Australia offers small military contribution to Darfur peacekeeping
June 8, 2008 (SYDNEY) — Australian government has offered to send a small military team to take part in the hybrid peacekeeping mission in the troubled region of Darfur.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said yesterday he offered ten military logisticians to take part in the United Nations African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur.
He described this offer as “a modest contribution” that needs to be approved by the Sudanese government.
Sudan despite some concessions made recently to the UN still says that the peacekeeping forces to Darfur must be basically African. The role of the international community should be limited to provide the financial and logistical support, according to Khartoum.
Rudd further said the Australian military assistance would be backed up by five million dollars (4.8 million US) in humanitarian aid.
“I believe given that Australians always want to lend a helping hand when you have such continuing humanitarian atrocities as we’ve got in Darfur, a place I visited myself not so long ago, I think that’s the right way to go.” Rudd added.
The UN experts estimate that 300,000 people killed and 2.5 million are displaced since the eruption of the war in Darfur. However Khartoum says only more than 9000 are killed.
(ST)