EU’s Barroso to visit Sudan amid growing Darfur concerns
Sept 17, 2006 (BRUSSELS) — European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Sunday he was planning a visit to Sudan soon to press for a solution to the crisis in Darfur where the Sudanese government is resisting the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers.
“We must step up our political engagement, to do what we can to avoid a humanitarian crisis,” Barroso said.
His statement followed an appeal from British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the E.U. to take a lead role in pressing for an end to the violence in Darfur.
International fears for a humanitarian catastrophe are growing as the Sudanese government refuses to allow in U.N. troops to replace African peacekeepers in the remote western province. The mandate of the African troops runs out at the end of the month and aid agencies fear a new wave of violence if they are not replaced.
Barroso said he would travel to Sudan shortly with the E.U.’s top aid official Louis Michel. They gave no date for the visit, but are due to be in the region Oct. 2 for talks at the headquarters of the African Union in Ethiopia.
The AU has been running the peacekeeping mission in Darfur, but its thinly stretched troops have been unable to halt the violence involving Darfur rebel factions and forces loyal to the Sudanese government, prompting calls for a stronger U.N. force.
Blair wrote to other European leaders urging the E.U. to play a “central role in mobilizing world opinion” on Darfur. He said Sudan should face international isolation if the Khartoum government did not comply with the will of the international community.
More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur and more than 2 million have fled their homes since 2003 when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led government. The government is accused of unleashing brutal Arab militiamen known as Janjaweed in the remote western province.
The E.U. is a major aid donor, but previous efforts by the bloc to use its leverage to persuade the Sudanese government to comply with the deployment of U.N. troops have not succeeded.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has said a U.N. deployment would violate the country’s sovereignty and has warned that his army would fight. However, one of Sudan’s two vice presidents in remarks published Saturday indicated that he would accept the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers.
Sunday was declared an international Day for Darfur by Amnesty International and other rights groups, who want United Nations peacekeepers to be sent to Sudan.
(AP/ST)