Khartoum faces sanctions unless Darfur crisis is ended, U.N. says
NEW YORK, July 07, 2004 (dpa) — U.N. Security Council members on Wednesday threatened to include the Sudanese government in sanctions being brandished against Khartoum-backed militias unless it takes measures to end the conflict in Darfur.
The 15-nation council was considering a draft resolution submitted last week to impose an arms embargo and a travel ban on the Arab-led Janjaweed militias, which are supported by Khartoum in crushing African rebels in Darfur. The resolution could pass within “days”, council members said.
But the council has now also turned their sights on Khartoum, and could start reviewing Sudan-wide sanctions as early as July 15.
Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador John C. Danford, who attended for the first time a closed-door session of the council, said Washington proposed to give Khartoum 30 days to see results of the set of agreements that Khartoum signed with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan last week.
“Thirty days are too long for the government to act, that’s for sure,” he said, indicating the proposal was too generous considering the urgency of the situation.
Danford, who has served as President George W. Bush’s envoy in ongoing problems in Sudan, said Khartoum is “on a short leash” and would “be judged in the very short term and the world will be watching and the world will be acting”.
The conflict in Darfur has displaced more than a million people and sent more than 100,000 fleeing into Chad. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. The U.N. has described the situation in that region as a humanitarian catastrophe.
The attacks began as government-backed Arabic ethnic Janjaweed militia went after African ethnic Muslim rebels in western Sudan over the past year. Local residents have been clamouring for more economic development in the remote region.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Sudan last week. In a teleconference Wednesday, Annan told the council that agreements he signed with Khartoum called on the government to send Sudanese troops to Darfur to disarm the Janjaweed and stop their raids, and to deploy human rights monitors to investigate alleged human rights abuses.
The African Union has a ceasefire monitoring group designated for the conflict, and earlier this week decided to send 300 international peacekeeping soldiers to protect the unarmed observers.
But the monitors have been unable to deploy because of safety concerns, an issue that has also hindered international aid organizations from bringing in help. An estimated 300,000 people will starve in the region in coming monthes unless emergency food supplies can be transported there.
Romanian Ambassador Mihnea Motoc, council president for July, said the council wants “sustained pressure” on the government of Sudan,
German Ambassador Gunter Pleuger said it was “a matter of credibility to be ready to act now. We are in favour of the Security Council making sure and visible that we are prepared to act.”
French Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said the council wants the militias disarmed, free access for relief workers to refugee camps, progress in the political process and monitoring of the situation on the ground.
“The Sudanese government will be judged by its performances and actions,” de la Sabliere said. “There is an urgency of the situation on the ground.”
The draft resolution was being discussed by legal experts of the Security Council. The Janjaweed leaders are believed to be wealthy and constantly traveling outside of Sudan, which is where travel restrictions could intervene.