Rebel faction says Darfur needs 50.000 peacekeepers
April 25, 2007 (LONDON) — A Darfur rebel faction said that the United Nations needs to deploy 50.000 troops in Darfur in order to establish peace in the war-torn province, a press statement said today
A rebel faction dissident from Minni Minawi SLM group, demanded, in a letter sent to the UN Secretary General, to increase the number of the international forces to be deployed in Darfur to 50 thousand instead of 20.000 soldiers.
The leader of the Greater Sudan Liberation Movement (GSLM), Mahgoub Hussein, said “the size of the Region as well as its geographical and environmental setting” require such number of peacekeepers.
The group also announced its support to the imposition of a non-fly zone in Darfur, a project sponsored by the US and the UK at the UN Security Council.
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Below is the text of the rebel GSLM letter to the UN Secretary Gneneral.
Urgent Press relief NO: 55/G/S/L/M
The Secretary General of the UN,
The chair of UN Security Council,
The members of UN Security Council,
Re: Request for the increase of the number of UN Peace Keeping Forces to 50,000 and the indictment of those who have committed crime against humanity in Darfur.
Realising that the Sudan government has abandoned the road map to the solution of Darfur Problem and their refusal to comply with the UN resolutions passed by the UN Security Council, the main body mandated by the international law to keep peace and security among nation states.
– Whereas the Darfur Problem tends to threaten peace and security in the region south of Sub-Sahara Africa which paves the way for the rule of anarchy being exploited by bandits and group of terrorists.
– The GSLM request the Secretary General of the UN to adapt the following:
– To issue UN resolution increasing the UN peace keeping forces up to50,000 troops, because of the size of the region and its geographical setting.
– To issue UN resolution declaring Darfur region as a No-fly zone area, and placing it under UN Security Council Peace Keeping forces Supervision, withal a firm commitment of strong surveillance in the region.
– To give full mandate to the UN Peace Keeping Forces for the arrest of those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity and to disarm the Janjaweed Militias of their weapons.
– The GSLM feel that sanctions will only harm the poor and Innocent people but, not the government. The only effective and punitive action is the immediate deployment of the UN peace keeping Forces to restore peace in the region and to compel the Sudan Government to withdraw for their defiance of the will of the international community.
Mahgoub Hussein
Chairman
Greater Sudan Liberation Movement (GSLM),
London 25.04.2007
Copies to:
1- Public media and press
2- The UK and US governments