Bush’s Darfur policies falling short

Since the Bush administration classified the violence in Darfur as genocide two and a half years ago – making the U.S. the first and only nation to do so – some have argued that Washington has stalled in attempting to fulfill its promise to end the violence in Sudan.

An article in today’s Washington Post commented on a host of issues that have contributed to the wilting domestic and international commitment to the crisis. Despite the president’s passion for this issue, his policies have fluctuated between putting pressure on and engaging with the Islamist government. Constant turnover of crucial advisors on Darfur has also contributed to the slow progress. The current U.S. involvement in other Muslim countries, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, has added to the already complex foreign relations quagmire.

“It’s impossible to keep Iraq out of this picture,” said Edward Mortimer, who served as a top aide to then-U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and says resentment over Iraq caused many countries to not want to cooperate with the United States on Darfur.

Multilateral bodies such as the U.N., NATO, and the African Union have suffered from bureaucratic slowness, preventing a unified effort to address the humanitarian crisis.

Notably, few other Western nations besides Britain and a handful of Nordic countries have shouldered responsibility for resolving the violence either diplomatically or militarily.

According to the article: “Advisers say Bush came to accept, albeit grudgingly, the arguments against using U.S. military assets – especially the possibility that they might attract al-Qaeda.”

“In my mind, there would never be enough troops to impose order on this place,” former secretary of state Colin Powell said an interview. “The only way to resolve this problem was for there to be a political settlement between the rebels and the government.”

“Overall,” concluded John R. Bolton, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, “Sudan is a case where there’s a lot of international rhetoric and no stomach for real action.”

For the full article, click here.

Human Rights Watch calls killing of peacekeepers a war crime

Human Rights Watch said on Monday that the United Nations and African Union should promptly investigate the September 30 killings of 10 African Union peacekeepers in Darfur, allAfrica.com reported.

Unidentified rebel forces attacked an AU base in Haskanita, Darfur, killing 10 peacekeepers and civilian police, and injuring at least 8 personnel from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). About 40 people are missing in what was the worst attack yet on the AU force.

Direct attacks against personnel and objects involved in international peacekeeping missions are prohibited by the statute of the International Criminal Court, so long as the peacekeepers are not directly involved in the hostilities.

“Deliberately attacking peacekeepers is a war crime,” said Peter Takirambudde, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The Sudanese government and the rebel groups should cooperate fully with an independent investigation into the dreadful attack in Haskanita.”

For the full article, click here.

Wilson Center event highlights connections between environment and conflict in Sudan

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a discussion on September 21 examining the environmental links to peace and conflict in Sudan. The speakers, Ibrahim Thiaw and Andrew Morton, presented the United Nations Environment Program’s “Sudan Post-Conflict Environmental Assessment” to a packed auditorium.

Thiaw, director of the division of environmental policy at the UNEP, first highlighted the different environmental landscapes within Sudan: the north is arid and the scarcity of natural resources there leads to competition and conflict, whereas the southern provinces boast a more tropical environment where numerous resettlement communities have flourished – pressing resources as well as the limited infrastructure.

Thiaw also emphasized that the connections among the environment, climate change, and poverty are indisputable and that this relationship – one that is certainly not unique to Sudan – requires greater attention from the international community, specifically in the form of peace-keeping forces.

Andrew Morton, the Sudan project coordinator at the UNEP’s post-conflict branch, presented the research methods and findings of the environmental assessment. He highlighted the positive findings, some of which included the decentralization of the government, the recently signed peace agreement between northern and southern Sudan, the local recognition of environmental problems, and the fact that 75 percent of the country is at peace. Morton also noted the widespread recognition of environmental problems among local Sudanese and their marked commitment to addressing these issues.

Negative findings included desertification in the northern regions, internal displacement of numerous Sudanese citizens, a 30 percent drop in rainfall that led to drought, a 20 to 70 percent decrease in food production capacity, and the absence of substantial policies to address these challenges.

Both scholars addressed the causes for these negative findings, but cautioned against conflating the issues. They cited examples of conflicts between farmers and pastoralists, two groups that have historically practiced reconciliation. However, recent legal reforms no longer recognize the tribal bodies from each group that once served as a forum to settle disagreements, leaving the groups resentful and without political resources.

Thiaw and Morton also highlighted the displacement of people due to certain agricultural practices, such as when groups abandon fields after a few years of planting because it is cheaper to migrate than to rehabilitate the field. These practices simultaneously reduce land availability in Sudan and prevent environmental sustainability. The resultant north-to-south migrations are also creating tensions within urban areas.

No comments were made concerning the difficulties of Sudanese women, who face danger on a daily basis while traveling long distances to collect firewood.

Recommendations (the report cited 85 in total) to remedy Sudan’s environmental problems included a call for investment in environmental management, with funds being directed to the Sudanese government. Morton also pointed out that while it is easy to obtain relief funding, he argued that it is imperative that this short-term funding be transformed into longer-term development funding in order to promote sustainability in the region.

The forum concluded with the assertion that the UNEP cannot and does not strive to solve all the problems in Sudan alone, but rather seeks to initiate dialogue and encourage collaboration with many other groups.

Human Rights Watch calls for action from international community in Darfur

Human Rights Watch released a report on Thursday calling on the 26,000-strong U.N. and African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur to ensure the safety of the Sudanese people and to work to restore their confidence, Voice of America reported the same day.

The group says the Sudanese population still suffers from atrocities such as beatings, rapes, robberies and murders at the hands of the government supported Janjaweed militia and rebel forces. Since 2003, more than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and as many as two million people have been displaced.

Peter Takirambudde, the Africa Director of Human Rights Watch, says that the mission requires the “absolute commitment” of the international community in working to ensure the benchmarks are met by all actors. He believes there has not been enough done so far, and states that “The international community has been virtually in a slumber for the past four years when pervasive abuses were all over Darfur. Finally, they appear to be waking up, and they’re talking a good game. The question is whether or not they are going to be able to pass the test.”

“The people of Darfur cannot wait any longer,” says Takirambudde. “We have waited too long. Change must occur sooner rather than later.”

The UN and AU forces will take over the mission by the end of the year. Peace talks between the Sudanese government and rebels are scheduled to begin in Libya on October 27.

For the full story, click here.

United Nations to send peacekeepers to Darfur

In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the United Nations authorized the deployment of 26,000 troops to Sudan in an effort to quell the unrest in Darfur, The New York Times reported today. Both African Union and U.N. forces would be used in the operation.

The resolution was passed after much debate in the Security Council.

“But we must be clear that if any party blocks progress and the killings continue, I and others will redouble our efforts to impose further sanctions,” said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in his speech before the General Assembly.. “The message for Darfur is that it is a time for change.”

According to the resolution, troops are set to be deployed no later than October of this year.

For the article, click here.

Sudanese refugees at risk under new Israeli plan

The Israeli government has instituted a new plan for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers who are in search of a safe haven from the continued violence and instability in Sudan, IRIN reported Wednesday. Experts say that the new plan puts refugees and asylum seekers from Africa at risk.

With the implementation of the new plan, Israel will force “infiltrators” to return to Egypt and would deny any asylum claims made by those crossing the border into Israel. Security forces have been ordered to arrest and deport all persons crossing the border from Egypt.

International rights groups such as Amnesty International have expressed concern over the plan. AI emphasized that the policy allows the government “to expel everyone in one sweeping move” rather than examining “each refugee claim carefully.”

Many refugees and asylum seekers have fled Egypt to escape ongoing discrimination. Egypt is also known for sending back refugees to their home countries prematurely. “Life is impossible for Sudanese like me in Cairo,” said Nadin, who had been discriminated against due to her dark skin.

“We are not asking for anything, just our basic refugee rights, and maybe a little help from the state,” said Nader, a refugee who had entered into Israel and will be affected by the new policy.

For the full article, click here.

Opposing sides agree there is much to be done in Darfur

“Peace process and protection” were the words uttered repeatedly during today’s “What to do about Darfur” forum hosted by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, GI-Net and ENOUGH!. Awke Amosu moderated the debate between African issues specialists John Prendergast and Alex de Waal.

Prendergast and de Waal share similar backgrounds, both having authored several books, participated in peace negotiations and both boasting extensive participation in and knowledge of African politics. However, the two have different ideas about the correct course of action to be taken in Darfur.

According to Prendergast, the solution to Darfur lies in peacemaking among all involved parties, protection for the most vulnerable populations and punishment for those responsible for the majority of the violence. A transparent, multilateral peacekeeping mission must be launched with legitimate international backing, both politically and militarily. Finally, Prendergast stressed that the key ingredient that is missing from the negotiating table is leverage, which must be generated by key investors such as France, China and the United States.

De Wall also stressed the importance of a comprehensive peace agreement throughout his argument, but was more concerned with addressing the underlying problems behind the conflict in Darfur. A dysfunctional government and growing disparity among the people of Sudan are key issues behind understanding the conflict and they must be addressed if the conflict is to be solved, he said. Lastly, de Wall said that a genuine peace agreement must be reached before protection through military force can begin.

Despite their differences throughout the debate, both emphasized the importance of international involvement in the peace making and peace keeping process. Prendergast and de Wall also agreed that there is a dire need for a comprehensive peace agreement that addresses Sudan as a whole, not just the situation in Darfur.