Action needed to end atrocities in Sudan
Editorial, The Miami Herald
June 9, 2005 — The International Criminal Court’s investigation into war crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region brings a glimmer of hope to a human catastrophe. After the genocide in Rwanda, ethnic cleansing in Kosovo and countless other mass atrocities, one might think that civilized nations would have found a way to stop mass slaughter. Yet Sudanese government-sponsored militias have been terrorizing Darfur’s black Muslims with impunity for more than two years.
The United Nations has watched — and has done little to stop the violence.
Intimidation continues
Nearly 200,000 Darfurians have been killed and another two million torn from their homes. Sudan’s dictatorship denies any complicity with the Arab Janjaweed militias that systematically have attacked, plundered and burned civilian villages. The evidence says otherwise: Sudan’s military provides the Janjaweed uniforms, weapons and even coordinated air strikes. Indeed, the attacks against civilians began after two rebel groups attacked military installations.
Early on, Sudan’s government tried to keep humanitarian aid groups out of Darfur — an attempt to cut off the lifeline of food and medical attention to hundreds of thousands of refugees. Since then, access has improved but intimidation continues. Two senior coordinators for Doctors Without Borders were arrested last week after the group issued a report documenting the systematic rape of women refugees by militia and soldiers.
Few doubt the Sudan government’s participation in the atrocities. U.N. officials and other diplomats have condemned the crimes against humanity in Darfur but have taken little action. One positive move: The U.N. Security Council did refer the Darfur case to the International Criminal Court. A special U.N. commission turned over evidence of war crimes, including the names of 51 potential perpetrators. The ICC now has a chance to prosecute those responsible for mass murder and rape, even if they are high-ranking Sudanese officials.
Stop the Janjaweed
The United Nations, meanwhile, needs to beef up the mandate and strength of African Union forces attempting to provide security in Darfur. The planned increase to 7,700 troops (from the current 2,700) is inadequate to protect six million people in an area as big as Texas. The United States, EU and NATO have commendably pledged to offer support to the African forces, including transport and training. Those troops need added authority to proactively stop the Janjaweed and soldiers, not just monitor and wait for an attack.
The Security Council also must enforce sanctions it already authorized for Sudan: an arms embargo; and freezing the assets and international travel for the authors of the violence. It could apply sanctions on oil sales, too, should the Sudanese government continue to act in bad faith. The goal should be a mediated peace process for Darfur.
U.N. taking action in Darfur
June 14, 2005, The Miami Herald — Re the June 10 editorial Action needed to end atrocities in Sudan: You are right that the International Criminal Court’s inquiry into allegations of war crimes offers ”a glimmer of hope” to the victims of atrocities in Darfur. But it will be realized only if the investigation receives international support.
As Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the court’s prosecutor has said, it must be part of a collective effort that complements the African Union (AU) and other initiatives to end the violence in Darfur and to promote justice. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has pressed for more-effective international action, including an expanded AU force with logistical and other support from stronger military powers.
Last week, there were pieces of good news: NATO and the European Union will airlift the AU troops; and talks on a political settlement between the Sudanese government and rebel movements have resumed. Both followed Annan’s visit to Darfur to draw attention to the people’s plight and the conference in Addis Ababa, which he convened jointly with the chairperson of the AU Commission. In March, in response to Annan’s prodding, the Security Council imposed sanctions on people who violate international law in Darfur and, in a historic first, referred the situation to the ICC.
Moreover, it is largely thanks to the U.N. that humanitarian relief has reached more than 2.5 million people. Annan is urging United Nations members to adopt wide-ranging reforms to strengthen the organization’s machinery for preventing conflict and upholding human rights and to give it a clear responsibility to protect people threatened by genocide or comparable atrocities. Still, even the most perfect institution can only be as strong as the will of its member states.
EDWARD MORTIMER, communications director, office of the secretary-general, United Nations, New York, N.Y.