By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 4 -- As killing in Darfur escalates, the UN stays several days behind, belatedly reporting on November 4 on a deadly November 1 attack outside Tawila, and then only because asked.
On November 3 Inner City Press asked why the UNAMID mission had not spoken about the second deadly attack near Tawila. Hours later, the UN said it was investigating. A source asked Inner City Press, what's to investigate, since the UN has a peacekeeping base in Tawila itself?
As it turns out, the UN did know what happened. On November 4 spokesman Martin Nesirky read a statement that on November 1, unidentified gunmen attacked two vehicles, resulting in two deaths and 28 wounded who were taken to an MSF clinic in Tawila. Eight of the more serious injuries were transferred to a hospital in El Fasher, which is UNAMID's base.
But why didn't UNAMID just routinely report this? Similarly, Jaafar al-Sibki the Darfur reporter for the Sahafa daily newspaper in Sudan was arrested by authorities, but UNAMID and UN had no response except to point to UNAMID's belated statement about a radio station's closure.
While the UN - African Union mediation in Doha has now been suspended until mid December, the UN had no statement on that either on November 4.
The Doha process does not include the supporters of Fur rebel Abdel Wahid Nur, nor the Justice and Equality Movement. The one group it does include, the Liberation and Justice Movement, has a leader who was a UN staff member at least until March 8, 2010, then (the UN says) resigned. We'll have more on this. Watch this site.
From the UN's November 3 transcript:
Inner City Press: on Sudan, I wanted to ask you two factual things. There are reports that at least eight people injured in Tawilla, where there is a peacekeeping base, have been taken to the hospital in El Fasher. I haven’t seen anything by UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur]; I’m just wondering if it’s possible to get… whether UNAMID can confirm that this attack took place, who they think did it? There are also reports of the arrest of the leader of a refugee camp, Al Salaam in North Darfur, by the authorities. And I’m wondering, again … these things build up, but whether UNAMID can confirm these two incidents, and also, if these things are true, why these things are not being said in some way by UNAMID? And I know you may say “ask them”, but I’ve asked them and I’ve received nothing in return.
Spokesperson Nesirky: We will ask them. All right, thanks very much. Good afternoon, everybody.
[The Spokesperson later added that we are aware of these reports and are investigating them. UNAMID is concerned about heightened military tensions on the ground. There have been other incidents recently. UNAMID calls on all parties to refrain from the use of force.]
