UN official expresses concern over Sudanese refugees

By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press writer

UNITED NATIONS, July 15, 2004 (AP) — The U.N. humanitarian chief expressed serious concern that Sudanese who fled their homes because of attacks by Arab militias are being forced to return to their villages.

Jan Egeland said the United Nations has received reports that there is “big pressure” to have people leave camps in the western Darfur region against their will, which goes against U.N. principles and the U.N. agreement with the Sudanese government that all returns must be voluntary.

“This enforced movement of people is very, very, very, very worrisome at the moment,” he said Wednesday. “This is one of the key points to monitor in the next days and weeks – that return is voluntary and that security is reestablished for the civilian population.”

Egeland said the Sudanese government has made progress in improving access for humanitarian workers and allowing relief supplies into the country, but the militias have not been disarmed and demobilized and the security situation is getting worse.

“The number one problem now is lack of security,” he said. “Our trucks are looted. Our humanitarian workers are threatened and attacked, and that’s not necessarily only the fault of the government. There are many militias and other groups in the area, but certainly the government has to do much more to disarm this infamous Janjaweed militia.”

U.N. associate spokeswoman Marie Okabe said there were reports of increased Arab militia presence as well as tribal clashes and fighting between government forces and rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army.

The United States and humanitarian groups accuse the government of backing the Janjaweed during the 15-month conflict that has killed up to 30,000 people, forced over 1 million to flee their homes, and left 2.2 million in desperate need of food and medicine. The Sudanese government denies supporting the militias.

The fighting began when two groups drawn from Darfur’s African tribes took up arms over what they regard as unjust treatment by the government in their struggle over land and resources with Arab countrymen. The Arab militias began attacking the black Africans, and some human rights groups have accused them of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

In visits earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the government must rein in the militias and provide security so people can return to their homes.

Annan signed an agreement with Sudan ‘s Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail on June 3 that calls for disarming the militias, deploying 6,000 Sudanese soldiers and policemen to improve security, facilitating humanitarian aid, and allowing African Union troops and human rights monitors into Darfur.

Egeland said he expects the first meeting on implementing the agreement -scheduled for Thursday in the Sudanese capital Khartoum -to focus on security for humanitarian workers and civilians, disarmament and demobilization of militias, the voluntary return of those who fled, and the international community’s willingness to dramatically increase resources to help those in Darfur.

“The government as well as the others addressed in the agreement have to do more -that goes for rebels and the international community,” Egeland said.

Annan is sending his new U.N. envoy to Sudan , Jan Pronk, to Thursday’s meeting in Khartoum. He is also sending his African envoy, Mohamed Sahnoun, to peace talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday between the government and rebel groups involved in the Darfur conflict.

U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said Washington wants to hear from Pronk before pushing for a vote on a Security Council resolution calling for an arms embargo and travel ban against the Janjaweed, but he stressed that quick action is needed.

“Every day that goes by is a precious day that people’s lives are being lost,” Danforth said. “This is a matter of great urgency, and … it can’t just drift on and on and on. Practical steps have got to be taken to get food, … medicine … into the hands of people who are now in great need.”

But other council members want to give the Sudanese government more time to implement the agreement.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry said progress is being made, but “too slowly.”

“At the moment, it’s better to try and see if by a process of pressure from the African Union, from the United Nations” the government will implement what they’ve agreed to, he said. “If that doesn’t work, then we’ll have to look for quite a tough resolution very soon.”