US Columnist: Biden and Trump Failed to Confront the Sudan Crisis

Moatinoon
Nicholas Kristof, a columnist for *The New York Times*, has accused the administrations of both US President Donald Trump and his successor, Joe Biden, of failing to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan—despite both administrations having labeled the actions committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians as genocide.

In an article titled "Biden and Trump Called What’s Happening in Sudan Genocide, Then Turned Their Backs," Kristof stated that while the world is aware of the scale of atrocities being committed in Sudan, international leaders are avoiding action even as they prepare to deliver speeches on peace at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The writer recounted the testimony of a 13-year-old Sudanese girl who had lived in the city of El Fasher, in the Darfur region, and dreamed of becoming a doctor before the RSF besieged and seized the city last October.

According to the accounts of the girl and her family members, RSF forces detained the family at a checkpoint and separated the men and boys from the women and girls; the girl, her sister, and her mother were then subjected to repeated sexual assaults over the course of four days.

Kristof added that the girl also suffered genital mutilation at the hands of gunmen before the family managed to reach a displacement camp in the town of Tawila, where hundreds of thousands of war survivors are living in dire humanitarian conditions. The writer stated that he could not independently verify all details of the attack, but noted that several family members confirmed the account. Two aid workers at the camp also confirmed hearing the same story, while human rights organizations—including Amnesty International—have documented killings and gang rapes in the region.

He quoted Janti Soeripto, head of Save the Children, as saying that what she heard from the family aligned with what she witnessed during her visit to Darfur this year. She noted that the effects of the violence were both "physical and psychological" and that the humanitarian response remains unable to meet growing needs.

Christoph observed that the violence in Sudan is fueled by several factors, including land disputes, the rivalry of external powers for influence in Sudan and the Red Sea, and racism against non-Arab Black Africans.

He pointed to extensive evidence—reinforced by a recent UN report—indicating that the UAE has provided weapons and support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). He criticized Biden for failing to publicly demand that Abu Dhabi halt arms shipments, while noting that Trump was even less inclined to hold the UAE accountable, given the business ties linking the country to his family.

Conversely, he noted that other nations, including Egypt and Iran, support the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). He also accused the SAF of committing violations, citing reports of the potential use of chemical weapons.

He added that approximately two-thirds of Sudan’s population of nearly 53 million require life-saving aid, yet the UN has received only about 40% of the requested funding, while the true death toll of the war remains unknown. Christophe concluded by stating that the international community is "not powerless" to act, and that the tragedy in Sudan lies not in a lack of knowledge regarding what must be done, but in a lack of the necessary will to do it.

In a similar vein, Kenneth Roth, former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, stated in a post on X that while it is evident to all that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have committed genocide in Sudan, he criticized governments for refusing to hold the UAE accountable for fueling these violations with weapons and mercenaries.

"Does wealth make genocide acceptable?" Roth asked, alluding to what he viewed as international reluctance to criticize Abu Dhabi over its alleged role in supporting the Rapid Support Forces.