Judging Khartoum's Good Will

The deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid is a tried and true tactic used by the Sudanese government to collectively punish millions of civilians caught in the middle of its conflicts with various rebel groups. They did it during the war with the south, and they continue to do it in Darfur.

But the tactic is a violation of international law, and it should get far, far more attention from international diplomats than it currently receives.

A new report out from the Enough Project and the Sudan Now campaign lists humanitarian access and freedom of movement to reach affected populations in Darfur, as well as an end to the systematic denial of services to victims of sexual violence, as a key benchmark that the Obama administration should use to gauge progress towards peace in Sudan -- "should," because the actual benchmarks have not been made public. And while the report includes many important reforms necessary for peace, many of which have been delayed or outright ignored by the government thus far, nothing is a better, more obvious indicator of the regime's -- and especially the ruling National Congress Party's -- intentions than the provision (or lack thereof) of humanitarian assistance to four million conflict-affected civilians.

The world mobilized a massive relief operation to assist those whose displacement and suffering is caused by the Sudanese government, and Khartoum's interference, harassment, and obstruction of these efforts is legendary -- practically an art form. The Obama administration should hone in on this issue, both for the immediate needs of people of Darfur, but also as a prime indication -- a test of the direction of the wind -- of the NCP's true commitment to peace.

Photo credit: hdptcar