In 2014,  a little less than half of Darfur’s population (3.1 million people) were reliant on food aid, while half of the population — 3.5 million people — needed humanitarian aid.  As of 2015, almost half a million people have been killed and 2.8 million displaced.

Obama began to consider the state-sponsor of terrorism as a potential partner on the war on terror.

America’s policies towards Sudan have been confusing, irrational, and inconsistent.  For example, the State Department’s Country Reports on Terrorism 2015 concluded that the US and Sudan “worked cooperatively in countering the threat posed by al-Qa’ida and ISIL.”  The Huffington Post points out that this declaration was still made despite Sudan permitting Hamas members to raise money, travel, and reside in Sudan in 2015.

Another State Department report, the State Department’s Sudan 2015 Human Rights Report stated:

Government forces, government-aligned groups, rebels, and armed groups committed human rights abuses and violations throughout the year. The most serious human rights abuses and violations included: indiscriminate and deliberate bombings of civilian areas; ground attacks that included the killing and beating of civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement, looting and burning entire villages, and destroying the means necessary for sustaining life; and attacks on humanitarian targets, including humanitarian facilities and peacekeepers.

Other major abuses included: extrajudicial and other unlawful killings; torture, beatings, rape and other cruel or inhuman treatment or punishment; arbitrary arrest and detention by security forces; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; incommunicado detention; prolonged pretrial detention; obstruction of humanitarian assistance; restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, religion, and movement; and intimidation and closure of human rights and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Societal abuses included discrimination against women; sexual violence; female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C); use of child soldiers; child abuse; sexual exploitation of children; trafficking in persons; discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons with HIV/AIDS; denial of workers’ rights; and child labor.

However, despite this, in a head-scratching turn of events, Obama eased sanctions on Sudan towards the end of his administration, and began to consider the state-sponsor of terrorism as a potential partner on the war on terror.

As China, Russia, and the U.S. compete to be the world’s dominant superpower, it goes without saying that U.S. relations with Sudan would inevitably change as they did. 

Obama signed an executive order ending the embargo with Sudan on January 13, 2017. The move would, like the Iran deal, free up Sudan’s frozen assets in the U.S.

As China, Russia, and the U.S. compete to be the world’s dominant superpower, it goes without saying that U.S. relations with Sudan would inevitably change as they did.  Russia remains Sudan’s closest European ally, while China is its strongest economic and diplomatic ally. Sudan is China’s largest overseas oil supplier. Sudan’s military is outfitted with Chinese-made weaponry.  Besides being a rising superpower, China is a direct competitor to the U.S. when it comes to resources in Africa.

At the confirmation hearing for Trump, cabinet appointee Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who also has links to Vladimir Putin and who is open to a Muslim registry of American Muslims, was accused by Senator Bob Mendez of undermining Washington by doing business with Sudan and turning a profit despite Sudan’s designation as a state-sponsor of terrorism.

Bashir himself has welcomed the Trump administration, saying, “It will be much easier to deal with Trump than with others because he is a straightforward person and a businessman who considers the interests of those who deal with him.”

Meaning:  The Trump administration isn’t worried about civil rights or human rights violations like previous administrations, and the genocide in Darfur can continue without intervention.