Peacekeepers would be protected after ICC decision: UN forces chief

March 2, 2009 (NEW YORK) – The two United Nations peacekeeping operations in Sudan would be protected by the government and would not face retaliatory attacks if the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues a warrant Wednesday for the arrest of Sudan’s president, said the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Alain Le Roy

“The Government would assume its full duty of protecting UN missions in Sudan against any negative impact that may result from ICC possible decision against the Sudanese political leadership,” Mr. Le Roy told journalists in a wide-ranging briefing on the work of the 18 UN peacekeeping missions around the world.

Sudan’s spy chief has warned that the government may not be able to prevent “outlaws” from striking at Westerners out of anger for the ICC decision. Moreover, the rebel JEM yesterday warned that government paramilitary forces plan to wreak chaos in the city of Khartoum on the day of the decision.

Despite these forebodings, Le Roy highlighted the UN peacekeepers’ commitment to Sudan in promising not to scale down the two missions, UNAMID and UNMIS.

Returning to a theme of much accusation in Sudan’s press, he added that the UN did not have any information on whether the ICC will issue an arrest warrant, stressing that the Court in The Hague is an independent body. His comment follows many local Sudanese news reports that have surfaced tying the UN to the ICC and accusing the peacekeepers of collaboration.

“We are not informed of their final decision. Anyone can guess. Of course, we are making some plans as any country would have contingency planning to try to react to any situation,” he said.

There are over 31,000 UN personnel serving with the peacekeeping operations in Sudan, including local civilian collaborators. The UNAMID mission alone is the most costly peacekeeping operation in the world.

(ST)