INTERVIEW-Britain says pressure on Sudan to intensify

By Andrew Cawthorne

LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Britain said outside pressure had brought profound improvement in Darfur but Sudan had to do more to end the violence — and the international community would intensify its efforts until it did.

International Development Secretary Hilary Benn [photo] was speaking after a U.N. resolution at the weekend threatened economic sanctions on Khartoum if it does not stop Arab militia terrorising African farmers in the remote western province.

“I first discussed the crisis in Darfur when I was in Khartoum in December … They were in denial about what was going on and made access to Darfur very difficult,” he said.

“We have seen a profound change because of international pressure … That doesn’t mean the international community will let it get away with not doing things it’s promised to do.”

“The pressure is not going to go away, in fact it’s going to intensify … The key is, do people honour the ceasefire? Does the fighting stop? Do the attacks on villages stop?”

Benn is one of three London ministers to visit Sudan in recent weeks as part of a high-profile effort by former colonial ruler Britain and others to stop the violence in Darfur.

The United Nations says the fighting has displaced 1.5 million people in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Anti-government rebel groups in the area say Khartoum has been backing the so-called Janjaweed militia.

Washington has called it genocide.

Benn told Reuters that Sudan had responded to international pressure to allow more aid and foreign workers into Darfur.

“Security in the camps has improved but outside the camps not sufficiently,” he added. “People certainly don’t feel that it’s safe to go home.”

The U.N. Security Council motion gave “a strong, united view” from the world and sent a message to Sudan that “we’ve seen progress but we need to see more,” Benn said.

He met John Garang on Monday, leader of southern Sudanese rebels involved in a separate conflict and peace process, whom Khartoum has accused of backing insurgents in Darfur.

Benn said they agreed on the need for inter-connected solutions.

“Progress on completing the Naivasha process (about ending the southern conflict) is fundamental to the future of Sudan and to solving the crisis in Darfur,” Benn said.

Asked about the U.S. use of “genocide” in relation to Darfur, he replied:

“The Americans have said what they’ve said. We’ve said it may be genocide. The U.N. has said ‘crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing’. The point is whatever word you use to call it, what are you doing about the current situation?”

(Additional reporting by Victoria Cutler)