Catholic bishops in Sudan call for halt to “genocide” in Darfur

ROME, Aug 30 (AFP) — Catholic bishops in Sudan said Monday that a genocide is underway in Darfur, and appealed to the United Nations to intervene if pro-government militias are not brought to heel, a statement released by the Vatican said.

“We are confronted with a veritable genocide and are not on the threshold of a genocide, as the international community continues to assert,” said Bishop Macram Max Gassis, quoted in the statement.

“The thousands of civilians already killed, raped and tortured by Janjaweed militia make the term ‘genocide’ applicable to the situation in Darfur,” he added.

The bishops called on the international community to apply pressure on the Sudanese government to disarm the rebels responsible for displacing hundreds of thousands of people and “to try those who have committed crimes against humanity.”