News & Politics - U.N.: Darfur Is Becoming 'Catastrophic'

Lexis · 08-10-2006, 08:48 AM

Quote:

GENEVA (AP) - The United Nations' top humanitarian official warned Thursday that the situation in Darfur was becoming dramatically more dangerous, as rapes and attacks by militias and rebel factions continue despite a three-month old peace deal.

The U.N. had said a day earlier that the May 5 peace deal, signed between Sudan's government and Darfur's main rebel group, was ``doomed to failure'' unless the government provided more support.

``It's going from real bad to catastrophic in Darfur,'' Jan Egeland told reporters at the U.N.'s European headquarters in Geneva.

Fighting has actually increased since the peace deal, ``and it has been particularly terrible among (rebel) factions fighting each other,'' Egeland said. ``That's led to tens of thousands of people being displaced, and sexual abuse and many other types of violations.''

More than 200,000 have been killed in the region since 2003, when ethnic African tribes revolted against the Arab-led Khartoum government.

The peace deal, signed in Nigeria, was supposed to help end the conflict, but instead has triggered months of fighting between factions of the Sudan Liberation Army. The U.N., aid groups and beleaguered African Union peacekeepers say rebel factions are seeking to gain advantage before peace takes hold.

The report released Wednesday by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Sudan's government and all parties to immediately comply with the peace deal's cease-fire provisions. It also called on the international community to support the African Union force in Sudan until a U.N. operation could be deployed.

The U.N. report said armed militias continued to attack villages, and on at least one occasion they were supported by government forces.

...

Last month was the deadliest month for aid workers since the conflict began. Eight Sudanese humanitarian workers were killed in road ambushes when they were working at water pumps, or in one case, during a nighttime village attack.

Aid groups warned Tuesday that conditions for millions of civilians could deteriorate quickly if security did not improve. They said spiraling violence was causing a rise in malnutrition and the spread of disease in some camps for displaced persons.

The U.N. estimates that 25,000 people were newly displaced by fighting in the last month.

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | U.N.: Darfur Is Becoming 'Catastrophic'

Just in case the world wasn't depressing enough today.

**sum1** · 08-10-2006, 09:32 AM

Darfur isn't BECOMING catastrophic, it's been catastrophic for years now. What with the world ignoring the genocide.

mh67511 · 08-10-2006, 09:55 AM

They will call it catastrophic yet they wont call it genocide.

elisheva · 08-10-2006, 02:23 PM

"Becoming"? Oh, UN.

jalapeno_wildchild · 08-20-2006, 04:20 PM

what a terrible situation that must be, and to live through it has to be much worse.

sportsfangirl · 08-20-2006, 11:56 PM

Becoming Catastrophic?!! it is catastrophic!! What's wrong with the U.N? Don't they watch the news?

chicah · 08-21-2006, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Becoming Catastrophic?!! it is catastrophic!! What's wrong with the U.N? Don't they watch the news?

Well, that's one of the problems, isn't it? The media mainly focus on the situation in the Middle East and forgets about this. We need more media focus on Darfur, so people can realize how bad things are down there...!


Fan Forum > General Discussion > News & Politics > U.N.: Darfur Is Becoming 'Catastrophic'