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| July 9, 2008 |
THIS WEEK U.N. AND U.S. ALLOW SUDANESE GOVERNMENT TO SACK KEY US CONTRACTOR
Peacekeepers on patrol were ambushed today leaving at least one dead, 19 injured, and six missing.
The international community continues to allow Khartoum to block the full deployment of UN peacekeepers in Darfur. This week, the Sudanese regime refused to allow the United Nations to renew its contract with PAE, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. PAE is the only contractor tasked with building camps for incoming peacekeepers.
The international community is failing to support the peacekeeping mission in Darfur and as a result we are watching it fail. Private contractors can play an essential role in Darfur as they have expertise in camp building, training and in providing medical support. They also have desperately needed equipment. The U.S., the U.N. and all the nations of the world are once again allowing the Khartoum regime to dictate the conditions under which Darfur’s victims can be protected. This decision further imperils UNAMID’s under-supported mission. The result will be continued suffering for the people of Darfur.