By Eric Reeves
January 28, 2017 (SSNA) — Here is a revealing glimpse into the kinds of indiscriminate, ignorant, ham-fisted policies that will follow from the incomprehensible election of an ignorant, vicious, and pathologically narcissistic man—surrounding himself with advisers who know how to echo him, and often know no more than this crudely uninformed but extremely powerful man.
Trump does not distinguish between Sudanese desperately and justifiably seeking political asylum and, say, members of the Rapid Support Forces, whose war crimes should indeed bar their entry to any country except those willing to send such men to The Hague. By prioritizing Christians and other “minority religions” (Trump couldn’t name three if his life depended on it), Trump reveals a despicable attitude toward the Muslim faith and fails to distinguish between radical political Islamists and faithful followers of one of the world’s great religions.
This is a policy appalling in all ways: in its ignorance, its failure to make any meaningful discriminations except on the basis of religion, and its cruelty in denying refuge to many who are desperate to escape the tyranny of the National Islamic Front/National Congress Party regime—many of whom are known to me personally.
Americans should be ashamed of what we have brought upon the world stage; this one certainly is—Eric Reeves]
January 27, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – President Donald Trump Friday has signed an executive order banning from entering the U.S. for at least the next 90 days Sudanese nationals and citizens of other six countries. The measure is seen as first step towards establishing a broader ban, and comes in line with an electoral pledge “to keep America safe” by the Republican president.
The executive order of 27 January bars all people from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the United States. Also, the presidential decision orders to grant priority to Christian and other minority religions over Muslims. Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Pentagon, Trump said “We don’t want them here,” “We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas. We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country, and love deeply our people,” he stressed.
The band does not include diplomats and members of international organizations from the seven designed countries. A week before the end of his second term, President Obama signed an executive order easing economic embargo on Sudan.
However, Obama maintained the east African country in the list of state sponsors of terrorism with Libya, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Stria and Yemen. The new American administration didn’t yet determine its policy towards Sudan. Washington has to review the economic sanctions within six months and to decide to re-establish it fully or to lift it definitely.
Eric Reeves is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights.