Sudan And South Sudan Need A Time Out, But Will The U.S. And China Comply?

Article by WN.Com Correspondent Dallas Darling

Straddling what many today call the Transition Zone, a volatile area along Africa’s north central region because of dramatic changes in both the human and physical landscape, Sudan and South Sudan have never had a time-out from colonialism or neocolonialism.

Whether the Egyptian and British forces, or the current U.S. military forces and Chinese infrastructure tug-of-war over the African nation’s geo proximity and oil rich region, how to best organize itself without interference was never an option. It still isn’t today.
No wonder fighting broke out again in South Sudan just two days after the warring sides signed another peace deal. Calling it a “final final” agreement to end the civil war, it faces a similar fate as the 2011 agreement where South Sudan declared its independence. After centuries of ethnic and religious conflict, it didn’t last long. Neither was it free from interference as both the U.S. and China intervened with “carrot and stick” proposals. Meanwhile, China by far has gained the upper hand.

U.S.’s Military And CIA Interference Policy

As for the U.S., its finally courting Sudan with drone and military operations. This, after backing the Sudan People’s Liberation Army to overthrow the Khartoum government. Having declared Sudan a nation filled with shady arms deals, genocide and harboring terrorists like Osama Bin Laden, the U.S. wants to militarily expand into the north while blocking China’s inroads. Given Sudan’s geo-proximity to Libya, Somalia, the Red Sea and Yemen and Horn of Africa, its amazing the compromises the U.S. will commit.

It’s also amazing what the Pentagon will do. A series of meetings between AFRICOM and Sudanese officials have led to a new military attaché and embassy in Khartoum. This includes a possible drone base. Calling it a “drone revolution,” AFRICOM has offered to provide medical and drought relief, combat desertification, and, of course, give military intelligence with its UAVs. Some warn however the intelligence could worsen Sudan’s warring factions around oil rich regions straddling both Sudan and South Sudan.

There’s more. Washington wants to fight terrorism – Lord’s Resistance Army, deny safe haven to rebel factions in South Sudan and improve humanitarian access to people in need. Spearheaded by the CIA, it too was keen to see sanctions lifted and to open its own office in Khartoum. It’s also obvious the U.S. wants to use both countries as leverage against China, and each other. This is especially true as it wrestles over the Heglig oil region and Heglig-Port Sudan oil pipeline that Sudan controls.

Beijing’s Pro-Economics And Noninterference Policy

For now, Beijing’s non-militarization and non-politicization of economic investments without any interference in Sudan’s internal affairs is paying off. Having ignored most Western-imposed sanctions against the African nation, it’s instead created another Silk Road as it did with North Korea’s Iron Silk Road. In other words, China believes human rights will follow if economic connectivity leads the way, such as food production, clean drinking water, roads and bridges, power grids and pipelines and employment.

Because of this, the People’s Republic of China is Sudan’s biggest trade partner, importing oil from Sudan while exporting low-cost items. This very robust and productive relationship has not only produced stability, but its enabled both countries to complete several major finance projects. The railway from Khartoum to Port Sudan, the Merowe Hydroelectric Dam and small industries have greatly improved the lives of millions of Sudanese. So too has the Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation.

China’s if-you-build-and-provide-it-there-will-be-peace-and-prosperity policy does have its critics. They point to China’s small arms exports to Sudan, along with the danger of some of them falling into the hands of rebel factions. Though these armaments hardly compare to the U.S.’s drones-over-Sudan-and-military-intervention policy, including AFRICOM’s vision for more military bases, some warn another war that could cost two million lives and displace four million is in the making. This is hardly what the nation needs.

Pandora’s Box Waiting To Open

Other problems exist as well. The human-made borders between South Sudan and Sudan are still disputed. There’s also ethnic fighting. This includes a deep division between Arabic-speaking Muslims who practice Islam in the north, and Christians and Animists who speak a variety of languages in the south. Racial discrimination between Sudanese Arabs and Black Sudanese farmers, and the oil pipeline which is controlled by Sudan and can charge large fees only adds to an already volatile situation.