A "shadow-debate” on sending a Bundeswehr unit does not help

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) warned on Friday against the German Parliament beginning again a "shadow-debate” about the possibility of sending a Bundeswehr unit to Darfur. "Instead of talking about a far-removed and rather symbolic Darfur operation of a few German soldiers, the German government should finally act and support the British Premier Tony Blair in pushing for a no-fly zone in the west of Sudan”, demanded the GfbV Africa expert Ulrich Delius. Berlin’s lack of action in the Darfur question is shameful, he says. In the light of the EU presidency being taken over shortly a more active role is expected of the German government in stopping the genocide and finding a political solution to the crisis.

Today the German Parliament will be deliberating once more on the prolongation of the AMIS mandate for a further six months decided by the cabinet on 29th November 2006. This mandate, which has existed now for two years, allows the sending of a Bundeswehr unit of 200 soldiers to provide logistic support to the soldiers of the African Union (AU) stationed in western Sudan. The mandate is at present only being used sporadically. So three times soldiers or police officers of African states have been transported. Apart from this a fuel expert has helped in the construction of a fuel store in the town of El Fasher. According to information received from the Ministry of Defence only one Bundeswehr staff officer is at present in western Sudan.

In the years 2004/2005 the German government was actively concerned about stopping the crimes against humanity in Darfur and took a leading position in the international field, said Delius. "But today we are far removed from a leading role being played by Germany”. But the human rights situation and the humanitarian situation are getting far worse. "Germany must hold out energetically in the EU for sanctions against Sudan and together with the European partners develop new political initiatives to ensure a truce and a resumption of the talks on the failed Darfur peace agreement of May 2006.”