Comments on: Darfur and the Elections Dilemma http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/06/30/darfur-and-the-elections-dilemma/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:02:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Jibreel Mohamed http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/06/30/darfur-and-the-elections-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-4088 Jibreel Mohamed Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:01:14 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=929#comment-4088 Your faith in the UN is touching but not very convincing. Minister Bassole expelled the head of Rapporteurs Sans Frontieres from Burkina Faso over the Zongo affair. He has enjoyed a free ride from his critics which will not last for ever. Minister Bassole's credentials for his position were that he had shown skill in mediating the peace in Cote d'Ivoire. What was not mentioned was his most particular skill which was Burkina's control over the arms supplies to the Ivorien rebels and its association with the Brother Leader, also a provocater of rebellions in West Africa. His appointment was as you say an experiment. He is a cook with one recipe and he mixed precisely the same ingredients: Paris, N'djamena and Tripoli plus JEM. Except that Darfur is not Cote d'Ivoire. Your faith in the UN is touching but not very convincing. Minister Bassole expelled the head of Rapporteurs Sans Frontieres from Burkina Faso over the Zongo affair. He has enjoyed a free ride from his critics which will not last for ever. Minister Bassole’s credentials for his position were that he had shown skill in mediating the peace in Cote d’Ivoire. What was not mentioned was his most particular skill which was Burkina’s control over the arms supplies to the Ivorien rebels and its association with the Brother Leader, also a provocater of rebellions in West Africa. His appointment was as you say an experiment. He is a cook with one recipe and he mixed precisely the same ingredients: Paris, N’djamena and Tripoli plus JEM. Except that Darfur is not Cote d’Ivoire.

]]> By: Alex de Waal http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/06/30/darfur-and-the-elections-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-4086 Alex de Waal Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:24:17 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=929#comment-4086 It is correct that I think M. Bassolé’s approach to the mediation has been unexpected. Given that previous mediation exercises had not yielded the desired result, perhaps there was something to be said for spurning a consultative or inclusive approach in favour of an experimental approach focusing on a set of exceptionally hard, narrow and off-centre issues. I am unconvinced by the results thus far, but perhaps the mediator has something up his sleeve. As for the Norbert Zongo case, all I know is what I have read on the newswires and Rapporters Sans Frontières. But I am sure that the UN’s thorough vetting for such a high profile and sensitive position as chief mediator for Darfur, would ensure that if Minister Bassolé had any involvement in any such case, it would have been considered while he was being assessed for his position. Any involvement in murky goings on leaves is the sort of information relished by Khartoum’s security operators who can ably use it to their advantage, hence the screening must of necessity be thorough. It is correct that I think M. Bassolé’s approach to the mediation has been unexpected. Given that previous mediation exercises had not yielded the desired result, perhaps there was something to be said for spurning a consultative or inclusive approach in favour of an experimental approach focusing on a set of exceptionally hard, narrow and off-centre issues. I am unconvinced by the results thus far, but perhaps the mediator has something up his sleeve.

As for the Norbert Zongo case, all I know is what I have read on the newswires and Rapporters Sans Frontières. But I am sure that the UN’s thorough vetting for such a high profile and sensitive position as chief mediator for Darfur, would ensure that if Minister Bassolé had any involvement in any such case, it would have been considered while he was being assessed for his position. Any involvement in murky goings on leaves is the sort of information relished by Khartoum’s security operators who can ably use it to their advantage, hence the screening must of necessity be thorough.

]]> By: Jibreel Mohamed http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/2009/06/30/darfur-and-the-elections-dilemma/comment-page-1/#comment-4079 Jibreel Mohamed Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:27:48 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/sudan/?p=929#comment-4079 Dear Dr. de Waal, do I detect some impatience with the torpor of the mediation under Minister Bassole? Is there reason to suppose that his approach to transparency has changed since the days of the Norbert Zongo case in his home country? Yours sincerely, Jibreel Dear Dr. de Waal, do I detect some impatience with the torpor of the mediation under Minister Bassole? Is there reason to suppose that his approach to transparency has changed since the days of the Norbert Zongo case in his home country? Yours sincerely, Jibreel

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