Irish Times, 7th September 2007

Madam,

Is the Irish Government aware that the United Nations/African Union hybrid force preparing to deploy in Darfur will be almost entirely made up of African troops?

As I suspected from the start, this is merely an expansion of the current African Union mission, which has proved completely ineffectual. What is needed is a truly international force with the means and ability to stop the violence. Instead we are getting a Khartoum-sanctioned force which the Sudanese government knows will not have any real effect on the stability of the region.

If the Irish Government is serious about wanting to help the people of Darfur it must put pressure on its international partners to send a force that can actually make a difference.

Yours, etc,

JOHN O'SHEA,
GOAL,
Dun Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.