Sudan considers Darfur self-rule

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Aug 11, 2004 (UPI) — The top U.N. envoy for Sudan Wednesday attended the opening of a conference to review a draft law on the native administration of the troubled Darfur region.

Sudan’s western region is where fighting between rebels and government forces has continued since early 2003. That fighting has resulted in approximately 30,000 deaths, the displacement of 1.2 million people and what senior U.N. officials call the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative, Jan Pronk, said he welcomed the meeting and participation of traditional leaders to discuss necessary reforms to be undertaken in Darfur to restore peace and stability in that region.

A U.N. spokesman said participants discussed the draft, which is based on earlier consultations with local leaders, taking into account recent agreements with the United Nations.