More tough talk on Darfur, but no action

Simon Coveney*
The European Parliament, growing increasingly alarmed about the ongoing killings and increasing number of refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan, voted for a resolution on February 14 which calls on the international community to intervene – starting with the United Nations, which so far has only issued statements. Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu also called on the parliament to help stop the bloodshed.

The United States had set a January 1 deadline for Sudan to accept UN peacekeeping troops, which so far have not been allowed into the country, but that also was ignored by the Sudanese government, and observers sent to the country recently were not allowed in either.

Still, Simon Coveney, a Member of the European Parliament from Ireland, said he hoped some tough talk might spur the UN or somebody into doing something, even if the parliament has no authority to authorise troops. Read more >>>