Rights activist joins Slovene president’s Darfur initiative
Jan 19, 2006 (NEW YORK) — Bianca Jagger has signed up to President Janez Drnovsek’s “The World for Darfur” initiative to stop the humanitarian crisis in this western Sudanese region.
Jagger, a member of the Amnesty International Executive Directors’ Leadership Council and Council of Europe goodwill ambassador, said in a press statement on Thursday that the international community should take effective actions to avoid the “next Rwanda” and come to the rescue of Darfur, the Slovene STA news agency reported.
In joining President Drnovsek’s appeal, Jagger wrote that the international community must “prevent the senseless killings, rapes and suffering of thousands of innocent civilians.”
Drnovsek met UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday to discuss his appeal, saying he hoped there would be a positive change in the situation in Darfur.
During talks with the UN secretary-general in New York, he said that he respected endeavours of the African Union peace mission in Sudan’s region. He nevertheless believes that a UN mission is needed in Darfur. He hopes that the Security Council will again discuss the situation and adopt more decisive measures.
Although he said he valued all efforts by the UN to bring about a solution to the crisis, he called for more resolute steps to be taken by the international community towards a solution.
(ST)