Reports of violence still coming out of Sudan's Darfur region – UN

31 January 2005 – Reports of violence continue to come out of Sudan's western Darfur region and several routes in South Darfur state are currently closed for United Nations movement because of ongoing insecurity, the UN Advance Mission in Sudan (UNAMIS) said today.

The reported attacks are the latest in Darfur which the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and at least 1.8 million others forced from their homes since rebels took up arms against the Government in early 2003, partly in protest at the distribution of economic resources.

In South Darfur on 27 and 28 January, armed tribesmen reportedly attacked internally displaced persons (IDPs) gathering at Djedja, killing six and displacing over 4,000 more. Only three routes are clear for UN movement, UNAMIS said.

In West Darfur, the situation appears to have calmed down since heavy fighting north of Sirba on 20 January, but the area remains tense.

In North Darfur on 26 and 27 January, unidentified persons burnt several huts, including one belonging to a local non-governmental organization (NGO). On 28 January, a group of IDPs in Abu Shouk camp, who claimed not to have received ration cards and not to have received food since their arrival, looted food items, leading to a riot and halting food distribution.

Humanitarian agencies are planning to meet to discuss and identify alternative sites to relocate some 25,000 IDPs who have arrived in Abu Shouk camp over the past two months due to insecurity.

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Annan disturbed by reports of Sudan's deadly bombing raid on village in Darfur

28 January 2005 – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today he was deeply disturbed by reports that Sudanese Government airplanes have bombed a village in the north of the war-scarred Darfur region, killing or injuring as many as 100 people.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Annan described the attack as "the latest in a series of grave ceasefire violations that have resulted in a large number of civilian casualties, the displacement of thousands of people, and severe access restrictions for relief workers."

Monitors from the African Union (AU) reported that the Sudanese air force bombed the village of Rahad Kabolong, near the town of Shangil Tobaya in North Darfur state, on Wednesday. UN humanitarian agencies have declared the location around Rahad Kabolong to be a "no-go" area for their staff until further notice.

Mr. Annan urged both the Government in Khartoum and the rebel movements in Darfur, which took up arms against the Sudanese Government in early 2003, to comply fully with their commitments under the ceasefire agreement they struck last year.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than 1.8 million others forced from their homes because of the conflict in Darfur, an impoverished and isolated region the size of France on Sudan's western flank.

Meanwhile, Jan Pronk, Mr. Annan's Special Representative for Sudan, has wrapped up a brief visit to Darfur, where he met AU officials, local community representatives, aid workers and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

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28/01/2005



SECRETARY-GENERAL ‘DEEPLY DISTURBED’ BY ATTACK ON DARFUR VILLAGE,

CALLS ON PARTIES TO COMPLY FULLY WITH CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed by an attack near the town of Shangil Tobaya in the Darfur region of the Sudan. According to monitors of the African Union, government aircraft bombed the area on Wednesday. This is the latest in a series of grave ceasefire violations that have resulted in a large number of civilian casualties, the displacement of thousands of people, and severe access restrictions for relief workers. The Secretary-General calls on the Government of the Sudan and the rebel movements in Darfur immediately to comply fully with their commitments under the ceasefire agreement and all relevant Security Council resolutions.



Press Release

SG/SM/9694

AFR/1097

21 years of conflict. More than 2 million dead. 6 million forced to leave their homes. Thousands of women and children abducted and/or raped. Hundreds of villages destroyed and relatives still missing.

The whole world knows the horror of Sudan, yet despite these appalling figures, not one single perpetrator of war crimes or crimes against humanity has been brought to justice in Sudan.

If the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other crimes under international law are not brought to account, they and others will be

encouraged to commit further crimes.

The UN Security Council knows that its calls for suspected perpetrators in Sudan to be brought to justice have been ignored, yet it has failed to act.

We, as members of the international community, must take action to ensure that the perpetrators of the worst possible crimes in Sudan are held individually criminally responsible.

Take action!