SUDAN 27/7/2004 22:03 KHARTOUM: GENERAL MOBILIZATION AGAINST POSSIBLE FOREIGN TROOPS Politics/Economy, Standard The authorities of Sudan have decided to politically and strategically mobilise all institutions âto resist with force all resolutions concerning the deployment of international troops to Darfurâ. Speaking at the end of a special cabinet meeting, Majzoub al-Khalifa, agriculture minister and chief negotiator with the rebels of Darfur, said that âfrom this moment on, the government of Sudan will strengthen its position against any foreign intervention in Darfurâ, the western region where ethnic violence by militias of Arab nomads called âJanjaweedâ against the local black African population has caused a major humanitarian crisis. The minister stated that the authorities of Khartoum would treat all foreign soldiers who set foot in Sudan âappropriatelyâ. The United States (US) Congress has said that a genocide is underway in Darfur; and while the government of Khartoum comes under increasing international pressure the US and the European Union have threatened sanctions if the authorities fail to stop the Janjaweed and do not guarantee access to humanitarian aid. Great Britain and Australia have already expressed a broad readiness to send troops for a peacekeeping mission. Foreign minister Mustafa Oman Ismail expressed the same strong opposition to any kind of military intervention to stem the attacks against the civilian population. In a press conference during a visit to Turkey, the Sudanese chief diplomat said that âin the event of an attack, Sudan will retaliateâ, adding that he hoped that such a situation does not materialise. Today Spain and Egypt also said that they are in favour of giving Sudan more time to demonstrate its intention of maintaining the promises made to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, concerning the disarmament of the âJanjaweedâ, following a meeting between their respective foreign ministers, Miguel Angel Moratinos and Ahmed Abdoul Gheit. The Arab League also took a stand today over the delicate question of Darfur, which found its way fully onto the international agenda only a few days ago after long being ignored, despite numerous appeals by the UN and humanitarian organisations. For the Arab countries, the priority is humanitarian: âWe want to assist the Sudanese government and not to talk of sanctionsâ said Amr Mussa, general secretary of the Arab League. Reports of a possible second European mission in Darfur arrived from Strasburg, following the mission of last January: the development commission of the European parliament floated the idea of sending representatives to the scene to ensure that humanitarian aid is really getting through. So far, the EU has allocated 200 million dollars to tackle the enormous humanitarian crisis in Darfur and in neighbouring Chad, which UN sources say is sheltering 160.000 refugees. According to the same estimates, roughly 30.000 people have been killed since the start of the conflict in February 2003, while over one million people have been displaced from their homes. Today there have also been rumours of a possible release of the opposition leader Hassan al Turabi who â according to the Italian news agency ANSA â has suspended his hunger strike after being hospitalised a few days ago. According to the agriculture minister, the âmobilisationâ foreseen by the government also contemplates dialogue with the opposition in the attempt to create strong national cohesion. [LC]
