OurPledge

A Retuers article published earlier this week discusses some of the difficulties with the recent agreement between Khartoum and the rebel Justice and Equality Movement. The big issue is that, at this point, the Sudanese government can’t be expected to honor the document meaningfully. Countless broken ceasefires and the failed 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement prove that Omar al-Bashir’s ruling regime uses these pieces of paper in order to buy more time for its divide-and-destroy campaign in Darfur.

This “Agreement of Good Will and Confidence Building For the Settlement of the Problem in Darfur” does not speak for the vast majority of internally displaced persons, Darfuri refugees, and Sudanese civil society members who deserve to have a voice at the table. And it doesn’t do anything to strengthen the peacemaking hand of the Obama administration, which confronts the huge (yet doable) tasks of ending Khartoum’s genocidal war and bringing peace to all of Sudan.

For more analysis on this measure, please read this excellent blog post from Enough. The key quote from Enough’s analysis: “After more than five years of broken agreements, this accord ought not be hailed as a major breakthrough until we see tangible results on the ground.”

If the Sudanese government is really going to stop its bombing and disarm its proxy militias, then the international community needs to use some of the sticks in its pocket. Ultimately, a peace for Darfur and all of Sudan must be hammered out. That said, it’s vital that the United States and other actors catalyze and sustain a viable peace process from a position of strength. And this means — as a start — imposing targeted sanctions (asset freezes, travel bans, etc.) against Khartoum’s senior leaders. Only considerable economic and military pressure can force Khartoum’s genocidaires to correct their behavior and make good on their promises.