Annan ”disturbed” by continuing war in Darfur
NAIROBI, April 1, 2004 (IRIN) — United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said he is “very disturbed” by continuing fighting in Sudan’s western Darfur region, describing civilian casualties and human rights violations there as “unacceptable”, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson on Wednesday.
The statement, which was distributed to the participants of the ceasefire talks on Darfur currently being held in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, quotes Annan as saying that the fighting in Darfur “is having a devastating impact on the lives and wellbeing of the people” and “must stop”.
UN agencies recently reported that as a result of the humanitarian crisis affecting Darfur, more than 750,000 Sudanese had been internally displaced and another 110,000 had fled across the border to neighbouring Chad.
In the statement, Annan welcomed the efforts of Chadian President Idriss Deby, the government of Sudan, parties to the conflict and the international community to end the conflict. He called for an end to the fighting and urged all parties “to work intensively towards declaring an effective humanitarian ceasefire”. He also stressed that humanitarian organisations “must receive safe and unimpeded access to all those in need”.
The fighting in Darfur has raged for over a year, pitting Sudanese government forces and allied militias against rebel groups there.