Canada can help in Darfur to bring about peace

copyright FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
Today’s Family NewsMay 12, 2006
Canada is not ruling out participation in a United Nations-sanctioned peacekeeping force for the war-torn Darfur region of southern Sudan, the National Post reported Wednesday.

Under questioning in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday that Canada stands “ready to assist” the people of Darfur, but that no decision has been made on what role it will play, such as whether troops will be deployed.

Earlier in the week, U.S. President George W. Bush ordered that emergency food deliveries be sent to Darfur – a region the size of France – in the wake of a humanitarian crisis that has claimed an estimated 200,000 lives and left three million more homeless in the past three years.

Bush and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan have both said a more robust international peacekeeping force is needed to supplement a 7,000-member African Union force that has proven ineffective. A UN peacekeeping force could end up being double that size.

Bush also urged the UN Security Council – and countries like Canada – to do their part now that a peace settlement has been finalized between the Sudanese government and the main rebel group in Darfur. Canada played a role in helping broker the deal.
“The European Union, and nations like Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Japan have taken the leadership on other humanitarian issues, and the people of Darfur urgently need more of their help now,” he said.

When asked by NDP leader Jack Layton why Canada had yet to give the UN “a positive answer” on its involvement in Darfur, Harper said, “We are expecting requests for assistance on governance and humanitarian assistance. At this moment, it does not appear that there will be any request for military assistance, but we stand ready to work with our international allies to improve the situation in Darfur.”

In April 2005, Canada committed $90 million in humanitarian and other aid for the people in Darfur and Sudan’s southern region.
The suffering began three years ago when Sudan’s Arab Islamic government enlisted Arab militias, called the Janjaweed, to undertake an ethnic purging of the largely African populations – many of them Christians – in the southern part of the country. As World magazine reported this week, “A handful of rebel groups fought back, and the ensuing war has left Darfur one of the most dangerous and miserable places in the world.”

Michael McCafferty comments:

Canada should play a major role in calling for a UNITED NATIONS PEACE KEEPING FORCE to go into Darfur, and Canada should be part of the United Nations peace keeping efforts.