UN upsets over AU’s withdrawal from Sudan’s Darfur

Sept 6, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) expressed on Wednesday its upset over a possible withdrawal of African peacekeeping forces from the troubled western Sudanese region of Darfur.

Radhia Achuri, spokeswoman of the UNMIS, told Xinhua that pullout of the 7300-strong African troops from Darfur, after the mandate of the African Union (AU) to monitor a cease-fire between the conflicting sides ends by Sept. 30, could lead to a security vacuum in the region.

“The AU existence in Darfur is very important and its departurecould lead to a security vacuum and affect negatively the humanitarian situations in the region,” the spokesman added.

She denied that the recent UN Security Council resolution 1706, which calls for a deployment of international peacekeepers in Darfur to replace the underfunded African troops, had any relationwith the UNMIS, noting that the UN mission was set up to observe the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in southern Sudan.

“Resolution 1706 does not contain any item of redeploying the UN peacekeeping forces from southern Sudan to Darfur,” Achuri said.

The Sudanese government has announced its refusal of resolution1706, affirming that the resolution would lead to a international interference in Sudan’s internal affairs and a re-colonization of the country.

The Sudanese foreign ministry summoned on Monday Babagana Kingibe, head of the UNMIS, and informed him of the government’s position of changing the African troops in Darfur into the vanguard of the proposed UN peacekeeping forces.

(Xinhua)