PM call for action on "scandal" of Darfur
Britain is in favour of "tougher measures and sanctions" against Sudan over the continuing violence in the Darfur
region, Tony Blair said today.
People are dying needlessly, with millions more displaced, and the Sudanese government were not allowing the UN/Africa
Union force to bring stability to the region, he told reporters.
Mr Blair described the situation as a "scandal", adding:
"We are in favour of very much tougher measures and sanctions against the Sudanese Government if they continue to flout
what has been the clearly established will of the international community and continue to allow the killing of
completely innocent people."
Despite the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement by the Government of Sudan and Minni Minawi's section of the Sudan
Liberation Movement in 2006, conflict has continued in Darfur, western Sudan.
It is largely a battle for resources, land, water and grazing rights together with a related struggle for power within
the indigenous tribal administration structure.
Read the PM's statement:
I am sorry, I know you asked a question on Sudan before, but I just wanted to come back anyway and pose one or two
things about the situation.
Tomorrow the United States and the UK are going to begin discussions with partners in the UN Security Council on a new
United Nations Security Council resolution on Sudan. What is happening in Sudan at the moment is unacceptable, is
appalling and is a scandal for the international community. There are 200,000 people that have died, there are 2 million
people that have been displaced, there are 4 million people on food aid.
The Sudanese government continues to flout the will of the international community to remove arms, continues to fail to
disarm the Janjaweed Militia that are killing innocent people, and this new resolution will include measures against
individuals who are engaged in violence or responsible for authorising it, it will include measures that allow us far
better air monitoring of this violence, and also to make sure that we do everything that we can to get the agreement of
the Sudanese government to the force, African Union and the UN coming into the country in order to do the peacekeeping
and stabilising that is necessary. Now at any point if the Sudanese government and President Bashir want to stop this
process, they can, by doing those things that they should have been doing a long time ago. If they do that then this
process can be completed; but if they don't it is our intention to make sure that this UN Security Council Resolution is
tabled and voted upon.
So I hope that very clear message goes to the Sudanese government today. We have waited and waited, we have tried
diplomacy and negotiation again and again with the Sudanese government, but they have to get the message that the
international community will not allow the scandal that is Darfur to continue.
ENDS