Momentum builds for UN peacekeepers with new Darfur draft resolution

August 25, 2006 (WASHINGTON) –- As the security conditions on
the ground in Darfur continue to decline sharply, the U.S. and the U.K.
moved forward last week with the introduction of a draft resolution at
the United Nations (UN), and today U.S. assistant secretary for African
affairs Jendayi Frazer will be sent as an envoy to Khartoum. The UN
resolution proposes the authorization for deployment to Darfur of up to
17,300 peacekeepers and up to 3,000 other personnel. Once deployed, the
peacekeeping mission’s mandate would include a Chapter VII provision,
allowing for the protection of civilians. October 1st would mark the
initial phase of the deployment.

Marie Clarke Brill, Acting Co-Executive Director of Africa Action, said
today, “We’re encouraged to see that an envoy has been sent, and we
believe that this draft resolution is a vital first step towards the
goal of providing robust security for the people of Darfur. But we
cannot forget the increasingly desperate conditions on the ground. This
resolution creates no immediate improvement in people’s lives, and its
worth will now be determined by the level of international commitment to
implement its terms. There remains considerable room for U.S. engagement
to encourage the international community to sustain this momentum.”

The day after the introduction of the resolution, UN Deputy
Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown warned of the deteriorating
security conditions and said, “something very ugly is brewing.” This
week, an International Rescue Committee report revealed that the number
of attacks against women has risen dramatically, and more than 200 women
were sexually assaulted in the last five weeks around Kalma, the largest
camp for internally displaced persons. With the approaching expiration
of the AU mandate on September 30th, there are serious concerns about an
even greater decline in security.

As negotiations on this resolution continue at the UN, Africa Action
urges the U.S. to demonstrate initiative in securing support for its
passage. The government of Sudan has stated that it will oppose the
deployment of multinational peacekeepers to the Darfur region, and the
U.S. possesses substantial leverage to persuade Khartoum to remove these
objections. Africa Action’s statement on this issue, “How the U.S. Can
Break the Deadlock on Darfur,” is available here:
http://www.africaaction.org/newsroom/docs/LeverageonDarfur.pdf

Africa Action also stresses that a future UN peacekeeping force must be
furnished with at least 20,000 peacekeepers, enabled with a mandate to
protect civilians, and sufficiently equipped to counter violent attacks.
These can be ensured through persistent U.S. diplomatic involvement to
rally support within the UN.

Marie Clarke Brill went on to say, “The relentless work of activists
across the country has been crucial in maintaining pressure for U.S.
engagement to stop the genocide in Darfur. This resolution shows the
power of protest to compel our leaders to action. In the coming weeks,
however, the voices demanding protection for the people of Darfur will
continue to increase until change is felt on the ground.”

On September 9th, Africa Action will hold a rally and act of civil
disobedience in front of the White House to underscore the urgency of
the crisis in Darfur and the need for sustained U.S. engagement. This
date marks the two-year anniversary of this administration’s recognition
that the violence in Darfur met the definition of genocide. This Africa
Action event holds the U.S. government to its responsibility to protect
the people of Darfur. A flyer is available here:
http://www.africaaction.org/docs/flyer4.pdf

Africa Action’s Escalation Strategy for the Campaign to Stop Genocide in
Darfur, a series of tactics to increase political pressure on the U.S.
administration, is available here:
http://www.africaaction.org/campaign_new/docs/PumpingUpthePowertoProtect2.pdf