NCCAR Welcomes Sudanese Decision to Allow UN Peacekeepers in Darfur

Ottawa, November 17, 2006 – The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR) welcomes the Sudanese government's agreement in principle to allow a joint African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force into the Darfur region.

“It is a welcome sign that a compromise has been reached for a planned hybrid UN-AU force to break the deadlock in Darfur,” said NCCAR Vice-President Bahija Réghaï. “The ongoing killings, rapes and other violent acts committed in Darfur must stop.”

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir yesterday welcomed financial, material, logistic or technical assistance from the UN to strengthen the AU mission in Darfur. This announcement comes at a critical time as human rights agencies warned that it was becoming increasingly difficult to provide aid to the victims of the conflict because of escalating violence.

“As a proponent of international law and human rights, Canada should increase its financial support and logistical assistance to the African Union force and the planned joint force,” added Ms. Réghaï. “We encourage our government to engage directly and through multilateral channels with the government of Sudan to urge Khartoum to formally accept the joint force,” she said. “We also hope Canada will encourage the government of Sudan to continue working in good faith with the UN to advance a long-term solution to the crisis in Darfur.”

 

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NCCAR Director of Communication: Annik Lussier, (613) 238-3795, Lussier@nccar.ca