world

China boosts peacekeepers in Darfur

9 Comments

A new company of Chinese engineers deployed to Sudan's war-torn western region of Darfur on Thursday, boosting the number of U.N.-led peacekeeping troops to 8,000, a mission spokeswoman said.

"They've arrived; 172 arrived so that brings the number of the Chinese contingent to 315," said Josephine Guerrero, spokeswoman for the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission UNAMID.

The Chinese flew into Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state. Their deployment brings the total number of peacekeeping soldiers in the war-torn region of western Sudan from 7,828 to 8,000.

An advance party of Chinese engineers have been in Nyala since November, tasked with building roads and bridges, and digging wells in order to prepare for further troop arrivals.

Thursday's deployment comes one day after the killing of the ninth peacekeeper since the U.N. took over the peacekeeping efforts six months ago.

UNAMID is on high alert amid fears of a backlash after the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor on Monday sought an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.

China, which has close ties with Sudan as one of the main buyers of the African nation's oil and a key investor in its economy, expressed concern over the ICC move and warned the move might upset peace hopes in Darfur.

Human rights groups have tried to use the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which begin in August, to push China to do more to end the crisis in Darfur.

Since UNAMID took over from an African Union force on Dec 31, barely a third of the projected 19,500 soldiers and 6,500 police have deployed.

The Darfur conflict began in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated regime and state-backed militias, fighting for resources and power in one of the most remote and deprived places on earth.

The United Nations has said that 300,000 people have died in Darfur and more than 2.2 million been displaced. The Sudanese government puts the death toll at 10,000.

© AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

9 Comments
Login to comment

Why does China always find cosy relations with "despotic criminals" like Omar Al-Basheer of Sudan, Gen.Than Shwe of Myanmar, Mugabe of Zimbabwe and N.Korea's dictator K.J. Ill?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Why does China"

$$$$$$'s without scruples.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

China, which is itself a dictatorship has no qualms about dealing with dictatorships. It has no silly agendas like human rights or spreading democracy to hinder it's need to acquire raw materials.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

OssanULTRA

I agree with you that China has not such as convincing and universal political philosophy or ideology. In that sense, the headline news is odd.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Madverts; "$$$$$$$'s without scruples".......absolutely spot on.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The ICC was nobody. It was just a theatre for those european union leaders to play their little shows, it has no credibility at all of justices and never respected by other powers like Russia China!

The Chinese government has made it very clear, no more troubles amde to the Sudanese govt, it was enough and there has Chinese interests over there! Yes China is supplying arms to Sudanese govt but that ahs nothing to do with Darfur because China ahs told Beshir do not use it incorrectly! And it was naive to link the civil war in Darfur with Beijiang Olympics, the Chinese govt will keep friendly ties with Sudan to pursuit the oil she needs!Interests came first....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Arrest warrants??? How many NATO troops prepare to Sudan?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Bibric:Universal political phiolsophy or ideology??

This is the rules of game protecting the priviledges of certain most richest nations or known as G7... it has nothing holy! The darfur crisis was western companies intended to get their chunk of revenues.....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

reddragonguy; "China has told Beshir not to use it (weapons imported from china) incorrectly"; Really?????? So the dictator of Sudan obeyed?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites