UN-African Union force in Darfur authorised
Tuesday 31 July 2007
The UN Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize the deployment of a joint African Union-UN force in Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region.
Special Report Crisis in DarfurTuesday 31 July 2007
By Reuters
UNITED NATIONS, July 31 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security
Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to authorize up to 26,000
troops and police in an effort to stop attacks on millions of
displaced civilians in Sudan's Darfur region.
Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to authorize up to 26,000
troops and police in an effort to stop attacks on millions of
displaced civilians in Sudan's Darfur region.
Expected to cost more than $2 billion in the first year,
the combined United Nations-African Union operation aims to
quell violence in Darfur, where more than 2.1 million people
have been driven into camps and an estimated 200,000 have died
over the last four years.
the combined United Nations-African Union operation aims to
quell violence in Darfur, where more than 2.1 million people
have been driven into camps and an estimated 200,000 have died
over the last four years.
The resolution allows the use of force in self-defense, to
ensure freedom of movement for humanitarian workers and to
protect civilians under attack.
ensure freedom of movement for humanitarian workers and to
protect civilians under attack.
But the measure, which has been watered down several times,
no longer allows the new force to seize and dispose of illegal
arms. Now they can only monitor such weapons.
no longer allows the new force to seize and dispose of illegal
arms. Now they can only monitor such weapons.
Gone also is a threat of future sanctions but British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown warned on Tuesday that "if any party
blocks progress and the killings continue, I and others will
redouble our efforts to impose further sanctions."
Minister Gordon Brown warned on Tuesday that "if any party
blocks progress and the killings continue, I and others will
redouble our efforts to impose further sanctions."
"The plan for Darfur from now on is to achieve a
cease-fire, including an end to aerial bombings of civilians;
drive forward peace talks ... and, as peace is established,
offer to begin to invest in recovery and reconstruction," he
said on a visit to the United Nations.
cease-fire, including an end to aerial bombings of civilians;
drive forward peace talks ... and, as peace is established,
offer to begin to invest in recovery and reconstruction," he
said on a visit to the United Nations.
Specifically, the text authorizes up to 19,555 military
personnel and 6,432 civilian police.
personnel and 6,432 civilian police.
The resolution calls on member states to finalize
their contributions to the new force, called UNAMID or the
United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur, within 30 days.
UNAMID would incorporate the under-equipped and under-financed
7,000 African Union troops now in Darfur.
their contributions to the new force, called UNAMID or the
United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur, within 30 days.
UNAMID would incorporate the under-equipped and under-financed
7,000 African Union troops now in Darfur.
Rape, looting, murder and government bombardment drove
millions from their homes in Darfur, where mostly non-Arab
rebels took up arms in early 2003, accusing Khartoum of
neglecting their arid region. The rebels have now split into a
dozen groups, many fighting each other.
millions from their homes in Darfur, where mostly non-Arab
rebels took up arms in early 2003, accusing Khartoum of
neglecting their arid region. The rebels have now split into a
dozen groups, many fighting each other.
Be the first to react.
Pour aller plus loin
