Sudan Is Now A Campaign Issue

Structure/outline/table of contents:
A: Basics of what’s going on
B: Kerry uses Sudan to bash Bush
C: UN can’t intervene
    1: Russia and China have economic interests
D: the African Union may get involved
    1: AU needs money, and may need supplies


Based partially on information from the Christian Science Monitor. Darfur, Sudan is one of the world’s poorest regions, where nomadic Arabs trade with camels and black Africans farm to survive. With very few resources (including water), Arabs occasionally allow their camels to eat the crops of Africans during droughts, when the camels would otherwise die. Usually, the farmers are reimbursed for their crops, but the recent drought has escalated tensions. With the introduction of guns, clashes became quite violent, and farmers began to arm themselves when the government of Sudan took no action. Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, decided to support the Arabs instead of calming the crises. The farmers began demanding political rights and economic development in their area, and the government labeled them “rebels” in response. Numerous cease-fires have been made, but all were broken systematically.
The government of Sudan began arming the Arab militants (called “janjaweed”, or “man with a horse and gun”). The Janjaweed has routinely targeted peaceful villages, killed over 30,000 people, many of whom are women and children, and threatens as many as 1.5 million black Africans who have been displaced. Sudan refuses to identify or punish leaders of the Janjaweed and disarm the group. After considerable international efforts, Sudan has made minor improvements, but has done little to end the genocide.

John Kerry has been whining and insisting that Bush intervene in Sudan. However, there is one thing preventing me from supporting Kerry; he called on Bush to take action, but Kerry never said that he would take action as a senator or if he becomes president. In other words, Kerry picked up Sudan as another topic to bash Bush with.

But there is more to this story than the US elections. There is also some corruption regarding the UN and its diplomats. Russia and China both trade with Sudan, which produces about 250,000 barrels of oil per day, a small but highly valued amount due to potential price increases. If the Security Council can not act, then the UN can take little action (the General Assembly would be dominated by bickering and accusations, and thus impotent).

The AU (African Union) will likely send 3,000 troops, either to protect members of an international fact-finding mission or to combat militants. However, as reported here, the African Union can not fund any major involvement. They hope the US and/or Europe will provide the needed money, while nations such as South Africa support logistics and Nigeria, Tanzania, and Botswana can provide the troops. The USEUCOM, the US-European Command, made a pledge to provide aircraft for the AU’s efforts.


Overall, it is difficult to tell what might happen with the AU force. Their task will likely be to provide security for international observers and aid, but they may also combat the janjaweed. UN forces would not be allowed to fight militant groups, but the AU likely has different restrictions. Aid is expected to cost between $500 million and $300 million, and the US has already covered $191 million of those costs. It may be cheaper to have AU forces eliminate the janjaweed, but such actions are unlikely due to international politics (no nation wants a foreign body interfering with its domestic issues, so few members of the AU are unlikely to allow a precedent with Sudan).
Personally, I hope the AU is effective, no matter what it's stated goals are. A successful African body may help stabilize the continent, and greatly improve the lives of millions of people.