International community leaves UN Blue Helmets in Darfur in the lurch

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has accused the international community of leaving the UN Blue Helmets in Darfur in the lurch. ”In view of the inadequate equipment and lack of logistic support in western Sudan the peace-keeping troops are more concerned with themselves than with their real task, which is the protection of the civilian population”, said the GfbV Africa consultant, Ulrich Delius, o n the occasion of the International Day of the UN Peace-keeping force (29th May 2009).

22 months after the decision of the Security Council to send Blue Helmets to Darfur only 65 percent of the planned strength of 26,555 soldiers, police officers and advisers are now ready for service. "This is a dismal failure for the United Nations”, criticised Delius. "This endless dragging out of the stationing of the assorted UNAMID peace-keeping forces, which must be provided by both the United Nations and the African Union, has been paid for with their lives by tens of thousands of civilians.” Every week of continuing violence and expulsion increases the number of civilian deaths.

The African states, which have so far made up the largest number of Blue Helmets for Darfur , can not be blamed for this. However their soldiers are for the most part badly equipped and they have no transport or air reconnaissance with which to control an area as large as Fr ance . For 18 months the United Nations has in vain tried to obtain 19 helicopters capable of dealing with desert conditions. It is true that Ethiopia has recently sent five helicopters to Darfur , but these are not enough. Italy, Spain, India, Rumania, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine could mobilise 70 helicopters. A further 104 helicopters could be provided by other NATO states. Satellite pictures are urgently needed to show up threatening troop movements without delay. But it is clear that there is no political will to sup port the mission.

"Even the German government is only giving half-hearted support to the UNAMID”, criticised Delius. It does not occur to anyone in Berlin to ask why the United Nations has so far called for only a handful of the 250 German soldiers offered. "Instead of gestures of goodwill what the people in Darfur need is real protection from new violence.” If the German government cannot provide any helicopters which can cope with desert conditions then it can at least use its influence to make sure that other states finally support the UNAMID. If things remain as they are it looks as though one of the most expensive peace-keeping missions of the UN is going to fail miserably.