Khartoum, Sudan – Sudan expelled the European Commission envoy, Kent Degerfelt, and a Canadian diplomat, Nuala Lawler, on Wednesday. Sudan’s state Suna news agency reports that they were asked to leave the country and were each declared persona non grata due to their “intervention in the internal affairs of Sudan.” Foreign Ministry officials in Sudan have accused the two of meeting with Sudanese opposition leaders.
Canada and the EU, however, have said that they were given no reason for why they were expelled. The Canadian Foreign Minister said Lawler was standing up for democracy and freedom in Sudan. The spokesman for the European Commission said Degerfelt was not in the country when he was ordered out.
Canada and the EU have both been highly critical of the Sudanese government’s role in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been displaced since 2003 when a rebel group with ethnic-cleansing ideas took up arms in the Arab-dominated central government. Khartoum has been accused of sending the janjaweed militias, who are blamed for atrocities during this conflict.
On Friday, Amnesty International accused the Sudanese government of continuing to deploy offensive military equipment in Darfur, in violation of a UN arms embargo and peace agreements.
Last month, the UN Security Council approved a joint AU-UN peacekeeping force for Sudan, and it is hoped that the troops will be sent by the end of the year. However, the peacekeeping resolution does not give the troops authority to disarm or demobilize the janjaweed or other armed opposition groups.
Meanwhile, a UN report was released earlier this week detailing rapes in Darfur. Sudan’s justice minister attacked the report on Thursday calling it a “false report” and questioning the commissioner’s credibility.
For more information, please see:
BBC – Sudan expels two Western envoys – 23 August 2007
Times Online – Sudan expels European and Canadian diplomats – 24 August 2007
Voice of America – Sudan Expels Canadian, European Diplomats for “Meddling” – 24 August 2007
Guardian Unlimited – Sudan expels western diplomats as pressure mounts over Darfur – 24 August 2007
