Crisis in Sudan

Living up to ‘Never again’

Editorial, The Philadelphia Inquirer

June 06, 2004 — An enormous and worsening humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan could be stemmed or stopped – if the right actions are taken immediately.

It’s hard to celebrate the recent signing of a plan to end a 21-year civil war in Sudan. Hard, because militias sponsored by the Khartoum government have so far killed 30,000 Darfur men, women and children. U.S. officials estimate 350,000 more could be dead by December from murder and starvation. About 1.5 million people have been displaced in ethnic cleansing. They continue to be victimized in camps by armed men of boundless ferocity.

President Bush deserves great credit for the diplomatic and economic pressure he so far has applied on Sudan. But now he must do more.

He should personally tell Sudanese leaders to create safe transport corridors that relief operations can use to aid people in Darfur and in neighboring Chad. Bush had pledged to begin normalizing relations with Sudan once the war ended; that prize must be delayed until attacks in Darfur end and people are allowed to return home. Suspending travel to Sudan and freezing American-based assets of Sudanese officials also would get Khartoum’s attention.

And the United Nations needs a much larger presence in Sudan to protect civilians and enforce a cease-fire.

Citizens here at home can help. Let your federal officials know you want the United States to step up to stop a catastrophe in process.