UN demands Sudan action on Darfur

[muriel_volestrangler]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3940547.stm

The UN Security Council has warned the Sudan government that it must halt atrocities by Arab militias in the western Darfur region within 30 days.

A US-drafted resolution demanding that Khartoum disarm the fighters was passed with two abstentions.

The resolution also says that those responsible be arrested and tried.

The vote was only passed after the US dropped the word "sanctions" in exchange for the threat of economic and diplomatic "measures".

[papau]

1. But no sanctions since the Arab states did not approve - sigh

:-(

[gottaB]

2. quantifying

Assuming no deterioration of conditions and a cessation of violence, at conservative estimates of 200 deaths per day, the UN, responding to pressure from Arab League nations, has agreed that 6,000 more deaths are acceptable. 10,500 deaths will not be an unreasonable estimate, according to WHO figures. Outbreaks of cholera or typhoid, a likely possibility, would claim many more lives.

Instead of giving a deadline in terms of days, the Security Council should have honestly stated that they agreed to allow the GoS to kill another 10,000 more people before they would consider intervening.

But why would one assume a cessastion of violence? Why would one assume that conditions are improving? The "humanitarian alibi," cowardly and vile as it is, does not explain signs of violence like the charred remains of schoolgirls, chained together and burned alive by janjaweed militias, violence that was documented by AU monitors.

http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=4329

The UN's tolerance for mass murder is appalling. Hopefully some of the world's wealthier nations will respond to the AU's call for logistical and financial support.

[struggle4progress]

3. kick

:kick: