UNAMID Deployment on the Brink

December 19, 2007

The Save Darfur Coalition today joined dozens of NGOs from around the world to highlight the shameful role that the government of Sudan is playing in obstructing the peacekeeping force authorized for Darfur. Nearly five months after the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1769, which authorized a 26,000 member peacekeeping force, the people of Darfur continue to suffer without adequate protection. The government of Sudan – the same government that is responsible for so much death and suffering in Darfur – is being allowed to dictate the fates of the people of Darfur and is obstructing deployment of the force in 5 critical ways.

Sudan is obliged by Resolution 1769 to facilitate deployment of the force. However despite being briefed repeatedly on Khartoum’s obstruction, the Security Council has yet to take concrete action in response. In fact, just when the U.N. should be increasing pressure on the Government of Sudan, the United Nations Human Rights Council instead weakened pressure on the government by ending the mandate of the Group of Experts on Darfur, who had been monitoring human rights abuses in Darfur. This sends the wrong message to regime officials in Khartoum, and again demonstrates the wavering will of the international community.

If the international community is serious about resolving the crisis in Darfur, it is imperative that they act immediately to end government of Sudan obstructions. To that end, the Save Darfur Coalition endorses the recommendations of this report, including:

1. The government of Sudan must immediately cease their obstructions to the UNAMID peacekeeping force. If they do not, the United Nations Security Council should immediately impose targeted sanctions on key government officials responsible for these obstructions, including President Omar al- Bashir.
2. The United Nations Security Council should convene an emergency session to address obstructions and delays to the UNAMID deployment, and should issue a strong Presidential Statement condemning the obstructions and demanding cooperation from the government of Sudan.
3. The international community should immediately provide the air and ground transport required for the UNAMID force to be successful.

In addition to these recommendations to the international community, the Save Darfur Coalition believes that the United States can and should do more to bring peace and security to Darfur. The United States should:

1. Appoint a full-time special envoy for Sudan, with two deputies dedicated to Darfur and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement respectively, and with teams of staff in the region; work with European and Chinese special envoys to coordinate diplomatic efforts in support of the U.N. and A.U. special representatives.
2. Along with the European Union, commit to provide adequate funds to ensure that any U.N. member state can respond positively to a UN request for helicopters without being inhibited by the associated financial obligation, and without the UN having to expand the assessed contribution-funded UNAMID budget to cover those costs. The U.S. and E.U. should also encourage third countries to be responsive to U.N requests through senior diplomatic outreach.
3. Share information and intelligence with the International Criminal Court, and should work with the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union to apprehend individuals already indicted by the court.

Please click here to download the report (pdf)