US demands immediate access to Darfur for UN team

WASHINGTON, April 16 (AFP) — The United States demanded that the government of Sudan immediately permit a UN team probing alleged atrocities to enter the crisis-torn western region of Darfur and said it held Khartoum responsible for the safety of all people there.

In addition, the State Department said it continued to receive unconfirmed reports that government-backed militias were attacking civilians in Darfur in violation of a ceasefire agreement that took effect earlier this week.

“We are concerned that the government of Sudan has not moved to normalize the situation in Darfur and continues in not fully facilitating humanitarian access,” State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.

“That is not acceptable,” he told reporters.

“We urge the government of Sudan to immediately grant visas to the two United Nations teams who are investigation the situation in Darfur and to other humanitarian workers who are working in Darfur,” Boucher said.

His comments came after the United Nations said its team had abandoned its bid to enter Sudan after being denied visas and allegations from a rebel group that the Khartoum-backed militia had violated the truce for the second day running, killing nine civilians.

Boucher said the United States, which has promised logistical support to a civilian ceasefire monitoring commission to be set up next week, would hold Khartoum responsible for the actions of the militias.

“We hold the government of Sudan responsible for their activities,” he said. “They must stop the attacks and rein in the militias and we hold the government responsible for protecting the citizens of Darfur.”

The year-old Darfur war has displaced about 670,000 people inside Sudan since it erupted in February last year and forced about 100,000 others to flee to Chad.

More than 10,000 people are thought to have died in the conflict.