UN rights chief prepares mission to Sudan and Darfur from Sunday
GENEVA, Sept 17 (AFP) — The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour will travel to Sudan on Sunday on a mission to try to stop attacks on civilians in the strife-torn western region of Darfur, her office confirmed here.
Arbour will be accompanied by the UN Secretary-General’s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Juan Mendez, during her seven-day trip, the UN human rights office said in a statement Friday.
“We will be looking at what more can be done to prevent further violations so the people of Darfur no longer have to fear massacres, rape, forced displacement and other abuses,” Arbour said.
UN chief Kofi Annan announced he was sending Arbour to Darfur on Thursday as he urged the United Nations Security Council to act immediately to stop the bloodshed and humanitarian strife in the region.
“Abuses are continuing as we see from the reports that are coming out of Darfur every day. Whatever it is qualified, the situation requires immediate attention and action,” UN human rights spokesman Jose Diaz told AFP.
About 1.4 million people have fled their homes in the impoverished western region following attacks by a government-backed militia, the Janjawid, and Sudanese troops fighting a rebellion in Darfur over the past year.
Up to 200,000 refugees have fled to neighbouring Chad.
Diaz said he expected that one of the recommendations from the mission would be an expansion in the number of United Nations human rights monitors in Darfur, who currently total eight.
“Obviously, as effective as our monitors have been, the situation there is still dire and we need further, stronger action,” he added.
Annan told the UN Human Rights Commission in March that the international community should consider decisive measures, including military action, if Sudan failed to open up the region to international aid.
Aid agencies have warned that deliveries are still being hampered because of fighting in the region, on top of seasonal rains.
Arbour, a former international war crimes prosecutor, will hold meetings with Sudanese officials and international relief agencies in the capital Khartoum before flying to El Feshir in Darfur on Monday.
She is expected to end her trip by meeting Sudanese government officials in Khartoum on September 25.
Her predecessor, acting High Commissioner Bertrand Ramcharan, warned in a report in May that the region was gripped by a “reign of terror”.
It accused the Sudanese government and proxy militia of committing massive violations “many of which may constitute war crimes and/or crimes against humanity”.
The report was based on investigations in Darfur by UN human rights experts.