Is the Peace Deal in Darfur Collapsing?
By Scott A Morgan
October 12, 2007 — The last couple of weeks have not been beneficial to the Peace Process in Darfur. And the pattern indicates that the situation will not improve in the near future. Over the last few weeks the situation took a drastic turn for the worse. Several African Union Peacekeepers were killed when rebels overran their base. Within a matter of days the town which was a bastion of support for the Government was razed to the ground. And then the Sudanese Government launched an attack with the rebel force that they signed a peace deal with a year ago.
The fact that this is occuring so soon after the United Nations approved of a Peacekeeping Mission to Eastern Chad is unsettling. France Britian and the United States supported this measure in an effort to keep the Fighting from spreading any farther or influencing other conflicts. The Fighting in Darfur has led to problems not only in Eastern Chad but also in the Northeastern Part of the Central African Republic. The situation is so bad that Libya has launched Diplomatic Initiatives to bring about a peace deal.
The new upsurge in Fighting could create problems in another area of conflict in Sudan. There are rumblings that the Peace deal in Southern Sudan could unravel as well. IF that happens along with the failure of the Juba Peace Talks that are ongoing to try and resolve the long-standing insurgency that is ongoing in Northern Uganda than it is feasable to see renewed fighting in more than one area of Sudan. IF that happens then the Diplomatic Achievement that the US made could end up going down in flames.
Some Activists in the United States and other Countries have come up with a new way to show their displeasure with Khartoum over recent events. The efforts to get State Pension Funds to divest their funds from companies that do business in Sudan is gaining Momentmum here in the US. Recently Colorado and several other States voted to do such a thing. The number of States that have passed laws requiring that their funds be withdrawn from companies that do business with Sudan has Grown to 20. Recently Congress itself has taken up similar Legislation to be done on a Federal level. Companies that do business with Southern Sudan will be exempt from these efforts however.
At one point the Western Powers were considering a No-Fly Zone for Darfur. This was considered after reports indicated that Air Raids were Conducted by Sudanese Aircraft with Red Cross Markings. That was not feasable at that point in time but recent events could have that concept be revisited. The African Union Force currently on the ground will be Augmented by Troops from the UN. At this time no US Forces are planned for the Mission however the New African Command could be tasked with supporting this mission as part of its mandate. This command became Operational on the First of October after a flurry of meetings between US and African Officials.
The concern of ordinary people with events in Darfur cannot be denied. The Protests that were held in cities around the world was clear. People are demanding that their Governments take some concrete actions that will lead to or strengthen the peace in Darfur. The Powers that be in Khartoum have been resisiting and the fight has spread into at least two other countries at this time. How much longer will the world remain silent to the suffering? Or will it do what is easier which is to not do anything at all?
* The author comments on US Policy towards Africa. He can be contacted at [email protected]