I wish to join millions of Nigerians all over the world in mourning the untimely death of their seven young countrymen killed in Darfur, Sudan recently. These soldiers who were maliciously killed at their African Union Mission In Sudan (AMIS) Forward Headquarters at El Fasher, Northern Darfur, did not commit any other crime than helping the other African Union (AU) soldiers in trying to restore peace and cordial co-existence among the peoples of Sudan.
The remains of the seven Nigerian soldiers killed in Darfur, Sudan at the National MiIitary Cemetery, Abuja for interment. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian).The soldiers cut down in their prime of life included Lance Corporal Danjuma Madaki, Lance Corporal Usman Saleh, Private Duniya Audu, Private Samuel Orokpo, Private Bala Mohammed, Private John Dogara and Trooper Toyin Alao.
I think the time has come for the progressive-minded people of Sudan and others throughout Africa and the world to expedite discussions aimed at allowing global participation in finding lasting solutions to the Dafur problems. It is indeed, becoming increasingly clear to all stakeholders in this crisis that the AU alone may not have the necessary muscle to douse this on-going ethnic and tribal conflagration.
Of course, it is a lot easier to scream that African problems should be left for Africans, but the fact of the matter is that given the level of resources at the disposal of the AU mission, the conflict is not as simple as can be single-handedly managed by Africans. In fact, the ghost and image of Rwanda still haunt Africa and indeed the world. The escalating quagmire in Sudan must therefore not be left for Africans alone. That is why, methinks, Ban Ki-Moon (UN Secretary General) should be supported in his effort to bring in the United Nations peace keeping force and Western infrastructural support in helping AU peace-keepers in quenching this all-consuming fire before it gets terribly out of hands.
It is still not too late to salvage the Darfur situation. But the world can not just stand idly and watch a generation of people being wiped out of the surface of the earth by others who are intoxicated by their ability to control more destructive weapons than others.
The best tribute to be paid to the souls of the seven dead Nigerian soldiers and the three others from some other parts of African as well as the spirits of the Darfurians caught in this confusion is to make concerted efforts to bring this inferno to an end.
