Special Reports

US subversion in Sudan

A Correspondent in Khartoum

Shawwal 08, 14171997-02-16

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The US has openly joined the conspiracy not only to bring down the government of president Hasan al-Bashir in Khartoum but also pave way for the dismemberment of Sudan. The US has provided more than US$20 million in military aid to rebels operating from across the border in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda as well as to the Christian- dominated regimes in these Muslim majority States. The American subversion of Africa’s largest State stands in sharp contrast with its policy in 1990-91 when Iraq had invaded Kuwait. Under the guise of protecting the sovereignty of its tiny protege, the US and its allies unleashed a massive war against Iraq, bombing it back into the Stone Age.

In the case of Sudan, it is doing exactly the opposite. The US- dominated United Nations is also mum despite pleas from Sudan to condemn the invasion of its territory from outside. The aggression against Sudan is in clear violation of the UN charter. The same goes for the Arab League and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). There has, unfortunately been little unity to speak of. The invasion of Sudan by its neighbours is but one example of the growing disunity in African ranks, much of it the legacy of colonial division of the continent as well as manipulation from abroad. Equally deafening is the silence from members of the Arab League. Far from condemning this conspiracy against an ‘Arab’ State, the regime of Husni Mubarak in Egypt is in the forefront of a campaign to undermine the government of Sudan. Extremely unpopular at home, Mubarak has attempted to deflect attention from his own brutal policies by blaming Khartoum for its woes. Cairo has parrotted, without offering any proof, that the assassination attempt on Mubarak in Addis Ababa in June 1995 was engineered by Sudan. Clutching to any straws to discredit Sudan, the US has also used this as a pretext to railroad sanctions through the UN security council. It is interesting to note that the more serious breach of UN charter by Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda in invading a neighbouring country has been completely ignored.

Sudan is targeted because it has enormous agricultural as well as oil potential. The west in general and the US and Britain in particular, have decided to dismember it. Should they succeed in this criminal design, it would create enormous upheaval in the region. The terrible western duo, the source of much trouble in the world, are not the only ones involved in this conspiracy. They are actively backed by the Churches--Catholic as well as Anglican--to destroy Sudan. They have used the bogey of the tiny Christian minority in the South to push their nefarious plan.

The western media are also part of this conspiracy. Never is it mentioned that the Christians constitute a tiny minority in the South. They are less than 7 percent of the total population. The animists constitute the overwhelming majority at around 70 percent. Muslims make up between 15 to 20 percent even in the South. For the sake of the tiny Christian minority, who are also constantly at each other’s throat, the churches have created a din of propaganda demanding their rights. Which of their rights have been denied unless they believe that they must rule the Muslim-majority State of Sudan like their fellow Christian minorities in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan?

Would the US, Britain and France as well as their churches be prepared to concede the same rights to Muslim minorities living in their midst? Instead, Muslims have been unfairly accused and targeted. Massive crackdowns have been launched against them. The US is in the forefront of this campaign where all Muslims are now branded as ‘terrorists’. The only exception are those Muslims who pledge total loyalty to every crime the US commits around the world, be it the massive support for zionist brutalities in Palestine and Lebanon, the campaign to starve Iraqi children to death or the criminal policy to subvert and dismember Sudan. In France and Britain, the Muslims fare no better. Their plight is much worse in France where thousands of Muslims arrested in 1995 on the spurious allegation that they were involved in bombing campaigns, still languish in jail without any formal charge or trial.

The African States involved in the campaign against Sudan are also acting quite hypocritically. All three--Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda--are ruled by Christian minorities. Their Muslim majorities are suppressed and denied their rights. Yet they are supporting the demand of the Christian minority in Sudan! Ironically, the Eritrean struggle for independence was supported by Sudan for nearly three decades. Such is the gratitude of Isais Aferwerki, the lanky Eritrean Christian ruler, that he now breathes fire against his former benefectors in Khartoum. The Eritreans have been equally ungrateful to the Yemenis. At the end of 1995, Eritrean forces attacked and occupied two Yemeni islands in the Red Sea. They are still there.

The plan to subvert Sudan’s territorial integrity must not be allowed to succeed. The system of government Sudan wishes to have is the prerogative of the Sudanes people; neither Uncle Sam nor the British tommies have any business poking their noses in there. The Sudanese opposition groups must also realise that they are playing a dangerous role by acting as agents of the US, Britain and their churches. Imagine all the clap-trap one constantly hears about the separation of powers of the Church and State in the west!

Muslimedia - February 16-28, 1997

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