Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unsc6postafrica070208.html
UNITED NATIONS, July 2, updated July 4 -- On Darfur, some views are easy to hear, others require more work. Wednesday in front of the Security Council chamber, the United States' envoy to Sudan Richard Williamson told the Press that the UN as well as Khartoum are to blame for there being only 600 additional peacekeepers in Darfur since the beginning of the year, rather than the 3,600 the U.S. had called for. He said that the U.S. has expressed its support for the second in command of the mission, Rwandan general Karake Karenzi, despite him being charged with war crimes by a Spanish magistrate in February.
Inner City Press asked about the July 15 expiration of the first of two possible three month extensions of the $250 million no-bid contract with Lockheed Martin's PAE subsidiary, for peacekeeping camps in Darfur. "PAE has the experience," Williamson said. "It would be prudent if they are allowed to continue performing the service. There'd be a substantial lag if you tried bring someone else new in," he continued. "I have raised it at the highest level in Sudan, Under-Secretary General [Susana] Malcorra has raised it. Hopefully by July 15 there'll be a sorting out." Video here, from Minute 5:05.
But when Inner City Press asked the UN, spokesman Nick Birnback replied that " you are correct that Ms. Malcorra has recently returned from visiting Darfur. No contract extension for PAE has been requested. The Government of Sudan was requested to allow finalization of the works under the contract which will go beyond July 15th, including all equipment being imported." From this, it appears that the issue has already been sorted out and decided -- the contract will not be extended, and another contractor will have to be named by July 15.
In El Fasher UNAMID Camp, June 2008, (c) Matthew Russell Lee
Likewise while Williamson said the U.S. has conveyed its support for indicted General Karenzi, Inner City Press has learned that the UN Secretariat has written to Rwanda asking them to propose a substitute general. Sudan's Ambassador to the UN Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed asked Inner City Press, why didn't the Secretary-General consult with the African Union before writing to Rwanda, since it is a hybrid force?
Ironically, Sudan and the United States are on the same side of the issue of indicted General Karenzi continue to serve as deputy commander of the Darfur peacekeeping mission, with the Secretariat taking a different view. Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed also told Inner City Press that UK Ambassador John Sawers believes that International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo should hold off on any further indictments, at least for now, since there is a new Darfur mediator, Djibrill Yipene Bassole of Burkina Faso. This appeared at odds with Amb. Sawers public positions, including while recently in Sudan, Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed noted. [Update -- the UK Mission has said that Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed has "erroneously quoted" Ambassador Sawers, "they did talk about ICC, but John [Sawers] said it was a matter for the court, he didn't say that any new indictments should be delayed." Duly noted, even on the 4th of July. Sawers has appeared ambivalent before, about the ICC, click here for one example.]
On Lockheed Martin and PAE, "they are history," Sudan's Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem Mohamed said on July 2, "no extension will be granted." Having since spoken with DFS chief Malcorra, we will have more soon on all this.
And see, www.innercitypress.com/unsc6postafrica070208.html
