Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/unau1darfurenvoy061909.html
UNITED NATIONS, June 19 -- The politics of Darfur and the UN's Missions has devolved into proposals and counter-proposal, a range of Ambassadors told Inner City Press on June 19. To replace current African Union - UN envoy Rodolphe Adada, the UN initially proposed current Myanmar envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
The UN's rationale was that Gambari, a Nigerian, would politically replace current UN Darfur force command and fellow Nigerian Martin Luther Agwai, to be replaced by a Rwandan.
But according to diplomats, Western powers led by the UK have opposed Gambari, arguing that as a Muslim he would favor Sudan as they perceive Adada did. The UN then has proposed Said Djinnit. But Sudan is vehemently opposed to Djinnit. They say the next proposal is Haile Menkerios, regarding whom Sudan is also non-plussed. They prefer and would accept Dumisani Kumalo, former South African Ambassador to the UN.
A range of Ambassadors said Kumalo would be an ideal choice. One, on the Council, urged Inner City Press not to float the idea, saying that would doom it. But as Abe Lincoln said, an idea whose time has come cannot be denied. Watch this site.
Footnote: the departure of Martin Luther Agwai as UNAMID force commander in Darfur would take place as questions have been raised about the UN's employment of his wife Ruth Agwai in the UN Medical Service, and her moonlighting for an NGO for the wives of Nigerian generals. Rwanda lost the deputy post when Karake Karenzi fell under accusation of war crimes by a Spanish court. Another Rwandan, though, could not only return to the The Sudan, but talk over UNAMID lock, stock and barrel.
Footnote: the UN's proffer of Gambari as envoy to Darfur implies to some that his Myanmar envoy post is not a serious endeavor. He is a genial and non untransparent fellow, so we'd anticipate having more on this.
