AFRICA/SUDAN - “We cannot say that the war in Darfur has ended,” says Apostolic Administrator of El Obeid, following declarations made by former commander of international peace-keeping force

Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – There has been great surprise and hesitation in response to declarations made by General Martin Luther Agwai, outgoing commander of the United Nations-African Union peace-keeping force in Darfur (MINUAD), in which he claimed that the war in Darfur had virtually ended. “As of today, I would not say there is a war going on in Darfur. Militarily there is not much. What you have is security issues more now. Banditry ... people trying to resolve issues over water and land at a local level. But real war as such, I think we are over that,” the Nigerian general said, shortly before handing over powers to his successor, Rwandan General Patrick Nyamvumba.
Various humanitarian aid associations working in the western region of Sudan have, however, criticized the general's position, highlighting that the humanitarian situation in Darfur remains extremely serious, especially due to attacks on the aid convoys sent by the international community.
Bishop Antonio Menegazzo, Apostolic Administrator of El-Obeid, the Sudan diocese includes Darfur, confessed his surprise at the former MINUAD Commander's comments. “The parties in conflict are still trying to reach a ceasefire agreement. We cannot say that the war has ended. I was truly surprised to hear General Agwai's declarations,” Bishop Memegazzo told the Agency ENI.
“It is true that the situation in the region has improved from what it was and there is hardly any combat taking place at the moment, however the war could break out again at any moment,” the Apostolic Administrator of El-Obeid added, pointing out that the Janjaweed (the militia formation of government sympathizers responsible for the atrocities committed against civilians) “are still there and no one is working to stop them.”
There are still 2,700,000 inhabitants of Darfur living in refugee camps (out of a population of nearly 5 million). The international humanitarian aid organizations denounce the serious insecurity that has led to the spread of vandalism, which impedes the aid convoys from reaching various parts of the region.
On a political level, the local rebellion has divided into at least some 20 groups and has lost a good part of its military strength. The United States is participating in a diplomatic initiative along with Libya and Egypt, to unify the 9 most important guerrilla groups, with the goal of establishing a credible interlocutor with whom the Sudanese government can negotiate for peace. The negotiation with the Khartoum government, however, is under the influence of the arrest warrant issued by the International Crime Court for Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir, on charges of crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 3/9/2009)