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News and Information
Sudan for More AU Monitors in Darfur
| September 10, 2004 |
The Nation (Nairobi)
September 10, 2004
Posted to the web September 10, 2004
Tony Kago
Nairobi
A Sudanese delegation yesterday called for more African Union monitors to oversee a truce in the strife-torn Darfur region.
Led by the deputy speaker of the Sudanese Parliament, Mr Angelo Beda, the delegation dismissed a threat of oil sanctions by the United States to pressure the Sudan government over the conflict in Darfur.
The US submitted the draft resolution to the United Nations yesterday, threatening oil sanctions against Sudan if Khartoum did not stop abuses in the Darfur region and accept a large African Union monitoring force.
Mr Beda told a press conference at the Grand Regency Hotel in Nairobi that he doubted the US would succeed in convincing other UN members to adopt the resolution.
He said that contrary to critics, the government had disarmed 375,000 Janjaweed militiamen who have been blamed for driving more than one million people from their homes in Darfur and killing an estimated 30,000 others.
He said the government was stepping up efforts to end the violence and provide humanitarian relief to civilians in the region.
The Deputy Speaker said the Sudanese government had deployed 40,000 soldiers in Western Darfur to protect civilians and contain the situation.
The government, he said, had disarmed 30 per cent of the Arab militia.
Mr Beda is leading a high-powered delegation that includes Members of Parliament and from the ruling National Congress Party.
The team that includes Mr William Othwonh, chairman of Sudan's Federal Committee in the National Assembly, is on a tour of neighbouring countries to explain the situation in Darfur and seek a solution to the crisis.
On Wednesday, the delegation held talks with Foreign Affairs Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, his Regional Cooperation counterpart Mr John Koech and Speaker Francis Ole Kaparo.
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Source: Allfrica.com |
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