Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Sudan rejects help to quell death and anarchy in Darfur

Khartoum regime sound like they live on another planet. Today, Reuters says Sudan rejects UN troops for Darfur. The report quotes Sudanese Foreign Minister Lam Akol as saying the UN had not approached Sudan about the deployment of troops.
"Our position is if you have a problem you solve it. If the African forces are short of money, you provide them with money," he said.
Well Mr Akol, bandits and Arab militia are looting, attacking, maiming, raping and killing. You have a problem with your Arab militia, you solve it: disarm them or ask for the world's help. Anarchy in Sudan threatens the stability of Africa.

Listen up Mr Akol, news reports have said over and over again: the AU mission is dependent on the whim of donor nations, whereas UN peacekeepers are paid from the UN budget. So, please stop evading the issue of who is willing to protect the millions of defenceless Sudanese women and children. In Darfur, handpumps are on the frontline of peacebuilding. Stop talking hot air and wasting time at the expense of suffering civilians. Drinking water is more important than oil. Do and say something useful - like getting the good for nothing bandits and Janjaweed to build peacekeeping waterpumps.

Feb 17 2006 3.4 million people in Darfur depend on aid for survival

Feb 17 2006 6.7 million people in Sudan need aid despite good harvest

Feb 1 2006 6,100,000 Internally Displaced People in the Sudan - 770,000 fled elsewhere

1 comment:

IJ said...

Signs of a clash of civilisations.

"Anarchy in Sudan threatens the stability of Africa. . . Drinking water is more important than oil."

But economics may be more important than politics, in 'one-size-fits-all'. An editorial today comments that China's commercial dealings with Africa could undercut "efforts by the African Union and western partners to make government and business more transparent and accountable. In summary, China's partnership "could turn into a curse if it turns African leaders away from the hard choices of political and economic reform."

The list of Sudan's trade partners suggests that China's economic involvement in Africa is becoming very influential. Is this a good or a bad thing?

Incidentally, China is still not a member of the G8 world economic grouping.