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The courageous non-violent revolution in Sudan inspired us and deserves our active support. Instead, the US government is blaming Sudan for the past actions of the brutal regime they fought to remove from power. America’s moral obligation is clear and in this case aligns well with America’s strategic interests. The United States should 1) grant Sudan its “legal peace” against any new terrorist claims through congressional action 2) provide immediate financial assistance, 3) lift Sudan from the travel ban, and 4) lead an international effort to provide Sudan with development support services.
Charging the Sudanese people with a payment of $ 335 million when they do not even have enough money for food and basic medicine is cruel and myopic.
The United States is freeing Sudan from its antiquated designation as a state sponsor of terror. This is commendable. However, the price for Sudanese is too high. On Monday, October 19, Trump sent a tweet announcing that the government of Sudan was paying $ 335 million in reparations for American citizens killed by al Qaeda, while operating partially from Sudan. In return, the State Department has removed Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
It appears that the Sudanese government has been coerced into normalizing relations with Israel and joining the short list of Middle Eastern countries that are exchanging diplomatic relations with Israel. Sudan, like most Arab countries, has long expressed its readiness to recognize Israel as part of a comprehensive agreement that also included Israeli recognition of a viable independent Palestinian state, but had been reluctant to recognize Israel unilaterally. . The apparently successful effort by the United States to force Sudan to do so hardly promotes peace or helps to solve the long-standing Palestinian problem. Not to mention their deteriorating living conditions.
American policies add to a nightmare for the Sudanese people who have just suffered the worst flooding in a century. While the United States lost a year to rid Sudan of this terrorist designation, Sudan was unable to trade around the world and gain the support of multilateral institutions to rebuild its economy and deal with covid19. The United States is extorting money from the Sudanese people for Al Qaeda’s terrorist attacks on American citizens. However, the Sudanese people and the current government are not responsible for these criminal acts. It was the government of the Sudanese dictator Al-Bashir that protected Al Qaeda from the early to mid-1990s, before the attacks on American interests in Kenya and Tanzania. In 2019, the Sudanese people rebelled in a non-violent struggle and successfully overthrew the dictator and his ruling party. The new government has managed to sign peace accords that end three civil wars.
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The victims of the attacks deserve reparation. If the repairs are to be paid for, let the United States and Saudi Arabia lead the way. The United States and Saudi Arabia are not solely responsible for al Qaeda, but their policies greatly fueled its growth. Al Qaeda was founded by Osama bin Laden, who used Saudi-backed Salafi theology to create a violent group that opposes non-Sunnis and, ironically, later the Saudi monarchy. Its success was attributed to the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia and US support for Israel.
America’s war and harmful policies in the region continue to affect people’s lives and cause suffering from Afghanistan to Somalia.
America’s war and harmful policies in the region continue to affect people’s lives and cause suffering from Afghanistan to Somalia. Rather than using its military might to resolve long-standing conflicts in the region, the United States would be much better served if it used the billions of dollars to pay reparations for the victims of wars and for the American citizens killed by Al Qaeda. Saudi Arabia should be urged to contribute to the latter.
Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world and its people last year overthrew the first Islamist dictatorship to be defeated by the power of the nonviolent people. This is the kind of positive social change we should support, not the hamstring. Charging the Sudanese people with a payment of $ 335 million when they don’t even have enough money for food and basic medicines is cruel and shortsighted. Sudan is estimated to be around $ 65 billion in debt. Sudan has enormous potential to be a leader in the region to move towards secular, democratic and economic success. We should be celebrating the bold non-violent revolution in Sudan, investing in their economic development, empowering them to become the shining light and a role model for other countries in the region.
