Fear and mistrust as people of Darfur turn against peacekeepers

According to an article in the UK Guardian, the African Union mission is ill-equipped to guarantee protection of the people of Darfur against rebels.

The article, Fear and mistrust as people of Darfur turn against peacekeepers, written by Xan Rice in Birkatulli, south Darfur, accused that in the tradition of indifference and political wrangling that we have observed in Darfur in the past, complaints swirl around the African Union mission and one of its unit commanders.

Xan Rice wrote that that the African Union mission troops apparently wrote reports but never took definitive action, and offered no protection to civilians. If this report from Darfur is true, just how much do the people have to suffer from the indifference of the world community and those sent to assist?

Now the African Union mission is scheduled to hand off its responsibilities, or the lack thereof, to the United Nations in September. According to the article, even that hand off may not happen. The people of Darfur have been pawns for so long. They have suffered from so much. When is someone going to step up to the plate?

The story in the UK Guardian is heart wrenching and deserves more media attention than the agenda that they, the media, wants to concentrate on.