Sudan nixes bigger African role in Darfur

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Sep 4, 2004 (UPI) — Sudan has welcomed a U.N. report on Darfur, but with reservations on expanding the role of African cease-fire observation forces in the embattled province.

Sudanese U.N. delegate Fateh Arwa told UPI in a telephone interview Saturday the government does not oppose in principle the U.N. recommendation to increase the number of African observers and protection forces in Darfur.

“We, however, have reservation on attempts to change the nature of the mission of the African forces and expanding their role to peacekeeping forces instead of just observing and monitoring the truce agreement,” Arwa said.

The report by U.N. envoy in Sudan Jan Pronk noted the 3,000 troops supplied by the African Union was not large enough to restore security in Darfur.

Arwa charged certain countries were trying to portray the Sudanese government as incapable of assuming its security role in the war-torn province.

He said Pronk’s report was balanced and objective, although, “We disagree with him on the part about the Sudanese government’s failure to meet its full commitments in Darfur.”

Pronk was alluding to Sudan’s failure to disarm the pro-government Arab Janjaweed militia and to prosecute its leaders.

The Janjaweed are blamed for the massacres in Darfur against African tribes.

Arwa said his government will cooperate with the U.N. on increasing the number of African observers and further facilitating rescue operations and the flow of humanitarian assistance.