As the world waits for the 26,000 hybrid force to pull together their troops, supplies, and money for a UN-Africa Union peacekeeping mission, we see the situation in Darfur worsening. Rebel leaders have attacked a base, killing soldiers and looting their base. Today 40 soldiers are still missing. Senegal is now threatening to pull out their soldiers, one of the larger continguencies in the force, if they can not be protected. I ask this: how will these soldiers ever protect citizens if they do not have a mandate to protect? Al-bashir is calling for a 26,000 all African Union troop - a stalling tactic. How can we let the perpetrator of a genocide continue to call the shots? When will it be ENOUGH, when will the international leaders listen to their people, and stop this genocide?–KTJ Scott

Please visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7020596.stm
For a BBC article on the Attack on the AU Base.

Although there has been a lot more Darfur news coverage, you still have to make an effort and look for it. The mainstream media outlets barely mention it. One happening they did cover, though, was the United Nations resolution to send in 26,000 troops in to the region. The meaning of that was not really explored. The resolution was watered down, so that China and others would not object to it. It has no tough sanctions if the Government of Sudan (GoS) does not cooperate. It does not have right mandate either, with the troops going in to “observe peace” but not to protect when necessary. Even in its weak state, the resolution has to go beyond just being a piece of paper. There have been preparations by nations that are offering to send troops, but the GoS is now playing the game it has become an expert at playing. They refuse to accept non-African troops and find all kinds of objections, so that the actual deployment always falls always somewhere in the indeterminate future. Reuters covers Darfur extensively. While Connie, Yuen-Lin, and I were out in Chad, we met one of their reporters. Here below, you can read a piece from another of their reporters, with great information and analysis by Ex-UN official Jan Egeland. –Gabriel

For complete article, go here: http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN854984.html

Ex-U.N aid official says Darfur force must fight
Fri 28 Sep 2007, 14:16 GMT

By Peter Apps
Reuters.com

“There is no peace to keep and that is why the mandate has to be to build peace locally and robustly defend civilians,” Egeland told Reuters in the Oslo headquarters of the foreign policy think tank he now heads.

“That means that, when the humanitarians or the refugees themselves say they are threatened, the force has to deploy protectively and defend. And fight, if necessary.”

The former U.N. undersecretary-general, who still advises U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on peace building, said simply distributing aid in Darfur had saved hundreds of thousands of lives, but was not enough.

“We have let the situation disintegrate,” he said. “For me, it is the safe areas of Bosnia all over again. We give people food and blankets but then we say they can be massacred at night.”

We also have to do it for ourselves, we are part of this world, just sitting around and waiting for things to get better is an act of complicity; omission is also a sin! Are we like children waiting to be rescued? and to rescue? No, we must take responsibility, the solution is in our grasp. And although I live a very mundane life and have common needs, I will strive to realize the opportunities that come to me in my everyday life to return the refugees to a Safe Darfur.–Connie.

KTJ and I took Camp Darfur out to New York City for the first official Dream for Darfur U.S. Olympic Torch Relay event. China has great influence over the Government of Sudan, and this campaign’s purpose is to remind the Chinese government of its responsibility as a leader in the world to protect human rights and put lives before economic considerations. Besides putting pressure on China, do not let our own US leaders off the hook. Genocide is happening on their watch. It is happening on OUR watch. Call 1-800-GENOCIDE and tell your elected officials to do what it takes to bring protection to the people of Darfur. On the second half of this video, you will see the faces of the very real people that are still in great danger. Please let us know any ideas on how we can do more and make a difference now. Peace! –Gabriel