US warns Sudan to accept hybrid force in Darfur
June 7, 2007 (UNITED NATIONS) — The United States warned Sudan here Thursday that it must quickly accept the deployment of a joint African Union-UN force in Darfur or face UN sanctions, including the imposition of a no-fly zone over the war-torn region.
The US envoy said an upcoming visit by a team of the 15-member Security Council to Khartoum “offers the opportunity to come to closure” on the issue of Darfur peacekeeping.
“Enough is enough in Darfur,” US President George W. Bush told reporters after meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm, Germany.
“I will be stressing, along with Tony, the need for nations to take action. If the UN won’t act, we need to take action ourselves, and I laid out a series of sanctions that I think hopefully will affect (President Omar) al-Beshir’s behavior,” Bush added.
Khartoum is under intense international pressure to accept a 23,000-strong UN-AU joint force to take over peacekeeping from an underfunded AU contingent which has failed to end four years of bloodshed in Darfur.
The United Nations and the AU are to meet with Sudanese representatives in Addis Ababa early next week to try to secure Khartoum’s consent.
A Security Council team will take up the issue with Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir during a visit to Khartoum on June 17.
The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when an ethnic minority rose up against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum, which then enlisted the Janjaweed militia group to help crush the rebellion.
It has cost at least 200,000 lives and forced more than two million people from their homes, according to the United Nations, though Khartoum contests those estimates, saying 9,000 people have died.
(AFP)
Santino Akot
US warns Sudan to accept hybrid force in Darfur
I,as a young sudanese living in a broad(U.S) have disappoint, the way this Country Sudan misbehave for long time.
When will Sudanese in generall think of
stopping killing,distruction,deceiving and lying to them self?.Who to blame?. the current regime.or the people Sudan at large? I meant, people need to think, because,this regime alway say, it’s will change Sudan to better but, never a happen.people are suffering a very where in Sudan.I lefted Sudan in 1986,untill 2007 I spent five (Weeks) in Khartoum,Sudan for the first time in my life to see the Capital City of Sudan.and be able to my brother which I have not seen for (26 Years).still Sudan don’t want change,regardless of the peace sign between North-South conflict.and Darfur crisis.What a deal?.