LATimes: Darfur Becoming Even More of a Problem

In its editorial opinion on August 31, 2009, the L.A TIMES has awfully distanced itself from that type of writing based on facts finding and ground realities, necessary when writing on sensitive and complicated issues like the current situation in Darfur. In a bid to adjust itself well within the track of hostility toward the Sudanese government, the paper published an editorial that didn’t give itself the chance and time to deliberate well on the facts and write accordingly.
The statements given by the outgoing commander of the AU/UN forces in Darfur Gen. Martin Luther Awgai were at least declared by a man who has been leading that force on the ground for years, and in doing so it’s not a disputable fact that he is well informative and exposed to the details of the situation in the region. What the general said about the current situation in Darfur are ground facts being accumulated over a period of his mandate and crowned by his clear and undisputable statement that the war in Darfur is over.
The opponent voices of what Gen. Martin has said are required to discuss with the man his conclusion based on his statistics, field data and situation on the ground. It’s not a workable press practice to publish critiques of a situation that needs further penetration and clarifications that essentially missed by you.
The gradual improvement in the situation in Darfur has been an issue of confession by different characters including U.N. officials, foreign diplomats, U.S. senators and presidential special envoy who have been on the ground in the region. That situation fortifies what Gen. Martin said on Darfur and add a credibility component to the statements of the man.
The disparity of the Western media in dealing with the Sudan government and rebel group is a clear indication of a severe lack of impartiality and fairness. It has been the norm throughout the conflict that the government is the devil and the rebels are the noble freedom fighters with supreme causes and issues. Based on that line, the public opinion was shaped and prepared to accept that distorted image of the conflict, in spite of the fact that the rebels themselves have committed war crimes according to the prosecution of the ICC.
Once again the L.A TIMES has failed to say it loudly and bravely that the rebels are the essential impeders of a peaceful settlement in the region. It would have been very fair and impartial had the editorial mentioned the fact that the government has been for years speaking with a unified voice when it comes to its commitment to a political and negotiated solution for the conflict. The government has never one day kicked the principle of a peaceful ending for the conflict and in an effort to achieve that it signed the Darfur Peace Agreement with Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) of Minawy. Now, it’s starkly obvious that the deep divisions among the rebel groups is the sole obstacle in the way of achieving peace in Darfur and that is not the fault of the government.
The divisions within the current U.S. administration regarding Sudan, which caused the announcement delay of Sudan policy, stand as an evidence of improved Darfur believers from within. The odd voices calling for toughening with Sudan are misinformed and detainees of a hostile history which the realities and dynamics of the present have passed.