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Sudan Tribune

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Blair urged to act on Sudan

By JAMES KIRKUP, The Scotsman

Key Points

– Claims 200,000 black Africans forced over border into Chad by Arab militias
– Blair considers UN-imposed no-fly zone
– Amnesty International criticises UK for not addressing problem adequately

Key quote “The government has to put more pressure on the Sudanese government to make sure that military officers can be investigated in connection with allegations of human-rights abuses,” a spokeswoman – Amnesty International

EDINBURGH, June 16, 2004 — AID groups and human-rights campaigners have dismissed Tony Blair’s claim that he and his government are doing “all that we can” for the people of Darfur in western Sudan.

At a Downing Street press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister said that his conscience is clear about his record on Darfur, where Arab militias have forced some 200,000 black Africans over the border into Chad, and where the United Nations warns one million people are at risk of starvation.

“We are doing our best, but we are looking to see what more we can do,” said Mr Blair, who once described Africa as a scar on the conscience of the world.

“I believe we are doing all that we can, but we keep that under constant review, as we should.”

Under pressure from Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, Mr Blair earlier this week said he is considering a call for a UN-imposed no-fly zone over Darfur, amid persistent reports that the Sudanese air force is participating in the ethnic cleansing through the bombing of civilians.

Challenged later to say what additional measures Mr Blair is considering taking on Darfur, the Prime Minister’s officials declined to name any specific actions or comment on the no-fly zone suggestion, instead referring questions to the Department for International Development.

DFID handles Britain’s growing budget for humanitarian assistance to Darfur, but aid workers say that the UK needs to do more in the diplomatic arena. Many analysts fear Britain, like the United States, is treading softly with the Sudanese government for fear of jeopardising a peace deal aimed at solving another, separate conflict in the country’s southern region.

“Of course there is more that could be done on Darfur,” said a spokeswoman for Christian Aid, calling for more pressure to be brought to bear on the Khartoum government and more support to be given to African Union human-rights monitors in the area. “There are still areas of Darfur where we have no access at all.”

Sudan is still hindering some aid groups trying to get food and supplies to thousands of people in Darfur, despite promises to the contrary, Jan Egeland, the UN under secretary-general said on Monday.

“I don’t think the international community has done all it can for the people of Darfur,” Gayle Smith, the chief adviser on African affairs to the former US president Bill Clinton, told The Scotsman from Washington. “It is morally necessary to do more.”

Ms Smith said that while Britain’s humanitarian aid effort was admirable, Mr Blair had to show more willingness to criticise the Sudanese government in public, in order to force Khartoum to stop the violence in the province.

Amnesty International also said that Britain has not done enough to address the tragedy in Darfur.

“The government has to put more pressure on the Sudanese government to make sure that military officers can be investigated in connection with allegations of human-rights abuses,” a spokeswoman said.

One source in the international aid community said that Britain, in common with other countries, was doing well in its response to Darfur’s humanitarian crisis, but doing little to address the widespread violence there.

Hilary Benn, the International Development Secretary, visited Sudan last week and became the first UK minister to openly accuse the regime there of complicity in the violence in Darfur.

Mr Blair yesterday declined to repeat Mr Benn’s words, simply saying: “I will be keeping in touch with developments there very precisely indeed. It’s an important issue.”

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