Sudan calls on France to ‘come with clean hands’ in Darfur
By Wasil Ali
December 5, 2007 (NEW YROK) — A senior Sudanese official today accused the French government of being an obstacle to peace in Darfur.
Ocampo formally told the UNSC that Khartoum “has not complied with resolution 1593 [referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC]. The government of Sudan is not cooperating with my office or the court”.
The French envoy at the UNSC Jean-Maurice Ripert called on the council to remind Sudan of its obligations under resolution 1593.
“The Government of the Sudan must be reminded of its obligations and responsibilities. The Council owed it to thousands of victims and internally displaced persons still living in camps” he added.
Mohamad accused France of blocking the participation of Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) leader, Abdelwahid al-Nur in the peace talks. Al-Nur has been living in France since 2006.
The prominent rebel leader has said that he will not attend any peace talks until peacekeepers are deployed in Darfur drawing criticism from world countries with some calling for his expulsion from France. Paris however has been reluctant to take such a move.
“France is withholding the participation of Abdel-Wahid in the peace process” the Sudanese envoy said.
Relations between Sudan and France have been strained since the election of President Nicolas Sarkozy who has taken an increasing role in Darfur diplomacy. The Sudanese government has been hostile to Western involvement in the Darfur crisis.
Sudan has refused to attend a meeting on Darfur hosted by France last June saying it will cause “more harm than good”.
The Sudanese ambassador hinted that France was behind a foiled plot to fly 103 children from neighboring Chad to Europe uncovered last month.
“They [French] are allowing their NGO’s to abduct and traffic our children” he said.
The Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir said that the operation took place “under the eyes and noses of Western charitable organizations and the French government”.
International experts estimate some 200,000 have died and over 2 million have been driven from their homes during 4-1/2 years of fighting in Darfur. Sudan puts the death toll from the conflict at just 9,000.
(ST)