More Mixed Messages on Darfur

The Sudanese government is holding fast against the idea of a U.N. protection force in Darfur, and they seem to be winning that battle.

In August, the Security Council managed to pass a resolution supporting the deployment of such a protection force, whether or not it was accepted by the Sudanese government. Tough talk followed. Since then, Sudan has stonewalled and key member states seem to have lost their taste for "nonconsensual deployment."

The current African Union force was set to stand down at the end of September, but there was no U.N. force on the horizon to replace it. In the context of growing violence and fears of what would happen if an admittedly ineffective AU force left, the AU extended its mandate until the end of the year. That extension, while better than nothing, has to be seen as a victory of sorts for the Sudanese regime that is clearly responsible for genocide in Darfur.

Now the focus of the debate is back where Khartoum wants it -- on the African Union force. The Sudanese government has said that it would not oppose an increase in the size of the force and a broadening of its mandate, if the force remains under AU control. Meanwhile, an AU effort to begin building up its force flounders for lack of funds because the international community doesn't see the AU as an effective means of protecting civilians in Darfur.

For the people of Darfur, it's the perfect storm. As the diplomats fiddle, they continue to die.

Thankfully, not everyone is fiddling. Here in the United States, pre-election pressure increases on the Bush administration to act to stop the genocide. On October 18, an evangelical group printed a full-page ad in major newspapers demanding that Bush act. A coalition of Darfur action groups held a national call-in day on October 24 with the same message. On October 22, 60 Minutes presented a dramatic segment with essentially the same message that Bush must do more in Darfur.

Are you doing anything to end the genocide in Darfur? Add your voice, NOW!