At least someone is trying something
African Union to Send Troops to Darfur
Mon Jul 5, 2004 01:56 PM ET
By Opheera McDoom
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The African Union is preparing to send hundreds of troops to Sudan's strife-torn Darfur region where more than a million people have been uprooted by conflict, a senior AU official said on Monday.
"The protection force will be deployed as soon as possible ... Forces from Rwanda and Nigeria are on standby. They are ready go to," AU Director of Peace and Security Sam Ibok told a news conference.
The Darfur mission, announced on the eve of the annual summit of African leaders in Addis Ababa, will mark the organization's only joint military deployment since it sent peacekeepers to Burundi in 2003.
The AU has deployed unarmed observers to Darfur and had said if all parties agreed it was necessary, it would send armed troops to protect the monitors.
Ibok said he was certain Sudan would not object.
"We are confident that they will accept. It has been difficult, but we are talking to them," Ibok said.
