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Pressure by the South African Government
on the Sudanese Government to Ensure Peace and Stability;
and the Return of Refugees to Darfur
QUESTION NUMBER: 6
DATE: 1 SEPTEMBER 2004
Rev. K R J Meshoe (ACDP) to ask the Deputy President:
Whether the Government is putting any pressure on the
Sudanese government to allow monitors from the international
community into the Darfur region so as to ensure the
return of peace and stability to the region and to ensure
that refugees wishing to return to Darfur are given
assistance and protection; if not, why not; of so, what
are the relevant details?
N695E
REPLY:
Yes, the South African government is putting pressure
on the Sudanese government through the African Union.
As I stated a fortnight ago in reply to a similar question
in this House, a fundamental objective of South Africa's
foreign policy is to deal collectively with problems
occurring in other African countries in regional and
continental bodies established specifically for this
purpose. South Africa's position on the Darfur crisis
is therefore guided by the African Union. It is in the
African Union context that South Africa operates, and
in this instance, puts pressure on the Sudanese Government
to allow the deployment of a broader peacekeeping force
of about 3 000 troops to assist with the disarmament
of the Janjaweed militia, and ensure the return of peace
and stability to the region.
South Africa supports the initiative by the current
Chairperson of the African Union, President Obasanjo
of Nigeria in convening peace talks in Abuja Nigeria
between the Government of Sudan and the two rebel movements.
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