Free Speech Sudanese Style & The Impotent U.N.

If you are in the Sudan, be sure to be careful of what you say, especially if it what you say is not flattering to the government. The U.N. representative to the Sudan, Jan Pronk, forgot that little issue and reported in his blog that the Sudanese military has suffered some losses

First, the SAF has lost two major battles, last month in Umm Sidir and this week in Karakaya. The losses seem to have been very high. Reports speak about hundreds of casualties in each of the two battles with many wounded and many taken as prisoner. The morale in the Government army in North Darfur has gone down. Some generals have been sacked; soldiers have refused to fight. The Government has responded by directing more troops and equipment from lsewhere to the region and by mobilizing Arab militia. This is a dangerous evelopment. Security Council Resolutions which forbid armed mobilization are being violated. The use of militia with ties with the Janjaweed recalls the events in 2003 and 2004. During that period of the conflict systematic militia attacks, supported or at least allowed by the SAF, led to atrocious crimes. Moreover, a confrontation with Chad is not impossible. It seems that SAF is receiving support from Chadian rebels on Sudanese soil, while the NRF/JEM/G19 coalition is supported by Chadian authorities.

As a result, the Sudanese government ordered Pronk to leave the country.

The Sudanese government Sunday ordered the chief U.N. envoy out of the country after he wrote that Sudan's army had suffered major losses in recent fighting in Darfur.

In a statement distributed by the official Sudan News Agency, the country's Foreign Ministry accused Pronk of demonstrating "enmity to the Sudanese government and the armed forces" and of involvement in unspecified activities "that are incompatible with his mission."

I think that Pronk forgot that he is a U.N. envoy and not a journalist. Keeping with his employment, his assessment should have been contained in a confidential memo to U.N. authorities and not posted on the Internet. On the other hand, Pronk undoubtedly knows that the U.N. is an impotent, corrupt organization to say nothing of being a toothless tiger when it comes to peacekeeping duties. Perhaps Pronk knew well what he was doing by telling the world what is happening in the Sudan and deliberately setting the stage for getting evicted out of the country.

Previous Postings:
Throw the U.N. Bums Out
Free Speech In Denmark? Not By U.S. Standards
Free Speech, Enemy of China and Democrats
Free Speech in Europe? Not a Chance
Free Speech and Blasphemy European Style
Freedom of Speech, Don’t Take It for Granted