Darfur conflict: Can peace be restored?

President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan and President Idriss Deby of Chad have agreed on measures to prevent the violence in Sudan's western Darfur region from spilling across the border.

They've approved the setting up of joint border patrols and a commission to assess the damage caused by raids into Chad by the pro-Khartoum Arab militia.

It's thought that the two leaders met in Al Junaynah, the capital of Sudan's west Darfur state.

The negotiations occurred in response to the UN Security Council debating a US draft resolution to impose sanctions on the Janjaweed Arab militia which has been accused of widespread atrocities.

On Thursday, leaders of the African Union, meeting in Addis Ababa agreed to send 300 troops to Darfur.

Will these measures prevent the unrest spreading into Chad? Can the conflict in Darfur be resolved? Should the international community take action?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Your comments:

My advice to the international community is not to cease the pressure on the Sudan government and to engage the whole Sudanese in the peace process T Donato, Sudanese in Australia

I see the nasty case of Darfur now choking the whole step of peace in the Sudan. My advice to the international community is not to cease the pressure on the Sudan government and to engage the whole Sudanese in the peace process, while the most needed humanitarian intervention carries on so a lasting peace can be restored.
Taban Alex Donato, Sudanese in Australia

When will the developed, civilised world understand that when people are dying in their tens of thousands, playing word games do not help? Firm and asserted action is needed! Why wait for lying untrustworthy leaders who stop at nothing, killing their own country men to achieve their ends. The suffering of the Black Sudanese people is beyond diplomacy. The UN/US etc should protect these people unequivocally and should not allow Sudan to play with words or draw parallel with the situation in Iraq! The Arab militia must be stopped - they are acting like animals.
Aliker, London, UK

Sudan is guilty, even out of its own admission, of arming the Janjaweed Militia to commit shameful acts of ethnic cleansing in Darfur. The tragedy in Darfur is no different from what Sudan government militia groups have been doing in other areas: Abyei, Upper Nile, Southern Blue Nile and Nuba Mountains. The world should take a final stand, against this monstrous regime in Khartoum which has shamed Africa and the civilised world for over 4 decades. I am glad that the US seems to be at the forefront of doing just that.
Paul Nantulya, Cape Town, South Africa

To ensure the long term peace we must embark on an investment program Ahmad Hmoud, Jordan. Amman

The international community needs to stay focused to solve this problem, peace can be restored. To ensure the long term peace we must embark on an investment program so people can be secure , have a choice to drop the gun and pick up the tools of industry.
Ahmad Hmoud, Jordan. Amman

Why are there no screams of outrage because France is protecting its oil interests in the Sudan by effectively blocking an attempt to resolve the problem. Can you imagine the screams of indignation from Europe and the Arab world if the US took France's stance?
Andy, GA, USA

No talks in Sudan will never be successful because the war has gone on for too long they should simply divide Sudan with black Sudanese ruling themselves in the west with no interference from President Omar Al- Bashir.
Velempini Ndlovu, Bualwayo Zimbabwe

Eventually, the talks will succeed, largely because of external pressure. However, it is tragic that so much suffering, killing and displacement should take place before peace becomes a reality. The truth, however, is that the victims are not likely to forget and forgive. The holocaust is a case in point.
Davison Wadawareva, Harare, Zimbabwe

My advice to the wretched lot in Darfur: Run as far as you can from the crisis area Maurice Achach, Nairobi

The Darfur problem will obviously take longer than anticipated for several reasons: It requires a thousand cocktail parties in the UN before anything can be done; there is no meaningful African lobby in the US congress; and lastly, the African states are either preoccupied with their own problems or are too timid to face an Islamic backlash on anyone who shouts too loudly. My advice to the wretched lot in Darfur: Run as far as you can from the crisis area. Run!
Maurice Achach, Nairobi, Kenya

Where is the voice of Africa's notable and authoritarian moral leaders such as Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela when we need them most in Africa?
Liban, Ethiopia

Darfur, both North and South, has been lawless for an age. This was reflected when I witnessed robbers executed without trial or jury in the village of En Nahud. Local law for local people - the same occurred in the middle ages of Europe. What is happening at this very moment in western Sudan is a Muslim militia clearly terrorising non-Muslims with open support from al Bashir's Muslim regime. Surely this is state sponsored terrorism. Maybe someone should remind Bush of his war on terrorism.
Richard Ingle, Lancaster, England

The talks might be successful but the conflict will not be resolved until drought conditions disappear, and the population decreases. The UN should be doing whatever is possible to alleviate the suffering. Africa is not a strategic position for the US and they cannot make profits off it so they will not get involved. At least the US senate just defeated a measure aimed at ending US support for the UN.
Pete, USA

UN Security Council debate to impose sanctions on the Janjaweed Arab militia is another failure on the part of international community to deal with war crimes. Sanctions are not enough and will not work to stop the widespread atrocities in Darfur and the entire region. Leaders and supporters of the Janjaweed Arab militia should face justice in the International Court of Law.
Elijah Teh-Teh, Osijek, Croatia

Yes, the international community should take action in Darfur Claire, Stanford, California

It is ironic that ten years after the Rwandan genocide the international community apologizes for turning a blind eye, yet fails to act in another imminent genocide just 1000 miles away. Yes, the international community should take action in Darfur. Such conflict does not only impede development in Africa, it regresses it. War destroys the necessary infrastructure for any improvement to be made. If Europe is so interested in building a multi power world, then why not begin to empower African countries? The genocide in Darfur is a perfect chance for the UN to renew some of its legitimacy as the world's people are quickly losing faith in international law.
Claire, Stanford, California

Unfortunately, Sudan is yet another artefact of colonialism consisting of several nations thrown into one government. With such precious natural resources under the land, amicable disentanglement of these nations will be impossible. Without enlightened leadership, these unfortunate people are likely to suffer decades more of conflict. Our only hope can be that the current peace negotiated in the south may last, and that further conflict may not be as violent.
Bryan Siegfried, Staunton, IL, USA

Sanctions on the Khartoum government will only contribute towards worsening the overall situation of the country, offsetting the gains made as a result of the recent peace agreement between North and South (in Nevasha) and exasperating the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The economic implications of sanctions will jeopardize much needed resources for post-conflict transformation in the South and place increased budgetary allocations towards security and military. Moreover moves towards sanctions will also serve to undermine the efforts of the African Union which needs to be given the chance/time to try and address the problem. Give us a break! It's only been a week since Kofi was here.
Abdel-Rahman El-Mahdi, Khartoum, Sudan

If it is left up to the UN, nothing will happen until it is too late to help these people. They will be deprived of their human rights and then their lives while the UN watches because as they are so fond of saying, "War is not the answer".
Greg Burton, Atlanta, GA USA

Are people afraid of the powerful Islamic lobby that has grown in the West? Ian, Wolverhampton

Why is it that when Israelis attack Palestinians, Europe and the Arab world are quick to condemn, yet no-one seems to care about Muslims massacring Christians. Or are people afraid of the powerful Islamic lobby that has grown in the West?
Ian, Wolverhampton

I am ashamed that the more is not done to help these poor people. I am especially ashamed of my fellow Europeans who refuse to act and instead sit back and what for the US to make a decision and then criticize whatever decision they make. Have we in Europe absolved ourselves from the mess we created in Africa and many parts of the world through our colonialisation?
Jens, German ex-pat in the US

To sit back and wait for the US to intervene in the current political climate is as cynical as it is unrealistic. The inaction of Europe and Islamic nations, meanwhile, is simply inexcusable. Comparisons with Iraq are flawed: an operation here would be no matter of regime change or occupation, but a matter of protection of citizens. If we do not act now, that not only amounts to a moral crime, but we also lose our right to speak out against the way the US is policing the world ever again.
Robbert Maseland, Netherlands

The Sudanese government has paid lip service to international outcries for action to protect the million refugees before and then done nothing. There is no reason to believe that it will be any different now. Only military intervention by the United States with the inevitable outrage against it from around the world can save these helpless victims. If the Sudanese government believes that this won't happen and that they can continue their genocide with impunity, they are probably right.
Mark, USA

Once again the people of Africa suffer while the world can't decide what to do. Action wasn't withheld when the white Europeans of Bosnia and Kosovo were being ethnically "cleansed" so what is the problem now?
Al Taylor, Nottingham, UK

Such a tragic situation and yet the world watches R Read, St Augustine, US

Such a tragic situation and yet the world watches. Where is the cry from EU residents for their organization to act? Once again Europeans show their inability or unwillingness to help the world, opting to sit in idle judgement of others. Does the US&UK have to act again? As in Iraq, France sits in opposition to action, attempting to protect its oil interests. At least the US will use it's own blood rather than passively enjoy the fruits in the midst of a slaughter.
R Read, St Augustine, US

The UN will do nothing because this is France's non-war for oil. They're more than willing to allow thousands of people to be massacred as long as it doesn't affect their oil supplies. Go to Human Rights Watch and look up the oil concession map for Sudan. The last thing the French want to do is upset their oil-sheik masters.
Zach Smith, Bloomington, IN, USA

What has the Arab League and the organisation of the Islamic conference done? The answer is nothing, they are not prepared to condemn a fellow Arab/Islamic country. This is a racial & religious war the facts are clear. Black Africans being dispossessed by their old Arab enemies. This is racism plain and simple.
HP, London, UK