Group of US religious leaders visits troubled Darfur

ALFASHIR, June 10, 2005 (SUNA) — A delegation of religious leaders from the USA comprising of Muslims, Christians and Jews arrived in the Northern Darfur State this morning to acquaint themselves with the security, humanitarian situation as well as the efforts being made by the government to return life back to normal in Darfur.

Women carry water at Abushouk camp near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, November 21, 2004. (Reuters).

In a meeting the governor of Northern Darfur State, Osman Yusuf Kibir, held with the visiting delegation at his residence in Al-Fashir, the governor briefed the delegation on the efforts being exerted by both the federal government as well as the local authorities to resolve the security and humanitarian problem on the sides of the efforts being exerted by the African Union (AU) as well as UN agencies and other international organizations working in the region.

He went on to say that the situation in the state was stable in all fields and urged the religious groups in the US to work towards rectifying the image of Darfur which has been tarnished by its enemies and to portray the real image to all the people in general and the people of USA in particular.

The religious US delegation asked questions on plans to protect the civilians inside and outside the camps as well as plans to reconstruct the regions which have been destroyed by the war.

They affirmed that their visit was aimed at aquatinting themselves with the general situation in Darfur, so as to contribute in the reconstruction process, as well as offering humanitarian support.

The delegation visited Abu-Shawk camp in Darfur.