The beginning of 2008 has witnessed the deployment of a hybrid peace keeping force in the conflict-torn Darfur, Sudan. The hybrid force, well known as U.N.-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMD), took over the peacekeeping mission in Darfur from the under funded AU peacekeeping force at the end of 2007. The step not only highlights the U.N and AU determination to deploy the most robust force possible to carry out effectively the difficult mandate, but also enhances the confidence of the international community in achieving peaceful objectives in Sudan.
In retrospect of 2007, the peace progress in Darfur gained three momentums. First, the Sudanese government showed the readiness to cooperate with the international community to create peaceful atmosphere conducive to the settlement of clashes. In November, it declared that Sudan would accept the hybrid peacekeeping plan unconditionally. Secondly, the conflicting parties, government forces and opposition groups, reached out Olive Branch to each other. On the one hand, the government side offered to hold peace talks with rebel groups, on the other hand, it declared the one-side ceasefire decision in Darfur. In response, the rebel movements explicitly expressed their sincerity to keep integrated in Sudan and against partition within the territory. Additionally, the international community came to the consensus that the Darfur conflict can only be settled by political ways and negotiations, rather than resorting to arms force.
Admittedly, the root cause triggering the Darfur turmoil is the development issues, existing in history and reality, and manifested in forms of religious confrontations and ethnical disputes. Practice has proven that only by the means of dialogues and negotiations on an equal footing, can the thorny issue be effectively solved. The involved parties, for one thing, have to sit together at the negotiations table to hammer out the ceasefire and peace treaties. To reciprocate, the international community should push forward good will for the peace agreement, not sanctions and penalties, which could only exacerbate the regional situation and probably give rise to new conflicts.
China, as a member of the international community, has played an indispensable and constructive part in pushing forward the peace progress of Darfur. Aside from its unconditional humanitarian and charity aids to Sudan, China is willing to seek varied channels for effective communications with the involved parties, make breakthroughs for coordination, and thereby help the conflicting groups narrow down the gap and find a common ground for peace talks. In the past , China expressed its consistent stand not merely on international occasions, but also through the exchanges of visits by State Heads, letters and messages, and telephone calls, stating that China would support the proposals on Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the Darfur clash should be settled through peaceful and political means. Chinese government also put forward the 'parallel rails' strategy, namely, peacekeeping activities go hand –in- hand with political means, to solve the Darfur problem, which has been acceptable to many countries and international organizations.
If the year gone by is the initial stage at which the Darfur peace progress was launched, the coming year will give it a new impetus toward a hopefully positive end-result. Facing the volatile and complex regional conditions, however, the international community still needs adequate patience and restraint for a definitive and inclusive peace agreement reached by dissonant voices.
By People's Daily Online
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