KHARTOUM, SUDAN—Ubiquitous American advertising is absent in Sudan. Washington bans most imports and exports to the country. Among the strongest supporters of economic coercion have been American Christians, seeking to punish the Muslim‐dominated central government for its brutal conduct in past ethnic conflicts.
While the combat has largely ceased, the embargo remains. And Sudanese Christians with whom I recently spoke said that they suffer when Washington penalizes the Sudanese people for Khartoum’s sins. Rev. Filotheos Farag of Khartoum’s El Shahidein Coptic Church, explained “we want to cancel all the sanctions.”
The Clinton administration first imposed restrictions two decades ago for Sudan’s alleged sponsorship of terrorism. But the Obama administration admits that Khartoum cooperates with the United States today.