Sudanese minister of Justice denies ethnic cleansing

KHARTOUM, May 8, 2004 (KUNA) — Sudan’s Minister of Justice, Ali Mohammed Osman Yasin denied that a campaign of ethnic cleansing was taking place in the western region of Darfur.

In an interview with Sudanese Television broadcast here today, the Sudanese minister affirmed that all accusations being spread by foreign sources over ethnic cleansing occuring in the western region of Darfur were baseless and that his ministry did not receive any complaints about such actions taking place.

Two separate reports were issued by the United Nations yesterday, accusing the Sudanese government of starving civilians in Darfur and pointing out to ethnic cleansing.

The UN report was written according to a compilation of reports written by its various agencies on April 25th.

Last night a delegation from the African Union which included representatives from the European Union and the US arrived here to discuss the stationing of observers to supervise the cease-fire agreement signed between the government of Sudan and the Darfur rebels on April 8th.

The agreement stipulates a 45-day cease fire and to allow the entery of humanitarian provisions to the affected areas.

The delegation is scheduled to head to Darfur later today after holding talks with the officials in Khartoum.

The Sudanese government has been holding negotiations with the Darfur rebels under the auspices of the President of Chad, Idriss Deby, to end the war which was launched since September 2001 which led to the killing of thousands and the displacement of millions.