Darfur: Call For Tougher Line Against Sudan
- May 15th, 2007
- Posted by 7thmin
The conflict resolution body Crisis Group has issued fresh commentaries on the Darfur crisis saying it has deteriorated, and calling for stronger international action.The organisation has described as inadequate a concession by the Sudanese government to let in 3000 United Nations peace-keeping troops, supplementary to a hard-pressed contingent from the African Union.
“The international community must continue to press for the establishment of a functioning ceasefire and the deployment of the AU/UN hybrid force,” it said.
New efforts were also needed to revitalise a “moribund peace process” for the region, and that would need a “fundamental adjustment in the international approach to Khartoum.”
It said the United States, China and other members of the UN Security Council, along with other African Union and United Nations members, should apply pressure to get the Sudanese authorities to give up attempts to achieve a military victory against rebel forces in Darfur.
Such action would include targeted sanctions extending to “punitive measures” against responsible individuals.
The Brussels-based organisation said the human rights and security situation in Darfur had got worse in the last year.
In addition to suffering and dislocation of the local population, 100 staff members of aid agencies had been killed and thousands of others forced to move out from their areas of operations.
Reference:
See Crisis Group, http://www.crisisgroup.org
Comment by Colin Thomas-Jensen (Crisis Group), “How John Q. Citizen Can Affect Darfur”, Fort Worth Star Telegram, 9 January 2007