Protection for Darfur Must Be a U.S. Priority

Protection for Darfur Must Be a U.S. Priority During Presidency of UN Security Council

In May, the U.S. Has the Opportunity to Overcome Obstacles to Deployment of a Peacekeeping Force

Monday, April 30, 2007 (Washington, DC) - Tomorrow, the U.S. will begin its month-long presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, a crucial diplomatic position allowing the U.S. to set that body’s agenda. Africa Action today underscored that the U.S. must use this role to guarantee the deployment of a robust peacekeeping mission to provide protection for the people of Darfur.

As the genocide in Darfur enters its fifth year, civilians continue to be vulnerable to attack and access to humanitarian services, vital to the survival of vulnerable populations, has become increasingly tenuous. In recent weeks, increasing numbers of aid agencies have suspended their operations due to growing insecurity and violence. Africa Action emphasizes that the U.S., as the only government to publicly acknowledge that the events in Darfur constitute genocide, has a responsibility to ensure protection of the people of Darfur.

Nii Akuetteh, Executive Director of Africa Action, said today, “The U.S. has repeatedly stated its intent to act on Darfur. The time has now come to put those words into action. The month of May presents a pivotal opportunity for the U.S. and its immediate priority must be protection for the people of Darfur. Recent attacks on African Union peacekeeping troops demonstrate once again that the current force in Darfur is ill equipped to establish peace in the region on its own. It is essential that the U.S. use this role at the Security Council to make the deployment of a peacekeeping force in Darfur a reality.”

On April 23, the U.S. introduced a draft resolution to the Security Council invoking the possibility of sanctions against Sudan and pushing for a large hybrid AU-UN force in Darfur to protect civilians from threats of violence. Africa Action stresses that the U.S. presidency in the Security Council next month presents yet another major opportunity to provide the necessary leadership to the international community. The U.S. must demonstrate its stated commitment to protecting the people of Darfur by ensuring the speedy deployment of tens of thousands of UN peacekeeping troops with a mandate to protect civilians in Darfur.

Marie Clarke Brill, Director of Public Education & Mobilization at Africa Action, said today, “Across the U.S., advocacy efforts on Darfur have continued to build in recent weeks. The U.S. government must recognize this pressure and put the genocide in Darfur at the top of the Security Council’s agenda. Around the country and the world, there is a strong demand for a robust UN peacekeeping force to bring peace and security to Darfur.”

Africa Action continues to work with groups around the country in planning “Sprints for Darfur” to highlight the need for protection and security on the ground. More information about this project can be found here: http://www.sprintfordarfur.com/

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