An African Union peacekeeper guards a crowd in Darfur, November 7, 2005. REUTERS/Opheera McDoom
LONDON (AlertNet)- Relief agencies operating in the Darfur region of Sudan are warning that the humanitarian crisis could worsen if the 7,000-strong African Union peacekeeping mission is not reinforced.
The African Union extended its mission until Sept. 30 on Friday, disappointing those who had hoped for a swifter handover to a larger and better-funded U.N. force.
Oxfam Regional Director Paul Smith-Lomas said: "Further delay is putting the lives of millions of civilians in danger. While the debate drags on, the situation in Darfur is getting worse. The AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) needs strengthening immediately and these ongoing discussions are deflecting from the urgent needs of civilians."
Tens of thousands of people have died and 2 million have been driven from their homes during three years of killing, rape and looting. Sudan denies allegations by U.S. and U.N. officials that it is backing Arab militia to wage a campaign of terror in Darfur.
AU troops have been monitoring a very shaky ceasefire between government troops and Darfur rebel groups since 2004.
While humanitarian actors say the presence of the AU mission has helped improve security in limited areas, they argue that several thousand troops are not sufficient to protect more than 3 million civilians spread across a region the size of France.
&${esc.hash}39;Clearly, there are gaps on the ground,&${esc.hash}39; said Peter Kessler, senior external affairs officer for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR).
VOLATILE SITUATIONA joint initiative in Darfur by Action by Churches Together and Catholic aid agency Caritas warned that if the current AU mission is not reinforced there could be &${esc.hash}39;a profound impact&${esc.hash}39; for those displaced in militia raids.
&${esc.hash}39;Our concern is that the situation is volatile and requires a strong peacekeeping force. If the arrival of a U.N. mission is going to be delayed, will the AU get the resources it needs?&${esc.hash}39; an ACT/Caritas official told AlertNet from Nyala in south Darfur.
The AU Darfur mission could run out of money by the end of the month, and a pledging conference is planned in Brussels, with the support of the United Nations and the European Union. However, there are concerns the necessary funding may not emerge.
Some countries, including the United States, could be reluctant to commit more cash due to irritation that the transfer to a wider U.N. mission has not come sooner. Although the Sudanese government has so far opposed that transition, the African Union believes its extended mandate will give it more time to persuade Sudan to accept U.N. peacekeepers.
In the meantime, aid agencies fear conditions for the 2 million people driven from their villages will get worse.
&${esc.hash}39;Now is the time for donors to increase, not decrease, their support in order to ensure AMIS has the troops and funds to effectively respond to the protection needs of &${esc.hash}39; civilians. The immediate priority remains strengthening AMIS right now, not what happens six months or a year from now,&${esc.hash}39; said Smith-Lomas.
INFIGHTINGWith roads prone to banditry and hijackings, Oxfam and other humanitarian agencies are finding it harder to continue operating in the area.
On Saturday, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR announced a 44% cut in its 2006 budget for Darfur, saying poor security was limiting its operations and access to camps for displaced people.
&${esc.hash}39;We can&${esc.hash}39;t lead donors down the garden path. We can&${esc.hash}39;t promise more than we can deliver,&${esc.hash}39; said Kessler.
The Norwegian Refugee Council criticised the scaling-back as &${esc.hash}39;another clear testimony that the international community, together with the Sudanese authorities, lack the ability to create the necessary humanitarian space for humanitarian actors to assist the Sudanese civilian population&${esc.hash}39;.
UNHCR&${esc.hash}39;s Kessler said even the arrival of a larger U.N. peacekeeping force was unlikely to bring security to all areas of Darfur.
The African Union has called for a peace agreement to be wrapped up by the end of April, but the negotiations in Abuja, Nigeria, have been hampered by infighting among rebel factions.
&${esc.hash}39;The onus remains on the Sudanese government to provide security for its people, but so far they have failed to do this. Darfur&${esc.hash}39;s problems can only really be solved if the parties to the conflict sit down and do what the African Union has demanded,&${esc.hash}39; said Kessler.
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