BEIJING’S MOMENT OF TRUTH ON DARFUR

Friday 27 July 2007.
For Immediate Release

WILL BEIJING SUPPORT CHAPTER 7 MANDATE ON NEW UN RESOLUTION?

July 26 — While the Government of China has been quoted in the past several days as saying the new UN Resolution on a peace support operation for Darfur is “good,” there is growing concern that China will not support a Chapter 7 mandate for the peacekeeping force.

The debate concerns the new draft of a UN Security Council resolution (proposed by Ghana, France, and the UK) to authorize deployment to Darfur of approximately 26,000 civilian police and troops. The Chapter 7 mandate would confer upon the mission enforcement authority: “all necessary means,” including military means, which would be available to police and troops, thereby providing robust rules of engagement for those who threaten civilians, humanitarians, or the force itself. Without such a mandate, the force could not actively protect civilians.

“Anything less than a clear commitment to Chapter 7 authority will weaken the force of the resolution and embolden Khartoum,” said Eric Reeves, Sudan advisor to Dream for Darfur. “We will learn a great deal about whether Beijing intends to play a helpful role, or continue with a mere façade of concern for Darfur.”

Beijing has in the past objected to Chapter 7 authority for Darfur resolutions. Currently, the Khartoum regime---both at the UN and in the regime-controlled news media---is condemning Chapter 7 authority in the current draft resolution. This is so despite the fact that President Omar al-Bashir last month assured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that he accepted “unconditionally” the proposed African Union/UN “hybrid force” that is the centerpiece of the current resolution.

Under increasing pressure from the international community, including mounting pressure over Beijing’s inconsistent roles as both Olympic host and supporter of the regime in Khartoum, China has taken modest but constructive steps to address the Darfur crisis and to urge Khartoum to do so as well. China has said publically that it is doing everything within its power to resolve the Darfur issue.

“The moment of truth is at hand. Right now, Beijing has a clear opportunity to demonstrate whether or not it is willing to assist those in the international community determined to protect acutely vulnerable civilians and humanitarians,” Reeves said. “Beijing’s actions going forward must be judged in the context of a present decision about Chapter 7 authority for the security force deploying to Darfur.”

For more information, contact Matt Chandler: Matt Chandler: matt@rbistrategies.com / Office: 303.832.2444,x23 / Mobile: 303.523.2855 ###

Olympic Dream for Darfur is a global advocacy campaign, run by the Dream for Darfur organization, which was established in May 2007. Our goal is to secure protection for civilians on the ground in Darfur by focusing advocacy attention on Beijing, as Olympic host, and a government with unrivaled leverage with the government in Sudan.