After billions spent, countless hours of debate, and an endless stream of tough words, it is deplorable that the most powerful nations in the world can muster only a ‘half-strength force’ to protect Darfuri civilians. The U.N. has now admitted what has long been clear: the previous promise to deploy 80 percent of the UNAMID force by December will not be kept. Even the new, reduced goal of 50 percent seems a stretch. Vitally needed helicopters, trucks and logistics are nowhere in sight. How can that be so?
This ‘half-strength force’ is a product of U.N. member states’ half-strength political will – not just on peacekeepers, but on the Darfur crisis overall. Talking tough about protecting Darfuris is easy; contributing equipment and peacekeepers and overcoming Sudanese government intransigence as part of a comprehensive strategy for peace is not. Speaking in platitudes about justice and accountability is easy; standing behind the ICC chief prosecutor is not. Calling for peace is easy; putting sustained effort into creating a viable and inclusive peace process is not. Deploring violence is easy; but calling out China, Russia, and others for arming a genocidal regime is not.
We understand that there is no quick fix for this crisis. Many factors of the crisis were decades in the making. But U.N. member states, and particularly the Security Council, are not addressing either the long-term or the short-term challenges in Darfur. After more than four years of being ‘seized of the matter,’ the Security Council still has not adopted a comprehensive strategy that includes peace, protection, accountability and development. Rather, it has stumbled along through a succession of ineffective half-steps.
While the UNAMID peacekeeping mission may indeed be a ‘half-strength force’ by December – the U.N. Security Council has already been a ‘full-strength’ failure on this crisis.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
