MP Antti Kaikkonen (ALDE Finland): Speech in Council of Europe 2nd October 2007, Strasbourg

The unacceptable continuance of human suffering in Darfur

President of the assembly, distinguished colleagues

First, I would like to thank Mrs. Vermot-Mangold for drawing our attention to the unacceptable continuance of human suffering in Darfur by drafting this resolution, which I whole-heartedly support.

I would like to remind us all that the human tragedy in Darfur involves mass-scale murders and planned human rights atrocities. It is not that relevant to speculate how these violations should technically be defined, as it is to condemn them and to demand immediate respect for human rights in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions. The next round of peace talks between the parties to this conflict is set to begin on 27 October. We should expect that talks should result to an immediate ceasefire and disarmament of both the Janjaweed militia and the rebel forces. Meanwhile, more respect for the UN resolutions is needed from the countries, which continue supplying arms, ammunition and related equipment to Sudan in violation of the UN arms embargo.

There has been further worrying developments in the region, since this assembly last time debated the situation in Darfur. International organisations have cited inaction by local authorities in addressing repeated attacks against UN and other international organizations. In June 2007 Oxfam was forced to pull-out of Gereida, the largest refugee camp in Darfur, and an employee of the NGO Action by Churches Together was murdered in West Darfur. There have also been a number of hijackings of vehicles belonging to the UN and other international organizations.

President of the assembly, distinguished colleagues,

The UN Security Council has now approved Resolution 1769, which authorises the establishment of a 26,000 man strong AU/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur. The UNAMID should be able to take over from AMIS, the African Union force, by the end of the year at the latest. The UN has issued a call for more offers of troops and specialist units for the hybrid force. The UN has also made it clear that both the humanitarian and the peace-keeping efforts are destined to fail, unless members of the international community dig deeper in to their pockets to find additional funding for the mission.

It seems clear to me that the Darfur-region faces a worsening security crisis unless the UNAMID peacekeeping force is successfully employed without a delay. Therefore, it is crucial that individual states and regional organizations make Darfur their (security) political priority and provide funding to alleviate the humanitarian crises and contribute enough troops to the UNAMID peace-keeping force.

President of the assembly, distinguished colleagues,

I would like to conclude by reminding us all that just as despair can come to one another only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.