In Sudan, U.N. Security Council Faces Death by a Thousand Cuts

In Sudan, U.N. Security Council Faces Death by a Thousand Cuts

Despite the jubilation that followed South Sudan's largely peaceful vote for independence in January, relations with northern Sudan have since deteriorated. In May, just weeks ahead of South Sudan's July 9 independence day, the Sudanese army occupied the contested Abyei border region. In response, the United Nations Security Council authorized a peacekeeping mission, UNIFSA, to monitor the border and protect civilians there.

On Aug. 4, four Ethiopian peacekeepers deployed with UNIFSA were killed after their vehicle struck a landmine in Abyei. Three of the soldiers reportedly died from their injuries after a United Nations medical evacuation helicopter was delayed three hours by threats that the Sudanese government would shoot it down.

Sudan has denied interfering with the rescue, but the incident fits a longstanding pattern of behavior in which the government of President Omar al-Bashir has deliberately curtailed the effectiveness of U.N. peacekeepers throughout the country. By yielding to the Sudanese threats, the U.N. has shown not only Khartoum but all would-be spoilers that it can be cowed.

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