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Brown in Darfur peacekeeping vow | Brown in Darfur peacekeeping vow |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Gordon Brown wants Darfur's proposed peacekeeping force to be in place by the year's end, he has told the BBC. | Gordon Brown wants Darfur's proposed peacekeeping force to be in place by the year's end, he has told the BBC. |
The UK prime minister pledged technical help for the UN-African Union force and hinted at sanctions if fighting in Sudan's strife-torn region continues. | The UK prime minister pledged technical help for the UN-African Union force and hinted at sanctions if fighting in Sudan's strife-torn region continues. |
Some 200,000 people have been killed and 2m displaced in Darfur since 2003. | Some 200,000 people have been killed and 2m displaced in Darfur since 2003. |
Human rights groups have declared Sunday a Global Day for Darfur and demonstrations are planned in 30 countries around the world. | |
Campaigners from groups including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Save Darfur Coalition plan to wear blindfolds as an appeal to world leaders not to look away from the continuing violence in Darfur. | |
The government in Khartoum and Arab militias allied to it have been blamed for massacres of the Darfur's black African population since 2003 - charges the government denies. | |
Ceasefire plea | Ceasefire plea |
In an interview with the BBC World Service, Mr Brown called the conflict "one of the great tragedies of our time". | |
Analysts say Mr Brown's timetable for a peacekeeping force is ambitious, given that Sudan's Arab government has been reluctant to accept the involvement of non-African troops. | |
Government forces and their allies continue to fight local rebels, but Mr Brown said it would "disastrous" if the fighting did not stop. | Government forces and their allies continue to fight local rebels, but Mr Brown said it would "disastrous" if the fighting did not stop. |
"This is an attempt... to bring the [UN] resolution, the ceasefire, political settlement, all these things coming together," he said. | "This is an attempt... to bring the [UN] resolution, the ceasefire, political settlement, all these things coming together," he said. |
"If that were to happen, we'd be prepared to give economic assistance so that the people of Darfur were in a better position and we can start to rebuild. | "If that were to happen, we'd be prepared to give economic assistance so that the people of Darfur were in a better position and we can start to rebuild. |
"If it doesn't work and we find that the government of Sudan is not making the changes necessary, then we will have to move to further sanctions." | "If it doesn't work and we find that the government of Sudan is not making the changes necessary, then we will have to move to further sanctions." |
He said the government should agree a ceasefire with the rebels to allow the peacekeepers to deploy. | He said the government should agree a ceasefire with the rebels to allow the peacekeepers to deploy. |
On a visit to Rome this week, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said he was willing to sign a peace deal with rebel groups. | On a visit to Rome this week, Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said he was willing to sign a peace deal with rebel groups. |
Western impatience | Western impatience |
Although the UK will not be contributing troops to the peacekeeping force, Mr Brown pledged to give "technical help", understood to mean airlifting African personnel into the region. | Although the UK will not be contributing troops to the peacekeeping force, Mr Brown pledged to give "technical help", understood to mean airlifting African personnel into the region. |
BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle says the UK leader's comments reflect Western impatience with the Khartoum government. | BBC world affairs correspondent Mark Doyle says the UK leader's comments reflect Western impatience with the Khartoum government. |
The Arab administration, consistently hostile to the involvement of non-African troops, agreed to a hybrid peacekeeping force including some UN peacekeepers only after months of negotiations. | The Arab administration, consistently hostile to the involvement of non-African troops, agreed to a hybrid peacekeeping force including some UN peacekeepers only after months of negotiations. |
Commentators have accused the Khartoum of deliberately blocking attempts to mediate the conflict. | Commentators have accused the Khartoum of deliberately blocking attempts to mediate the conflict. |
The force will be made up of about 20,000 soldiers and 6,000 police officers. | The force will be made up of about 20,000 soldiers and 6,000 police officers. |
Thousands of African Union peacekeepers are already in the region, the rest are due to begin arriving next month. | Thousands of African Union peacekeepers are already in the region, the rest are due to begin arriving next month. |