G-20 Summit must focus on Sudan

By Steve Paterno

September 13, 2009 — On September 24th through 25th, the 20 richest countries in the world, which hold 85% of world’s economy, collectively known as the G-20, will descent in the city of Pittsburg in Pennsylvania to follow up on progress made in recent summits and gauge ways for the future. The summit will be attended by heads of states of the G-20, presided by the US President Barack Obama.

Recently, Sudan has attracted international attention and featured front and center in discussions of global significance, given immensity of the problems Sudan is undergoing. Last July alone, Sudan was the subject of three congressional hearings, held by three different congressional committees in both chambers of US legislatures. Beside this, numerous international conferences on Sudan were conducted inside and outside the country. Therefore, the upcoming G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh should not be any different, but to take on the issues affecting Sudan and resolve them once and for all.

The G-20 countries hold key to Sudan economy, because amongst them are big trading partners with the Sudan. For example, China boosts huge economic trades with Sudan, in billions of dollars. China buys more than 60% of Sudan’s oil and pretty much controls Sudan’s energy sector. By this account, the G-20 countries are in position to wield significant influence in determining Sudan political landscape through economic policies. Thus far, only the US among these richest countries is playing a pivotal role by holding Khartoum regime accountable for the brutalities that the regime commits against its citizens. For the last decade, the US unilaterally maintains firm economic sanctions against the regime in Khartoum. After mass killings of innocent civilians become evident, the UN tries to impose arm embargo against the regime, however, the world body comes short of enforcing mechanism on its own declared embargo. It is time that the world pulls-off and put-up tougher economic sanctions against the regime in Khartoum and stops the regime from arming itself rather than appeasing it by removing or relaxing the existing sanctions. With tougher coordinated economic sanctions and arm embargo put in place, Khartoum will break the intransigence and improve its internal politics for the betterment of all the citizens of Sudan.

Holding Khartoum accountable is not feasible without supporting justice against the perpetrators of crimes committed against humanity. Hence, the G-20 countries must support apprehension of President Omer al-Bashir by carrying out the arrest warrant issued by International Criminal Court (ICC). Since an international arrest warrant was issued against President al-Bashir, he has so far travelled to friendly countries and avoided countries that honor the ICC warrant and which can potentially arrest him. If all the G-20 countries pledge the arrest of President al-Bashir, he will be isolated and rendered incapacitated. In its dire state, this is what Sudan needs, a country without the al-Bashir and his likes—a country with imprisoned al-Bashir to show that justice can be applicable to all and impunity is the thing of the past.

More importantly, the G-20 countries can avert the threatening famine in Sudan, the South Sudan and marginalized areas in particular. In the words of the top UN official in Sudan, the famine in South Sudan represents “humanitarian perfect storm” where at least 40% of the population are at a real risk. The UN operation in South Sudan is only able to cover 42% of the urgently targeted areas while the rest of the population is out of reach. In as far as areas such as Darfur, the UN operations are crippled due to the expulsion of humanitarian agencies in March 2009 by the genocidal regime in Khartoum. The G-20 countries can intervene in this case for lifesaving. Some of the leaders of G-20 once promised, “not in our watch,” therefore, this should not continue at this time in this moment.

Steve Paterno is the author of The Rev. Fr. Saturnino Lohure, A Romain Catholic Priest Turned Rebel. He can be reached at [email protected]