The impasse over deploying a major UN peacekeeping
force to Darfur results directly from the international
community’s three-year failure to apply effective diplomatic
and economic pressure on Sudan’s government and its
senior officials. Unless concerted action is taken against
the ruling National Congress Party (NCP), Khartoum will
continue its military campaign, with deadly consequences
for civilians, while paying only lip service to its many
promises to disarm its Janjaweed militias and otherwise
cooperate. No one can guarantee what will work with a
regime as tough-minded and inscrutable as Sudan’s, but
patient diplomacy and trust in Khartoum’s good faith has
been a patent failure. The international community has
accepted the responsibility to protect civilians from atrocity
crimes when their own government is unable or unwilling
to do so. This now requires tough new measures to
concentrate minds and change policies in Khartoum.
