United States Wants Action, Not Words for Darfur

Interesting memo from the US State Department.

In an effort to emphasize that the Security Council must be more active in trying to improve security in Sudan's Darfur region, the United States blocked a briefing by a U.N. human rights envoy October 10.

Rather than endure another series of briefings on what is happening in Darfur, "the United States, China, Algeria and Russia prevented Juan Mendez, U.N. special adviser for the prevention of genocide, from conducting a separate briefing on his recent visit to Darfur." Controversial ambassador Bolton said, "We have to consider whether the sanctions that are in place are working or whether there are other steps the council should take, steps other than talking."

Imagine that, the UN actually doing something rather than just having briefing after briefing. As Bolton asked, "How many officials from the secretariat does it take to give a briefing?" Rather than wringing their hands, it's time to do something.

The Coalition for Darfur has more.

"We sat in here more than 25 minutes talking about process, who is going to sit in what chair and who was going to brief us when it's a security situation in Sudan, deteriorating," said the official, pointing with his thumb back to the chambers. "Yet you hear all around the table the statements that were made. These statements could have been written four months ago.

"No one was reacting to anything new," he continued. "It was process, process, process. What does the council issue next? What kind of statement do we make, a press statement? Who is going to brief us? Why should we brief? Where should the person sit? When can we react to the briefing?"