Tuesday 10 January 2012

How the problem is being solved


Protesters from Amnesty International marched in front of the White House
Photo By Paul Richards, AFP


Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir rejected the deployment of U.N. troops in Darfur
Photo By Sayyid Azim, AP


     Sudan needs a comprehensive political solution.China has been criticized for not pressing the government to accept a UN peacekeeping presence and has remained largely uninvolved. China has a lot of business interests in Sudan, and they buy around two thirds of Sudan’s oil exports. China, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations security council, used their veto to delay an UN/AU joint force in Darfur.

     The International Criminal Court was put on the case of Darfur in 2005 by the UN. The court launched an investigation into war crimes, which is the largest investigation they have ever done. In 2010, the ICC issued a warrant for the arrest of the President of Sudan al-Bashir on charges of war crimes, torture, and other notable crimes against humanity. This was a big step because technically they don’t have the ability to enforce arrest warrants. It was the first ever arrest warrant for a sitting head of state.

     The AU has a 7,000 person peacekeeping force in Darfur which became part of the joint UN/AU peacekeeping force in 2007. Politically, the AU has increased its power in Darfur, refusing to elect Sudanese President al-Bashir as its head, but some think its influence is too limited.

     The Arab League has stood back from the crisis in Darfur and gone back-and-forth with their opinions on the matter. The Arab League supported al Bashir’s refusal to accept UN troops in 2006. What is surprising about this is that later on several Arab states pressured the government to support a AU/UN force.

     Nongovernmental, advocacy and humanitarian organizations have taken a huge and visible role in the Darfur crisis. Aid organizations support over 2.5 million people in the Darfur region. Human Rights Watch has played a big part in bringing the conflict to light by smuggling out a video of the atrocities in 2004. Recently the Save Darfur Coalition and Genocide Intervention Network was set up to seize the opportunity to help prevent new mass violence both around the referendum in southern Sudan.


Dafur civil society leader Tijani Seise signs truce documents in Doha on Thursday March 18, 2010. PhotoAP / Osama Faisal

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