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Our visit was arranged before the controversy over Gillian Gibbons, the teacher who was arrested and imprisoned over the Teddy Bear affair, arose. As we flew out, we were in touch with the British Embassy in Khartoum about the steps we might be able to take to help. Fortunately, by the time we arrived, Mrs Gibbons had been pardoned and released, so we were able to concentrate on Darfur.
Interestingly, while we were in Khartoum, we were stopped on a number of occasions by ordinary Sudanese people telling us how much they sympathised with Mrs Gibbons and how sorry they were for what had happened.
The situation in Darfur is dire. Since the crisis there erupted about 200,000 lives have been lost and 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes. The causes are complicated – disputes over land, rebellions caused by marginalisation of the region, outrages committed by the Government, armed groups known as the Janjaweed. But there is no doubt about the consequences.
We visited a refugee camp called Abu Shonk. It is home to more than 50,000 people, many of them living under makeshift tents, barely held together. The people we spoke to had been there for 4 years, were unable to return home because of the violence still affecting their home areas and were living in fear of violent attacks in the camp itself.
In the New Year, a hybrid United Nations – African Union mission is meant to take over responsibility for security in the area. But, as we were told by a very impressive Nigerian Colonel who briefed us, they are being hampered in their task by the Sudanese Government. They are resisting the advanced engineering assistance which is to be provided by a joint Swedish-Norwegian force, are responsible for delays in allowing both people and material into the country and have imposed a 6pm curfew on the mission’s helicopter which is proving a serious constraint.
We put all these points to President al-Bashir but did not get any satisfactory response. So what can be done?
In this case, as with Zimbabwe, the most effective pressure can be exerted by other African states – South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Ethiopia in particular.
If they are unwilling or unable to do what is necessary, then, in my opinion, the crisis should be brought back to the Security Council of the United Nations for stringent sanctions to be put in place against Sudan.
Sudan is a country with great potential with which, historically, we have had close links. I look forward to a time when the relationship between our countries will once again be warm and close.
But if that is to happen the Government of Sudan must change its ways – sooner rather than later.
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