Sudan is like “Mount Vesuvius,” ready to blow

The American Islamic Congress held a discussion of “Violence in Sudan: Muslim and Arab Responses.” Deng Deng Nhial of the Mission of the Government of Southern Sudan to the U.S. said that the Sudanese government is using a strategy of Islamization to manipulate the Sudanese people. He warned that the country is like Mount Vesuvius and will disintegrate like the former Soviet Union if nothing is done.

Nhial said that out of 49 years of independence, 39 have been years of war and that a unilateral effort of the U.S. will be ineffective in changing the behavior of the Sudanese government. He doubts any support of Europe will help. Instead, he said that Muslim Americans must work to get Arab countries to join the effort to end the Sudanese government’s violence. Suliman Giddo, the President of Darfur Peace and Development, said that the silence of the Muslim community must end in order for peaceful coexistence in Sudan to occur.