U.N. resolutions: 1564 1556 1547 1590

UN Action Timeline

On July 30, 2004 the U.N. Security Council passed resolution 1556 demanding that Sudan disarm militias in Darfur and threatening to consider sanctions if Janjaweed were not apprehended and prosecuted within thirty days. A thirty day follow-up report indicated that little progress towards disarming the militias had occurred and that attacks against civilians in Darfur were continuing. Following this report, the United States introduced a draft resolution on Sudan in the Security Council calling for increased support from the international community to resolve the violence in Darfur. The resolution threatens the consideration of sanctions against Sudan. U.N. humanitarian agencies and NGOs have made additional appeals for funding and aid to Sudan to help elevate the suffering.

U.S. Secretary of State Collin Powell stated on September 9 that the state sponsored militias in Sudan have committed genocide. This statement has attracted the attention of the media and increased international pressure on Khartoum to disarm militias and diminish the severe humanitarian situation in Sudan.

The Security Council passed resolution 1564 on September 18, 2004. This resolution calls for a stronger role of the African Union in resolving the conflict in Sudan, requests that the Secretary-General establish a commission of inquiry in order to investigate human rights violations and determine whether or not acts of genocide have occurred, and threatens that the Security Council "shall consider taking additional actions…such as actions to affect Sudan's petroleum sector." Many entities concerned with humanitarian issues have criticized the resolution for not acting to protect civilians in Sudan, immediately impose sanctions, or increase the international presence in the region. Click here for an evaluation of resolution 1564 by Human Rights Watch.

Special Representative for Sudan Jan Pronk again addressed the Security Council reporting that Sudan had again failed last month to stop milita attacks against civilians in Darfur. He warned the Security Council that if not properly addressed could widen into a regional, even global, conflict.

On October 7, 2004 Koffi Annan appointed a five member commission to determine whether genocide as occured in Sudan. The commission will investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights by all parties in Darfur. The commission will complete its work in three months and report back to the Secretary-General. The report can be found here. Resolution 1590 also led to the creation of theUN Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS)

2004 and 2005 saw the split of the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM) over whether to sit down to talks with the Khartoum government. Secretary general Mani Arko Minawi declined to participate and did not recognize the talks. Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur, chairman of the SLW, endorsed the talks and sent a delegation to the capital. Both groups claim control of SLM soldiers on the ground. Furthermore the AU recognized the SLM representatives of Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur at the meeting as legitimate. On December 31, 2004 SLM/AW signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with the government in Khartoum. This complicates negotiations creating three large rebel movements in Darfur: the SLM under Mani Ark Minawi (SLM/MM), the SLM under Abdel Wahid Mohamed Nur (SLW/AW) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).

The mission is tasked with supporting implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA.) Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, UNMIS is authorized to take the necessary action to protect United Nations personnel and to ensure their security and freedom of movement, as well as to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence. The force can be as large as 10,000 soldiers with over 700 civilian support staff, although approximately only half of the force has been deployed today. They also are striving to coordinate action with other international actors, most importantly the African Union(AU) which also has a force deployed.

The AU has peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur as well. Although not formally part of the UNMIS, resolution 1590 tells the UN mission to integrate and coordinate with the AU mission already on the ground. Unfortunately the mission suffers from a very limited mandate that prohibits it from taking action to stop genocide. Currently, the mandate only provides the AU peacekeepers the responsibility to protect observers. Furthermore the mission recieves misleading intelligence from Khartoum and has been harassed by the Janjaweed. The first four AU peacekeeper casaulties were at the hands of the Janjaweed.

Despite the conflict in Darfur, the 2006 meeting of the African Union was held in Khartoum without protest from any African country. After initially nominating itself, Sudan withdrew it's candidacy after protests by human rights groups and several African leaders. Sudan does still retain power in the AU and they have prevented the AU mission mandate from changing and set strict conditions for force enlargement.

Because of inability (Darfur rebel movements) or lack of will (in Khartoum) to enforce the CPA, another cease-fire was sought by both sides and the international community. The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) was signed under AU auspices on May 5, 2006. Unfortunately only one of the three rebel groups signed onto it, the SLM/AW. The SLM of Mani Arko Minawi was dissatisfied with the security arrangements and wants more autonomy given to the SLM to govern itself. The JEM group refused to sign as well, stating that the agreement does nothing to change the root cause of the problem: the inequalities between Khartoum and border regions such as Darfur. The key to the success of the DPA is the end of fighting between the three rebel groups in Darfur and the Janjaweed.