I don't like the emphasis on 'we', but at least it's...something.

quote:

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The United Nations has repeatedly refused to send peacekeepers to Darfur. However, there are other steps we can take to protect the women there.

We could send groups of policewomen from African nations to accompany the firewood-gathering trips.

Civilian police would not represent the same challenge to the national sovereignty of Sudan that soldiers would.

By training, supporting and enabling female police officers from African countries we could build the capacity of their forces, thus achieving two worthwhile aims at once.

We could help provide fuel-efficient stoves so less firewood is needed.

We could vastly increase the currently tiny number of African Union monitors in Darfur, giving them enough personnel to deter the militia from attacking women.

We could provide rape counselling and a chance to break the taboo of silence.

We could increase medical treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, as recommended by Médecins Sans Frontièrs.

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The Western powers, especially the U.S., have only an indirect interest in what happens in Sudan. They are more or less willing to let the African Union cope on their own, and the AU is not coping well, for political reasons the West only distantly cares about.

I am not sure what you meant by this statement “Peacemaking in Sudan really could be peacemaking.”

"African leaders have barely disguised their impatience and disappointment at Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s bad faith and intransigence in dealing with the insurrection in his country’s western region of Darfur."

"The government’s best offer is for the appointment of a special adviser on Darfur to al-Bashir.

Khalil Ibrahim Mohamed, president of the rebel group, Justice and Equality Movement, is concerned that allowing Sudan to host the AU summit and handing al-Bashir the presidency will affect the impartiality of the 7 700 AU peacekeepers in Darfur.

In October, the AU forces suffered their first casualties with the death of three Nigerian soldiers. Four Sene-galese troops were wounded in November.