UN safe zones in Sudan?

[frigidmagi]

This is CNN

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) -- An agreement that requires Sudan to create safe havens in Darfur within 30 days came into effect Tuesday after the Sudanese foreign minister and a U.N. envoy signed it.

Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said after the signing ceremony that he was confident his government could implement the plan and restore stability to the western province of Darfur, where pro-government militia called Janjaweed have been blamed for displacing about a million people.

However, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard told reporters in New York on Monday that U.N. officials on the ground had reported that "the security situation in Darfur remains tenuous, with more violence directed at, and displacing, civilians in North and South Darfur."

"Militia men suspected to be Janjaweed attacked some 35 families in Tawilla, North Darfur on Saturday. Meanwhile, reports continue of attacks by armed men on horses and camels, supported by uniformed men and military vehicles, in South Darfur," Eckhard said.

In Khartoum on Tuesday, Ismail and the U.N. special representative to Sudan, Jan Pronk, signed cover letters for the "Plan of Action for Darfur." The letters formally referred the plan to Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and their signing constituted the beginning of the implementation of the plan.

The plan was agreed last week and approved by Sudan's Cabinet on Sunday. The signing ceremony had been scheduled for Monday, but Ismail only returned to Khartoum on Tuesday.

The plan gives the government 30 days to set up safe areas in Darfur so that civilians can search for food and water and farm without fear of attack.

It requires the cessation of all military operations by government forces, militias, and rebel groups in the safe havens, which are likely to be set up around camps where thousands of displaced people have taken refuge, as well as near towns and villages that still have large populations.

"We are now optimistic that we can go through this phase, depending on cooperation instead of conflict," Ismail told reporters Tuesday. "The implementation will take place in a transparent fashion."

He said his government will cooperate with the United Nations and regional organizations such as the African Union and the Arab League to implement the plan.

The agreement requires the Sudanese government to allow African Union military observers to monitor its performance and to make "an unequivocal declaration of commitment to start the Darfur peace talks as soon as possible" and bring them "to a successful and speedy conclusion."

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has offered to host negotiations between the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups, starting August 23. The government has accepted the invitation but the rebels' response is not known.

President Omar el-Bashir accused the West of conspiring against Sudan to get its hands on the country's resources. Addressing a government meeting of Darfur women in Khartoum on Tuesday, el-Bashir also said a former governor of north Darfur, whom he named, had collaborated with the rebels.

The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution July 30 giving Sudan 30 days to curb the Janjaweed militia.

The United Nations describes the 18-month conflict in Darfur as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Pro-government Arab militia have waged a counter-insurgency campaign that has seen widespread destruction of villages and displacement of people. Some 30,000 people have been killed since the revolt began, when Sudanese of African origin took up arms against perceived discrimination and neglect by the Khartoum government.

Forgive me folks but I got to ask... Will this work? My only real experience with 'safe' zones is the Baklans, where it didn't go over so well according to the guys who were there.

[Sea Skimmer]

Forgive me folks but I got to ask... Will this work? My only real experience with 'safe' zones is the Baklans, where it didn't go over so well according to the guys who were there.

Now just because the UN troops sent to protect the Srebrenica safe zone helped the people they where protecting board buses that took them to their deaths and the entire UN force in Sierra Leone was taken prisoner by drug crazed militia with nothing heavier then a machine gun doesn't mean the idea can't work in Sudan. That however assumes a sufficiently large force is deployed, it doesn't consist of other third world troops who will rape and pillage themselves, and they have rules of engagements which actually let them protect the refuges and themselves with sufficient force. If all three happen then things should be fine. If not, then the UN might finally get out of the peacekeeping industry and instead leave the door open for all these shitholes to be recolonized for there own good.

[RedImperator]

Fuck safe zones. Create the Republic of Darfour, mine the border, expel the Janjaweed and hang them if they try to stay behind, and bomb Khartoum if they don't like it. Fuck Sudan, as a matter of fact--if there was ever a bunch of bastards who deserved to be strung from lampposts, it's that pack of racist Whabbist assholes in Khartoum.

[Wired_Grenadier]

Safe zones...yeah, we all know how well that worked on the Balkans and in Rwanda...

[Edi]

Fuck safe zones. Create the Republic of Darfour, mine the border, expel the Janjaweed and hang them if they try to stay behind, and bomb Khartoum if they don't like it. Fuck Sudan, as a matter of fact--if there was ever a bunch of bastards who deserved to be strung from lampposts, it's that pack of racist Whabbist assholes in Khartoum.

Amen! I don't see why those fuckheads have to be coddled at all.

Edi

[frigidmagi]

Because the French (amoung others) want to do business there. I must admit that I am a bit enchanted with the idea of the Republic of Darfour, it's big enough (size of France).

So I take the verdict is that the safe zones are doomed to failure, again?

[Sea Skimmer]

Because the French (amoung others) want to do business there. I must admit that I am a bit enchanted with the idea of the Republic of Darfour, it's big enough (size of France).

Size isn't what counts, its resources and infrastructure. Darfour is utterly devoid of both; I really doubt it could ever be a remotely viable country, even with the rest of the world footing the bill for several decades through the UN to keep its people from simply starving.

[frigidmagi]

They're already straving over there, so it wouldn't be a big difference.