Khartoum, Sudan – UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon made a statement on Tuesday that he is deeply concerned about the recent escalation of violence in the Darfur region. In his statement, he said that several hundred people have died in incidents including an August 1 attack on a police station and air strikes in South Darfur. On Wednesday, the Sudanese government quickly rejected the statement, with the foreign ministry spokesman saying the statement was based on fabricated news stories.
The Secretary General is now planning a trip to the region, so that he can see for himself the conditions under which the UN-AU peacekeeping mission planned for Darfur will operate. He is also looking to know firsthand the plight of the people in Darfur.
The trip is scheduled for September 3-6, and will be Ban’s first trip to Sudan as secretary general. Mr. Ban has also laid out a three-point action plan for Darfur, focusing on peacekeeping efforts, humanitarian aid, and the search for a long-term political solution. The joint UN-AU force, comprised of more than 25,000 military and police personnel, is one of the most complex operations the UN has ever undertaken. The cooperation of Sudanese’s government is needed in order for the operation to be a success, and Ban is looking to get this support when he travels there next week and meets with President Omar al-Bashir.
After visiting Sudan, Ban will continue to meet with Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi, a key regional leader who will be useful in bringing some of the Darfur parties to the negotiations. Ban will then continue on to Chad, where the Security Council indicated yesterday they would be willing to authorize a UN presence to support an EU force in the east of the country and in the Central African Republic, which have both had problems due to clashes between rebel and government forces and the spillover from Darfur.
Since the conflict began in the Darfur region in 2003, at least 200,000 people have died and more than two million have been displaced.
For more information, please see:
Voice of America – Sudan Rejects UN Statement Alleging Increased Darfur Violence – 29 August 2007
Voice of America – UN Chief to Visit Sudan Next Week – 28 August 2007
Independence Online (South Africa) – UN leader is banking on new plan for Darfur – 28 August 2007
AllAfrica.com – Ban ki-Moon to Visit Next Week to ‘Lock In’ Progress Towards Darfur Peace – 28 August 2007
Washington Times – UN’s Ban to visit Sudan’s Darfur region – 29 August 2007
