EU to urge Sudanese govt to halt Darfur violence

Sept 14, 2006 (BRUSSELS) — European Union foreign ministers will press the Sudanese government on Friday to halt attacks on civilians in Darfur, expressing alarm at renewed fighting and a deepening humanitarian crisis there.

The EU’s special envoy Pekka Haavisto said on Tuesday after a visit to Darfur that government forces were bombing civilians in an operation reminiscent of the early stages of the conflict that has killed tens of thousands since 2003.

“The Council (of EU Foreign ministers) is alarmed by the renewed fighting in areas of North Darfur, the recent military build-up in Darfur and the reinforcement of the government forces,” ministers meeting in Brussels will say, according to a draft statement obtained by Reuters.

“The Sudanese government should stop their military action in Darfur, abide by the ceasefire agreement and respect their commitments under the DPA (Darfur Peace Agreement),” says the draft, which also condemns reported attacks by rebel groups.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in the western region in early 2003. Washington calls the rape, murder and pillage in Darfur genocide, a charge Khartoum denies.

Cash-strapped African Union troops have so far failed to stem the violence in Darfur, which has only escalated since an AU-brokered peace deal was signed with one rebel faction in May.

EU foreign ministers are also set to urge Khartoum to accept a transfer to a United Nations mission in Darfur, while Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on Thursday reaffirmed his refusal to accept it, saying the U.N. has a hidden agenda to “recolonise” his country.

The AU mission expires on Sept. 30 and the U.N. Security Council last month passed a resolution to deploy more than 20,000 U.N. peacekeeping troops in Darfur.

“The situation is so serious we believe very strongly that the international community needs to act and maximise the diplomatic pressure,” an EU diplomat said on Wednesday.

(Reuters)