On February 3, 2006 the United Nations Security Council ordered U.N. Secretariat to began planning to transfer the African Union peacekeeping operation to U.N. control.  The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy congratulates the United Nations and especially U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, who has established Darfur as a priority at the start of his presidency of the Security Council, for beginning this much needed process.  Damanga urges the United Nations to expedite the handover of control and to encourage member states from Europe, Asia and the Americas to contribute additional troops to the peacekeeping operation.

We have grown increasingly disillusioned with the African Union's intervention in Darfur.  After almost two years the AU troops have done almost nothing to stop the genocide or to support its victims.  The UN was always the better institution to lead this mission because of its experience, resources and expertise.

The AU mission has failed for a variety of reasons.  It certainly lacks the financial resources of a top-notch force.  The AU is inexperienced in this type of mission, and it lacks the necessary intelligence gathering and logistical support.  However, even if the AU mission had these assets it was doomed to failure.  In the end it was far too easy for Khartoum to co-opt the mission either through corruption or political pressure.  The AU includes too many despotic leaders who would rather pat each other's backs than point out each other's failures.

While the UN failed to stop genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda, we strongly hope that it has learned from these mistakes and can be an effective force for Darfur.  The UN has sent many investigative teams to the region and runs an impressive network of humanitarian assistance.  The UN probably knows more about the region and its factions than any other outside organization.  Its experts on humanitarian interventions and peace keeping are far more qualified and experienced than AU officials, and they will be able to supply the logistical support that was lacking in the AU mission.  Finally, the UN mission will be better funded because the entire world will be responsible.

The Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy sincerely hopes that the UN will be able to uphold its central purpose by protecting the people of Darfur.