The Hindu : National : `Darfur on the path to normality'

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Saturday, Sep 18, 2004

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`Darfur on the path to normality'

By Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohammad

The editorial `Sudan on the brink' ( The Hindu , Sept. 11) misreads the current realities and the fact that the situation in Darfur is returning to normality. The article started by emphasising that "in not initiating steps to improve the situation in Darfur, the regime of Omar Al-Bashir in Sudan is bringing on itself tough international measures."

The report submitted to the Security Council by Jan Pronk, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, refutes this.

He outlined positive steps taken by the Government of the Sudan towards normalising the situation. These included the deployment of additional police force, the lifting of all access restrictions for humanitarian relief, the stopping of any offensive action against the rebel groups, the disarming of the popular Defence Force, engaging in negotiations with the rebels without pre-conditions, and the stepping up of home-grown initiatives to strengthen the social fabric.

Regarding the disarming of militias, on which the report indicated lack of progress, Sudan has already pointed out to the Security Council that if the United States has so far failed to disarm the militias in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is not being realistic to expect Sudan to do the same in a region that is larger than France.

Rather than backing sanctions, which the editorial itself said had become a U.S. foreign policy tool, it is incumbent on all concerned to augment the capability of the Government to deal with the security and humanitarian situation.

The issue of Darfur has been blown out of proportion to serve electoral objectives of winning over the black voters in the race to the White House along with switching of cameras from the quagmire of Iraq and also from Palestine, whose people have long been begging for an international protection force to no avail.

The recent statement of the U.S. Secretary of State before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee alleging "genocide" in Darfur is to serve this electoral goal, despite his denial of the same some weeks back. This change of attitude is also meant to destroy the content of Mr. Pronk's report to the Security Council, which outlined the genuine efforts of the Government of the Sudan in dealing with the situation.

If talks in Abuja are prolonged, it is not the Government that is to blame. The brilliant editorial, `Hope for Darfur' ( The Hindu , Aug. 11) said it all when it explained the reason behind that by pointing out the intransigence of the rebel groups, who are banking on international military intervention and whom the Security Council urged "to respect the ceasefire, end the violence immediately, engage in peace talks without pre-conditions and act in a positive and constructive manner to resolve the conflict."

The Sudan Government, whom certain powers would like to punish on politically motivated accounts, is capable of solving its own problem with the assistance of its African brothers and the genuine well wishers of the international community.

When the lives of human beings are at stake, responsibility demands that no mixed signals should be sent to rebel groups.

(The writer is Sudan's Ambassador to India.)

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