Press conference by Special Representative for Sudan

 

To prevent the situation in Darfur from devolving into anarchy, the parties must be held accountable and a sizeable force must be deployed, according to Jan Pronk, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Sudan, who this afternoon answered correspondents’ questions at a Headquarters press conference concerning his earlier briefing to the Security Council.

Asked how bad the situation was, he said that use of the word “dire” was a real option.  There were more factions, and less control over them.  Those rebels who were interested in a military solution listened less, and many of the militias and the Janjaweed groups who had been under the influence of the Government were no longer under it.  Rebel commanders had their eyes on Khartoum despite the statements of their leaders in Abuja.

In addition, he said, the relocation of refugees was not in accordance with agreements, and if the Government did not move them it was another indication of a lack of control.  Similarly, the Government claimed that it had not authorized bombings that had occurred.

He had warned the Council of anarchy because of that loss of control, he said.  In addition, a new cycle of violence loomed because of rumours that hostages taken from a bus near Zalingei had been killed.  In retaliation, thousands of Janjaweed and other militia were preparing for a big fight.

Responding to questions about his recommendations, Mr. Pronk said that a sizeable force must be deployed as a buffer; it must be considered a military operation and not just monitoring.  In addition, the Security Council meeting in Nairobi must become a major event that included all those interested.  And finally, the parties must be held accountable, through sticks in addition to carrots.  They must know that further delays in reaching a peace agreement would not be tolerated and that they were responsible for ceasefire and human rights violations.  That kind of language had not been used so far, and it might be heeded if the big powers were using it.

Asked how such accountability could be demanded given the loss of control, he said that, for example, the Sudanese Liberation Army had been instrumental in mobilizing whoever was responsible for the bus kidnapping, even if they claimed it was carried out by dissenting factions.  They might have a just objective, but they must be told that they are accountable for maintaining human rights norms.  They want to be a government, after all, he added.

Regarding sanctions, he said that should be a last resort since that measure was merely a punishment that indicated failure.  Serious language and withdrawal of funding would be more effective as sticks.  Pressure worked, but the right pressure points needed to be found.

Responding to questions on troop requirements, he said that bureaucracy, money and different perceptions of the situation were holding up a larger deployment.  So far, the deployment had not been big enough, not broad enough and not quick enough to meet the requirements for success he had originally presented.  It was necessary to work step by step; the priority was getting more than 4,000 troops.  If that did not work other options must be considered, including troops other than those provided by the African Union.  The aim was full protection of all people and he was trying to remind everyone of the overall final objective.

Asked about the humanitarian situation in the camps, he said that there was no education, and that there was ongoing rape and recruitment of child soldiers.  At the same time, humanitarian assistance to the refugees was paying off in areas such as nutrition.

Finally, asked if it frustrated him personally to see the situation worsening, he said that he had been in many situations and knew that it was possible with concrete action to improve a situation at any given moment.  Of course, the international community could have acted much earlier even if it was focused elsewhere, such as Iraq and the North/South agreements concerning the Sudan.  All such conflicts had similar causes and the international community had to be able to deal with many of them simultaneously.

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