Credit: Wikipedia / Kalou Kaka /   JEM  rebels attacked the Sudanese capital of Khartoum in 2008. The War in Darfur, also nicknamed the Land Cruiser War, is a major armed conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan that began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebel groups began fighting the government of Sudan, which they accused of oppressing Darfur’s non-Arab population.

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Authoritarian Sudanese President Omar Hassan  al-Bashir was forced from power in a dramatic military-led coup last week after three decades of autocratic rule. Although the military in now in control of the Northeast African nation, security across the volatile Dafur region of Sudan has deteriorated since last Thursday’s coup in Khartoum. The United Nations Security Council held a briefing Wednesday on the situation. The planned withdrawal of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Dafur (UNAMID) by June 30, 2020 is on track, according to the Security Council briefing, however, the rapidly changing political situation in Sudan could impact implementation of the mission’s mandate going forward.  Despite the rise in violence in Dafur, the UN’s peacekeeping mission there has “remained vigilant”.  That was the sentiment from Jeremiah Mamabolo, joint Special Representative of the African Union and the Secretary-General for Dafur, who briefed the Council via video conference from Khartoum.  Mamabolo stated that with one General already forced out of office amid continuing protests, the daily curfew has now been lifted, and political detainees are due to be released, with a nationwide ceasefire now in place. He noted that the changes at the federal level have had an obvious impact  on Darfur, with internally displaced persons and other protesters engaging in acts of violence, including arson on the premises of the National Intelligence and Security Services and the former ruling party, as well as the homes of community leaders seen to have collaborated with the previous regime.

“Let me assure the Council that in the midst of all these developments, UNAMID has remained vigilant, maintaining a robust posture, particularly in the Jebel Marra area of responsibility, which is where we have peacekeeping troops,”

-Jeremiah Mamabolo,  joint Special Representative of the African Union and the Secretary-General for Dafur.

UN Security Council Members Briefed On The Situation In Dafur Following Change in Sudan Government 

Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe /  A wide view of the Security Council chamber as Jeremiah Mamabolo (on screen), Joint Special Representative of the African Union and the Secretary-General for Darfur, briefs the Security Council on the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan. 17 April 2019

Credit:  UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe / Niels Annen, Minister of State of Germany and President of the Security Council for the month of April, chairs the Security Council on the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan.

Germany’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Council President for April proclaimed; “We cannot simply delink the political developments in Khartoum from our joint work on UNAMID.” 

The United Kingdom’s representative repeated the African Union’s call for a swift return to civilian rule in Sudan, urging the Military Transitional Council to heed the voices of the people, protect protesters and uphold human rights.

South Africa’s representative, Jerry Mathews Matjila,  stated that the people of Sudan must seize the opportunity to address their differences in an inclusive manner because Darfur’s development is linked to that of the country and the wider region. He said a credible transition and transparent process will help unify Sudan; and that the Council should rally behind the people’s ambitions and be guided by regional approaches through the African Union, notably its 15 April communique.