What makes blue helmet presence in Darfur different
What makes the UN troops presence in Darfur not acceptable for the ruling National Congress Party
By Chol Ajongo*
July 5, 2006 — Inconsistency and double standards are common characteristics of the Sudanese political life. Therefore, any impartial political observer wouldn’t be caught by any surprise upon reading the news on the Sudanese president Bashir’s position with regards to the UN presence in Darfur.
Something he personally allowed in the south and Southern Kordofan. But what makes the blue helmet presence in Darfur different from other parts of the Sudan in the eyes of the national congress party leadership?
For Bashir, and other top key figures in party, the difference of UN presence in the south, Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile from the one in Darfur is that. The former plays the role of life support machine for national congress party, where as the latter is a possible trap that may entangle Bashir closest top lieutenants into international criminal court of justice’s net in the Huge.
This possibility makes Bashir hostile and confrontational, to absurdly count on the poor northern memory that never questions its political and religious leaders on any political inconsistencies they make. A good a example for that naivety could be Dr Hassan Al Turabi,.
The northern political old fox leader whom after losing the fight over control of power to Bashir revokes his previous religious edicts by considering those killed in the south to have gone to hell. Not to the heaven as he personally advocated few years earlier and still enjoys considerable support from the same people he misled.
Apart from any political analysis, one is so sure that Mr. Bashir will never lead any meaningful resistance in Darfur against the international community in a fragmented society such as Sudanese. Where the main fighting force that have been doing the most dirty part of the jobs in all northern wars of suppression is at best expected to remain passive if not hostile against Bashir in the last minutes when the blue helmet zero-in with their heavy boots.
Perhaps National Congress Party leadership wants to try such types of resistances that are led from behind. But the dilemma is! Who will take the lead? If the Nuba, southerners, Zaqawa and Fur refuse to wage the war!. Can the old Sudan golden triangle that has been mismanaging the affairs of the country withstand a real war with tiny country such as Chad leave alone the international community with out the support of the black majority known for its courage and resilience Sudan?
Second to this, history have recoded that most ruthless dictator are always survivalists when it comes to their own safety. They will use all means at their disposal to survive.
That explains why Dictator Saddam Hussein known for physical liquidation of his political opponents personally was caught in small hole not in the front line fighting American forces. Same thing applies on Mr. Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists’ groups’ leadership running their holy war from the hideouts in the caves, hiding their ugly faces behind teenage suicide bombers in Iraq and Palestine.
Bashir and his advisers know these facts very well that Sudanese or at least the African majority represented by Sudan people liberation movement won’t let its self be use in any confrontation with international community this time around.
Why would the National Congress Party leadership put its political future at the hard edge with international community? Two possibilities are said to behind this political venture of refusing blue helmet in the Darfur.
First, a good number of the party leadership are said to be on the list as suspects or people of interest suspected for committing crimes against humanity in Darfur. This group sees UN presence in Darfur as direct threat especially. After it was rumored that UN mandate in Darfur under either chapter six or seven may be extended to include crack down on the suspects whom are accused of war crime against African people in the region.
Second possibility, which could be a deadly political miscalculations based on wrong assumptions by some hard liners in the national congress party is, that by confronting the international community and drag it into taking military action against Sudan government or economic sanctions.
Would offer a golden opportunity for national congress party and of course with help of northern parties to scrap the comprehensive peace agreement under the pretext of total collapse of the system in the country. therefore relinquish its commitment and kill the dream of the people of the south to determines their destiny in 2011 referendum.
On the light of these political developments SPLM/A must remain focus and alert as always. Thank to chairman Salva Kiir, the president of the government of the national unity of the people of South and first vice president of the government of Sudan, for stating SPLM ?s position clear on the issue of UN troops in Darfur.
It would be terrible moral blow if the movement that stood tall for its principles for over two decades were to reject the UN role Darfur, whose mission is expected to alleviate suffering of the African population in the region. Chairman Salva, statement in Juba was yet another free moral lesson to the enemies of the African people in the Sudan that, what characterizes Africans from the semi-Arabs in Sudan is that, we African people live up to our principles both in weakness and strength.
The SPLM leadership should also make clearer to national congress party that in the government of national unity, that we are only partners in righteousness not evil. Therefore, chances of manipulating CPA provisions and drag gallant SPLM/A forces in to wrong wars against wrong enemies whether in Darfur or with international community are mere political elusions.
For the SPLM the only enemy is whoever tempers with CPA and natural rights of the people of the marginalized areas to decide their own destiny. By that definition, national congress party could possibly be declared; as an enemy should it fails to honors or intentionally back off from the CPA.
* Chol Ajongo is Resettlement Assistance Program counsellor at the Catholic immigration Centre in Ottawa Canada. He can be reached at [email protected].