February showed failure of US leadership on Darfur

– Contact: Ann-Louise Colgan (202) 546-7961

Pressure on U.S. to Lead UN Security Council to Act Brought New Focus to
Darfur Crisis;
But U.S. Failed to Achieve Any New Action to Protect People of Darfur

Mar 1, 2006 (WASHINGTON, DC) — At the conclusion of the
U.S.’ month-long presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council,
Africa Action today condemned the failure of the U.S. to use that
opportunity to gain support for new international action to address the
ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Despite the authorization of
contingency planning for a possible future UN peacekeeping operation in
Darfur, and despite rhetorical commitments by the Bush Administration to
promoting urgent action on Darfur, February passed without any concrete
response to the immediate need for protection for civilians and
humanitarian operations in Darfur.

Salih Booker, Executive Director of Africa Action, said today, “Eighteen
months have passed since the Bush Administration acknowledged that
genocide was taking place in Darfur, and the U.S. has yet to demonstrate
the political will to stop this genocide. Apparently the Bush
Administration considers it tolerable for genocide to continue in
Darfur, as it was in Rwanda. The people of Darfur have been abandoned to
a double standard that makes genocide acceptable in Africa.”

As the situation in Darfur continues to deteriorate, and a growing
crisis on the border with Chad threatens regional stability, Africa
Action emphasized the urgent need for a UN peacekeeping force with a
Chapter 7 mandate to be deployed to Darfur immediately to address the
security needs on the ground.

Ann-Louise Colgan, Director of Policy Analysis & Communications at
Africa Action, said today, “The U.S. must work at every level to promote
a Security Council resolution authorizing a robust UN mission in Darfur
without delay. New reports of strong opposition to a UN force from the
government of Sudan are a cause for grave concern, and the U.S. must
redouble its diplomatic efforts, and work with the African Union, to
ensure broad and committed international support for a UN mission for
Darfur.”

Marie Clarke Brill, Director of Public Education & Mobilization at
Africa Action, said today, “Public pressure moved the Administration to
focus on Darfur in February, and statements from the President and
senior U.S. officials signaled a new commitment to addressing this
crisis. But we are still waiting for action that will change the reality
on the ground in Darfur. Activists across the country who were engaged
during February will continue to escalate pressure in the coming weeks
to ensure the passage of a Security Council resolution authorizing a UN
peacekeeping mission for Darfur.”

For more information and analysis from Africa Action, as well as
highlights of recent activism on Darfur, see
http://www.africaaction.org/darfur