The Security Council today held closed consultations on cuts to the United
Nations peacekeeping mission in Chad after the Government's call for the
withdrawal of the military component, despite warnings that this could
impair delivery of humanitarian aid to some 430,000 people.
"We are extremely worried about what the potential impact will be on the
civilians whom we're trying to help in eastern Chad,"
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told a news
conference, citing 250,000 or more refugees from Sudan's war-torn Darfur
region and 180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The UN mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad
(<"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minurcat/">MINURCAT) "has been
helpful for us" in providing security and extra logistical capacity
including medical evacuations, he said.
"That's why we've made clear ourselves, publicly and privately, to the
Government of Chad and the Security Council that our preference would be
that MINURCAT should stay for a further period until alternative
arrangements are made because the consequences for the protection of
civilians but also for humanitarians themselves could be very significant,"
he added.
Last month UN and Chadian officials agreed on a major initial reduction
after the Government called for the withdrawal of the military component of
MINURCAT, which was set up over two years ago to ensure the security of
hundreds of thousands of refugees from Darfur, IDPs and humanitarian workers
in both Chad and the CAR, saying the force had served its purpose.
In a report to the Council earlier this week Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
proposed that the military component be reduced from its current 3,300
troops – out of an authorized strength of 4,900 – to 1,400 troops and 500
support elements. The current mandate expires on 15 May.
With new agreements on border security between Chad and Sudan, and with
MINURCAT not strong enough to provide complete security in eastern Chad, the
Government said it felt it was better for Chadian forces to take over and
for the mandate to be adjusted.
"Now we will have to deal with the situation as we find it if MINURCAT has
to draw down in the course of this year, which looks like the most likely
outcome of all this, we will have to adapt to that and do the best we can,"
Mr. Holmes said. "But it may have an impact on our ability to help people
and on the security problems for the people themselves."
In his report Mr. Ban said MINURCAT would ensure the first drawdown of 1,400
troops by 15 July, with the remaining 1,900 beginning their withdrawal on 15
October. He also proposed that as of 16 May, the current mandate for the
protection of civilians would cease, with such security tasks to be carried
out by Chadian police forces, primarily the UN-trained Détachement intégré
de sécurité (DIS).
Meanwhile, the MINURCAT police component would continue to train, mentor and
support the efforts of the Government to enable the DIS to become
self-sustainable.
May 7 2010 5:10PM
No comments:
Post a Comment