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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Open letter from former commander Unamir (Rwanda) to Commander Unamid (Darfur) |
| 2007-10-05 |
| September 17, 2007 Dear General Agwai Congratulations on your recent appointment as Joint United Nations/African Union force commander for the hybrid UN/AU Mission in Darfur, formalised by resolution 1769 as Unamid. This is a daunting mandate, and you enter into this mission facing long odds. The intentions of the regime in Khartoum toward an effective, impartial implementation of the Unamid mandate are deeply uncertain. The Sudanese government has blocked and whittled international efforts to end the killing and facilitate a durable peace. We have seen ample indications that the Sudanese government will at every turn seek to impose a minimalist reading of the Unamid mandate. The government has already signalled that it will try to restrict the non-African role in the mission as much as it can and prolong the internal divisions and growing chaos. The challenges you will face in dealing with the rebel movements will also be substantial. In the absence of a viable political settlement process, the groups have fragmented and many elements have degenerated into criminal activity and focus on fighting each other. The same holds true of many "Arab" elements, some of which previously fought alongside government troops. The recent efforts of special envoys have given some hope that this deterioration can be reversed. But as you know, not all leaders are cooperating and conflict has certainly not diminished on the ground. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #1 The intentions of the regime in Khartoum toward an effective, impartial implementation of the Unamid mandate are deeply uncertain. ...only to the brain-dead... |
| Posted by: Thock Prince of the Leprechauns2107 2007-10-05 12:26 |