Africa Action decries Intl ambivalence on Darfur’s peacekeeping

Monday, November 20, 2006 (Washington, DC) – As the Sudanese government
escalates attacks against civilians in Darfur, and as it reportedly
reneges on a new compromise agreement for a hybrid peacekeeping force,
Africa Action urges the U.S. and other members of the United Nations
(UN) Security Council to stop making concessions to Khartoum and to
stand firm in the pursuit of an international peacekeeping force that
can provide protection for the people of Darfur.

Africa Action expresses outrage that the compromise negotiated last week
in Addis Ababa failed to insist on the adequate troop size, mandate,
timeline and leadership for an effective international peacekeeping
force for Darfur. The organization notes that the international
community’s concessions to Khartoum on these key points undermine the
protection needs of the people of Darfur. At the same time, Khartoum’s
newest rejection of any UN troops and mandate underscores the ongoing
deadlock in addressing this crisis and the bad faith of the Sudanese
government in this process.

Nii Akuetteh, who was recently appointed as Executive Director of Africa
Action, said today, “The needs of the people of Darfur must be our top
priority. It is clear that the Sudanese government continues to wage
attacks against civilians, and that a protection force beyond the
current African Union (AU) mission is urgently needed. The international
community must not allow the Sudanese government to dictate the pace and
scope of the response to this crisis. A UN force is needed now. The U.S.
must use all available leverage points and invest its full diplomatic
capital in achieving this goal on a most urgent basis.”

Africa Action emphasizes that a peacekeeping force for Darfur will
require at least the 17,000 troops and 3,000 police recommended by the
UN based on its recent assessment mission, and that Khartoum’s
preference for a much lower number must not be countenanced. The
organization asserts that a Chapter 7 UN mandate, and UN command and
control will be required for an effective peacekeeping force for Darfur,
particularly to address the security needs of civilians and humanitarian
operations. The organization urges the rapid initial deployment of an
international force, and a clear time-line to ramp the force up to full
capacity as quickly as possible.

Ann-Louise Colgan, Director of Policy Analysis and Communications at
Africa Action, said today, “A UN peacekeeping force for Darfur has been
requested by the African Union, and authorized by the international
community in Security Council Resolution 1706. This force is an
essential first step towards addressing the ongoing violence in Darfur
and creating conditions conducive to a true peace process. In principle
and in practice, the African Union needs to be immediately reinforced by
a large and robust UN peacekeeping force, and anything less than this
represents an inadequate and unacceptable response to an ongoing genocide.”

Africa Action emphasizes that the AU mission in Darfur remains
under-resourced and overwhelmed. As a result of the AU’s inadequacy and
Khartoum’s manipulations and obstructions, the organization asserts that
the option of simply boosting this mission with logistical, technical
and financial support is neither viable nor effective. Africa Action
accuses the Sudanese government of a “double standard” in its continued
opposition to a UN force for Darfur and its acceptance of an existing UN
mission in southern Sudan. Africa Action notes that the current UN
peacekeeping operation in southern Sudan currently comprises some 10,000
UN military personnel, representing more than 60 countries worldwide.

Marie Clarke Brill, Director of Public Education & Mobilization at
Africa Action said today, “As the violence escalates and the
humanitarian emergency worsens, the world must act to protect Darfur.
The Sudanese government cannot be allowed to buy time by purporting to
negotiate on this issue even while it continues its military offensive
against innocent civilians in Darfur. Dire reports from the ground are
fueling new activism across the U.S., demanding that the Administration
take new action to break the deadlock and achieve a real peacekeeping
force Darfur.”

Africa Action continues to highlight the close ties between the Bush
Administration and the Sudanese government in the context of the
so-called “War on Terrorism.” The organization notes the leverage this
provides to the U.S. to challenge Khartoum’s stance and achieve its
cooperation on Darfur. Africa Action today reiterated its demand for the
U.S. to use smart diplomacy to advance the shared goal of peace in Sudan
by also enlisting the support of China and other key countries to press
Khartoum to work with the international community and accept the
authorized UN peacekeeping force for Darfur.

Nii Akuetteh said today, “As the African Union Peace and Security
Council prepares to meet this week to discuss next steps on Darfur, this
body must stand firm against Khartoum’s pressure and it must have strong
international support in doing so. Nothing short of an international
peacekeeping force can stop the violence in Darfur. The AU’s repeated
request for a UN transition must be upheld this week and must be
followed by new international action to achieve such a robust protection
force now.”

For more analysis on the Darfur crisis, see
http://www.africaaction.org/darfur