United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, in commentary published on Thursday in the Wall Street Journal, urged Sudan to ”take decisive steps to end the violence in Darfur”, insisting that there is ”no alternative to peace on all fronts” to end the crisis.
Powell reviewed efforts made by the international community to stop the carnage, and recalled the list of ”14 specific actions” US President George Bush urged be taken to resolve the crisis, which he delivered in June to Sudan.
”To date, the government of Sudan has removed many obstacles to humanitarian access, cooperated with the African Union ceasefire monitors and agreed to participate in political talks. It has not, however, taken decisive steps to end the violence,” Powell wrote.
The United Nations, which has called the situation in Darfur the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, said it will send a team to Ethiopia to help the AU set up its force.
On Friday the Security Council passed a resolution giving Khartoum 30 days to disarm the pro-government Arab Janjaweed militia accused of committing atrocities against civilians there.
”We, the UN, the Europeans, the AU, Egypt, the Arab League and many others … hope that the Sudanese government will use the time provided in the resolution to bring the Janjaweed militias under control,” wrote Powell.
”International pressure will continue to increase until Khartoum moves decisively against the Janjaweed,” Powell said.
”While we and the international community are not ruling out any options, only the government of Sudan can end the violence in the short term. The Sudanese government bears the responsibility to face up to the crisis, end human-rights abuses and save the lives of its own citizens.”
Powell welcomed the AU’s deployment in Sudan of ceasefire monitors and the future deployment of 300 troops to protect them — the AU on Wednesday said it is considering sending a 2 000-strong mission to Sudan.
”Security is critical. The lack of security is the greatest obstacle to delivering essential aid to those who remain in their villages in Darfur as well as to those in camps for the internally displaced,” said Powell.
”We look forward to a comprehensive peace agreement between the north and south, resolution of the Darfur crisis and normalisation of our relations.
”There is no alternative to peace on all fronts. Far too many innocent lives have been lost already,” he added. — Sapa-AFP