Head of Darfur peacekeeping mission praises consortium report

July 28, 2008 (ELFASHER) – The chief of Darfur peacekeeping mission has praised a 10 pages report issued by a consortium of rights groups calling for effective support to the joint hybrid mission in order to enable it to protect civilians.

Darfur Consortium, a coalition of more than 50 African and international human rights and civil society organisations, denounced in a report released today the failure of world leaders to keep their promises on peacekeeping leaving Darfuris without protection from violence.

“Although the report is being closely studied by UNAMID, Mr. (Rodolphe) Adada’s first reaction has been to express his appreciation to the Darfur Consortium for the effort in producing such a report.” Said a press statement issued today.

Adada further said he agrees with the report on the critical shortages UNAMID continues to face in the area of troops, personnel, equipment and logistics.

Six months after its deployment, the report underlines the lack of equipment, training and uniformed personnel, and by its own shortcomings. It concludes that Darfuris “feel no safer than they did before the force arrived.”

The consortium says Sudan, United Nations and the African Union shoulder the responsibility for the shortcoming of UNAMID. Sudan “has effectively stalled the deployment” and the U.N. and the AU “have allowed it to do so.”

“UNAMID is in danger of becoming the world’s latest broken promise,” the report added.

Adada thanked the Consortium for their support to UNAMID’s leadership in urging the international community to live up to its commitments and facilitate the hybrid mission to implement its mandate.

However, the joint envoy reiterated the determination of the UNAMID to achieve its goals and provide protection to Darfur people and aid workers as well as its own staff.

Seven peacekeepers died and 22 were wounded in an ambush by heavily armed militia on July 8, the deadliest in a series of attacks on UNAMID personnel.

The UNAMID mission took over from a small African Union force last December 31, but only 7,600 troops and 1,500 police have been deployed, barely a third of the projected total of 19,500 soldiers and 6,500 policemen.

UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing Khartoum of neglect.

(ST)