Australia commits more aid to Sudan humanitarian crisis

CANBERRA, July 27, 2004 (AP) — Australia pledged an extra 12 million Australian dollars (US$8.5 million) in aid Tuesday to help relieve the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and called on the government there to rein in human rights abuses by militia fighters.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the extra money would boost Australia’s humanitarian funding to the African country so far this year to A$20 million (US$14 million).

The 15-month conflict in the vast Darfur region has killed up to 30,000 civilians, most of them black villagers, displaced more than 1 million and left some 2.2 million in urgent need of food or medical attention.

“If the humanitarian efforts of the international community are to be effective, it is essential that the Sudanese government fulfills immediately the commitments it has made to disarm the Janjaweed militia, remove restrictions on humanitarian access, permit the deployment of human rights monitors and bring human rights abuses to an end,” Downer said.

Australia was actively encouraging and supporting action by the United Nations and would continue to support international efforts to end the conflict and alleviate the human suffering and gross human rights abuses, he said.

Downer said Sunday Australia will likely send troops to support a U.N. peace keeping mission which is expected to be in place in the Sudan by the end of this year.