July 22, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in France believe the United Nations (UN) should intervene militarily in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan, according to a poll by Ifop published in La Croix. 62 per cent of respondents would favour a UN mission in Darfur, and 55 per cent would back the participation of French troops in the endeavour.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in France believe the United Nations (UN) should intervene militarily in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan, according to a poll by Ifop published in La Croix. 62 per cent of respondents would favour a UN mission in Darfur, and 55 per cent would back the participation of French troops in the endeavour.

Sudan has been ravaged by food shortages and deadly attacks in the Darfur region, where two black African armed groups—the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)—are fighting the mainly Arab central administration and pro-government militias known as Janjaweed. According to the United Nations (UN), the conflict has led to the deaths of at least 200,000 people, and the displacement of more than 2.5 million inhabitants.

On May 1, the UN Security Council unanimously approved extending the organization's current mandate in Sudan—known as UNMIS—until the end of October. UNMIS has a staff of 12,000 people and was created in March 2005 to help maintain a peace deal between Sudan's government and southern rebels.

The UN has repeatedly asked the Sudanese government for permission to send 20,000 UN peacekeepers into Darfur to stop the ongoing carnage. Sudanese president Omar al-Beshir has repeatedly rejected the calls, agreeing only to the presence of peacekeepers from the Arab League, reinforced by 3,000 UN troops.

On Jul. 19, Chad president Idriss Déby announced he has agreed in principle to let a European Union (EU) force into the east of his country to contain violence that has spread from the neighbouring Darfur region. Following a meeting with French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Déby declared: "We have accepted it." Sarkozy has been one of the main proponents of sending EU forces into Chad.

Polling Data

Would you favour or oppose a military intervention by the United Nations (UN) in Darfur?

Favour	62%
Oppose	36%
No reply	2%

In the event of a UN intervention in Darfur, would you favour or oppose the participation of France's military?

Favour	55%
Oppose	44%
No reply	1%

Source: Ifop / La Croix
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,009 French adults, conducted on Jul. 12 and Jul. 13, 2007. No margin of error was provided.