Darfur crisis has negative impact on peace in the South
Editorial, The Khartoum Monitor
October 3, 2005 — The escalation of war in the Darfur region reflects negatively on the partial and quasi comprehensive peace in the Sudan.
When the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was endorsed, the international community, represented by the UN system and other donors, hailed the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) for bringing to an end the longest and most devastating war in the African continent.
Pledges were immediately made to help the Sudanese government in development and nation building.
The seriousness of the international community was demonstrated during the Oslo Donors Conference on Sudan.
Contributions which were made overshot expectations. The global community was indeed excited and willing to see that Sudan was adequately supported to overcome what it devastated throughout the civil war. However, the world excitement has dwindled with time and may very soon vanish into thin air. The reason is simply the war in Darfur.
As an indirect result, authorities in the Government of Southern Sudan have started trembling in high fever caused by lack of money, and having realized that unless the situation in Darfur has improved, there would be no international funds coming into south Sudan as promised.
The logic of the international community is very simple. It looks at Sudan as a house set on fire. Unless the fire is put off, the whole house is destined to collapse over the heads of its dwellers. In other words, the international community cannot finance development and reconstruction efforts in one part of the country, while human rights in Darfur is at stake with daily bloodshed of innocent citizens. For the international community, it is all a matter of setting priorities in Sudan.
Ironically, Sudanese authorities would want the international community to put off the very fire that they generated and would not accept responsibility over the torching crime. Our government is able to spend millions of dollars to sustain the war in Darfur, but when it comes to meeting its social and developmental obligations it shouts at the international community to pay the bills.
A shameless minister told the press a couple of days ago that the British government should not link cancellation of Sudanese debts with the situation in Darfur, saying that would only amount to more suffering of the Sudanese people.
This cynical ministers should understand that the Sudanese people are suffering as a result of bad governance and lack of overarching national vision that takes into consideration the right of every citizen to live in dignity and enjoy equal rights under the rule of law.
What is going on in Darfur nowadays counts as liability on the people of the south, and Sudan at large.
The potential for development and progress under the CPA will not see light in the near future. The international community has made itself very clear to us. It will only give us full support when we learn how to live in peace and stop waging illogical wars which we create under abortive slogans.