Blair says Darfur crisis is “top of his agenda”
Tony Blair has warned the Sudanese government “must live up to its obligations” and help bring an end to ongoing violence in the country’s Darfur region.
Speaking ahead of a global day of events to highlight the plight of Darfur’s civilian population, the prime minister said he was “committed to stepping up international efforts to bring a change of mind and action from the government of Sudan”.
Khartoum has repeatedly refused to accept a United Nations (UN) resolution authorising the deployment of a 20,000-strong force in the region to protect civilians against fighting between ethnic African rebels and government-backed Arab militias.
In his most strongly-worded statement yet on the humanitarian crisis, Mr Blair warned that the international community could not “just watch as this tragedy deepens”.
Stressing that tackling the situation was “at the top of his agenda”, he said he would propose an incentive package to try to persuade Sudan’s government to halt the current conflict and allow UN peacekeeping troops in.
The prime minister said he had discussed the Darfur crisis with US president George W Bush and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao over recent days.
And he added: “In the coming weeks I will talk to other leaders to agree an initiative that sets out the help Sudan can expect if the government lives up to its obligations and what will happen if they don’t.”
The situation in Darfur was “unacceptable”, Mr Blair said, adding that he did not understand the Sudanese government’s refusal to accept UN forces or the continuing presence of the African Union, whose current mandate expires on September 30th.
“The government of Sudan must agree to the continuation of the (African Union) force and transition to the UN,” said Mr Blair.
It is estimated that some 200,000 people have been killed and more than two million civilians displaced since fighting began in Darfur in 2003, when non-Arab villagers revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government in protest at a lack of resources.
Khartoum mobilised Arab militias to quell the rebellion, with the government-backed Janjaweed subsequently accused of conducting a campaign of murder, rape and looting against Darfur’s black African civilians.
As part of tomorrow’s “Global Day for Darfur”, events will take place across 30 capital cities around the world to highlight the need for the UN to provide protection for Darfur’s African population.
In London, a rally will take place at the Sudanese embassy, while religious leaders will gather outside Downing Street to call for an end to the crisis.
