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DEATH
OF EIGHTH PEACEKEEPER IN DARFUR SHOWS CHALLENGES FACING UNAMID, BY
CAROLINE PATTON: 16/07/2008
(MaximsNews Network)
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UNITED
NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / 16
July 2008 --In
a disturbing development, another African Union-United Nations peacekeeper
died today while on patrol in Forobaranga
in
West Darfur, the eighth death in just over a week.
On
8 July, seven members of the African Union-United
Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) lost their lives in
North Darfur
while working on an inquiry into the death of noncombatants in the region. The
peacekeepers fought for three hours with their attackers who had 40 vehicles
with heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft weaponry and recoilless weapons.
Those killed included five Rwandans, as well as UNAMID members from
Uganda
and Ghana, and 19 other peacekeepers were hurt in the attack. Seven UNAMID vehicles were
taken and two set on fire.
The
Secretary-General “condemn[ed] such violence in the strongest possible
terms” and his spokesperson Michele Montas said that “a preliminary
fact-finding investigation is underway, which will be followed by an official
investigation.”
Today’s
killing also came just a day after the UN reported calm conditions in the wake
of the presentation to the International Criminal Court on Monday of evidence
against President Omar Al-Bashir by ICC Prosecutor. Mr. Al-Bashir is accused of
10 counts of war crimes because of his actions with regard to
Darfur
and a warrant for his arrest is being sought from the Court.
Yesterday,
UNAMID said that all operations in
Darfur
were being conducted as usual, with patrols proceeding. The UN
Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said that its talks with Sudanese leaders to implement
the Comprehensive Peace Agreement were unaffected by the ICC announcement. There
were three protests in El Obeid, Kassala and
Khartoum
but no violence.
UNAMID
has made clear that despite today’s killing it does not intend to stop its
work and patrols have been ongoing in the area where the death occurred. Aid
organizations in the region have likewise continued their operations. UNAMID did issue a statement emphasizing that it “condemns all acts of
violence against its peacekeepers.” An inquiry into the killing is also
planned.
A number
of other UN personnel have also been killed this year and more have been
kidnapped. Attacks on aid vehicles have proved unfortunately common. Until this
violence can be stopped, international help for the 2.7 million vulnerable
people in
Darfur
remains in jeopardy.
-
Caroline Patton
Labels:
United
Nations, U.N.,
MaximsNews
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