ABSTRACT

This article examines how the conflict since 2011 in Sudan’s ‘Two Areas’, the states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, has been prolonged by a well-intentioned but counter-productive international response. The United States and other western countries, motivated by humanitarianism, imposed sanctions against Sudan’s regime and provided aid to rebel regions. This western response was fostered partially by disinformation – about the genesis of the conflict, the regime’s use of force, and the causes and extent of the humanitarian crisis. Western support incentivized the rebels to perpetuate their hopeless military campaign, which prolonged the displacement of an estimated one-third of civilians in the Two Areas. Only after the United States lifted some sanctions in 2017, and a popular revolution overthrew the regime in 2019, did U.S. officials belatedly identify rebel leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu as an obstacle to peace. The article concludes with lessons for ending the conflict in Sudan’s Two Areas and mitigating such civil wars elsewhere.

摘要

本文探讨了自 2011 年以来苏丹“两个地区”（南科尔多凡州和青尼罗州）的冲突如何因善意但适得其反的国际反应而延长。美国等西方国家出于人道主义动机，对苏丹政权实施制裁，向叛乱地区提供援助。这种西方的反应部分是由虚假信息促成的——关于冲突的起源、政权使用武力以及人道主义危机的原因和程度。西方的支持激励叛乱分子继续他们毫无希望的军事行动，这延长了两个地区约三分之一的平民流离失所的时间。直到 2017 年美国解除了一些制裁，2019 年一场民众革命推翻了该政权，美国才 官员们姗姗来迟地认定叛军领导人 Abdelaziz al-Hilu 是和平的障碍。文章最后总结了结束苏丹两个地区的冲突和减轻其他地方的此类内战的经验教训。