Minister says Britain leading international action in Sudan

LONDON, July 23, 2004 (dpa) — Britain is leading international action to compel the Sudanese government to end the violence in southwestern Dafur Province, International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said Friday.

Benn told the BBC that current arrangements to send 120 ceasefire monitors and a 300-man protection force to Sudan could have a “real effect”.

The British charity Oxfam was preparing to send planeloads of aid to the region Friday. The aircraft were due to leave from Manston Airport in southeastern England.

Asked Thursday about a report that Britain was considering military action, Prime Minister Tony Blair refused to rule out such action but said that point had not been reached yet.

Downing Street officials denied a report in Thursday’s Guardian newspaper, which said contingency plans for military action had been drawn up.

Benn conceded the Sudanese government had been using Janjaweed militias but refused to accuse Sudan of genocide.

“We have made it very clear to the government of Sudan that if they don’t act to bring these attacks to an end, further consequences will indeed follow,” he said however.

International pressure was having an effect, Benn said. “We have seen progress on humanitarian aid. We have not yet seen enough progress on action to stop the militias attacking people. That is why we are going to the U.N. Security Council,” he said.

Benn repeated that Britain had a “moral duty to act”, echoing Blair’s words Thursday.

Blair has repeatedly said Britain would not stand by and allow another Rwanda to occur, but has also stressed action must take place in cooperation with the Africa Union.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw plans to visit Sudan next month.