In spite of a cease fire, there is evidence that Sudan is still conducting military activity in Darfur. The UN/African Union UNAMID peacekeeping force investigated reports of air strikes, initiated by the Sudanese government, between November 21 to 22. There are visible effects of the air strikes, in the form of craters which would have been created by bombing and "the presence of unexploded ordnance on the ground".
This evidence of military activity is particularly upsetting due to the government's call for an immediate ceasefire on November 12, just one week ago. In addition, Sudan is heightening efforts to protect President Omar Hassan al-Bashir from charges of involvement in war crimes in Darfur (which include "10 counts of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity"). The Darfur conflict is 5 years old and has killed 200 000 while driving 2.5 million people from their homes.
And so, unfortunately, its still politically correct to sport our "stop genocide in Sudan" t's.
I've found other speculation that this ceasefire was initiated in hopes of persuading the UN to cease its indictment of the Sudanese president, Mr. Bashir. In addition, the call for a ceasefire was created by the Qatari-backed initiative, which the rebel groups did not join. Without the involvement of the rebel groups, Sudan is unlikely to achieve a state of peace.
Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1113/p99s01-duts.html
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
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2 comments:
It is horrible what's happening in Sudan. So many people have died and now it looks like the cease fire is not doing much for the peace. I hope that Sudan finds a way to make peace soon.
I wonder when all of this is finally going to end. Sudan should just honor its word and keep the cease fire; it would serve in their best interests, especially if they want to protect President Omar Hassan al-Bashir from the war crimes he is being accused of. It doesn't look so good when the president is possibly responsible for "10 counts of genocide"; it looks even worse when that president's country doesn't want to play by the rules of cease fire. I hear the guilty siren ringing...
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