ICRC chief to visit Sudan over Darfur crisis

KHARTOUM, Nov 25 (AFP) — The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross is due in Khartoum on Thursday for talks on the Darfur conflict before a visit to see the situation in the troubled region at first hand.

ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger is making his second visit this year to Sudan.

“The purpose of the visit is to assess the humanitarian situation in Darfur and to hold discussions with the government of Sudan on how to improve the protection of the civilian population,’ the ICRC said in a statement.

Kellenberger will travel to Darfur from November 26 to 28 to assess what the United Nations has described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today, triggered by a conflict between Darfur rebels and Arab militias.

The ICRC said that since Kellenberger’s last visit in March, humanitarian access has “considerably improved,” allowing the agency to develop aid operations with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.

The fighting began in February 2003 when rebels launched an uprising against what they allege is the political and economic marginalisation of black Africans by the Arab-led government.

Khartoum’s response was to unleash the Arab Janjaweed, who have been blamed by Western officials and aid workers for killings, rape and widespread violations of human rights.

Since then, more than 70,000 people have been killed or have died from hunger and disease in the area, according to the United Nations, and another 1.5 million have been displaced.

Each side in the 21-month-old Darfur conflict has repeatedly accused the other of violating a ceasefire.