UN’s Pronk heads to Darfur for talks with rebel groups

Nov 17, 2005 (NEW YORK) — Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative for Sudan, Jan Pronk, left for South Darfur yesterday for discussions with commanders of the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement/Army on a range of issues, including their participation in the seventh round of peace talks scheduled to start next Monday.

The talks are being held in the Nigerian capital of Abuja in an effort to end nearly two years of fighting between Government forces, pro-government militias and rebels that has killed some 180,000 people and displaced 2 million others in the western Darfur region.

The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said today the incidence of sexual- and gender-based violence in and around camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) remains a matter of concern throughout Darfur, with cases being reported regularly.

This week saw two instances of kidnapping of village women in the Masteri and Geneina areas with up to 12 women abducted. Insecurity around Kalma continues, in the absence of intensive police patrolling, UNMIS added. Meetings between IDP leaders and government security forces are giving some hope that the situation may soon improve.

(UN News/ST)