GOAL is calling on the Irish Government to use its influence at the United Nations to demand the deployment of peacekeepers in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region.

This follows the shooting dead of five African Union (AU) soldiers and civilian personnel, when rebels ambushed a convoy on Saturday. The next day, another rebel group abducted and held hostage 38 AU troops in the Chadian-Sudanese border town of Tine - most of who have now been freed.

In a statement, GOAL CEO John O’Shea said:

“It is clear that the AU are incapable of dealing with the situation.

“The Sudanese army and Janjaweed continue to rape and pillage with impunity, while the lives of 2 million displaced people now hang in the balance.

“If the Irish Government cares about the lives of the millions of vulnerable people, then they must act now and spearhead a UN initiative to put in place a properly trained and equipped army.

“It is imperative that such a force is made available to bring this carnage to an end.

“It seems that the International Community has not been shamed by its ineffectiveness in the Rwandan and Darfur theatres of death.”

The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide yesterday called for action to protect civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the region. He stressed :“The international community should be very alarmed by these events because the situation is getting out of hand and is sliding backwards”.

The African Union has sent 6,000 troops to monitor a shaky ceasefire in Darfur, where non-Arab rebels took up arms in 2003 accusing the government of neglect and of monopolising power and wealth.

For further information contact GOAL on 01 2809779 or 086 8527427