Australia and New Zealand blame Sudan government for humanitarian disaster
SYDNEY, July 25 (AFP) — Australia and New Zealand blamed the Sudanese government Sunday for the humanitarian disaster in Darfur, saying it had not done enough to disarm the Arab Janjaweed militia blamed for atrocities.
In a joint statement, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his New Zealand counterpart Phil Goff said the situation in Darfur was an “unnecessary catastrophe” that the international community must pressure Sudan to bring under control.
“We are appalled and outraged by the humanitarian and human rights disaster now taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan,” the statement said.
“This tragedy is the responsibility of the government of Sudan, and the result of the government’s failure to take action against the Janjaweed militia.”
The UN estimates up to 50,000 people have died in the Darfur region and about 1.2 million have been driven from their homes since a revolt against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum broke out among ethnic minorities in February 2003.
Australia has already said it is considering a UN request to contribute troops — mainly engineers and medics — to a mission to Darfur and Goff said New Zealand was also willing to make a “modest” contribution to a peacekeeping force.
But Downer said the first step must be UN Security Council support for a US resolution imposing sanctions on Sudan.
He said the UN must stop the flow of weapons to Darfur, impose “realistic” sanctions against the Sudanese government and support a planned deployment of troops by the African Union.
“Whatever happens there, we can’t let people in Sudan die at the rate they’ve been dying,” Downer told reporters.
Goff said the situation in Sudan was “an international disgrace” that was approaching genocide.
“Aid, peacekeeping, and pressure on the government of Sudan to live up to its commitments is vitally necessary if we are to avoid genocide of people in the southern Sudan,” he said.
“I think that that is something, while far away from our part of the world, that we have a strong obligation to do.”
Britain has said it it ready to send thousands of troops to Darfur if required and the European Union has warned Sudan the US-led push for sanctions will likely succeed unless it takes action.
However, Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir has accused the outside world of using the situation to target Islam.