Preventing Another Sudan War Depends on Obama

For nearly two years, my fellow activists and I have been urging the White House that it must do more to prevent the outbreak of another war in Sudan. Now it seems the administration has listened.

President Obama was the first head of state to commit to attending last month’s special UN session concerning the referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. This vote - fewer than 90 days away - is prescribed in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005, which ended more than 20 years of civil war. If Sudan is serious about peace, it must not only permit the referendum in an atmosphere free of violence, but must accept the will of the people should they choose independence. A vote for secession will also require that Khartoum works cooperatively with the government of Southern Sudan to resolve all issues regarding borders and oil revenues.

At the UN session, representatives of the Sudanese government gave their word that Khartoum would allow for the referendum to take place and that it would honor the outcome. But if Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir rejects the referendum, as per his track record of broken promises to the international community and the Sudanese people, it will likely usher in another long chapter of renewed violence in the south. This would also undoubtedly undermine efforts to bring peace to Darfur. Will Khartoum move down a path of peace or will it engineer another era of violence and mass killings? These are the stakes.

Our administration’s emerging leadership is a welcome show of solidarity with the activist community. In a private meeting following the special session, President Obama told a small group of us that he is committed to his administration’s stated policy of rewarding progress in Sudan and holding Khartoum accountable for failure to meet its agreements.

In addition to allowing the referendum and accepting its results, other agreements include allowing humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts to continue unobstructed in Darfur, compliance with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) demand that perpetrators of genocide - including President Bashir - stand trial in The Hague. Clearly, the White House is listening to all of us who have worked so hard to be heard on this issue. Yes, there have been differences of opinion, but the important takeaway is that we are moving the needle.

Unfortunately, time is not on our side. The referendum is in January. Between now and then, the White House will have a lot on its plate.

We must continue to remind President Obama that it is make or break time in Sudan, and his direct involvement and leadership will make all the difference.

Photo credit: US Army Africa

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