Canada must train peacekeepers in Darfur, send equipment: premier Minister
By AMY CARMICHAEL, Canadian Press Writer
PENTICTON, Nov 13, 2004 (CP) — Canada will move ahead on a plan to outfit and train peacekeepers in Sudan’s Darfur region and other countries in need, Prime Minister Paul Martin [photo] said Saturday, slapping the United Nations for not working fast enough to stop genocide in the area.
Canada has pledged $20 million to support the Sudanese region which has been soaked with blood from a violent civil war.
Martin urged other nations to step up with Canada and provide aid.
On Saturday, the prime minister said he’s not waiting for other nations and suggested Canada could provide more money to meet the needs of an African peacekeeping force being currently being raised.
“I spoke to the president of the Nigeria this morning, the head of the African Union responsible for providing the troops, and it will come down to the number of troops,” Martin told a press conference after a speech to the B.C. federal Liberal caucus.
“They’re not quite sure what their needs will be and I’ve asked the president to give us a list of their needs.”
So far, a quarter of the $20 million in funding Canada has donated has been spent. About 1,000 troops have been assembled and are ready to go into the east African state, but Martin said 5,000 are needed.
There’s been a real delay in organizing the force to help the Sudanese people because the region lacks expertise and equipment, Martin said.
Canada will not ignore this void, the prime minister promised. It must help create a permanent pan-African peacekeeping regiment that will be ready to move in the future to stop fighting before it gets as deadly as it has become in Darfur.
“We have a responsibility as one of the richest nations in the world.
“Canada, you’ve gotta know this is put on the table. If (the Africans) are prepared to put up the troops to go in there, we will supply the flak jackets, we’ll supply the equipment, we’ll supply the training, we’ll supply the money.
“We are not going to stand by and watch these massacres take place any longer.”
He said the African Union has put forth an idea to organize 75,000 troops — picked from various African nations — who would be ready, trained and equipped.
Martin said it makes sense that locals do their own peacekeeping, as opposed to parachuting in Canadian troops who don’t understand the culture.
“The offer I have made is obviously to deal with Darfur. Canada, because of our experience in peace keeping, should be training the trainers. That’s part of the larger offer that I will be discussing in Burkina Faso when I speak to the head of the African Union,” he said.