Canada and Darfur

Two views:

1) Foreign Affairs Minister Bernier:

Tories are helping in Sudan

National Post Published: Thursday, December 13, 2007

Re: Building A Case For More Action In Sudan Crisis, John Ivison, Dec. 11.

This government is committed to global security and human rights. That is evident in our efforts in Sudan. We are contributing to both United Nations peacekeeping efforts in southern Sudan as well as the African Union mission in Darfur. The Canadian Forces has approximately 45 personnel supporting AU and UN missions in an effort to bring security and stability to Sudan.

The opposition refuses to acknowledge the $48-million we contributed in August to the AU mission, currently on the ground in Darfur. We have contributed $149-million to support the resolution of conflicts in Sudan since coming to office. Furthermore, Canada will provide support to the UN hybrid mission in Sudan, and we are actively involved in discussions with the UN to define the required support [that's news]. Under our government, Canada is actively participating in international efforts to re-launch the Darfur political process. Canada also systematically raises the situation in Sudan and our concerns in bilateral and multilateral forums.

Like all Canadians, our government remains deeply concerned about the human rights and humanitarian situation in Sudan. Canada is actively participating in international efforts to re-launch the Darfur political process, and we call on all parties to the Darfur conflict to participate in the renewed peace talks.

2) A letter of mine sent to the Post Dec. 11 and so far not published:

So the Liberals are clamouring for Canada to "do something" militarily to help the hybrid UN/African Union force that is supposed to take shape in Darfur within a month ("Prime Minister taken to task on Sudan crisis", Dec. 11 [same piece, different title). There are two things in particular that make the Liberal proposals unrealistic.

First, It appears increasingly unlikely that the UN component of the force will deploy in anything like the envisaged time-frame (if ever) as a result of Sudanese obstruction. Second, it is most unlikely that Khartoum would accept the Canadian forces the Liberals advocate sending ["a squadron of Bell 412 helicopters, a company of 10-tonne all-terrain vehicles and 40 or 50 trained officers to help coordinate the UN/AU force"]. Khartoum is insisting that virtually all the UN force be from African countries, and indeed is refusing even to accept contingents from Nepal, Thailand, and Norway.

Moreover Canada hardly has the diplomatic influence, despite the Liberals' fantasies about our vast international clout, to change the Sudanese government's mind--or to get other western countries to do more. Heck, we can't even get France, Germany, Italy and Spain to do more to help our forces in Afghanistan.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,519330,00.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/27/AR2007112702656.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/09/opinion/edreeves.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/opinion/10mon1.html?ex=1197954000&en=34ed4febf7d06fc2&ei=5070

Why can't our government deal, even a little bit, with the practical realities of deploying the UN mission in Darfur instead of just patting itself on the back? Not that Canada has not done quite a bit all things considered.