U.N. votes to extend mission in Darfur
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) — The United Nations Security Council Thursday passed a resolution to extend its peacekeeping mission in Darfur despite U.S. complaints about the resolution.
The resolution passed overwhelmingly, with all countries in the council voting for it, except the United States. A U.S. representative did not cast a vote, citing concerns about the wording of the resolution.
The one-year peacekeeping mandate was set to expire until Thursday’s vote extended it for another year.
Alejandro Wolff, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the United States was concerned about one paragraph in the resolution that alluded to the idea of suspending the investigation into Sudan President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for a period of time.
The U.S. abstained in the vote because language added to the resolution would send the wrong message to Sudanese President Bashir and undermine efforts to bring him and others to justice, Wolff said. This council cannot ignore the terrible crimes that have occurred throughout the conflict in Darfur.
Al-Bashir, may face a possible indictment for war crimes. Earlier this month, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International War Crimes tribunal, filed charges against the president.
The alleged crimes stem from a brutal counter-insurgency campaign the Sudanese government conducted after rebels began an uprising in Darfur in 2003.
The United States has characterized the campaign as genocide.
