UNITED NATIONS – The United States yesterday condemned as “reckless” and “callous” Sudan’s decision to expel more than a dozen aid groups, saying it put millions of people’s lives at risk in Sudan’s western Darfur region.
“The United States is gravely concerned by the reckless decision of the Sudanese government to expel international aid groups working to ease the suffering of Sudan’s citizens,” US ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters.
“The humanitarian situation in the country is already dire, and this callous step threatens the lives of innocents already suffering from years of war and upheaval,” she said in a conference call.
The move by Sudan came after the International Criminal Court charged President Omar Hassan al-Bashir with war crimes in Darfur. Khartoum ordered 13 high-profile aid agencies out of Darfur, including Oxfam and Save the Children, accusing them of passing evidence to the court.
“Millions of civilians, including untold thousands of children and elderly people, will be left even more vulnerable to starvation, disease, despair and death if the government of Sudan does not immediately change course,” Ms Rice said.
“The government of Sudan at its own choosing is now heading down a path towards even greater international isolation.” Ms Rice said she had a “forceful” conversation with Sudan’s UN ambassador Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem, in which she told him the decision was counter-productive and an “enormous escalation” that would exacerbate the situation on the ground and harm Sudan’s relations with the international community.
Ms Rice was asked whether Washington was still considering the possibility of imposing a no-fly zone over Darfur, as the new US administration has indicated previously. She said that option was being “considered and discussed” as part of a policy review the administration was undertaking.
US officials, she said, were consulting with others on the Security Council about the issue and were awaiting a briefing from UN humanitarian officials during a special closed-door council session on Sudan later yesterday.
Ms Rice left open the possibility that Washington would push the council to pass a statement or resolution ordering Khartoum to reverse its decision.
“We will have the briefing and will together decide on appropriate next steps,” she said. Any council moves, Ms Rice added, would take time since delegations would need to consult with their capitals.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people protested the International Criminal Court’s move in Khartoum yesterday after preachers condemned the court’s arrest warrant.
It was the third day of demonstrations after the Hague-based court announced it was indicting President al-Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and torture.