UN gets tough on Darfur atrocities

The UN reacts:

More than 350 Arab militia fighters mounted on horses and camels rampaged through a village in southern Darfur this week, killing, burning and destroying everything in their paths, the African Union and the United Nations said today.

"We condemn this senseless and premeditated savage attack" which destroyed everything in the rebel-held village of Khor Abeche but the mosque and the school, the organisations said in a joint statement, vowing to refer the militia commander's name to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

The statement for the first time in the troubled region named the commander, identifying him as Nasir al Tijani Adel Kaadir of the Miseriyya tribe, based in the Arab militia stronghold of Nitega.

The Security Council has recently voted to impose a travel ban and an asset freeze on those responsible for atrocities against civilians or ceasefire violations in Darfur, and to refer those responsible for war crimes to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Yep, it'll teach – reinforce – that the UN is nothing to worry about.

Wouldn't it be nice if the UN preempted rather than reacted?