Romania must help Sudan

Editorial, The Khartoum Monitor

Romania must do its best to help Sudan

KHARTOUM August 01, 2004 — The visit by the Romanian Foreign Minister to Sudan is very important, particularly after the UN Security Council had passed a resolution on the situation in Darfur.

Romania is currently occupying the chair of the United Nations Security Council, and Romania is a member of the European Union (EU), so it can help explain the real situation in Darfur, with regards to the government efforts to mitigate the security and humanitarian crisis in the region.

The UN Security Council resolution has given the Sudanese government a period of one month, after that the international organization will evaluate the situation on the ground, prior to taking further action to be decided upon.

The period of thirty days is not at all enough for such a country like Sudan to readjust or put in order the aggravating humanitarian and security situation in Darfur.

To restore security and stability to Darfur, the government needs no less than one year, not a month or so because the current situation hasn’t been created in a day.

The issue of disarming all armed groups would also constitute a major stumbling block to both the government and the international community because the government seems to have lost control over the armed groups.

Darfur would be a major setback to the efforts to bring sanity to Sudan, especially as the country is lacking adequate resources to provide the needs of the displaced in terms of food, health, and shelter.

The government must work hard after the visit by the Romanian Minister to help regain the confidence of the international community.