HRW urges Japan to press Sudan over Darfur

March 4, 2008 (TOKYO) — The Japanese government should make ending the suffering and violence in Sudan a top priority in meetings this week with the Sudanese presidential assistant, Nafi Ali Nafi, Human Rights Watch said today.

Nafi Ali Nafi, who is also the Sudan’s top negotiator for Darfur peace negotiations on Monday, has began a six-day visit to the Japanese capital for talks with the foreign minister Masahiko Komura and other Japanese officials on Darfur.

Human Rights Watch has written a letter to Japan’s Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura asking him to use this official visit to press Sudan to immediately end attacks on civilians, to stop obstructing the deployment of peacekeepers, and to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court.

“There can be no trade-off between the political process, justice and saving lives right now,’’ said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Khartoum’s massive bombardment of civilians in West Darfur and its refusal to provide any accountability for grave international crimes can only damage the prospects for peace in Darfur. Japan has a chance to make a difference. ”

Tokyo said last weeks considering to dispatch peacekeepers from its national army Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations in South Sudan as early as from June.

Japan hoped to raise the Darfur issue when it hosts the summit of the Group of Eight major industrial countries in July.

(ST)