Sudanese minister warns over peace troops for Darfur

“I feel that the deployment of any so-called peacekeeping forces in Darfur might meet the same fate as those in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere as many extremist fighters may enter Sudan to fight these troops,” Justice Minister Mohammed Ali Mardhi told reporters at the Sudanese Embassy yesterday.

The UN Security Council has passed a resolution authorising the creation of a peacekeeping force for the Darfur region of Sudan. But the resolution requires the consent of the Sudanese government before such troops can be deployed.

“We reject the idea of sending any such troops to Darfur as we cannot guarantee their safety. We will not be responsible for them. Any extremist group can sneak into the country through the vast 8,000-kilometre border which links us with nine countries.”

However, the minister who is charged with the Darfur dossier at the United Nations, refused to specify or name any group.

He said UN Security Council resolution was “illegal” and that it violated the peace agreement signed between the government and one of the rebel factions.

The proposed UN force would comprise as many as 17,300 military personnel and 3,300 civilian police.

It would replace or absorb the 7,000-member African Union force in Darfur, a proposal that was also rejected by Mardhi.

“We also reject the idea of sending African Union forces under the umbrella of the UN as this jeopardises our country’s sovereignty. We are the ones who decide here and we know what the idea of the resolution is all about,” he added.

Since a peace agreement was signed in early May between the government and one of the main rebel factions fighting for greater autonomy, calls to send UN forces to Sudan have increased.

But the Khartoum government believes that there is a hidden agenda behind the resolution.

“We know very well who is behind this resolution. This whole case is made up by NGOs which have Zionist links like the Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group. We know they have been faking reports about alleged rape and ethnic genocide in Darfur which is not the case,” Mardhi said.

Describing the Security Council as a toy in the hands of the US and European countries, the Sudanese official quoted the recent Resolution No. 1591 which prohibited Sudanese forces, including police forces, from being deployed in the region.

“On the one hand, they prohibit our forces from deploying in the region and accuse us of failing to maintain peace and security on the other,” he complained. “They even went on to pressurise our top officials by threatening to try them at the international criminal court.”

He dubbed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as the “biggest disaster for Africa”. “Our continent has seen many disasters including AIDS etc.. but Annan is the biggest disaster for Africa,” he remarked.

On why Sudan rejects the peacekeeping forces, the Sudanese justice minister said his government was convinced that this is all part of a Zionist colonialist plot and a decision which has already been taken to take over Sudan and make use of its natural resources.

He added that what proves it was a ready-made decision to concur Sudan is the statement by US President George W. Bush that the consent of Sudan to send UN forces was not needed.

He said Sudan not only rejects the deployment of international forces but will be fighting fiercely to prevent their entry by force.

“Regardless of our capabilities and regardless of the price we will pay we will fight to ensure our sovereignty,” he cautioned.

He concluded that Sudan was ready to negotiate any alternatives with the UN and claimed that his government has a plan to restore peace and stability and achieve sustainable development in Darfur.

The Sudanese Ambassador to UAE El Haj El Fakki Hashim was also present at the Press conference.