EP - Darfur - Sudan asks for 'benefit of the doubt'

One of the worst humanitarian crises in the world is taking place at this very moment in Darfur, in the west of Sudan. On Tuesday, at its first working meeting since the elections, Parliament's Development Committee expressed concern at this situation and discussed it with various actors.

Since February 2003 over a million people have been displaced or have sought refuge in neighbouring Chad and more than 30,000 have been killed. Hunger is also having a devastating effect. EU aid has passed the 200 million euros mark but Roger MOORE of the European Commission told MEPs on Tuesday that further efforts must be made, particularly by the Member States, to guarantee food aid up to the end of the year. Another recurrent problem since the start of the crisis has been the delivery of aid to the afflicted population groups. According to Ali Youssef AHMID, the Sudanese Ambassador, his government is doing its best to solve this problem. He denied that there was a famine in Darfur and, in the face of criticism from MEPs, he insisted that this would only happen if the promised food aid did not arrive. He also rejected the term "genocide" used by the US Congress and taken up by some MEPs.

Sheikh NIANG, head of the African Union's liaison office in Brussels, and Colonel Peter STAMPS, of the EU military staff, stressed that only a political solution could restore peace to Darfur. A ceasefire agreement had been signed in April and an observer mission from the African Union was being deployed. Around 60 men should arrive by the end of the month, including seven EU observers.

The Sudanese Ambassador maintained that his government had begun disarming the Janjaweed militia, which is harassing the civilian population, and that some of its members had been brought to justice. The Sudanese Government, he said, had also given an undertaking to the UN secretary-general to deploy six thousand police in the region within three months to guarantee the safety of the civilian population. Ali Youssef Ahmid called on MEPs to give his government "the benefit of the doubt" pending full implementation of the agreement.

A Parliament delegation went to Sudan from 19 to 24 February and the EP adopted a resolution on 31 March condemning the ethnic cleansing in Darfur. MEPs called on Tuesday for a debate to be held, followed by a resolution, at the next plenary session in September. They also raised the possibility of a fresh mission to Darfur to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground.

27.07.2004 Committee on Development
In the chair: Luisa MORGANTINI (EUL/NGL, IT)

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