UN resolution ignores political roots of Darfur crisis – SLM
Sept 11, 2006 (PARIS) — A Darfur rebel group has indicated in a letter sent to the UN Secretary General today its reservations over the UN resolution n° 1706 saying it is ignoring the political roots of Darfur conflict.
In a letter sent to Kofi Annan by the chairperson of a faction of The Sudan Liberation Movement, Ahmed Abdelshafi Bassey, the SLM expressed some reservations on the UU Security Council resolution on the deployment of UN forces in Darfur under Chapter seven adopted on 31 August.
A press statement signed by the SLM spokesperson, Jafar Menro, said that the resolution is focused on the security and humanitarian aspects ignoring the political roots of the crisis.
The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Thursday 31 August that would give the United Nations authority over peacekeepers in Darfur. But the plan to deploy as many as 17,500 U.N. troops and as many as 3,300 civilian police is contingent on consent by the government of Sudan, which has categorically rejected calls for U.N. forces in Darfur.
“The UN resolution closes the door for any new amendments to Abuja peace agreement in order to respond to the demands of non-signatories parties,” said the statement.
The SLM also balms the resolution because it means to implement the Darfur Peace Agreement, despite the fact that this agreement is rejected by Darfur people who demonstrated against it. “The UN is fully aware of this fact”, remind the Arabic language text.
According to the resolution, the UN forces are charged to disarm all the armed groups without any distinction between the rebel troops and the Janjaweed militias. In doing so, the UN puts the legitimate and recognised Darfur resistance Movements on the same stand with the armed militias identified by various Security Council resolutions as responsible of atrocities and rap against civilians.
More than 200,000 people have died in the remote Darfur region since 2003 when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government. The government is accused of unleashing Arab militiamen known as janjaweed who have been blamed for widespread atrocities.
The Security Council resolution adopted threatens sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, for any individual or group that commits human rights violations or violates the Darfur Peace Agreement.
The U.N. reports that violence in Darfur is worse than ever despite the Darfur Peace Agreement, leading to the forcible displacement of 21,000 people since July in the state of North Darfur alone. Humanitarian access in Darfur is at its lowest level since 2004, with almost 500,000 needy civilians beyond the reach of humanitarian aid.
(ST)