As If We Are Not Living On The Same Planet

As If We Are Not Living On The Same Planet
A Congratulatory Message to President and Mrs. Barack Obama
Dear Ambassador Lyman, the U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan:
The SPLM-North and the majority of the Sudanese people were inspired and energized by the American election, and the core values and democratic peaceful exercises it involves that result in respect for the will of the people and the recognition of diversity as a matter of national strength for the United States.  The American election came as a contrast to the tragic situation the Sudanese people are in, being ruled for 23 years by an indicted President that is continuing to commit genocide against his own people and has used the resources of the country, the taxpayer’s money and the Sudanese national army to commit genocide and war crimes.  What a contrast.  It is as if we are not living on the same planet.
Let me on behalf of the SPLM-North leadership, its rank and file, and on my own behalf to truly congratulate President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters, who are writing a new chapter in American history that has proven the greatness of the respect for diversity, equal citizenship and opportunity for all despite the enormous challenges that the United States and the world at large are facing.
Sudan and Africa have a great hope for the new Administration of President Barack Obama to prioritize our country and continent, which have undergone a long suffering from colonialism to being at the margins of the least developed countries.
As you have been doing a great job as the US Special Envoy to bring peace and stability to Sudan, we would like you to convey to President Obama that Sudan is Africa in microcosm with its great diversity and more than 7,000 years of history as part of the Nile Valley civilization has great potential for a bright future and can be taken as a model of Africa U.S. cooperation to achieve democracy, respect of human rights and equal citizenship that will end human suffering.  Therefore, we are looking forward to the new President Obama Administration to address the humanitarian crises in the Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile and Darfur as a matter of urgency and to end the civilian population’s tragedy and for the Administration to adopt a holistic approach which is the only way to achieve a just peace, democracy and stability.  It has been established beyond doubt that there will be no stability without democracy.
Yasir Arman
Secretary General, SPLM-North
November 12, 2012