The United Nations report into the situation in Darfur stopped short of calling what has been happening there “genocide.” Had it done so, under the UN Charter, members would have been compelled to intervene directly. Nevertheless, the body has characterized the widespread murder and destruction that has taken place in this part of the Sudan as “crimes against humanity.” The UN has thus demanded that those believed to be guilty of wrongdoing should be brought to justice.
The government in Khartoum appears however to be still unwilling to face up to the tragedy which, with the clear connivance of some local officials and military, has affected over a million people. If Khartoum has decided on a policy of masterful inactivity to deal with the Darfur atrocities, it is miscalculating. Even the Chinese government, which has led international resistance to the belligerent US-led approach toward the Darfur tragedy, would appear to be losing patience. The Foreign Ministry spokesman who said, “China has always hoped and urged the Sudanese government to ease the humanitarian situation in the Darfur region as soon as possible with the help of the international community,” he was serving notice that Sudan was running out of time. The clear message is that Khartoum has not taken advantage of the breathing space that Beijing’s opposition to direct international intervention has given it. The Chinese may be about to review their crucial position.
Sudan’s friends will also have been discouraged that the government’s initial official reaction to the UN report was to point almost triumphantly to the fact that it had not been found guilty of genocide, as if the crimes against humanity of which it does stand accused are somehow insignificant. It is a great mystery to many onlookers that having brought about the end of the debilitating 21-year rebellion in the south of the country thanks to compromise and diplomacy, Khartoum cannot apply the same wisdom and statesmanship to Darfur.
Three days ago there were serious riots among the Beja minority in Port Sudan which led to the deaths of 17 protesters. It may be that the demonstrators were encouraged by the peace deal in southern Sudan or they could have decided to use Darfur’s agony to focus attention on their own protests. Either way President Omar Bashir’s government must find ways to address all the minority issues confronting it. Meanwhile in Darfur it has to take action to identify and arrest the people alleged to be responsible for widespread atrocities. If it has similar evidence against rebel fighters, it should submit that evidence to the UN.
Of paramount importance however is early action. Failure will either strongly suggest government complicity in these terrible crimes or that Khartoum has effectively lost control of part of its territory. Either option will strengthen the hand of those who wish full-scale international intervention with disastrous consequences, not only for Sudan and maybe its hard-won peace with the southern rebels, but for the wider region as well.
