Violent attacks from the Khartoun Government in Sudan, allied militias and rebel groups have lead to the killings of more than 200,000 people, as well as the displacement of at least 2 million people over the past four years.

These atrocities taking place in the Darfur region create a challenging case for the United Nations. Until recently the Government in Khartoum had rejected the UN's plan to establish a hybrid United Nations - African Union force of about 20,000 troops to police the Darfur region. This peacekeeping force is necessary to stabilise the humanitarian crisis, and provide protection for the civilian population in Darfur.

In 2005 the United Nations World Summit adopted the universal principle of the Responsibility to Protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. This is the responsibility of each individual State, as well as the responsibility of the international community. According to this resolution, the international community, through the United Nations, has a Responsibility to Protect the population in Darfur against genocide.

Difficulties arise when translating this principle into a program of action. The UN's challenge is finding political will among member States to carry out the Responsibility to Protect mandate, and maintain peace and security in Darfur.

The Government of Sudan has committed atrocities against its own citizens and thus violated the Responsibility to Protect its own citizens. In cases such as this, the UN and the international community are obliged to take action.

Until now, China has blocked the Security Council’s resolution to take strong action against the Government in Sudan, and intervene in order to stop the genocide. A strong peacekeeping operation is the only strategy which will prevent the escalation of the crisis in Darfur.

In the UN document In Larger Freedom (2005) Kofi Annan wrote: "I appeal to Member States to do more to ensure that the United Nations has effective capacities for peacekeeping."

For more information contact Margrete Johannessen at office@unaansw.org.au