Darfur force 'may take all year' (to deploy) and the Genocide Continues

Darfur force 'may take all year' (to deploy)

news.bbc.co.uk

The UN-African Union peacekeeping force proposed for Sudan's Darfur region will take most of 2008 to deploy fully, the UN's head of peacekeeping has said.
Jean-Marie Guehenno said not enough troops had been contributed to the force. Only 9,000 of 26,000 planned troops have been deployed so far.

About 200,000 people have been killed and two million displaced in five years of conflict in the western province.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.darfurgenocide.org
en.wikipedia.org
seattlepi.nwsource.com
savedarfur.org

[edit on 1/28/2008 by biggie smalls]

The good news about Darfur is that some action is being done.

The bad news is that it hasn't come fast enough or with enough support.

China and Russia have vetoed the Darfur conflict resolution many times as they trade with Khartoum's regime.

That does not get the US off the hook though; there could have been more push for humanitarian aid and less emphasis on foreign wars (you know which ones I'm talking about by now I hope).


Photo of African UN Peacekeeper:





For those of you who are ignorant as to what and where Darfur is: There is a civil war in Sudan's western province where Arab pastoralists (It means people who live off cattle, goats, etc) and Christian and Animist sedentary farmers are killing each other by the thousands.

The black Africans (majority) have very little weapons and the Arabs have 'technicals,' RPGs, and AK-47s at their disposal courtesy of the Chinese and Russian governments.

The least we could have done is supply the other side with m4a1s or stopped this outrage from the getgo.

Then again, we have better things to worry about than Africans killing each other, right?

This is another 'Blood Diamond' type conflict...And no one gives a damn. Nice.



This is about land and resources, mainly water. Thousands have been killed and thousands more have been displaced. This is the definition of genocide; one group is trying to forcibly move the other.

There has been no compromising from the Arab Ganjaweed, sponsored in part by China and Russia.

However, there has been little to no support from the rest of the 'developed' world to stop this civil war either.




news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)


[edit on 1/28/2008 by biggie smalls]

reply to post by biggie smalls


The regime occupying Khartoum are trying to save face. They know what is going on in Darfur as its a state-sponsored genocide. The Ganjaweed militia receive direct support from the Arab government.

The sad part about it is that no one really cares...This is one of the worst tragedies since the holocaust, yet (in my opinion) because they are black Africans no one in the West really gives a damn, aside from a few.

The mission - United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (Unamid) - has been delayed by obstacles imposed by the Sudanese government, including restrictions on the force's communications and a ban on night flights.

Khartoum has also rejected some non-African troop contingents.

The force also lacks crucial equipment, such as the helicopters necessary for it to move around the arid region the size of France.

This is a half-assed humanitarian effort being played out by the UN. Alas, they are not to blame because they are only following orders from the Security Council.

In my opinion, we should withdraw our troops from Iran and Afghanistan, and deal with the real issue at hand in Africa: stability.

A whole continent is at war with itself, yet we make more money off human suffering than human love and joy.

Its a very sick world we live in. And we are all to blame, including myself. We have allowed this to happen.

reply to post by biggie smalls


The people who are trying to move in there and help don't even have much hope for Darfur...

BBC World Service Africa Editor Mary Harper says that with the expected delays, there is little prospect of any meaningful security returning to Darfur.

Last week, human rights group Amnesty International called on Sudan to stop obstructing the deployment of the joint UN-African Union force, which took over from an African Union deployment on 31 December.

The group said security was deteriorating, most of the camps for displaced people were awash with weapons, and young Darfuris were increasingly angry and frustrated.

The African Union, as much as they have helped, were not doing anything to protect civilians being attacked on a daily basis (and still are being attacked). Their force simply was too small.

That is what is happening with the UN peacekeeping force, just as what happened with Rwanda.

The UN is going to send in a small force to protect a few towns and local rebels are going to start attacking them, 'forcing' them to leave unless reinforcements arrive.

Next, another rebel group will attack the other one and a whole chain of events will cause mercenaries to be called in (ie Halliburton, Blackwater) and then we have Western Corporations running # (locking and loading).

It will take a "People's Revolution" (aka a strong African state-sponsored terror group) to control the country, forcing the Arab population out of Sudan. The genocide will continue with Arabs being slaughtered in Africa and 'big states' like Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria stepping up to the plate to protect their Arab neighbors.

Once Egypt is involved, places like Syria and Lebanon are sure to follow suit, then Iran...

There already is a highly complex situation going on in Sudan, we don't need to bring in any more big hitters.

Let's get this genocide done and start teaching Africans how to rebuild Africa (aka no nation building western-style).

reply to post by biggie smalls


If I'm not mistaken, a joint UN-AU (African Union) peacekeeping force has taken over from the 'regular' AU. This is a great step, although not much progress is being made at the moment.

The staff is underfunded, undergunned, and outnumbered 100:1 (at least).

The Sudanese government troops recently fired upon a UN convoy trying to reach innocent civilians.

Source

Sudanese soldiers fired on a convoy of UN peacekeepers in Darfur late Monday - the first attack on UNAMID troops since their mission began earlier this month. The gunfire critically wounded a local driver and destroyed a fuel tanker; UN troops suffered no casualties. One UN peacekeeper said the Sudanese troops apparently mistook the convoy for Darfur rebels, but the UN has condemned the attack, stating that the vehicles were clearly marked.

The Sudanese government really does not want foreign intervention. They want to continue their genocide at any cost.

It is rather difficult to mistake a UN convoy as they are baby blue with a big 'UN' symbol on it, not to mention none of the locals have access to that kind of weaponry and/or supply line.

The businessmen of Sudan are making a fortune off the oil coming out of that country.

This is another 'oil war' courtesy of the Chinese government. The Sudanese export their natural resources at the expense of their culture and local population. The Chinese get to continue their industrialization and militarization (sound like anyone we know, hint hint).

I wonder what other countries invade oil producing countries and setup dictatorships to protect their 'interests?'

Just today I posted a news article where Bush said he wants to protect our 'interests' in the Middle East aka our energy supply (which is bunk in the first place and overpriced).

Sudan, Oil, and Human Rights (Violations)

I suggest those of you who actually give a damn about the Earth and other beings do some research into this subject.