26,000

So you may have heard that Khartoum has finally agreed to allow UN peacekeeping troops into Darfur early 2008. ‘Finally’ is some of the responses that have been heard while others are saying ‘it’s not time yet’. When is the right time to send in 26,000 peacekeeping troops into a Darfur situation?

When this conflict began and it was being called a genocide, there were clear warring sides. You knew which area belonged to which group and what each side wanted. Now there are around 25 different rebel factions that all seem to want different things. At any point these 25 groups can unify or clash. So who are the bad guys that need to be stopped? Is it Khartoum? But Khartoum has agreed to the terms that the UN is coming in on so you have to know that there are enough loop holes that Khartoum can then continue their strategy. Well then the bad guys are the janjaweed. But who are they and are they really a threat to the civilian population anymore? They seem to be very disgruntled employees that are starting to turn on their employer because of lack of payment for their own people that they lost in someone else’s battle. So are they against what we all like to say is the black African Darfurian’s or are they now against the government? Well that one seems a little grey so then it has to be the rebel groups. So which rebel groups are the problems? The signatories, the non-signatories, the one who’s leader refuses to negotiate, the groups that have a few stolen trucks and satellite phones and call themselves a new rebel group? or is it all of them?

So ok maybe a clear enemy is not going to be defined so then it’s to defend citizens against acts of violence. With what force is allowed? Will it follow the failed AU force that as soon as they see trouble they turn tail and run afraid for their own lives? Are these peacekeeping soldiers ready to risk their lives for the Darfurian women that just need to collect a little firewood outside of the camps? I would like to say yes but I’m not sure that’s the reality. Or does the UN then enter into tribal disputes over cattle raids and issues that have been happening between tribes for thousands of years. The UN can protect the humanitarian agencies as they travel to areas of insecurity. This would open access to many areas that people are suffering because aid can not get through. However, the UN may be seen as an enemy thus creating us as more of a target but with a lot more weapons on our side.

The UN should come in and make our jobs a lot easier by allowing us to drive the roads with much more peace that danger will not be found along the way. But if the UN does become an enemy of any of these groups then we are seen siding with the enemy where before we were standing on neutral ground with wanted assets. So how do we separate ourselves from the work that the UN will be doing? Do we paint our vehicles a different color? Do we not accept convoys from the UN through insecure areas? How will this relationship work?

The general view from the Darfur population is that they are very happy that the UN will come in and bring a long awaited peace. The rest of us are not so certain. I heard one local man question how we could be so skeptical that there will be no peace when a fully equipped UN force is coming with all their equipment and guns. Just what we need, more guns in Darfur – that will solve the problem! Hey maybe I will be surprised and this time next year we will all be holding hands and skipping down the street. But I know that I have 26,000 uncertain questions that will only be answered as time plays out the UNMID scenario.