In South Sudan, UN Defers to Government on LRA, Shuttles Its Enemies

By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/sudan1qazi102809.html

UNITED NATIONS, October 28 -- Two of the UN's largest peacekeeping missions ever are in Sudan, spending upwards of $2 billion a year. The head of the UNMIS Mission Ashraf Qazi came to the UN on Wednesday painting an upbeat picture in the run up to April 2010 elections, and then referendums if South Sudan will break away. But on the ground, Qazi's and the UN's air force had to evacuate forces loyal to Paulino Matip when they were engaged by the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

When Inner City Press first asked UN spokespeople in New York about it, they knew known. Inner City Press asked Qazi and he put a positive spin even on this, saying the evacuation was at the agreement of both parties, that the evacuated forces will be integrated. There are "different versions," he said, of what happened. Sudanese sources tell Inner City Press the SPLA fired on Matip's compound. Video here, from Minute 4:46.

Inner City Press asked Qazi what UNMIS is doing to protect civilians from the Lord's Resistance Army. Qazi said their mandate is limited, that mostly they train the SPLA. He spoke of managing expectations -- meaning, apparently, don't expect the UN to protect you.

Nor has Qazi heard of the incident in which the plane bearing Nigeria Senate President David Mark was turned back from Khartoum. A Sudanese diplomat told Inner City Press it was not, as reported, about President Bashir's on again, off again trip to Abuja. Rather, he said, Nigeria had sent the paperwork for the flight and landing, rather than to the Civil Aviation Authority, to the Foreign Ministry. We'll see.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/sudan1qazi102809.html