Bring on the blue helmets

Feb 9th 2006 | NAIROBI
From The Economist


Thousands of defenceless people in western Sudan still need protecting


SINCE the tragedy in Darfur, Sudan's western region, began three years ago, at least 200,000 people—some say more than 300,000—have died; another 2m, in a population of 6m, have been displaced, many of them fleeing across the border into Chad; peace talks in Nigeria between the rebels and the Sudanese government have stalled yet again; there is a risk of a proxy war breaking out between Chad and Sudan; and the African Union (AU), with some 7,000 ill-equipped troops, admits it cannot keep the peace. Now, belatedly, the UN is likely, as a last resort, to send blue helmets to Darfur. Click here for the full story >>>>>