“UN mandate’s goal is regime change” – Sudanese official
Sept 4, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — Presidential Advisor Mustafa Osman Ismail affirmed that Sudan rejected the transition of AU mission in Darfur to the United Nation because the U.N. mandate’s goal was “regime change”
Speaking at SUNA press forum Monday, Ismail said that the UN resolution n° 1706 is violating the sovereignty of the Sudan directly because it gives the responsibility of protection of the Sudanese and the borders to the international forces.
“Monitoring the borders … protection of civilians … creating an independent judiciary have all become the responsibility of the international forces, so what is left for the government?” he said, referring to clauses in the U.N. resolution.
“The United States has a clear strategy … of trying to weaken this government … or trying to change the government.”
Ismail doubted the American intentions towards Sudan, saying US insisted on the issuance of the recent resolution to carry out its strategy, which aims to weaken the government.
According to Ismail many evidences lead to the US bad intentions towards Sudan: the US describes the dispute in Darfur as genocide. Washington after the issuance of UN resolution 1706 announced that no consent is required from Sudan government to deploy UN troops in Darfur; and US Administration continues to impose economic sanctions and put Sudan on the list of countries harboring terrorism.
On the other hand, the Presidential Press Secretary Mahjoub Fadl Badri added another charge against the US Administration. He said US scheme aims at breaking Sudanese unity.
Speaking to the Voice of the Arabs Radio in Cairo, Badri said US “plan aims at breaking Sudanese unity, which is a very progressive step in case the international forces were deployed in Darfur, to be able to separate the Darfur region from the rest of Sudan”.
The fighting in Darfur began when Darfur rebels took up arms against the government, accusing it of neglect. Since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed.
Washington calls the rape, pillage and murder that have forced 2.5 million from their homes genocide, and blames the Sudanese government and its allied militia, known locally as Janjaweed.
Khartoum rejects the charge but the International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating alleged war crimes in Darfur. Critics say Khartoum fears U.N. troops would be used to arrest officials likely to be indicted by the ICC.
A peace agreement signed in May between the government and one of three rebel factions was initially heralded as a breakthrough. But aid workers and security analysts say violence has escalated since the deal was signed.
(ST)