The North African nation of Sudan is on-fire with protest. Like their Arab Spring counterparts, Sudanese people are demanding removal of dictatorial and unjust leadership, including President Omar Al Bashir, who came to power through a military coup d’etat over ten years ago. Bashir’s crimes have led him to be indicted by the International Criminal Court, where he and his forces are charged with genocide and human rights violations in the Darfur region. His alleged crimes include the brutal murder/“ethnic cleansing” of non-Arab civilians, the shooting of demonstrators, torture, and shutting down the nation’s newspapers, broadcasting stations, and internet to hide these deeds.
Ten years after Bashir’s coming to power, conflict continues to spread in Sudan. Southern Sudan has become a separate nation. In the midst of this violence, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently met with Ali Karti, Bashir’s foreign minister, after attending the 50th anniversary of the African Union Summit. Apparently Bashir’s indictment, the revolution and Darfur were “not on the agenda.”
Corporate media coverage and U.S. government officials are showing us how public debate is controlled, and a genocide and democratic revolution can be kept out of public awareness and minimized in service of political and commercial interests.
Sources:
Eric Reeves, “Sudan’s Bloody Crackdown on Civilian Protesters: Does the U.S. have anything to say?” Sudan Tribune, October 5, 2013, http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article48331.
Eric Reeves, “Uprising in Sudan: What we know now (November 4th, 2013)” Sudan Tribune, November 4, 2013, http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article48682.
Student Researcher: Mazin Jamal Mahgoub (San Francisco State University)
Faculty Evaluator: Kenn Burrows (San Francisco State University)