“Famine Stricken Sudan Says It Will Export Food”

Associated Press

The New York Times

December 10, 1986

 

 

 

As if Professor Cleaver has not impressed on us enough that the government does not care about you, Sudan’s Prime Minister, Sadeq al-Mahdi, proved just how far that apathy can go.  On December 9^th, the Prime Minister announced that Sudan would begin to export food.  He said, “in terms of production we are in a better situation than we ever were before.”  The Prime Minister failed to mention the over 2 million people starving in the southern provinces of Sudan.  Upon questioning the Prime Minister about the famine, he failed to directly respond to the problem of starvation instead citing security.  When referring to the southern provinces, all that the New York Times said is that there are rebel forces causing the problems.  This cursory view of the facts by the New York Times once again proves Professor Cleaver correct.  Nowhere is there a discussion of the causes of the famine and any correlation to the rebels, it is just to be assumed because it is the only explanation even hinted at.

 

                                                                                                                       ~Matt Culler