Darfur's peacekeepers 'not paid' - BBC

Reportedly, the African Mission in Darfur (AMIS) costs $1 billion pa. Where are the millions of dollars in donations for Darfur while much needed peacekeepers in Darfur are not even getting paid? If peackeepers are not paid or fed decently while on active duty, what is all the money for?

BBC report today, excerpt:

Rwanda's army spokesman says there have been delays in paying peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region because the African Union is short of cash.

Some of the Rwandan troops who make up over 2,000 of the 7,000-strong AU force in Darfur have complained they have not received their $25 daily allowance.

Maj Jules Rutaremara told the BBC the AU mission is reliant on international funding which has not been forthcoming.

"The AU has financial problems emanating from the fact that it is heavily dependent on partners outside Africa - mainly the European Union, the US and Canada, whose contributions have not been forthcoming," Maj Rutaremara told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

But he said that he was confident the entitlements due to the Rwandan soldiers would be settled.

"The AU has registered delays in payments of allowances and salaries, sometimes going up to two months, but that does not mean that they will not be paid," he said.

The decision about whether to withdraw the AU mission was a political decision, not a military one, he said, although the Rwandan army was concerned about logistical problems in Darfur.

Two Rwandan soldiers in Darfur died in an ambush earlier this month.

[hat tip CFD via POTP]