The French posture vis-à-vis Darfur

By Eric Reeves

December 10, 2007 — There has been enormous international frustration with Abdel Wahid
al-Nur’s refusal to participate in the Darfur peace process. Some of
this frustration is justified, since Abdel Wahid has in the past laid
down unreasonable preconditions (an “oil-for-food program,” deployment
of a “No Fly Zone” that would almost certainly exacerbate the dangers to
humanitarians). Many observers are looking for Abdel Wahid to
articulate a clear set of benchmarks, short of full deployment of the
UNAMID force, that would allow him to begin negotiations. Such
benchmarks would put the onus for creating an appropriate negotiating
climate on the UN and Khartoum, where it belongs.

At the same time, it is difficult not to sympathize with the logic that
undergirds Abdel Wahid’s resistance to peace talks that have no
underpinning in the form of improved security on the ground in Darfur.
Khartoum’s present obstruction of the UN-approved deployment of the
“hybrid” force (UNAMID) gives ample evidence supporting Abdel Wahid’s
suspicions that the international community is prepared to see the
Darfur Peace Agreement endlessly discussed while people are dying and
suffering in Darfur for lack of security. UNAMID was authorized by UNSC
Resolution 1769 in July; in mid-December there has been no change in the
security on the ground in Darfur. On the contrary, security continues
to deteriorate.

Because Abdel Wahid still has such a very large following among
displaced persons camps inside Darfur, especially among the Fur, he is
critical to securing greater representation at peace talks. But this
popular support must be used responsibly, and reflect real
leadership—and above all a willingness to accept that deployment of
security forces to Darfur will be an incremental process.

A French expulsion of Abdel Wahid will reflect frustration with his lack
of participation in peace talks that still have no appropriate venue, no
adequate representation of Darfuri civil society, women, traditional
leaders—and no adequate international mediation, either from the UN or
the AU. This is a blunt instrument approach to the “Abdel Wahid
problem,” and is unlikely to accomplish anything. Notably, France has
done little to provide resources for UNAMID, although it will evidently
be taking a leading role in the EU effort in Eastern Chad. France has
also done nothing effective to pressure Khartoum to accept UNAMID
deployment. During his recent trip to China, French President Sarkozy
did nothing to put effective public pressure on Beijing to cease its
broad enabling of Khartoum’s conduct of the genocidal Darfur
counter-insurgency. There is considerable hypocrisy in the French
posture vis-à-vis Darfur.

Eric Reeves is a professor at Smith College and author of “A Long Day’s Dying: Critical Moments in the Darfur Genocide.” He can be reached at [email protected]. Website :
www.sudanreeves.org