UN Council braced for Darfur vote 

July 31, 2008
BBC
Original Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7535297.stm

The UN Security Council is expected later to renew the mandate for peacekeeping troops in Sudan's Darfur region for another year. 
The decision has been affected by the International Criminal Court's move to seek the arrest of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir for alleged genocide. 
The resolution notes an African Union request for the Council to postpone the ICC's work, but does no more than that. 
Earlier, a report found the UN-African Union force lacked vital equipment. 
The UN estimates five years of conflict in Darfur have left 300,000 people dead and more than two million homeless. 
Aid agency Oxfam says about 1,000 people are being displaced every month in the region. 
Vote pressure 
Khartoum says the scale of the violence and suffering has been exaggerated by the West for political reasons. 
It denies charges that it organised the Arab Janjaweed militias, accused of widespread atrocities against Darfur's black African population. 
Earlier on Thursday, two courts sentenced 22 Darfur rebels to death for their involvement in a raid on the capital in May, the first time rebels had reached Khartoum. 
Later (1900 GMT), the 15 UN Security Council members are likely to unanimously approve a resolution to extend the mandate in Darfur until 31 July 2009, say diplomats. 
The African Union asked the UN Security Council to use its power to suspend the ICC's proceedings for a year, saying indicting Sudan's president would set back peace in Darfur. 
Libya and South Africa, backed by Russia and China, wanted to include this in the resolution on renewing the mandate. 
But the UK, France, the US and central American countries objected, saying there should be no link between the peacekeeping force and whatever the court might do. 
Faced with the prospect that the force might not have its mandate renewed, a compromise has been found after much wrangling. 
Western powers agreed to wording making clear the Security Council was ready to discuss suspending any future ICC indictment of President Bashir. 
Blue plastic bags 
Sudan's UN Ambassador Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem told Reuters it was an acceptable text. 
Only about a third of the intended 26,000 peacekeepers have so far been deployed on the first anniversary of the decision to deploy troops in the region. 
Many do not have the equipment they need, according to a report backed by 36 human rights groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 
It said some soldiers even have to wear blue plastic bags on their heads because they do not have the standard blue UN helmet. 
The report, published by the Save Darfur coalition, says helicopters are vital to the success of the mission but no country has offered a single one of the aircraft. 
It says military powers like the US, Britain and France are tied down in wars and other peacekeeping operations. 
But it named the Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Spain, Ukraine and India, saying they have more than 70 suitable aircraft needed for the mission. 
The report says a militia attack three weeks ago on a UN-AU convoy that left seven peacekeepers dead and 19 wounded underscores the critical importance of helicopters.