April/May 1993, Page 26
Can the U.S. Halt Starvation in Southern Sudan?—Three Views
Khartoum Must Halt Human Rights Abuses
By Rep. Frank R. Wolf
The refugees in southern Sudan are a forgotten people in a remote corner of the world whose story is an untold tragedy. The countless ravages they have endured result not only from drought, plague and natural holocaust, but also from man's inhumanity to man.
I understand the complexities of this centuries-old issue crossing racial, ethnic, political and religious boundaries. However, I believe bold, dramatic steps by the United States could alter the present course in Sudan.
Immediate action is critical. It is now the dry season in Sudan and the Khartoum government may soon launch a major military offensive against the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) that would involve attacks on civilians and worsen the famine.
Right now, four million people are starving to death in Sudan. I recently returned from my third visit and conditions there are not only worse than when I visited in 1988 and 1989, but even worse than what I witnessed during the 1984 famine in Ethiopia.
On Monday, Feb. 8, I flew in a small twin-engine plane carrying relief medical supplies from Nairobi, Kenya, into southern Sudan for the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) organization the only non-governmental organization today with a permanent round-the-clock presence in Sudan. Catholic Relief Services, while not having a permanent operation, also regularly delivers medical and humanitarian supplies. All other NGOs have pulled out, following the murder of four relief workers during a skirmish involving factions of SPLA.
I visited two refugee camps and saw the relief efforts which seem, at best, to fend off starvation and sickness temporarily.
These loosely defined refugee camps are located in proximity to the main road bisecting Sudan on which hundreds of thousands of refugees make their way southward, driven by the relentless and unforgiving Sudanese army. People are without food, without medicine, without clothing and, worst of all, without hope. These people would surely perish without the bare subsistence provided by NPA and CRS.
I also saw at first-hand recent damage in the town of Kajo Keji on the western bank of the Nile, where the government's bombers attacked the crowded town market square, killing and injuring many in this city with no military significance.
I have proposed to President Clinton the following recommendations:
First, President Clinton must immediately appoint a special envoy to Sudan. My recommendation to the president was General Norman Schwarzkopf. Appointing one person to deal specifically with this crisis will make clear to the leadership in Khartoum that America is serious about ending the conflict and famine in Sudan. I met recently with the ambassador from Sudan, Mr. Abdalla Ahmed Abdalla, who told me that his government welcomes the help of the United States in bringing stability to Sudan.
Second, the U. S. must use its influence in the United Nations to force the government of Sudan to stop its brutal pattern of human rights abuses. Most important, pressure must be put on the military junta ruling Sudan to stop the indiscriminate bombing of towns and villages in southern Sudan. The U. N. Human Rights Commission recently took an important step by creating a "special rapporteur" for human rights in Sudan. Also, working with other nations, the United States must attempt to stem the flow of sophisticated military equipment to Sudan from Libya, Iran, Iraq and the People's Republic of China.
Third, the United States must work to ensure that private relief organizations are allowed to operate freely within Sudan to deliver and distribute food and medical supplies. Although the U.N. General Assembly in December passed a harshly worded resolution condemning all parties for obstructing relief efforts in Sudan, NGOs are still reluctant to set up permanent operations.
Finally, the Congress should not underestimate its ability to dramatically affect events in Sudan. The government of Sudan is watching closely the actions of the United States and the United Nations.
A decade of civil war and famine cannot be reversed overnight. But right now Sudan is at a critical crossroads and public awareness of the horrible situation is on the rise. It is time for the United States to take bold and immediate action to help force the government of Sudan to cease its brutal oppression of its people.
