Arab league urged to push for UN troops in Sudan
Sept 12, 2006 (CAIRO) — Amnesty International on Tuesday called on the Arab League to exert influence on the Sudanese government to allow UN troops to protect the people of the war-torn region of Darfur.
“We feel it is very important for the Arab League to support the role of the United Nations in Darfur,” said Irene Khan, secretary general of Amnesty International.
“They are the ones who hold a critical influence on Sudan,” she said in a telephone interview.
“If they fail to move, the world will hold them responsible.”
Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo last week aligned themselves with the position of Sudan which opposes the deployment of UN troops in its western region of Darfur.
The combined effect of war and famine in Darfur has left up to 300,000 people dead and displaced 2.5 million in three and half years of civil war that pits the Sudanese government and allied militias against ethnic minority rebels.
On August 31, the Security Council passed resolution 1706 which authorized the deployment of up to 20,000 UN peacekeepers to take over from the cash-strapped and ill-equipped African Union (AU) forces in Darfur which has failed to stem the bloodshed.
But the Sudanese government has consistently rejected the option of a UN deployment in the war-torn region and instead dispatched its own forces to the western region, where fresh fighting killed seven people on Tuesday.
“We feel this kind of military offensive is aggravating the situation,” said Khan who said she feared a “protection vacuum” for the people of Darfur should UN troops not be deployed.
Khan also urged Egypt to play an active role in convincing Sudan to agree to UN troops.
Egypt “has a major responsibility to exercise its influence over Sudan,” she said.
The London-based watchdog on Monday called on the Security Council to impose “targeted sanctions” against the Sudanese government if it fails to agree to an international presence.
“If the Sudanese government continues to refuse UN peacekeepers, the Security Council should immediately impose targeted sanctions against Sudanese officials,” a statement said.
(ST/AFP)