Sudan dragging its feet on Darfur security pledges: UN

KHARTOUM, Aug 16 (AFP) — Sudan has furnished the United Nations with a list of safe areas for victims of the fighting in the war-ravaged western region of Darfur, but the UN remains unimpressed with the pace of progress on the overall security situation.

Sudanese authorities on Sunday submitted to the UN a list of 11 areas that had been made secure and Foreign Minister Mustafa Ismail told reporters after talks with UN envoy Jan Pronk in Khartoum that the list had been drawn up in accordance with a plan of action thrashed out by the two men earlier this month.

The creation of the so-called safe areas represent a crucial test of Sudan’s intention to implement a UN Security Council resolution that gives Khartoum until the end of this month to calm the situation in Darfur or face international action.

How Khartoum decides to implement the demands of the resolution, which it accepted reluctantly, will set the tone of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s report to Council end of August, which will in turn determine the Council’s next move.

With 14 days to go before Annan presents his report, the UN does not appear impressed with the pace of progress made so far, as a statement released by Pronk’s office on Sunday suggested.

It said he has “expressed concern about the lack of progress registered so far on the ground and at the fact that the Janjaweed militia was still active around (camps for Internally Displaced Persons) and continued to be a threat”.

The pro-government Arab Janjaweed militias have been blamed for many of the atrocities against African farmers in Darfur, a semi-desert region roughly the size of France, where the UN says the world’s worst humanitarian crisis is unfolding.

However, Pronk, the UN chief’s representative for Sudan, commended Khartoum for the few positive moves it has made in recently days, including the plan on securing certain areas in the region for the IDPs.

“The special representative welcomed the steps being taken by the government,” said the statement from his press office.

Under the plan, there would be four safe zones in North Darfur State — in the state capital El Fasher and surrounding villages, the Abu Shouk and Zamzam displaced persons’ camps, and Taweila district.

Another four zones would be secured in South Darfur State — the state capital of Nyala and surrounding villages, the Kalma and Sani Dalaibah camps, and the Abu Ajourah district.

The other three zones would be in West Darfur State — the state capital of Gineina and neighboring villages, and the Gineina and Morni camps.

But the statement from Pronk’s office made it clear that the real test was not in drawing up plans, but implementing them.

“The crucial phase will be the one when it could be demonstrated that these actions have borne fruit on the ground, when substantial and verifiable improvement of the security situation in the selected areas will be achieved,” it said.

The United Nations estimates that up to 50,000 people have been killed since Sudan’s armed forces and the Janjaweed militia cracked down on minority tribes backing a rebellion, which erupted in Darfur in February 2003. However, the government disputes the figure.

Another 1.2 million people have fled their homes in Sudan and up to 200,000 more have been settled in makeshift camps in neighboring Chad, the United Nations says.