Obama Gives Special Message to Sudan, S. Sudan

President Barack Obama has told South Sudan and Sudan to stop all millitary actions against each other and resolve their disputes through negotiations to avoid going back to war. (April 21)

In recent weeks, rising violence and fighting have taken the lives of innocent

civillians- men, women and children.

Heated rhetoric on both sides has raised the risk of war.

So today I want to speak directly to you- the people of Sudan and

South Sudan. In your lives you've endured extraordinary hardships.

You carry in your hearts the memory of family and friends you've lost;

but in recent years against great odds, you've made remarkable

progress toward breaking the violent cycles of the past

toward building a future of peace and greater prosperity.

Now all that progress is at risk of unraveling.

So my message to you today is simple: It doesn't have

to be this way. Conflict is not inevitable.

You still have a choice. You still have a chance to avoid being dragged

back into war which only leads to one place- more suffering,

more refugees, more death, more

lost dreams for you and your children. We know what

needs to happen. The Government of Sudan must stop its military actions,

including aerial bombardments. It must give aid workers the access

they need to save lives. And it must end its support for armed groups

inside the south. Likewise, the Government of South Sudan

must end its support for armed groups inside Sudan and it must cease

its military actions across the border. The presidents of

Sudan and South Sudan must have the courage to return to the table and negotiate

and resolve these issues peacefully. And all of those who are

fighting, including in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, must

recognise there is no military solution. The only way to achieve

real and lasting security is to resolve your differences through negotiation.

In times of tension, it's easy to forget that your future is shared.

You will never be at peace if your neighbour feels threatened.

You will never see development and progress, if your neighbour

refuses to be your partner in trade and commerce.

It's easier to start wars than to end them.

And yes, peace is hard, but the forces of history

which sometimes seems so large are not beyond our control. Your future belongs

to you. It is in your hands. You have the power,

the choice to say what comes next-

whether your children will live in war or peace. The choice is yours,

and now is the time to choose peace. As I've said before,

those who have the courage to walk the path of peace will not be alone.

They will have a strong and steady partner in the United States of America.