Solidarity with the abusers rather than the victims of the Darfur conflict was conferred today by the United Nations with the rejection of a key resolution that would have forced the Sudanese government to immediately hold accountable those responsible for the rape, killing and injury of innocent civilians in the troubled African region, as two resolutions came before the UN today for an official vote.

The U.N. Human Rights Council rejected an attempt to hold the Sudanese government responsible for halting atrocities in Darfur today by a 22-20 vote, instead opting for a measure to simply call an end to all abuses by warring parties.

The rejected resolution, initiated by the European Union and Canada, would have held the Sudanese government accountable for prosecuting those responsible for the raping, killing and injuring of civilians in the Darfur region. Sudan, led by President Omar al-Bashir's, has been accused of unleashing brutal attacks upon the Darfur rebels by militiamen known as janjaweed.. The janjaweed are widely responsible for the destruction of hundreds of villages, killing the inhabitants, raping women and stealing livestock. The government has always denied backing the janjaweed, however U.N. investigators have discounted that claim, with members of the militia having acknowledged receiving Sudanese support.

Although the UN conservatively estimates 200,000 casualties from the war, the defiant Sudanese president has disputed the latest reports on the deepening crisis, insisting there is no humanitarian disaster and that fewer than 9,000 people had been killed there in four years of conflict.

The nearly impotent African resolution, which passed 25-11 and much less stringently worded and absent of any criticism towards the Sudanese government, calls on all involved parties to "put an immediate end to the ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, with a special focus on vulnerable groups, including women and children" with no mandate, criticism or responsibility placed on the Sudan government whatsoever.

The Crisis in Darfur is currently the worlds worst humanitarian disatster. The rejection of the EU-Canadian resolution today reinforces any lack of accountability for the violence perpetuated, and provides no real initiative for its end anytime soon.



Sources: Yahoo News, CNN