Sudan reiterates support to deployment of UNAMID
December 21, 2008 (KHARTOUM) –The Sudanese government defended its record on facilitating the deployment of United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in Darfur saying it fulfilled all its obligations in this regard.
“There is no room for talk about any obstacles on the part of the Sudanese government with regards to the deployment” Abdel-Mahmood said.
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy told the UNSC on Friday that the Darfur peacekeepers have been “much too slow in providing real improvements for the ordinary citizens on the ground and inadequate in resolving the Darfur crisis”.
Only 60 percent of the 26,000-strong force will be deployed by the end of the year, with 80 percent expected by March, the UN official said.
Le Roy also said that “limited resources” have prevented UNAMID from fully fulfilling its mandate “especially the absence of more Formed Police Units”.
He also renewed his call for countries to provide helicopters desperately needed by UNAMID.
“For over one year we have been requesting pledges for a multi-role logistics unit, a medium transport unit, a heavy transport unit, an aerial reconnaissance unit, light tactical helicopters, and 18 medium-utility helicopters” Le Roy said.
“Pledges for these resources have been, and still are, outstanding” Le Roy said.
Some UN diplomats have previously said that unhappiness with command and control structure of UNAMID has prevented many countries from offering helicopters.
Sudan has placed stiff conditions on the composition of the force insisting that it is all recruited from African counties.
Le Roy accused Khartoum of violating the unilateral ceasefire it declared last month saying aerial bombardments were carried out in Darfur.
But Abdel-Mahmood dismissed the allegations saying that violence was provoked by the rebel groups.
“We would like to reiterate our commitment to the ceasefire declared by the president. It is well known that some rebel movements meant to attack some police and military units as soon as the ceasefire was announced” he said.
“We hope that this council will press the rebels to accept the ceasefire” the Sudanese diplomat added and stressed that Darfur movements must be forced to attend peace talks mediated by mediator Djibril Bassole.
Abdel-Mahmood welcomed announcement by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes earlier this month holding rebels responsible for most attacks on humanitarians and their property.
He noted that Sudan has extended facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations until January 31st 2010.
Sudan has been accused by Western countries of harassing humanitarian staff in Darfur and placing red tape on its work.
International experts also say more than 300,000 were killed and 2 million have been driven from their homes by the conflict in Darfur, a region that is roughly the size of France.
(ST)