|
| AU's peace, security council reviews Sudan's Darfur crisis |
| | www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-04 17:51:54 |
ADDIS ABABA,
July 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council convened
Sunday during the AU annual meetings in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, reviewing
the regional bloc's work in the Sudan's Darfur crisis.
Alpha Konare, chairman of the AU Commission, said in his report to the council that the humanitarian crisis
in the Darfur region is "extremely serious," calling for immediate action to be
taken, or the situation will "further deteriorate with far reaching
implications."
Konare outlined the AU's work in restoring
peace in Darfur, and the budget of 26 million US dollars for these operations
and its source.
The AU now has 23 observers on ground in
Darfur, and a total of60 observers will be deployed to the region. Also, two
committees which brought together all parties involved in the Darfur crisis were
also operational, and had already convened in Chad's capital
N'djamena.
Konare flew to N'djamena Friday, sat down
with the parties and launched a ceasefire commission, which is made up of
representatives from the Sudanese government, and the opposition, which revolted
against Khartoum in February 2003, as well as international mediators including
those from the AU, the United States and the host nation
Chad.
Talking about his trip to Chad, Konare said on the
sidelines of the meeting that the Darfur crisis should have a political
solution, and that his trip to N'djamena was successful, as peace talks on the
implementation of the ceasefire in Darfur are scheduled for Addis Ababa on July
15.
The crisis in Darfur has resulted in the death of more
than 10,000 people and displacement of another one million since the rebellion
by indigenous against the Khartoum government broke out in February
2003.
The pro-government Arab militia Janjaweed was accused of applying methods "bordering ethnic cleansing." The AU is calling on the Khartoum government to disarm the well-armed militia.Enditem |
|
|
Breaking
News