Our team, and most of the other Sudan advocacy groups, has been paying attention to Vice President Biden’s trip to Africa this week, seeing it as an opportunity for the U.S. government to change course on its Sudan policy implementation. U.S. Sudan policy implementation under General Gration is (and I have to censor my language here) ineffective and often…bumbling.
Does VP Joe Biden offer us and the millions of people in danger in Sudan any hope? I’m not sure. Is all the passionate speech he yelled out as a Senator and candidate in support of protecting civilians in Darfur just that, empty rhetoric?
On my third trip to Darfuri refugee camps back in 2007, we had the opportunity to ask a question during the Youtube Democratic Presidential Debate. I asked, more or less, tell us what you will do to bring peace, but don’t just give us more b.s. Mean what you say!
Of course, Biden was the loudest.Three years later, the words of Biden, Clinton, and Obama have not turned into action. Instead, they have handed over the reins of this important policy to the good General, who wanted to be appointed to NASA and focus on space before being put in charge of policy involving the lives of millions of innocent civilians.
I’m not sure I can put hope on Biden, but we’ll be loud in letting him know he’s not living up to his rhetoric, and we’ll keep asking and pressuring for someone to own and take responsibility on building true and lasting peace and justice in Sudan.
One reply on “VP Biden in Africa: HOPE?”
We don’t forget campaign promises. We need disincentives for KHARTOUM directed by our administration.