UN rights body to hold special session on Darfur

Dec 5, 2006 (GENEVA) — The United Nation’s top human rights body will hold a special session on violations in Sudan’s strife-torn region of Darfur on December 12, the world body announced on Tuesday.

European and African states in the UN Human Rights Council last week joined forces to call the urgent session, but a date for the session had yet to be set.

Their bid was supported by 33 of the 47 nations in the council, according to a statement from the UN. The list of backers also includes traditional allies of Khartoum, China and Cuba.

European countries have lodged a draft resolution calling on the council to set up a mission to probe violations in Darfur.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour last week warned the assembly that “atrocities” in Darfur “continue to be a daily occurrence” and said that Khartoum is responsible for the most serious violations.

The move follows pressure from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who warned that the reputation of the UN’s top human rights forum is at stake if it does not act on serious violations.

It will be the fourth special session called by the council to act on an urgent situation since the body was formed earlier this year.

The three others called, mainly by Arab and African nations, dealt with the situation in the Middle East and exclusively focused on attacks by Israel.

At least 200 000 people have died from the combined effects of war and famine since the conflict in Darfur erupted in 2003. More than two million have fled their homes and violence is continuing, according to the UN.

(AFP)