Sudan says US uses Darfur to topple govt

ADDIS ABABA – Washington is using the Darfur crisis as a pretext to topple the Sudanese government, Khartoum’s envoy to the African Union (AU) said yesterday.

Ousman Alsaid also told reporters Western military intervention in its remote western region would risk splitting Africa’s largest country and unsettling its neighbours. “The US government is using the crisis in Darfur to bring down the government of Sudan,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting on Darfur of the 53-state AU’s peace and security council.His remarks were the latest attempt by Sudan to compare outside criticism over Darfur with US-led pressure on Iraq before the war which ousted Saddam Hussein and was opposed by Arab states.”The policy of the government of Sudan is not liked by the US administration so the Americans are targeting the government of Sudan because of it political stance,” he said, indicating Sudan’s anti-American policies on prominent Arab issues such as Iraq and the Israel-Palestinian dispute.Washington is expected to call a UN vote this week on a US-drafted resolution threatening Sudan with sanctions over Darfur, where the UN says one million have been displaced and 30 000 more killed.The European Union on Monday called on the United Nations to consider imposing sanctions on Arab League member Sudan if it does not neutralise Arab militia which have been attacking African communities.US Congress has called the campaign a genocide.Attacking what he said was a British contingency plan to send troops to Darfur, Alsaid said Western military intervention could lead to the fragmentation of Sudan.”This in turn could destabilise the nine countries neighbouring the Sudan,” he said.- Nampa-Reuters”The US government is using the crisis in Darfur to bring down the government of Sudan,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting on Darfur of the 53-state AU’s peace and security council.His remarks were the latest attempt by Sudan to compare outside criticism over Darfur with US-led pressure on Iraq before the war which ousted Saddam Hussein and was opposed by Arab states.”The policy of the government of Sudan is not liked by the US administration so the Americans are targeting the government of Sudan because of it political stance,” he said, indicating Sudan’s anti-American policies on prominent Arab issues such as Iraq and the Israel-Palestinian dispute.Washington is expected to call a UN vote this week on a US-drafted resolution threatening Sudan with sanctions over Darfur, where the UN says one million have been displaced and 30 000 more killed.The European Union on Monday called on the United Nations to consider imposing sanctions on Arab League member Sudan if it does not neutralise Arab militia which have been attacking African communities.US Congress has called the campaign a genocide.Attacking what he said was a British contingency plan to send troops to Darfur, Alsaid said Western military intervention could lead to the fragmentation of Sudan.”This in turn could destabilise the nine countries neighbouring the Sudan,” he said.- Nampa-Reuters