The Day I Might Have To Rethink My Stance Regarding Darfur

Posted on January 19, 2007
Filed Under Sudan, Darfur, America |

Long time readers of this blog understand my anti-intervention stance regarding the sweet disaster known as Darfur. By the end of January I might be put in a much more difficult position than I am right now. The African Union will decide whether or not Sudan will get the chair position for the year 2007. If Sudan does indeed become the head of the AU, the same people killing innocents in Darfur right now would indirectly also be the ones supposedly “protecting” them. The credibility of the AU troops will be lost. What options will be left then?

This is all so messed up. Following Darfur’s news and blogging about it has been like a roller coaster ride which I fear might end up with me getting off the train only to finally puke. There is no easy way out of this and a big part of me believes that Sudan might eventually collapse into a major war which will attract sinister external elements and drag neighbouring countries into it if things don’t get fixed… and I mean fixed fast starting from now. :(

UPDATE: Apparently US won’t oppose Sudan’s candidacy to become head of AU:

Jan 20, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — The United States declined on Friday to oppose the candidacy of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to become chairman of African Union despite his government’s alleged role perpetrating violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.

It is up to AU members to decide on a new chairman, deputy spokesman Tom Casey said.

Bashir was to have become chairman a year ago but, under a compromise, he withdrew his candidacy after being assured that the job would be his in 2007.

…The United States has charged Bashir’s government with genocidal behavior in Darfur. The administration opposed Bashir’s candidacy a year ago on grounds that it was a contradiction for a Sudanese to be AU president at a time when AU peacekeepers were in Sudan to protect Darfur’s citizens from their own government. The peacekeepers remain in Darfur.

Now why isn’t there any oppostion anymore? I guess it’s because if Sudan becomes the head of the AU, the AU force in Darfur will lose credibility which will in turn gather more support for a UN force instead. It’s just a guess but we’ll have to wait and see. All I know is that Sudan is heading in the wrong direction.

Comments

4 Responses to “The Day I Might Have To Rethink My Stance Regarding Darfur”

  1. tsedek57 on January 19th, 2007 10:58 pm

    that’s unbelievably totally daft !!
    i’m afraid you’re right about sudan, drima
    it looks like it is heading the wrong way

  2. howie on January 20th, 2007 1:13 am

    Drima-

    I heard about this…do you know the English expression

    “Having the fox guard the henhouse”

  3. Roman Kalik on January 20th, 2007 4:57 pm

    The day Sudan heads the AU is the day Darfur rebels get some heavy-duty manpower influx. I agree, Drima, no one is going to trust the AU so they’ll do what people have always done when ordered society failed them.

    Take matters into their own hands. Sounds like a good recipe for a Somalia to me. :-(

  4. The Sudanese Thinker » Will al-Bashir Get the AU Presidency? on January 27th, 2007 5:59 pm

    […] I’ve talked about this before and I’m still waiting for the outcome. I’m not terribly excited as you can tell. Meanwhile Chad has announced it will withdraw from the AU if Sudan takes over the presidency: Jan 27, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Chad will withdraw from the African Union if Sudan takes the chairmanship of the body next week, Chadian Foreign Minister Ahmat Allam-Mi said on Saturday. […]

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