Annan urges UN to consider sanctions on Sudan

[struggle4progress]

30 Jan 2005 20:15:46 GMT
Source: Reuters

ABUJA, Jan 30 (Reuters) <snip>

Saying a keenly awaited United Nations report on the desert region would be published shortly, Annan said: "Serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights have taken place.

"This cannot be allowed to stand and action will have to be taken," he told reporters in Nigeria during an African Union summit to which Darfur rebels also appealed for a peacekeeping force strong enough to disarm Arab militias.

"The Council had considered sanctions and had not been able to move forward because of some divisions in the Council. But I believe that sanctions should still be on the table," Annan said at the meeting in the capital Abuja.

Western powers argued for imposing sanctions on Khartoum last year, but opposition by China, which has oil interests in Sudan, and Russia, which supplies arms, blocked the motion. <snip>

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L30145764.htm

[Yupster]

1. A little late guys

The genocide's about finished. All will be peaceful soon.

[gottaB]

2. I would be happy to see a massive peacekeeping operation

The AU needs help.

I'm not convinced of the efficacy of sanctions. If the ICC or another competent tribunal recommends sanctions against persons or entities, those should be agreed to. But as a short-term preventive measure, I don't know. If the argument is "this is what we can do short of massive air stikes," then it should be considered as preferable. But the AU mission has not been fully supported. It needs to have a Security Council mandate to protect civilians, and the resources and troop strength necessary to enforce it.